Liquid purification or separation – Casing divided by membrane into sections having inlet – Planar membrane
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-02
2002-05-07
Popovics, Robert J. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Casing divided by membrane into sections having inlet
Planar membrane
C210S416300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06383384
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to water purification, and more particularly relates to purification of water using reverse osmosis purification apparatus and methodology.
As is well known by those skilled in the art, the phenomenon of osmosis may be used to purify water. Generally, reverse osmosis purification apparatus use a pump to develop sufficient pressure to force water through a membrane configured to separate impurities and the like from the water. It is evident that, to sustain such conventional water purification operations using reverse osmosis, constant energy must be applied to the mechanically-driven apparatus.
An illustration of this prior art is a hand-held osmosis apparatus that requires constant cranking effort to provide the energy prerequisite for effectuating the intended water filtration and purification. Thus, Miers discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,887 a manually-operated reverse osmosis desalination system using semipermeable membranes to selectively purify an aqueous feed solution. A reciprocating piston or diaphragm pump provides the pressure to drive the solution through the membrane thereby continuously flush the membrane surface. Another example of the application of reverse osmosis technology known in the art is disclosed by Tempest's water purification system in U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,416 wherein a booster pump is used to enable the removal of salt and finely divided particles.
Other developments in the reverse osmosis art have been disclosed by Keefer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,326 and Pat. No. Re. 32,144. Keefer's apparatus effectuate water desalination using a combination of pump action and a low-speed rotary shaft to selectively permeate purified water from a pressurized feed solution through a semipermeable membrane. The piston means taught by Keefer includes spring-loading means to afford double-acting and reciprocal piston action.
Notwithstanding these and related developments in the art, there appears to be no apparatus which provides an efficient means for both storing and utilizing energy to provide a pump-free driving force prerequisite for sustaining reverse osmosis apparatus and methodology for water purification purposes.
Accordingly, the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention, and improved means and techniques are provided which are useful for effectuating water purification via the application of reverse osmosis but without the necessity of using pump means or for constantly providing mechanical energy to the water purification apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a reverse osmosis apparatus for purifying aqueous solutions or contaminated water that uses a synchronous combination of a worm gear and spring assembly that delivers constant mechanical energy for sustaining continuous filtration operations without the concomitant repetitious cranking and the like that has been commonly prerequisite in the art. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention afford a simple and pump-free means for storing energy as a ready reservoir for driving an aqueous solution through semipermeable membranes or the like.
In another aspect of the present invention, an electric motor is provided particularly to support mass production of fresh water from salt water and the like. The electric motor is preferably applied to the apparatus taught by the present invention intermittently to engender sufficient energy storage to sustain continuous filtration of particulate impurities and contaminants.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pump-free apparatus for purifying aqueous solutions via reverse osmosis.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for purifying aqueous solutions using reverse osmosis achieved via a Linear configuration of a synchronized drive screw and piston actuated through the rotational motion of a shaft.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for purifying aqueous solutions using reverse osmosis by forcing the solution through a semipermeable membrane under high pressures heretofore unknown in the art.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for purifying aqueous solutions using reverse osmosis by affording a high mechanical advantage between the pump-free means and synchronized piston means for driving the solution through a semipermeable membrane.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like components.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4070280 (1978-01-01), Bray
patent: 4125463 (1978-11-01), Chenoweth
patent: 4156645 (1979-05-01), Bray
patent: 4208289 (1980-06-01), Bray
patent: 4288326 (1981-09-01), Keefer
patent: 4341629 (1982-07-01), Uhlinger
patent: 4421461 (1983-12-01), Hicks et al.
patent: RE32144 (1986-05-01), Keefer
patent: 4632754 (1986-12-01), Wood
patent: 4781837 (1988-11-01), Lefebvre
patent: 5229005 (1993-07-01), Fok et al.
patent: 5520816 (1996-05-01), Kuepper
patent: 5531887 (1996-07-01), Miers
patent: 5741416 (1998-04-01), Tempest, Jr.
Harrison & Egbert
Popovics Robert J.
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