Abstract:
A water storage tank built for a reverse osmosis water purifying system deploys multi water flow passages of purified water and drainage water, allocated a soft bladder unit receiving purified water encompassed by the waste water in the tank. When the water tank unit is fully filled with water, the water pressure activates the auto-shut-off valve or solenoid valve to stop operation of the reverse osmosis water purifying system. When the dispensing faucet is turned on, the drainage water swells to squeeze the soft bladder unit to deliver the purified water out from the soft bladder unit to the dispensing faucet, and the drainage water flushes the reverse osmosis membrane as well. The technique enables the tank to take the least water pressure resistance to hold water and drain water which results in energy saving and water saving.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a water storage tank with multiple water flow passages for a reverse osmosis water purifier, and more particularly, a tank regulated by a mechanical lever positioner for water flow control to hold the purified water in a soft bladder inside the tank and withdraw purified water by waste water pressure. The waste water stored in the tank stops to expand and flows down to the drain and when the purified water bladder is full. A mechanical lever positioner sensors the equal water pressure from the RO Purifier thereby stops water production. Upon dispensing the purified water from the faucet, the tank pressure drops and the lever positioner valve activates the waste water to flow in the tank hence squeezes the purified water out. While the waste water drains out and a larger volume of waste water is to flush the surface of RO membrane. An auto-shut-off valve or solenoid valve generates the reverse osmosis membrane element to produce purified water to the tank. The waste water flushes the membrane and flow down to the drain. The method and operation circulate the purified water and the waste water for the reverse osmosis water system. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    The conventional reverse osmosis water purifying system  9  is disclosed in  FIG. 14 , wherein a pre-set pressure of the feed water flows toward the RO membrane filter  91  to separate purified water and drainage water. The ratio of the purified water and drainage water is approximate 1:4 which means 1 liter purified water verses 4 liters drainage water. It is a lot of waste. The purified water is stored in an air pressurized tank  95  with a bladder  951  inside keeping water pressurized in the tank when it is full and squeezed out water when water pressure released. 
         [0005]    To conserve water, the Reverse Osmosis Water System has an automatic shut-off valve. When the storage tank  95  is full, the valve  92  stops any further water from entering the membrane  91  thereby stopping water production. By shutting off the flow this valve also stops water from flowing to the drain. Once water is drawn from the RO drinking water faucet  97 , the pressure in the tank  95  drops and auto-shut-off valve  92  opens, allowing water to flow to the membrane  91  and waste-water to flow down the drain  96 . 
         [0006]    It is noted that the conventional reverse osmosis water purifying system  9  generates a large amount of waste water and can be improved. Plus the tank  95  is limited to appliance of either certain high feed water pressure area or adding a booster pump. Due to the purified water pressure exceeds the back pressure from the system, low pressure RO membranes or optional membranes are excluded in the appliance. 
         [0007]    The present invention intends to provide a reverse osmosis water purifying system to improve the disadvantages mentioned above. First of all, the present invention is viable to the purifying systems with low, medium or high pressure reverse osmosis membranes. The drainage water provides a force to pump out the purified water and clean the RO membrane surface resulting in energy saving and water saving. Secondly, the present invention contributes to bring a compact design with large water storage capacity. The present invention aims to provide an eco-friendly, safe and reliable water storage technique. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention relates to a water tank unit comprising a chamber defined therein. Multiple passages are defined through the top of the tank. The tank has an open bottom to which a bottom cover is connected. A mechanical lever positioner for water flow control valve is built on upper tank and has multiple water flow gates which communicate with the passages respectively on top surface of the tank. 
         [0009]    A soft bladder unit  31  is located inside the chamber  3  of the tank with an axial support shaft  32  within. The axial support shaft  32  has a passage connected to the top thereof. The connection passage is linked to one of the water gates. A lever positioner for water flow control valve  21  activates drainage water flowing freely in and out of the tank. The drainage water inside the tank drives and squeezes the purified water to be drawn out of the tank. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the lever positioner for water flow control valve  21  comprises a stepped hole  213 , a first access  214  and a second access  215 . A valve plunger core  23  switches to close and open gate so as to fill and draw the purified water to and from the tank. 
