Reverse osmosis assembly operating valve

A single control valve and associated conduits for operating a reverse osmosis assembly that includes a reverse osmosis cartridge, a reservoir that has a movable barrier therein that subdivides the interior into first and second confined spaces of variable volume, and a manually operated purified water dispensing valve, so that as the first confined space approaches a filled condition with purified water, the single control valve throttles the flow of pressurized feed water to the cartridge to minimize the use of feed water in the operation thereof, with the maximum backpressure to which purified water is subjected in discharging from the cartridge being that due to the weight of reject water in the second confined space, and a membrane in the reverse osmosis cartridge being fast-flushed with feed water to remove foreign material therefrom when the purified water dispensing valve is discharging purified water.

In prior art reverse osmosis assemblies of the type that are located under 
the sink in a kitchen, purified water discharges from a reverse osmosis 
cartridge at a substantial backpressure that prevents the assembly from 
operating at optimum efficiency, and also prevents the rate of flow of 
feed water to the reverse osmosis cartridge from continuing at a uniform 
rate even when the purified water storage facility is approaching the 
maximum volume for which it is designed. 
A major object of the present invention is to provide a single control 
valve that throttles and reduces the rate of flow of pressurized feed 
water to the reverse osmosis cartridge when the reservoir for purified 
water has reached substantially the maximum volume for which it is 
designed. As a result, a reverse osmosis assembly including the present 
invention may be operated over a prolonged period of time, with 
substantially less use of pressurized feed water than with prior art 
devices of this nature, and with a resultant monetary savings to the user. 
Another object of the invention is to furnish a reverse osmosis assembly 
that includes the present invention wherein the maximum backpressure to 
which purified water is subjected in discharging from the reverse osmosis 
cartridge is that due only to the weight of reject water situated in a 
second confined space of variable volume located above a first confined 
space in which purified water is stored, the water in the second confined 
space being connected via conduit means to a purified water dispensing 
valve. 
A further object of the invention is to supply an assembly that not only 
has the operational advantages above enumerated, but in addition one that 
permits the addition of minerals that are desirous to be incorporated in 
purified water for health and other purposes prior to the purified water 
being discharged from the purified water dispensing valve. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The control valve of the present invention is used in combination with a 
source of pressurized feed water, and a reverse osmosis assembly. The 
reverse osmosis assembly includes a reverse osmosis cartridge having a 
feed water inlet, a reject water outlet, and a purified water outlet. The 
assembly further comprises a reservoir container that includes a movable 
barrier that subdividing the interior of the container into first and 
second confined spaces of variable volume each in communication 
respectively with first and second passages in the reservoir container. 
The assembly also includes a purified water dispensing valve that has a 
purified water inlet and a purified water dispensing outlet. The 
dispensing valve further includes a reject water drain outlet, a reject 
water passage, a reject water inlet, and dual internal flow restrictors 
for controlling reject water flow. A two position valve actuator such as a 
manually operated handle is provided on the dispensing valve, although an 
electrical, hydraulic, or other mechanical actuator may be used, if 
desired. The valve actuator when in a first or closed position obstructs 
communication between the purified water inlet and purified water 
dispensing outlet and allows reject water entering through the reject 
water inlet to flow through both flow restrictors for discharge to the 
reject water drain outlet. Reject water expelled from the second confined 
space of the reservoir container as purified water fills the expanding 
first confined space flows into the reject water passage and through a 
second one of the flow restrictors for discharge to the drain outlet. 
The two position valve actuator is movable to a second or open position 
opening purified water flow from the purified water inlet to the purified 
water dispensing outlet for use, for example, for drinking, etc. At the 
same time, reject water entering the reject water inlet is rerouted to 
substantially bypass the first flow restrictor and to flow out of the 
reject water passage to the second confined space in the reservoir 
container, thereby increasing the volume thereof and forcing purified 
water from the first confined space to the dispensing valve purified water 
inlet. When the valve actuator is returned to the first position to 
terminate dispensing of purified water, purified water resumes flow from 
the cartridge to the first confined space to force reject water in the 
second confined space to flow through the reject water passage and second 
flow restrictor to the drain outlet, as previously described. After the 
first confined space has been substantially refilled with purified water, 
the single control valve of the present invention throttles and reduces 
the rate of flow of feed water to the reverse osmosis cartridge to 
minimize the quantity of feed water required to provide the reservoir 
container with a stored quantity of purified water that may be 
intermittently withdrawn therefrom by use of the purified water dispensing 
valve. 
