Abstract:
A pressure filter type water kettle includes a kettle body for holding water, a pressure device holder mounted in the kettle body to close the top open side of the kettle body, a filter fastened to the bottom side of the pressure device holder and dipped in water in the kettle body, and a pressure device mounted in the pressure device holder and operable to apply compressed air to force filled water through a series of filter layers in the filter so that water is filtered into a drinkable condition.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to water kettles and more particularly, to a pressure filter type water kettle, which is manually operable by a user to force water in the kettle body move through a series of filter layers so that filtered water can be drunk directly. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are filter kettles commercially available. These filter kettles have a simple filter device mounted therein for filtering water. However, this type of simple filter device does not provide a satisfactory filtering effect. Water filtered through this type of simple filter device remains acidic, not very good to human health. Further, regular drinking water is boiled water. However, boiling water for drinking consumes a big amount of gas or electricity. Consuming gas energy or electricity is not environmentally friendly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a pressure filter type water kettle, which can be conveniently carried by a user for use at home, or in an outdoor activity such as mountain climbing, clinic or military operation, for treating city water or mountain water into drinkable water. It is another object of the present invention to provide a pressure filter type water kettle, which is practical for treating water into healthy drinking water without boiling, thereby helping energy-saving and carbon dioxide reduction. 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a pressure filter type water kettle comprises a kettle body for holding water, a pressure device holder mounted in the kettle body to close the top open side of the kettle body, a filter fastened to the bottom side of the pressure device holder and dipped in water in the kettle body, and a pressure device mounted in the pressure device holder and operable to apply compressed air into the kettle body and to further force water through a series of filter layers in the filter so that water is filtered into a drinkable condition. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure device comprises a battery pack, a control switch, an air pump and a driver electrically connected to the battery pack through the control switch and controllable by the control switch to move the air pump. 
     In an alternate form of the present invention, a solar panel is used to provide the necessary working voltage to the driver. 
     In another alternate form of the present invention, the pressure device uses an AC power cable to obtain city power supply for an electromagnet for moving an air pump. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the kettle body separated from the other parts of the pressure filter type water kettle. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the pressure device holder, pressure device and filter of the pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an elevational assembly view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional plain view in an enlarged scale of the pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional plain view of a pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional plain view of a pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1˜6 , a pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a pressure device holder  1 , a pressure device  2 , a filter  3 , and a kettle body  4 . 
     The pressure device holder  1  is a hollow shell inserted into the kettle body  4 , having an engagement portion  13  that is press-fitted into the top open side of the kettle body  4 , a stop flange  131  that is stopped with its bottom wall  1311  at the topmost edge of the kettle body  4  after insertion of the pressure device holder  1  into the kettle body  4  (see  FIGS. 2 and 5 ), a tubular bottom coupling flange  12  downwardly extending from the bottom wall thereof and defining a bottom opening  11  for the connection of the filter  3  (see  FIG. 5 ), an accommodation chamber  14  defined therein at the top side, a top cover  15  covered on the top flange  131 , a tubular neck  151  located on the top cover  15  (see  FIG. 2 ) for the filling of water and a cap  152  for closing the tubular neck  151 . 
     The pressure device  2  (see  FIGS. 3 and 5 ) comprises a driver  21 , an air pump  22 , a power supply unit  23  and a control switch  24 . The driver  21  (for example, motor) is affixed to a support  142  in the accommodation chamber  14  inside the pressure device holder  1  with fastening members  211  (see  FIG. 5 ). The air pump  22  is affixed to the inside of the accommodation chamber  14  with fastening members  221 , having an exhaust tube  222  connected to a through hole  1401  on the bottom wall  140  of the accommodation chamber  14  and kept in communication with the inside space of the pressure device holder  1 . The air pump  22  further has an air inlet  223 . The control switch  24  is mounted on the top side of the top cover  15 , and operable to control the supply of power supply from the power supply unit  23  to the driver  21 . The power supply unit  23  according to this embodiment is a battery set mounted in the accommodation chamber  14  of the pressure device holder  1 , comprising positive pole metal terminals  232 , negative pole metal terminals  233 , a plurality of battery cells  230  set in between the positive pole metal terminals  232  and the negative pole metal terminals  233  and kept with the positive and negative poles thereof in positive contact with the positive pole metal terminals  232  and the negative pole metal terminals  233  respectively, two electric wires  234  and  235  respectively electrically connecting the positive pole metal terminals  232  and the negative pole metal terminals  233  to one terminal  241  of the control switch  24  and one pole of the driver  21  and an electric wire  243  connected between the other terminal  242  of the control switch  24  and the other pole of the driver  21 . 
