Abstract:
A feeder for dispensing solid water treatment chemicals into a circulating water system comprises a hopper for holding the solid water treatment chemicals, a housing for holding the hopper and for directing and containing the water to be treated, a water inlet and a water outlet. The hopper has a perforated floor that is separated into a water inlet portion and a water outlet portion. The water inlet feeds water through the water inlet portion where it contacts the water treatment chemicals. The treated water falls by gravity through the water outlet portion of the perforated floor, where it is directed to the water outlet by vacuum pressure. The hopper is removable to facilitate cleaning scale and other insoluble solids form the hopper and the surfaces surrounding it.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates generally to feeders for providing water treatment chemicals to a circulating water system such as a swimming pool.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The use of solid oxidizers such as calcium hypochlorite to sanitize circulating water systems such as swimming pools and/or spas is well known to the art. In one common method of using such oxidizers, the solid material is contained in a feeder that is plumbed into the water line so that the material can be dosed to the water at appropriate levels over long periods of time.  
           [0003]    The solid oxidizer compositions typically include non-soluble material which can build-up as scale, etc., on the surfaces of the chemical feeder. This scale may clog the feeder or otherwise lead to its inefficient operation.  
           [0004]    A need therefore exists for a chemical feeder for providing strong solid oxidizers such as calcium hypochlorite to recirculating water systems, wherein the feeder can easily be cleaned to remove scale and other insoluble material. The present invention addresses that need.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention provides a feeder for dispensing solid water treatment chemicals into a circulating water system. The feeder preferably comprises a hopper for holding the solid water treatment chemicals, a housing for holding the hopper and for directing and containing the water to be treated, a water inlet and a water outlet. The hopper has a perforated floor that is separated into a water inlet portion and a water outlet portion. The water inlet feeds water through a water inflow chamber to the bottom of the removable hopper, where it contacts the water treatment chemicals. The treated water then flows out of the hopper through the water outlet portion of the perforated floor, where it falls into a treated water collection chamber before exiting the feeder through a water outlet.  
           [0006]    The removable hopper is easily refilled with chemicals when empty, and enables the user to easily clean scale, etc., that builds-up in the feeder.  
           [0007]    One object of the present invention is to provide an easy to clean feeder for providing solid chemicals to a circulating water system.  
           [0008]    Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the chemical feeder of the present invention, with the removable hopper removed from the housing.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the housing portion of the chemical feeder of the present invention, with a removable hopper in the housing.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a section view of one embodiment of the housing of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a section view of one embodiment of the removable hopper of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective section view of one embodiment of the chemical feeder of the present invention, with the removable hopper present in the housing.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is an elevational section view of the chemical feeder of FIG. 5.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the chemical feeder installed in a recirculating water system.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the removable hopper of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 shows the chemical feeder of the present invention in partial section.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 shows one preferred installation scheme for the chemical feeder of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 shows some preferred dimensions for the chemical feeder of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the removable hopper of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the hopper and the housing of one preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to certain preferred embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0023]    The basic components are shown in FIG. 1. As shown in that figure, feeder  10  preferably includes a housing  11  and a removable hopper  12  with a perforated floor. The housing preferably includes a base portion  13  with water inlets and outlets passing therethrough, and a lid  14  to cover the top of the feeder.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 2 and 3 show one preferred embodiment of the housing of the present invention. As shown in those figures, housing  20  preferably includes a base portion  21 , sidewalls  22 , a base-sidewall connector  23 , and a lid  24 . Apertures  41  for allowing water inlet  26  and water outlet  27  to pass through the housing are also provided. Water inlet  26  provides untreated water to the feeder, while water outlet  27  passes treated water from the feeder back to the circulating water system.  
         [0025]    Lid  24  may be opened to insert or remove the removable hopper, or it may be secured in its closed position with latch  29 . When lid  24  is closed, the interior of the housing is relatively airtight, allowing a vacuum to be pulled in the housing to help water flow from water inlet  26  to water outlet  27 .  
         [0026]    As shown in the section view of FIG. 3, base-sidewall connector  23  cooperates with sidewalls  22  to form a watertight chamber  28  for receiving the removable hopper. Chamber  28  is closed on the bottom and sides (except where the water inlet and water outlet are), but open on the top unless lid  24  is closed. Water inlet  26  and water outlet  27  protrude upward through the floor  25  of base-sidewall connector  23  to provide water into, and out of, the hopper when it is in place. Water outlet  27  is preferably capped with a screen  42  that helps keep pieces of solid material from clogging the water outlet.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 shows the hopper that is used in the feeder. Removable hopper  30  has a perforated floor  31 , with the center portion of the perforated floor having water inlet holes  38 , and the outer portion having water outlet holes  39 . Sidewalls  32  define a chemical holding chamber  33  above the perforated floor.  
         [0028]    A hopper handle  40  is optionally included at the top of the hopper. Preferably the handle can be folded down to the side (as shown in FIGS. 2, 4,  5 , and  6 ) to close the lid. In that folded position the handle also avoids interfering with chemicals being added to the hopper. A stop tab  55  may be included on the handle to contact the top edge of hopper sidewall  32 , thereby preventing the handle from being pushed down into the hopper.  