The single control valve of the present invention includes an elongated 
vertically positioned valve body having an upper end and a lower end, with 
an elongated internal passage extending downwardly from the upper end to 
develop into an axially aligned elongated chamber of substantially greater 
transverse area than that of said elongate passage. This chamber is 
defined in part by the lower end of the valve body and an intermediate 
body shoulder at a junction of the elongated passage and chamber. 
The elongated passage is in communication at the upper end of the valve 
body with the source of pressurized feed water. A ring-shaped valve seat 
is situated in the elongated passage for controlling feed water inflow, as 
will be described. A feed water outlet in the valve body is in 
communication with the elongated passage downstream relative to the valve 
seat. A purified water passage is defined in the valve body lower end, and 
a reject water passage is also defined in the valve body that communicates 
with the chamber at a position spaced upwardly a substantial distance from 
the lower end. 
An elongated valve member is movably disposed in the valve body and 
includes upper and lower end surfaces. The upper end surface of the valve 
member is adapted for sealing with the valve seat when the valve member is 
in a first position. The valve member includes a first piston intermediate 
the upper and lower ends thereof, which first piston slidably and 
sealingly engages the valve body within the elongated passage. A second 
piston is defined on the lower end surface of the valve member, with the 
second piston slidably and sealingly engaging the walls of the chamber. 
The second piston has a ring-shaped upper end surface of lesser transverse 
area than the lower end surface. 
The pressurized feed water source connected to the upper end of the valve 
body exerts a first downward force on the valve member that tends to move 
the valve member downwardly from the first position to a second position 
retracted from the valve seat to permit the pressurized feed water to flow 
through the feed water outlet in the valve body. A spring disposed in the 
chamber of the valve body exerts a second downward force on the valve 
member by acting against the second piston to assist the first downward 
force exerted on the valve member by the pressurized feed water contacting 
the upper end surface of the valve member. 
A number of conduits are employed in operating the control valve of the 
present invention in association with the reverse osmosis assembly. The 
conduits include a first conduit connecting the feed water outlet in the 
valve body to the feed water inlet in the reverse osmosis cartridge. A 
second conduit couples the purified water outlet of the reverse osmosis 
cartridge with the first confined space in the purified water reservoir 
container, the purified water passage in the valve body, and the purified 
water inlet in the purified water dispensing valve. A third conduit 
couples the reject water outlet of the reverse osmosis cartridge with the 
reject water inlet of the purified water dispensing valve. A fourth 
conduit couples the second confined space of the reservoir container with 
the reject water passage in the purified water dispensing valve and the 
reject water passage in the valve body of the single control valve of the 
present invention. 
When the valve actuator of the dispensing valve is moved to the second or 
open position, communication is established between the first confined 
space containing the purified water and the purified water dispensing 
outlet. Substantially all pressurized feed water now flowing into the 
reverse osmosis cartridge fast-flows across the reverse osmosis membrane 
therein to remove foreign or other material therefrom and then enters the 
second confined space to expand it, with the reject water in the second 
confined space exerting a force through the barrier on the purified water 
in the first confined space that causes the purified water to flow 
therefrom and discharge through the purified water dispensing outlet. The 
reject water not only exerts this force on the barrier, but also exerts a 
downward force on the upper surface of the control valve second piston to 
assist in retaining the valve member in the second position, namely, 
permitting feed water inflow. 
When the valve actuator is returned to the first or closed position, 
communication between the purified water in the first confined space and 
the purified water dispensing outlet is obstructed. However, the valve 
member of the control valve initially remains in the second position to 
allow pressurized feed water to flow to the reverse osmosis cartridge with 
purified water flowing from the reverse osmosis cartridge to the first 
confined space to expand and fill the latter. Reject water from the 
reverse osmosis cartridge flows through the third conduit to the reject 
water inlet in the purified water dispensing valve and then through the 
first and second flow restrictors to the reject water drain outlet, and 
concurrently reject water in the second confined space is expelled 
therefrom as the first confined space expands. Reject water in the second 
confined space flows through the fourth conduit to the reject water 
passage in the purified water dispensing valve and then through the second 
flow restrictor to the reject water drain outlet. The flow of purified 
water and reject water so continues until the first confined space 
approaches a maximum volume, whereupon the pressure of the purified water 
therein increases to the extent that it exerts an upward force on the 
lower surface of the control valve second piston which is greater than the 
combined downward forces exerted by the spring and the pressurized feed 
water. Due to this increased force on the lower surface of the control 
valve second piston, the valve member moves upwardly toward the first 
position and in so doing throttles and reduces the rate of flow of 
pressurized feed water to the reverse osmosis cartridge, with a consequent 
savings of feed water being achieved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The reverse osmosis assembly A shown in the exemplary drawing includes a 
reverse osmosis cartridge B and a reservoir container C that has a movable 
barrier D therein, which barrier subdivides the interior of the reservoir 
container into a first lower confined space 10 and a second upper confined 
space 12 of variable volumes. The assembly includes a purified water 
dispensing valve E that also controls the flow of reject water produced by 
the reverse osmosis cartridge B. A single control valve F, in accordance 
with the present invention, throttles the flow of feed water to the 
reverse osmosis cartridge B when the purified water has discharged into 
the first confined space 10 to the extent that the latter is of 
substantially maximum volume. 