     The filter  3  comprises a hollow filter body  30  and multiple filter layers  31 ˜ 39  arranged inside the hollow filter body  30  at different elevations (see  FIG. 5 ). The hollow filter body  30  has a top opening  301  connected to the tubular bottom coupling flange  12  of the pressure device holder  1  by means of, for example, a screw joint, a bottom wall  302 , and a plurality of through holes  3021  cut through the bottom wall  302  (see  FIG. 5 ). The filter layers  31 ˜ 39  include, from the top side toward the bottom side, a ceramic membrane filter layer  31 , a hollow fiber membrane filter layer  39 , a heavy metal chelating agent-added bamboo charcoal filter layer  32 , a fine-grained ion-exchange resin filter layer  38 , a grained copper-zinc alloy kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filter layer  33 , a grained calcium sulfite filter layer  34 , a grained alkali trace element filter layer  35 , an power stone filter layer  36  and a silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37 . 
     The kettle body  4  is a top-open water container, having a handle  43  protruded from the periphery at one side, a rim  41  for supporting bottom wall  1311  of the stop flange  131  of the pressure device holder  1 , and a spout  42  for pouring water out of the kettle body  4 . According to the present preferred embodiment, the kettle body  4  is made of a transparent material. 
     Further, the tubular neck  151  of the top cover  15  of the pressure device holder  1  has an outer thread  1511  extending around the periphery, and the cap  152  has an inner thread  1521  extending around the inside wall thereof and threaded onto the outer thread  1511  of the tubular neck  151  of the top cover  15  (see  FIG. 5 ). Further, the cap  152  has an inside annular groove  153  and a sealing ring  154  mounted in the inside annular groove  153  and stopped against the topmost edge of the tubular top neck  151  to seal the gap. 
     Further, the tubular bottom coupling flange  12  of the pressure device holder  1  has an outer thread  121  extending around the periphery, and the filter body  30  has an inner thread  3011  extending around the inside wall in the top opening  301  and threaded onto the outer thread  121  of the tubular bottom coupling flange  12  of the pressure device holder  1 . 
     Further, the power supply unit  23  (battery set) of the pressure device  2  is covered with a detachable battery lid  236 . The top cover  15  of the pressure device holder  1  has a recessed hole  155  defined in the accommodation chamber  14 . The detachable battery lid  236  has a springy hooks  2361  and locating blocks  2362  respectively engaged in a hook hole  2311  and retaining grooves  2312  in the recessed hole  155 . Further, an air vent can be formed in the detachable battery lid  236  or the top cover  15  at a suitable location. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the pressure device holder  1  has a lid  1312  pivotally connected to the stop flange  131  for closing the spout  42  of the kettle body  4 . 
