Liquid purification or separation – With alarm – indicator – register – recorder – signal or... – Responsive to fluid flow
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-30
2003-11-04
Drodge, Joseph (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
With alarm, indicator, register, recorder, signal or...
Responsive to fluid flow
C210S093000, C210S449000, C073S861880, C116S274000, C116S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641717
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water purifier to filter and purify tap water, and especially relates to a water purifier for use in a typical home.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-95914, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Water purifiers to purify tap water have been used, because of contamination of water resources and demands for obtaining water with a pleasant taste. Water purifiers which have the functions of removing chlorine odor, mold odors and trihalomethanes from tap water by using an absorbent such as activated carbon, and of removing bacteria or impurities by using porous hollow fiber membranes are known.
As one type of water purifier
10
, a water purifier mounted a faucet directly as shown in
FIG. 11
is on the market and is used in general households. In this water purifier
10
, the main housing
1
is attached to the faucet
2
with the adapter
3
and the fixed ring
4
. By operating the switching lever
5
, it is possible to switch between tap water and purified water by the switching mechanism built into the main housing
1
. Water purification cartridge
17
is mounted on the main housing
1
, and a flow meter
20
is also provided. In this water purifier
10
, when the switching lever
5
is set to the purified water position and tap water flows from the faucet
2
, it is led to the water purification cartridge
17
by the switching mechanism. And after passing through the filtering medium and being purified, it passes through the water flow meter
20
and flows out downwards from the purified water outlet
9
.
The main housing
1
is provided with a gear reduction type flow meter
20
which measures the integrated outflow of purified water as means of knowing the replacement life of the water purification cartridge
17
. Thus, there is a mechanism for periodically replacing the water purification cartridge
17
according to the display of the flow meter
20
. As the display, the indicator portion
21
gradually appears downwards as the outflow increases and it is possible to recognize the outflow in combination with it and the graduations and letters of the graduated portion
22
.
Further, a flow meter is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-285642, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-318113 discloses a filter cartridge for a water purifier which uses this flow meter. In this flow meter, an index Indicator portion) provided on the final gear rotates with an increase of flow, and the graduations (graduated portion) indicate the amount of rotation, so that the amount of flow can be recognized. Because this constitution makes use of planetary gears having the same center axle, it can be relatively compact and inexpensive.
[1](i) Incidentally, for a water purifier to replace water purification cartridges, even if a flow meter is provided, if the flow meter cannot be reset (returned it to its original setting) when the water purification cartridge is replaced, it is difficult to know when to replace the new purification cartridge practically.
However, in the flow meter disclosed in the above-indicated Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-285642 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-318113, there is no provision of a mechanism which makes it possible to reset (return to the original setting) the indicator portion for the graduated portion. As a result, to recognize the amount of movement of the indicator portion, it is necessary to remember or record the original position of the indicator portion, when the water purification cartridge is started to use, and to ascertain the position of the end point for that original position, so the way of use is very troublesome and inconvenient. This problem is especially notable in homes where the water purification cartridge is frequently replaced.
The water purifier shown in the above-indicated
FIG. 11
is provided with a mechanism that automatically resets the indicator portion
21
for the fixed graduated portion
22
by using the fit with the external shape of the water purification cartridge
17
when the water purification cartridge
17
is mounted on the main housing
1
at the time of replacing the water purification cartridge
17
.
However, the mechanism to perform the automatic resetting is complex, and it is combined and built into the interior of the flow meter
20
. Therefore, the size of the main housing
1
is increased to the volume of the mechanism, and which is not preferable, especially such a water purifier mounted a faucet directly which is required to be compact. Further, since this increases the amount of material and the number of parts, the assembly cost also increases, which leads to an increase of the product cost.
(ii) Further, in the water purifier
10
shown in FIG.
11
and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-285642, it is inconvenient to clean. Because the graduated portion
22
cannot be detached from the flow meter
20
and even if the front or rear of the graduated portion
22
becomes contaminated with bacteria or mold, it cannot be soaked with detergent and washed or its rear portion cannot be scrubbed. And further, if it becomes heavily soiled, it cannot be replaced, even if it is desired to do so.
(iii) Furthermore, the water purifiers provided with the flow meters disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-285642 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-318113, and the water purifier
10
shown in
FIG. 11
can serve as a guides for the replacement time only for a predetermined type of purification cartridge, but if a water purification cartridge with a different lifetime is mounted on the water purifier, it is not possible to know the replacement time for it. As a result, the users cannot use a water purification cartridge with a longer lifetime against their will On the other hand, the makers must produce other water purifier products, which is illogical.
[2](iv) Furthermore, in the water purifier of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-318113, because the flow meter is built into the water purification cartridge, the cost of the flow meter is added to the cost of the water purification cartridge, which increases the product cost of the water purification cartridge. In this case, the frequency of replacing the water purification cartridge is high, so the users must bear a considerable economic burden, which is not preferable from the economical point of view.
Further, because the flow meter like the water purification cartridge becomes disposable, it is also discarded as waste whenever the water purification cartridge is replaced. Particularly in the water purifier mounted to a faucet directly which have a short lifetime of water purification cartridge, because the frequency of replacement is high and the amount of flow meters discarded as waste will be large, which was a problem since it is environmentally unfavorable.
(v) Further, in the water purifier
10
of the prior art or the water purifier provided with a flow meter disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-318113, when the flow meter itself becomes dirty, the flow meter cannot be detached and soaked with detergent and washed, and cannot be scrubbed, so it is inconvenient to clean it. And when it becomes very dirty, it cannot be replaced even if it is desired to do so. What is more, in case the flow meter breaks down, it cannot be detached and repaired, and so it cannot be replaced, which is the problem that maintenance is inconvenient in that point.
(vi) In the material of the rotating members used as components of the flow meter, polyacetal resin is generally favored, because of its excellent abrasion resistance and the like. However, in recent
Hatakeyama Atsushi
Kido Kunio
Matsuoka Yoshiyuki
Okano Masaaki
Cecil Terry K.
Drodge Joseph
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery
Mitsubishi Rayon Co. Ltd.
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