The reverse osmosis cartridge B is illustrated as including a cylindrical 
sidewall 14 that has a first end piece 16 and a second end piece 18 
removably mounted thereon. A transverse partition 20 is situated within 
the cylindrical sidewall 14 and subdivides the interior of the cartridge B 
into first and second compartments 22 and 24. A rigid tube 26 is 
longitudinally disposed within the cartridge B and extends through the 
partition 20 to terminate in an upper closed end 28. A series of openings 
30 are formed in the portion of the tube in the second compartment 24 and 
similar openings 30a are formed in the portion of the tube situated in the 
first compartment 22. A reverse osmosis membrane 32 is disposed in the 
second compartment 24 and envelopes the portion of the tube 26 therein 
that has the openings 30 therein. The general construction and operation 
of this reverse osmosis cartridge B is well understood by those skilled in 
the art and thus the cartridge will not be described in detail herein. 
The cartridge B has a first purified water outlet 36 and a second purified 
water outlet 36a. The first compartment 22 contains activated carbon 38 
and may also contain pellets or particles of a soluble mineral compound 40 
such as dolomite or the like, which dissolves in the purified water prior 
to the same being dispensed from the reverse osmosis assembly A. For 
health purposes, it may be desirable to add magnesium and calcium to the 
purified water by contact with dolomite 40 or by other means. The reverse 
osmosis cartridge B further includes a reject water outlet 42 in 
communication with the second compartment 24. 
The reservoir container C is illustrated as being formed from two 
cup-shaped members 44 and 44' that have conical sidewalls 46 and 46' that 
merge into end pieces 48 and 48'. The free ends of the sidewalls 46 and 
46' develop into outwardly extending ring-shaped flanges 50 and 50' as 
shown. The movable barrier D is illustrated as being in the form of a cup 
61 that is formed from a pliable water impervious material such as rubber 
that is nontoxic when in contact with the purified water, and the cup 61 
on the free ends thereof develops into an outwardly extending ring-shaped 
flange 62. The flange 62 as shown is disposed between the flanges 50 and 
50', with the flanges 50 and 50' being engaged by a circumferentially 
tensionable band 64 that when tightened draws the flanges 50 and 50' 
together and exerts a sealing force on the flange 62. The upper cup-shaped 
member 44 has a reject water passage 68 therein leading into the second 
confined space 12, and the lower cup-shaped container member 44' has a 
purified water passage 66 therein that communicates with the first 
confined space 10. 
The purified water dispensing valve E is provided in a preferred form in 
accordance with the dispensing valve shown and described in my copending 
application Ser. No. 295,696, filed Aug. 24, 1981, and now abandoned, and 
a parent application of my later-filed application Ser. No. 573,155, filed 
May 1, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,554, the subject matter of which is 
incorporated by reference herein. More particularly, as shown generally in 
the illustrative drawings, the dispensing valve E includes a body 70 that 
has a purified water dispensing spout 72 extending upwardly therefrom and 
an extension 74 of the body 70 extending downwardly through an opening 76 
defined in a drain board 78 that normally will be disposed adjacent a sink 
(not shown). The extension 74 has a reject water drain 80 extending 
downwardly and outwardly therefrom. In addition, the extension 74 includes 
a purified water inlet 82 and a reject water inlet 84, as well as a reject 
water passage 86. First and second flow restrictors 89 and 88 are disposed 
within the extension 74. The dispensing valve E includes a two position 
valve actuator 71 that may occupy either a first or closed position or a 
second or open position. 