         [0011]    Preferably, a pressure relief safety device  4   b  is built on a pipe connecting the drainage water outlet and purified water in/out path. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the lever positioner for water flow control valve  21  comprises a body  210 , a spring member  22 , a plunger core  23  and a diaphragm unit  24 . The spring membrane  22 , the plunger  23  and the diaphragm  24  are installed from left to right in sequence inside the valve. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the lever positioner for water flow control valve has a body  210  and two side covers  211 - 212 . The diaphragm unit  24  includes a film  241  and a stopper seat  242  to which the film is attached. The two side covers  211 - 212  respectively bonnet each end of the body. The drainage water inlet gate in the first access  214  and the purified water inlet/outlet gate in the second access  213  respectively protrude on the two side covers. The drainage water outlet gate  215  is located inside the valve body. The configuration is built to enhance the valve assembly. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the control valve  21  chamber deploys two spacers. One spacer allocates the drainage water inlet passage while the other spacer allocates the drainage water outlet passage. 
         [0015]    Preferably, a flow restrictor  4   a  is installed in between the drainage water inlet gate  4  and the tank. The other flow restrictor  111   a  is placed in the connection of the drainage water inlet and the first division. 
         [0016]    The present invention also provides an operating method of reverse osmosis water purifying system applying a water storage tank deployed with a drainage water inlet, a drainage water outlet which is connected to the drain pipe, and a purified water inlet/outlet. 
         [0017]    The present invention provides a technique for reverse osmosis water purifying system comprising a reverse osmosis membrane element defined a feed water inlet, a product water outlet and a waste water outlet which is linked by a tube to the water storage tank drainage inlet. A pre-filter is connected by an auto-shut-off valve high pressure inlet port and inlet of RO element. A post-filter is connected by a 3-way fitting to an auto-shut-off valve low pressure outlet port through the inlet port with RO membrane product water port. The other side of the post-filter connects a dispensing faucet. The 3-way fitting connects the purified water inlet of the tank. 
         [0018]    The present invention provides a water storage technique comprising a soft bladder, a drainage water inlet, a drainage water outlet, purified water inlet/outlet regulated by a mechanical positioner valve. 
         [0019]    The present invention aims to improve:
   1. To hold purified water in a hygiene soft bladder using drainage water when dispensing require no air, no electrical power. The drainage water flushes the RO membrane to extend the service life of the reverse osmosis membrane.   2. To save space and easy maintenance by its compact design and large capacity of water storage.   3. Viable with low pressure, high pressure or in-between pressure reverse osmosis elements.   4. The safety concern of releasing overloaded pressure using a check valve to eliminate bladder expansion in case of a breakdown of control valve.   
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the water tank unit of the present invention: 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the water tank unit of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the control valve of the water tank unit of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  shows the parts of the reverse osmosis water purifying system of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the water tank unit wherein no water is stored therein; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a portion of the water tank unit wherein no water is stored; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the water tank unit of the present invention wherein purified water is produced and stored in the soft bladder unit; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  shows that the drainage water is released from the water tank unit when purifying water; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  shows that the water tank unit is fully filled with purified water; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  shows that the purified water is squeezed out from the water tank unit; 
           [0034]      FIG. 10 a    is an enlarged section of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  shows another reverse osmosis water purifying system of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 12  shows yet another reverse osmosis water purifying system of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 13  shows the steps of the operation of water tank unit of the present invention, and 
           [0038]      FIG. 14  shows a conventional reverse osmosis water purifying system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the present invention relates to a water tank unit “A” of a reverse osmosis water purifying system “B”. The waste water of the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B” is converted to be the power to dispense the purified water from the water tank unit “A”. The water tank unit “A” comprises a tank  1  having a chamber  11  defined therein, a soft bladder unit  3  is built in the chamber  11 . 
