UV water disinfector

Radiant energy – Fluent material containment – support or transfer means – With irradiating source or radiating fluent material

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C250S43200R

Reexamination Certificate

active

06803587

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the UV disinfection of water and other liquid streams. In particular, the present invention provides a UV disinfector for use in the disinfection of tap water and other sources of drinking water used in the home.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods used heretofore to disinfect water include the use of chlorine and other chemical agents as well as irradiation. However, certain pathogenic organisms, such as Cryptosporidium parvum, are resistant to chemical-based disinfection. Additionally, organisms such as Cryptosporidium, which is present in most municipal drinking water systems, have recently been shown to present a significant health risk to immunocompromised individuals even at the very low levels at which such pathogens are present in municipal drinking water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The UV water disinfector of the present invention provides a simple solution to the problems described above in that it is a device that permits the in-home UV treatment of drinking water such as tap water. The device of the preferred embodiment employs a bare low-energy UV lamp suspended above a free surface of water flowing within the device. The water is supplied from a tap or other store of drinking water and proceeds through the device by the force of gravity. The device itself is not pressurized. The flow of water within the device is exposed to UV radiation from the UV lamp and is disinfected as a result.
In the illustrated embodiment, the device is of a small size to permit its use, for example, directly at a tap for drinking water within the home. The flow rate of the device is commensurate with the normal flow rate of tap water, preferably less than about 8 liters per minute. The lamp power for safely disinfecting the water can be less than 20 watts, and in the illustrated embodiment the lamp is a low-pressure Hg lamp.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2504349 (1950-04-01), Prieto
patent: 3491234 (1970-01-01), Wiltrout
patent: 3562520 (1971-02-01), Hippen
patent: 3710111 (1973-01-01), Collura
patent: 3836781 (1974-09-01), Ellison
patent: 3858048 (1974-12-01), Shand et al.
patent: 4102645 (1978-07-01), Meacham, Jr. et al.
patent: 4201916 (1980-05-01), Ellner
patent: 4304996 (1981-12-01), Blades
patent: 4622465 (1986-11-01), Harig et al.
patent: 4629896 (1986-12-01), Bridgen
patent: 4661264 (1987-04-01), Goudy, Jr.
patent: 4742231 (1988-05-01), Bridgen
patent: 4899057 (1990-02-01), Koji
patent: 4909931 (1990-03-01), Bibi
patent: 5186830 (1993-02-01), Rait
patent: 5217607 (1993-06-01), Dalton, III et al.
patent: 5227053 (1993-07-01), Brym
patent: 5230792 (1993-07-01), Sauska et al.
patent: RE34513 (1994-01-01), Ellner
patent: 5288412 (1994-02-01), Voorhees et al.
patent: 5366705 (1994-11-01), Reidy
patent: 5387804 (1995-02-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5420432 (1995-05-01), Manook et al.
patent: 5441179 (1995-08-01), Marsh
patent: 5503800 (1996-04-01), Free
patent: 5536403 (1996-07-01), Sugimoto
patent: 5584990 (1996-12-01), Sugimoto
patent: 5597482 (1997-01-01), Melyon
patent: 5597487 (1997-01-01), Vogel et al.
patent: 5628895 (1997-05-01), Zucholl
patent: 5632890 (1997-05-01), Sugimoto
patent: 5635133 (1997-06-01), Glazman
patent: 5660719 (1997-08-01), Kurtz et al.
patent: 5725762 (1998-03-01), Beal et al.
patent: 5780860 (1998-07-01), Gadgil et al.
patent: 5843304 (1998-12-01), Marchesseault et al.
patent: 5843309 (1998-12-01), Mancil
patent: 5877392 (1999-03-01), Russell et al.
patent: 5900212 (1999-05-01), Maiden et al.
patent: 5951876 (1999-09-01), Snowball
patent: 6031241 (2000-02-01), Silfvast et al.
patent: 6129893 (2000-10-01), Bolton et al.
patent: 6156210 (2000-12-01), Sadkhin
patent: 6258265 (2001-07-01), Jones
patent: 6533930 (2003-03-01), Kool et al.
Drescher, et al. Cryptosporidium Inactivation by Low Pressure UV In A Water Disinfection Device, Journal of Environmental Health, vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 31-35, Jan. 12-15, 2000.*
Drescher et al., “Cryptosporidium Inactivation By Low Pressure UV In A Water Disinfection Device,”Journal of Environmental Health, vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 31-35 (Oct. 2001).
Luckiesh, D. Sc., D.E., Matthew, Applications of Germicidal, Erythermal and infrared Energy, Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York, NY, 1946, pp. Foreword, 231-269, 441-451.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

UV water disinfector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with UV water disinfector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and UV water disinfector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3286042

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.