When the actuator 71 is in the first or closed position, flow of purified 
water from the purified water inlet 82 to the dispensing spout 72 is 
obstructed, and reject water flowing into the reject water inlet 84 must 
flow through both the first and second flow restrictors 89 and 88 prior to 
discharging to the drain 80. However, when the actuator 71 is in the 
second or open position, purified water may flow from the purified water 
inlet 82 to the spout 72, and reject water entering the reject water inlet 
84 substantially bypasses the first flow restrictor 89 to flow from the 
reject water passage 86 for reasons that will later be described. Also, 
for reasons that will later be described, reject water flowing into the 
reject water passage 86 must flow through the second flow restrictor 88 
prior to discharging from drain 80. In summary, all reject water entering 
the reject water inlet 84 must flow through at least the second flow 
restrictor 88 prior to discharging to drain 80. 
The single control valve F includes an elongated valve body 90 that has an 
upper end 92 and lower end 94. An elongated passage 96 extends downwardly 
from the upper end 92 to develop into a 
98 that is of substantially greater transverse cross section. The passage 
96 and chamber 98 at their junction define a body shoulder 100. The upper 
end of passage 96 is in communication with a source 102 of pressurized 
feed water. 
A ring-shaped valve seat 104 projects inwardly into the passage 96 and is 
intermediately disposed between the upper end 92 and a feed water outlet 
106 that is in communication with the passage 96. A purified water passage 
108 is formed in the lower end 94 and communicates with the chamber 98. A 
reject water passage 110 is formed in the valve body 90 and communicates 
with an upper portion of the chamber 98. 
The single control valve F further includes an elongated valve member 112 
that has an upper end 11 and a lower end 116. The valve member 112 
adjacent the upper end 114 defines a first piston 118 that extends into 
the passage 96 and supports a number of sealing rings 118a in slidable 
sealing contact with the portion of the valve body defining the passage 
96. A second piston 120 that supports sealing rings 120a is mounted on the 
lower end 116 of the valve member 112 and is longitudinally and sealingly 
movable in the chamber 98. The second piston 120 has a lower end surface 
122 and an upper ring shaped surface 124 that is of less transverse cross 
section than the lower end surface 122. 
A first conduit 128 extends between the pressurized feed water outlet 106 
and the feed water inlet 34 in the reverse osmosis cartridge B. The first 
purified water outlet 36 of the reverse osmosis cartridge B is coupled 
with a second conduit 130 that communicates with the purified water 
passage 108 and also with the purified water passage 66 in the reservoir 
container C, which passage 66 is in communication with the first confined 
space 10. The second purified water outlet 36a of the cartridge B is 
connected by another portion of the second conduit 130 to the purified 
water inlet 82 in the purified water dispensing valve E. 
A third conduit 132 is in communication with the reject water outlet 42 of 
the cartridge B and the reject water inlet 84 in the dispensing valve E. A 
fourth conduit 134 is in communication with the reject water passage 68 in 
the reservoir container C, which passage 68 is in communication with the 
second confined space 12. In addition, the fourth conduit 134 is in 
communication with the reject water passage 86 in the dispensing valve E 
as well as the reject water passage 110 in the single control valve F. 
Discharge of purified water from the dispensing spout 72 in the dispensing 
valve E is controlled by the valve actuator 71, with the actuator 71 when 
in a first or closed position obstructing communication between the second 
conduit 130 and the dispensing spout 72. Purified water discharging from 
the reverse osmosis cartridge B will flow through the second conduit 130 
to the purified water passage 66 to enter and fill the first confined 
space 10 as well as the purified water passage 108 that communicates with 
the chamber 98 below the second piston 120. 
When the valve actuator 71 is in this first or closed position, reject 
water from the reverse osmosis cartridge B flows through the third conduit 
132 to the reject water inlet 84 in the purified water dispensing valve E 
to flow upwardly through the valve and through the first and second flow 
restrictor 89 and 88 to discharge through the drain outlet 80. 
When the valve actuator 71 is moved to the second or open position, 
communication is established between the purified water inlet 82 and the 
purified water dispensing spout 72. Purified water may now flow from the 
first confined space 10 through the second conduit 130 to tube 26 and 
openings 30a upwardly into the first compartment 22 to be subjected to the 
activated carbon 38 therein which removes dissolved gases from the 
purified water. The purified water discharges through the second outlet 
36a into the portion of the second conduit 130 that extends to the 
purified water inlet 82 in the purified water dispensing valve E. Purified 
water entering the inlet 82 in valve E can flow through the valve to 
discharge from the purified water dispensing spout 72 only when the 
actuator 71 is in the second or open position. The purified water supplied 
to spout 72 may contain dissolved minerals due to contact with the 
dolomite or other mineral particles 40. The particles 40 if desired may be 
preformed tablets that are formulated to contain desired minerals that are 
considered advantageous to the health of the users of purified water from 
the invention. 