     When using the pressure filter type water kettle, remove the cap  152  from the tubular neck  151  of the pressure device holder  1 , and then pour water through the tubular neck  151  of the pressure device holder  1  into the filter  3  and then the inside of the kettle body  4 . Thereafter, switch on the control switch  24  of the pressure device  2  to electrically connect the power supply unit  23  to the driver  21 , causing the driver  21  to move the air pump  22  so that the air pump  22  will pump air through the exhaust tube  222  into the inside space of the pressure device holder  1 , thereby forcing the supplied water to flow through the filter  3 . At this time, the water filled in the pressure device holder  1  is forced by the compressed air to flow through the ceramic membrane filter layer  31 , the hollow fiber membrane filter layer  39 , the heavy metal chelating agent-added bamboo charcoal filter layer  32 , the fine-grained ion-exchange resin filter layer  38 , the grained copper-zinc alloy kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filter layer  33 , the grained calcium sulfite filter layer  34 , the grained alkali trace element filter layer  35 , the power stone filter layer  36  and the silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37 , and therefore impurities, germs and heavy metal substances are removed from water. The ceramic membrane filter layer  31  is made of silver ion-loaded diatomite through a sintering process, having filter apertures about 0.5 μm that remove germs, bacteria and other microbes effectively. The microbes filtering efficiency of the ceramic membrane filter layer  31  is as high as 99.99% up. When the water is flowing through the hollow fiber membrane filter layer  39 , bacteria, microbes and solid impurities carried in the water are removed by the hollow fiber membrane filter layer  39 . When the water flows through the heavy metal chelating agent-added bamboo charcoal filter layer  32  that is made of compressed bamboo charcoal and added with a heavy metal chelating agent, chloroform, toxic chemical substances, volatile organic compounds (Vocs), iron rust, bad smell, heavy metals and pesticide are removed from the water. When the water flows through the fine-grained ion-exchange resin filter layer  38 , the fine-grained ion-exchange resin filter layer  38  absorbs lime from the water so that the water is changed from hard water into soft water. When the water flows through the grained copper-zinc alloy kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filter layer  33 , the grained copper-zinc alloy kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filter layer  33  regulates the Ph value of the water, lowering the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in the water, prohibition growth of germs and fungi, and removing water soluble heavy metals, such as lead, iron, cadmium, aluminum, and other inorganic substances. When the water flows through the grained calcium sulfite filter layer  34 , the heat-resistant 98% high purity calcium sulfite effectively removes chloride from the water. When the water flows through the grained alkali trace element filter layer  35  that is prepared from deep-sea minerals and volcano rocks and minerals through a biochemical technology recombination and sintering process effectively converts the water into alkaline ionic water. When the water flows through the power stone filter layer  36 , the power stone filter layer  36  cuts the clusters of the water molecules of sizes from 13˜16 molecules into sizes of 5˜6 molecules, enhancing water activity so that filtered water can effectively carry pollutants away from the human body cells, animal cells, or plant cells. Further, the power stone of the power stone filter layer  36  emits far infrared rays, and is prepared from a tourmaline powder and clay mixture through a sintering process. When the water flows through the silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37 , the active silver ions of the silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37  rapidly bind the sulfur-hydrogen groups of the enzyme protein in bacteria, causing the enzyme to lose its activity. Therefore, the silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37  effectively kills bacteria, such as  E. coli, staphylococcus aureus  bacteria,  salmonella enterica  and  pseudomonas aeruginosa . Further, the silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37  is non-toxic and free from the effects of acids and alkalis, does not cause any drug resistance or allergic effect. 
     Further, the filter  3  can be formed of one of the ceramic membrane filter layer  31 , the hollow fiber membrane filter layer  39 , the heavy metal chelating agent-added bamboo charcoal filter layer  32 , the fine-grained ion-exchange resin filter layer  38 , the grained copper-zinc alloy kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filter layer  33 , the grained calcium sulfite filter layer  34 , the grained alkali trace element filter layer  35 , the power stone filter layer  36  and the silver ion-loaded nonwoven fabric filter layer  37 , or their combination. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception of the use of a solar panel  23 ′ to substitute for the aforesaid power supply unit  23 . The solar panel  23 ′ is mounted in a hole  150  on the top cover  15  of the pressure device holder  1 , having two electric wires  237  and  238  respectively electrically connected to one terminal  241  of the control switch  24  and one pole of the driver  21 . The other terminal  242  of the control switch  24  is electrically connected to the other pole of the driver  21  by an electric wire  244 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a pressure filter type water kettle in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception of the use of an AC power cable  23 ″ to substitute for the aforesaid power supply unit  23 , and the use of an electromagnet  21 ′ to substitute for the aforesaid driver (motor)  21 . The electromagnet  21 ′ is connected to the power cable  23 ″ to obtain the necessary working voltage from city power supply for moving the air pump  22 . 
     In general, the pressure filter type water kettle of the present invention has the following advantages: 
     1. By means of operating the pressure device  2 , water in the kettle body  4  is forced to permeate through the filter layers  31 ˜ 39 . Thus, water in the kettle body  4  is well filtered for drinking. 
     2. The pressure filter type water kettle is convenient for use at home, in office, or at any place to filter city water or mountain water into a drinking condition. 
     3. The use of the pressure filter type water kettle is environment friendly. Because filtered water is drinkable, no further boiling is necessary. Therefore, the invention helps energy-saving and carbon dioxide reduction. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.