Liquid purification or separation – Particulate material type separator – e.g. – ion exchange or... – With spaced non-particulate separating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-24
2001-07-31
Drodge, Joseph W. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Particulate material type separator, e.g., ion exchange or...
With spaced non-particulate separating means
C210S282000, C210S443000, C210S449000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267887
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to filters for purifying or treating shower water. More specifically, this invention relates to a shower filter that removes chlorine and also treats components that cause scaling in the shower environment.
2. Related Art
Over the past ten years North American consumers in particular have become aware of problems with their municipally-treated tap water. Specifically, there is growing concern about chlorine in tap water. Studies now have shown that chlorine, in contact with organics, forms trihalomethanes (THMs), which in turn are responsible for some cancers in humans. As the awareness of the problem of chlorinated water grows, consumers seek remedies. At the kitchen tap, these remedies are manifested in the purchase of bottled water, the growing popularity of carafes that de-chlorinate water, and end-of-tap and under-counter devices that de-chlorinate water.
Studies are now beginning to show that humans can consume large amounts of chlorine in the shower. Chlorine by nature is a gas, and in the form of a hot water spray such as a shower, the chlorine is highly unstable and almost instantly coverts to a gas. The person taking a shower then inhales this chlorine gas. One study asserts that chlorine inhaled in one shower is equivalent to drinking 50 gallons of chlorinated tap water. It is not known how harmful the inhalation of this chlorine gas can be. Whereas twenty years ago there was no evidence that chlorinated tap water was carcinogenic, today it is proven and accepted. Thus, there is a grave concern among the health-conscious consumers that the in-take of any chlorine in any form could be harmful.
Another problem with shower water is scale in the water, also known as “hard water”. Scale or hard water are layman's terms for the presence of calcium and magnesium. These two common ingredients are present in 75% of all American household tap water. Scale is harmless to our health, but aesthetically unpleasing. Typically, hard water or scale forms a white crust around the spray holes in the showerhead, causing the showerhead to degrade over time. The scale is also unsightly when it sticks to surfaces such as shower walls or doors. Even ceramic tile is not immune to the build-up of scale. Scale is a particular problem on walls since it provides a surface area for the growth of bacteria. The combination of a moist environment and the rough surface of a scaley tiled wall is perfect for bacteria and algae growth. Today most bathroom cleansers will assert that they attack or remove scale deposits as well as clean, but these remedies are only partially effective.
Another problem with shower water is fine sediment. Tap water, such as municipally treated water or well water, typically has fine sediment which is often invisible but which over time will clog a water filter and thus reduce the flow of water through the filter prematurely.
Another problem with designing products for the bathroom, especially the tub/shower area, is that the configuration accepted as standard in the United States differs greatly from the configurations in the rest of the world. In Canada, Asia and Europe, the connection for the showerhead is down at the tub faucet instead of six feet higher as in the United States.
In the past, shower filters have been made that feature coarse granular carbon for chlorine removal. Carbon block has been used in radial flow for chlorine removal, but the carbon block core has been left empty and used solely for conducting water.
Therefore, there is still a need for a device that effectively removes chlorine from tap water such as shower or bath water, and that also treats the components of the water stream that cause scale deposits. There is also a need for a device that effectively removes fine sediment from tap water wherein the device does not clog prematurely and therefore does not reduce the flow of water through the device. There is a need for an economical shower filter device that can be adapted to the wide variety of plumbing and shower configurations that are used in the world.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a single device that effectively removes chlorine from tap water such as shower or bath water, and that also treats the components of the water stream that cause scale deposits.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a single device that, in addition to effectively removing chlorine from tap water and treating components of the tap water that cause scale deposits, also filters fine sediment from the water.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, this invention comprises multi-purpose, replaceable shower/bath filter cartridges designed to reduce chlorine in tap water through adsorption, and further designed to reduce or eliminate scale deposits. The replaceable filter cartridges of this invention may also be designed to reduce or eliminate fine sediment in tap water. One embodiment of this invention comprises a filter unit comprising a replaceable filter cartridge of this invention contained within a housing of the filter unit, wherein the filter unit fits easily in both U.S. and European-style bathroom plumbing configurations, and wherein the design of the filter unit keeps the filter unit from significantly lowering the level of the showerhead from its original level, that is, the distance of the showerhead from the shower or bath floor. An additional feature of this invention is that the filter units of this invention are designed for quick, tool-free replacement of the invented replaceable filter cartridges.
In one embodiment of this invention, the filter cartridge contained within a filter unit is symmetrical and bidirectional, that is, the filter cartridge is designed so that either end of the symmetrical, bidirectional filter cartridge may be inserted into the housing of the filter unit. In another embodiment, the filter cartridge contained within a filter unit is a unidirectional filter cartridge which is closed at one end and opened at the other end, and the unidirectional filter cartridge is inserted in the housing of the filter unit with the opened end of the unidirectional filter cartridge disposed at the outlet end of the filter unit.
An additional feature of the invention is that the mesh size of the activated carbon powder used to fabricate the filter cartridges of this invention may be configured to accommodate differing water pressures. Yet another feature of this invention is that the filter cartridges of this invention may comprise a modified carbon block comprising fibrous material capable of trapping fine sediment without becoming clogged prematurely.
Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention shall be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and the advantages may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and in combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
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Buhler Rich E.
Hughes Douglass E.
Drodge Joseph W.
Hogan & Hartson LLP
O'Rourke Sarah S.
Peterson Steven C.
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