         [0040]    Multiple passages  111 ,  111   a,    111   b  are defined through the top of the tank  1 . The tank  1  has an open bottom  12  to which a bottom cover  13  is connected. A recess  10  is defined on top of the tank  1  so as to receive a control valve  2  therein. The control valve  2  is fixed by a fixing member  14 . A top cover  15  is mounted on top of the tank  1 . A notch  16  is defined under side of the recess  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , the notch  16  is to give room to the drainage water passage to flow smoothly when the soft bladder unit  3  is full. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the control valve  2  has multiple water passages which include the drainage water inlet passage “a”, the drainage water outlet path “b” and the purified water inlet/outlet passage “c”. The  3  passages above are connected with gates  111 ,  111   a,    111   b  on top of the tank  1  respectively. The control valve  2  further has a valve body  21 , a spring member  22 , a plunger core  23  and diaphragm unit  24 . The spring member  22 , the plunger core  23  and diaphragm unit  24  are installed in sequence in the division chamber  213  of the valve body  21 . The spring member  22  provides a spring force P 3  to push the plunger core  23 . The control valve  21  has a body  210  and two side covers  211  and  212 . The diaphragm unit  24  includes a film  241  and a seat  242  connected. The two side covers  211  and  212  are respectively connected to the both end of the valve body  210 . The drainage water passage “a” and the purified water passage “c” respectively located on two side covers  211  and  212 . The drainage water outlet passage “b” communicates with the interior of the body  210 . The stepped hole  213  includes a first access  214  and a second access  215 , wherein the first access  214  communicates with the drainage water inlet path “a”, and the second access  215  communicates with the drainage water outlet path “b”. The plunger core  23  has a first flow spacer  232 , a second flow spacer  233  and a stopper seat  234 . The valve plunger core  23  is located in the stepped hole  213 , the first flow spacer  232  is located in the first access  214 , and the second spacer  233  is located in the second path access. The plunger core  23  is located in the stepped hole  213 , the first spacer  232  is located in the first access  214 , and the second spacer  233  is located in the second access  215 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , a soft bladder unit  3  is located in the room  11  of the tank  1  and has a bladder  31  with an axial support shaft  32  connected therein. The axial support shaft  32  has a connection path  33  connected to the top thereof. The connection path  33  is connected with the purified water path “c” so that the purified water is dispensed from the soft bladder unit  3  via the purified water path “c” and the connection path  33 . The bladder  31  accumulates a pressure level established by the purified water. The drainage water temporarily stored in the tank  1 , encompass the bladder  31  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , a flow restrictor  4  is connected at the connection portion between the drainage water inlet path “a” and the room  11  of the tank  1 , and another flow restrictor  4   a  is connected at a connection portion between the drainage water inlet path “a” and the first access  214 . The flow restrictor  4 ,  4   a  restrict the drainage water from entering into the water tank unit “A” or the first access  214  by an excessive water pressure. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 7 , the water tank unit “A” is cooperated with a filter  5 , a first filter  6 , a filter unit  61 , an auto-shut-off valve  62 , a second filter  7 , a 4-way connector  73 , a drainage pipe  82  and other pipes to assemble the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B” of the present invention. The inlet  51  of the filter  5  connected to the first filter  6 , the outlet  52  of the filter  5  is connected to the purified water path “c” of the water tank unit “A” and the second filter  7  by the 4-way connector  73 . The drainage water outlet  53  of the filter  5  is connected to the drainage water inlet path “a” of the water tank unit “A”. 
         [0045]    The reverse osmosis water purifying system “B” of the present invention uses low pressure and medium pressure to be cooperated with the feed water source with pre-set pressure, so that no booster pump is required to boost the water from the feed water source. When the water from the feed water source flows to the filter  5 , the present invention processes the water and generates purified water and drainage water. The purified water and the drainage water respectively flow through the holes  111   b  and  111  via the purified water path “c” and the drainage water inlet path “a” of the water tank unit “A”. The purified water flows into the bladder  31  to form the purified water area via the connection path  33 , and the drainage water encompass the bladder  31  inside the tank  1  to form the waste water area. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the purified water flows through the purified water path “c” and the pressure P 2  in the purified water area push the second part  233  toward left to communicate the drainage water outlet path “b” and the hole  111   a,  so that the drainage water enters the second access  215  and the first access  214  via the hole  111   a.  The drainage water then flows to the drainage pipe  82  via the drainage water outlet path “b”. If the pressure P 2  is lower than the spring force P 3 , the plunger core  23  move toward right to shut off the communication between the drainage water outlet path “b” and the hole  111   a  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 9 , when the bladder  31  is fully filled with purified water and has a pressure P 2  to shut off the valve  62 , as shown in  FIG. 4  via the purified water path “c”, a diaphragm piece  621  in the auto-shut-off valve  62  stops the feed water to filter  5 . This stops both producing purified water and drainage water. The water tank unit “A” has small amount of drainage water therein. