Patent ID: 6776913
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: B01J,C02F

Abstract:
A water softening apparatus adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a water drain, a processing device, a water source that provides water containing undesired ions, and a water tap that dispenses water for consumption, said water softening apparatus operative to remove the undesired ions from water processed thereby, comprising:(a) a resin vessel sized and adapted to receive a selected volume of a fluid, said resin vessel containing an ion-exchange resin that is capable of chemically shifting between an active state operative to exchange selected preferred ions therein for the undesired ions contained in the water when in contact therewith and an exhausted state operative to exchange the undesired ions therein for the selected preferred ions contained in a regenerant solution when in contact therewith; (b) a regenerant reservoir adapted to receive the regenerant solution containing the selected preferred ions; and (c) a manifold in fluid communication with said resin vessel and said regenerant reservoir, said manifold having a first inlet in fluid communication with the water source, a first outlet in fluid communication with the water tap, a second outlet in fluid communication with the water drain, and a third outlet in fluid communication with the processing device, said manifold including a plurality of fluid pathways communicating between said inlet, said outlets, said resin vessel and said regenerant reservoir, and a plurality of valves associated with said fluid pathways that are configurable into a plurality of valve states whereby in a first valve state fluid can flow through said first inlet, through said resin vessel and through said first outlet, whereby in a second valve state fluid can flow from said regenerant reservoir through said resin vessel and through said second outlet, whereby in a third valve state fluid can flow from said regenerant reservoir through said resin vessel and through said third outlet, and whereby in a fourth valve state fluid can flow through said first inlet, through said resin vessel and into said regenerant reservoir.