         [0029]    Below the perforated floor, sidewalls  34  define a water inflow chamber  35 . A connecting member  36  for connecting water inflow chamber  35  with water inlet  26  extends below chamber  35 . As previously indicated, perforated floor  31  has water inlet holes  38  above water inflow chamber  35 , and water outlet holes  39  outside that region. Water can therefore be directed into chamber  33  by passing through water inlet  26  to water inflow chamber  35 , where it then passes through water inlet holes  38  to reach the bottom part of chamber  33 . Drain holes  56  are preferably included in sidewalls  34  to allow water to drain from water inflow chamber  35  when water is not flowing through the feeder.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 5 and 6 show the assembled feeder, with removable hopper  30  inside housing  20 . When hopper  30  is in place, a treated water collection chamber  37  is defined within sidewalls  22  below perforated floor  31  and above floor  25 . Treated water collects in this chamber after passing over the chemicals, and is then directed out of the feeder through water outlet  27 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 7 shows the chemical feeder installed in a recirculating water system. Water is supplied to the unit by tubing or hard plumbing, and may be controlled by a solenoid valve in the water inlet line. The water flows into the feeder and is removed through the water outlet by means of a Venturi injector. The Venturi may use the pressure drop created by the system filter or other means known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0032]    In operation, removable hopper  30  is provided with a solid chemical such as calcium hypochlorite. The hopper is placed in the housing so that connector  36  mates with water inlet  26  to provide untreated water to water inflow chamber  35 . The untreated water fills water inflow chamber  35  and passes through water inlet holes  38  to enter chemical holding chamber  33 . There, it contacts the chemical being provided and becomes treated water. The treated water then passes through water outlet holes  39  before being accumulated in treated water collection chamber  37 , where it is returned through water outlet  27  to the water system.  
         [0033]    Most preferably a venturi is provided on the water outlet to pull a vacuum in the housing when the lid is closed. This facilitates the flow of water from the water inlet, through the chemical, and back out the water outlet.  
         [0034]    In the preferred mode of operation the water inlet and outlet levels are manipulated so that water only contacts the lower surface of the chemicals in the hopper. Preferably, the water level inside the hopper is kept to less than about 1 inch, and more preferably to less than about ½ inch. The physical arrangement of the water inlet, the water outlet, and the hopper facilitates maintaining the water level at this low level. In particular, in the present invention the weir height is equal, or substantially equal, to the height of the bottom of the tablet bed. Accordingly, a standard three-inch diameter water treatment tablet is not completely submerged in the water when the water inflow and water outflow are properly regulated; only the lower portion of the tablet contacts the water.  
         [0035]    One advantage of the present invention is that the hopper is easily removable to facilitate cleaning. In prior art feeders, scale and other insoluble solids build up on the surfaces that are exposed to treated water, and particularly in the collection chamber. With the present invention, scale and insolubles can be cleaned from the hopper, and from the surfaces exposed to treated water such as the surfaces of the collection chamber, simply by lifting the hopper out of the housing and washing those surfaces with an acid wash.  
         [0036]    In one preferred embodiment, some features of which are shown in FIG. 9, chemical feeder  60  includes feeder base  61 , feeder body  62 , and hopper  63 . Feeder body  62  closes with lid  64 . Inlet line  65  connects through compression fitting  71  with solenoid valve  72  that controls the flow of water through the feeder. Solenoid valve  72  communicates with three-way valve  73 , which splits the water inlet line into “treated” and “untreated” streams. The “treated” stream preferably flows through valve  74  and through line  78  to stand pipe  79  before actually being treated. From stand pipe  79  the “treated” stream flows through the lower portion of the hopper where the water is actually treated as described above.  
         [0037]    “Untreated” stream flows through fitting  75  and water line (preferably flexible tubing)  76  to three-way connector  86 . A check valve  82  is preferably provided in line  76 . From three-way connector  86  the untreated water flows through valve  84  to outlet line  66 .  
         [0038]    The treated water flows to the outlet line  66  through pipe end  81  which is directed to the third pathway of three-way connector  86 . From there the treated water exits the feeder through outlet line  66  as shown in the Figure.  
         [0039]    In FIG. 12, the bottom of a removable hopper is shown. Feet  90  hold the hopper above the floor of the housing and position connecting member  91  to receive the water inlet standpipe. Water inflow chamber  92  is in fluid communication with connecting member  91 , and facilitates the flow of water through water inlet holes  93 . Water outlet holes  95  facilitate the flow of water out of the hopper.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 13 shows both pieces of one preferred embodiment, including hopper  101  and housing  102 . Lid  103  is provided with gasket  104  and latch  105 , which combine to allow housing  102  to be substantially airtight when the lid is closed. In that condition a vacuum can be drawn in the housing to facilitate water flow through the feeder.  
         [0041]    As indicated above, the feeder of the present invention is particularly easy to clean. For example, when the feeder shown generally in FIG. 9 is provided with the hopper and housing embodiments shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, there is no hopper-support member to block access to the water collection chamber  96 . Accordingly, when the removable hopper is removed, water collection chamber  96  and the water inlet and outlet lines are exposed and free of hopper-support members (excluding the end of the water inlet line, which does not substantially support the hopper when the embodiment of FIG. 12 is used), and thus can be washed to remove scale, etc., from the collection chamber and from the water inlet and water outlet lines. This is a significant advantage over the chemical feeders of the prior art.  
         [0042]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.