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 9 , when the dispensing faucet  72  is turned on, the purified water in the water tank unit “A” flows toward the second filter unit  71  and through to the faucet  72  by the force created by the amount of drainage water entering into the drainage water area in the water tank unit “A” and the accumulating force squeezes the bladder  31 , wherein the bladder  31  has a pressure P 2  stored therein, so that the purified water is squeezed out from the bladder  31  via the purified water path “c”. The pressure P 2  then drops and activates the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B” to produce purified water again. The drainage water flows into the water tank unit “A” via the holes  111 ,  111   a  and the drainage water inlet path “a”. The pressure in the drainage water area is established by the entering of the drainage water so as to keep squeezing the soft bladder unit  3  to dispense the purified water until the faucet  72  is turned off. The water tank unit “A” then is under the status of producing purified water as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0049]    As shown in  FIG. 10 a   , in order to prevent the water tank unit “A” from exploding by high pressure due to problems of the auto-shut-off valves  62 ,  63 , a check valve  4   b  is connected in the connection pipe “d” connected between the drainage water outlet path “b” and the purified water path “c”. That means when the pressure in the water tank unit “A” is too high, the pressure P 2  of the purified water is able to activate the check valve  4   b,  and a portion of the purified water is released via the drainage water outlet path “b” to prevent the water tank unit “A” from being damaged by high pressure. 
         [0050]    As shown in  FIG. 11  which shows a reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 1 ” that is connected with the water tank unit “A”, the difference between the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B” and the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 1 ” is that the auto-shut-off valve  63  and the 3-way connector  74  used in the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 1 ” are used for the feed water source with specific pressure without any booster pump. The reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 1 ” is able to produce purified water. 
         [0051]    As shown in  FIG. 12  which shows a reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 2 ” that is connected with the water tank unit “A”, the difference between the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 2 ” and the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 1 ” is that the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 2 ” uses a pressure switch  64  or solenoid valve and a booster pump  65 . The pressure switch  64  or solenoid valve and the booster pump  65  are electrically connected to the electric-control module  81  and the power source  8 . The reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 2 ” uses the booster pump  65  to deliver the water from the feed water source and generates a pre-set pressure. The water with the pre-set pressure pushes a diaphragm  631  in the auto-shut-off valve  63  and flows toward the filter  5  so as to produce purified water and drainage water. The purified water and the drainage water respectively flows into the water tank unit “A” via the purified water path “c” and the drainage water inlet path “a”. 
         [0052]    When the water tank unit “A” is fully filled with water, the pressure P 2  of the purified water applies to the diaphragm  631  which blocks the path of the water pumped from the feed water source not to enter the filter  5 , and a pressure of the water is accumulated. When the pressure switch  64  detects the pressure, the electric-control module  81  will shut off the electro-magnetic valve and the pump  65 . 
         [0053]    When the water tank unit “A” dispenses water, the pressure in the auto-shut-off valve  63  drops so that the water from the water source can turn the auto-shut-off valve  63  and flows toward the filter  5 . When the pressure switch  64  detects the low pressure, the electric-control module  81  activates the pump  65  to allow the water from the water source to flow to the filter  5  via the auto-shut-off valve  63  to produce purified water and drainage water. The purified water and the drainage water are stored in the water tank unit “A”. The circulation makes the reverse osmosis water purifying system “B 2 ” to operate properly. 
         [0054]    As shown in  FIG. 13 , the method for operating the water tank unit “A” comprising: 
         [0055]    a step (a) of installing a drainage water and purified water paths: preparing a water tank unit “A” which has a tank  1 , a drainage water inlet path “a”, a drainage water outlet path “b” and purified water path “c” being defined in the tank  1 ; 
         [0056]    a step (b) of installing a soft bladder unit  3 : installing a soft bladder unit  3  in the tank  1  for storage of purified water therein, and 
         [0057]    a step (c) of installing a control valve: installing a control valve  2  between the drainage water inlet path “a” and the drainage water outlet path “b”, the control valve  2  communicating with the purified water path “c” and controlling the drainage water and the purified water to be introduced into and drawn out from the water tank unit “A”. 
         [0058]    While we have shown and described the embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skills in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.