When the valve actuator 71 is in the second or open position, reject water 
discharges through the third conduit 132 to enter the reject water inlet 
84 of the dispensing valve E to substantially bypass the first flow 
restrictor 89 and flow through the reject water passage 86 into the fourth 
conduit 134. Due to the reject water bypassing the first flow restrictor 
89 the rate of flow of reject water into the fourth conduit 134 is at a 
rapid rate as it is subjected to substantially no backpressure. 
Substantially all the feed water flowing into the reverse osmosis 
cartridge B discharges therefrom as reject water into the third conduit 
132 during this phase of operation of the invention. 
The pressurized feed water from the source 102, at all times exerts a 
downward force on the upper end 114 of valve member 112 of the control 
valve F, wherein this downward force tends to cause the valve member 112 
to move downwardly from a first position where end 114 wa in abutting 
contact with valve seat 104 to a second position where upper end 114 is 
below valve seat 104. 
As reject water at the rapid rate flows into the second confined space 12 
through the fourth conduit 134 as well as to the chamber 98 through 
another portion of the conduit 134, the pressure on reject water in the 
second confined space 12 increases and exerts a downward force through the 
barrier D onto the purified water in the first confined space 10, with 
purified water being forced therefrom to flow through the second conduit 
to the dispensing valve E to discharge from the dispensing spout 72. 
The lower surface 122 of second piston 120 that is exposed to purified 
water is substantially greater than the upper ring-shaped upper surface 
124 of the second piston that is in contact with reject water in chamber 
98. Accordingly, while the pressure on the purified water in the first 
confined space 10 increases to exert an upwardly directed force on the 
lower surface 122 of the second piston 120, this upward force is less than 
the forces exerted by the pressurized reject water on the upper 
ring-shaped surface 124 of the second piston 120, and pressurized feed 
Water on the upper end 114 of valve member 112 and the upper surface of 
the first piston 118. The valve member 12 during the dispensing of 
purified water will thus remain in the second position permitting feed 
water flow to the cartridge B. 
When the valve actuator 71 is returned to the first or closed position, 
flow of purified water from the purified water inlet 82 of the dispensing 
valve E to the dispensing spout 72 is obstructed. Purified water from the 
reverse osmosis cartridge B now flows through the second conduit 130 to 
the first confined space 10 of the container C. As purified water 
continues to discharge through the second conduit 130 into the first 
confined space 10, the first confined space 10 expands and exerts an 
upward force on reject water in the second confined space 12, with the 
reject water being forced or expelled from the second confined space 12 
through the fourth conduit 134 to the reject water passage 86 in the 
purified water dispensing valve E, with the reject water subsequently 
flowing upwardly through the second restrictor 88 to discharge through the 
reject drain outlet 80. 
After purified water has discharged from the reverse osmosis cartridge B 
through the second conduit 130 to the first confined space 10 to the 
extend that the confined space is approaching maximum volume, the purified 
water in the first confined space exerts a pressure through the second 
conduit 130 on the lower end surface 122 of the piston 120 that is 
sufficient to overcome the downward forces acting of the valve member 112, 
whereby the valve member 112 now moves upwardly for the upper end 114 
thereof to approach the valve seat 104 and throttle the flow of feed water 
to the reverse osmosis cartridge B after the first confined space 10 is 
substantially filled with purified water. Such throttling results in a 
substantial saving of the quantity of pressurized feed water required to 
operate the reverse osmosis assembly A over a period of time and a 
substantial saving in money being effected to the user of the assembly. 
From experience it has been found that when the pressure on feed water 
source 102 is relatively low there will not be a first force exerted on 
the valve member end 114 and upper surface of first piston 118 sufficient 
to overcome the friction offered by the sealing rings 118a and 120a as the 
valve member 112 tends to be forced from the first to the second position. 
To nullify this frictional resistance, a compressed helical spring 126 is 
provided that encircles valve member 112 in chamber 98. With one end of 
the spring abutting against body shoulder 100 and the opposite end against 
second piston 120. When the pressure on the feed water source 102 is 
sufficiently high to overcome the frictional resistance above described, 
the spring 126 may be dispensed with 
The use and operation of the invention has been explained previously in 
detail and need not be repeated.