Abstract:
An indoor/outdoor water filtering apparatus having a pump electrically connected to a power device supplied by an external power source or a rechargeable battery with a switch for user selection of a plurality of operating modes for filtering water in different environments, wherein a first mode electrically connects a first loop with a first pressure sensor cutting off power when water pressure exceeds an upper limit, a second mode cuts off power, and a third mode electrically connects a second loop with a second pressure sensor cutting off power when water pressure is lower than a lower limit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a water filtering device, and more particularly to water filtering apparatus, which is able to be mounted at indoors and outdoors. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A water filtering apparatus may filter impurities, pollutants, harmful substances, even virus and bacteria out through filters installed therein to get drinking water. People can drink the water coming out of the water filtering apparatus without having to boiling it again. 
         [0005]    The conventional water filtering apparatus is huge, and has to be mounted at a specific place. It also has to connect to a pressurized water source, such as tap water, so the conventional water filtering apparatus is not available for portable. If people go out for camping or mountain climbing, they usually carry filtered water in bottles. Carrying the water is a heavy loading for a person in outdoor activity. Some people carry a portable stove to boil river water. However, the boiled river water still has a lot of impurities and harmful substances, such as heavy metal, so that it is not safe to drink the boiled river water. In some areas, such as disaster area, the shortage of tap water and electric power make the water filtering apparatus couldn&#39;t work, so it carries out another problem. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In view of the above, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide an indoor and outdoor water filtering apparatus, which is capable of portable for user to filter water anywhere. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve the objective of the present invention, the present invention provides an indoor and outdoor water filtering apparatus, which is connected to a water source to filter raw water of the water source, including a frame, a filtering device, a pump, a rechargeable battery, a power device, and a switch. The filtering device has a raw water inlet, a filtered water outlet, and at least one filter, which is mounted on the frame. The raw water inlet is connected to a water source, and the at least one filter is connected to the raw water inlet and the filtered water outlet respectively to filter raw water of the water source coming in from the raw water inlet, and generates filtered water coming out via the filtered water outlet. The pump pumps the raw water of the water source to the filter of the filter device. The rechargeable battery supplies the pump with electric power. The power device includes a first power input port, a second power input port, and a power output port. The first power input port is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery, and the power output port is electrically connected to the pump. When the second power input port is connected to an external power source, electric power of the external power source is supplied to the pump through the power output port, and supplied to the rechargeable through the second power input port to charge the rechargeable. The switch is electrically connected to the power device, and has a plurality of operating modes for a user to select. The operating modes includes a first made and a second mode. The electric power is transmitted to the pump when the first mode is selected, and the electric power for the pump is cut off when the second mode is selected. 
         [0008]    With such design, the water filtering apparatus of the present invention could be used at indoors and outdoors. Furthermore, water from any water source, such as tap water, river, and pond, could be filtered by the water filtering apparatus of the present invention anytime and anywhere. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing inside of the apparatus; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a rear exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing inside of the apparatus; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a sketch diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the water filtering system; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of the power of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the power system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a sketch diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the apparatus operating at outdoors; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a sketch diagram of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the apparatus operating at indoors; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a sketch diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3  show an indoor and outdoor water filtering apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, including a housing  10 , a frame  20 , on which a filtering device  30 , a pump  40 , a rechargeable battery  50 , a power device  60 , a switch, a timer, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a displace circuit  80  are provided. In the first embodiment, the switch is a band switch  70 , the timer is a time switch  72 , the first pressure sensor is a high-pressure sensing switch  74 , and the second pressure sensor is a low-pressure sensing switch  76 . 
         [0019]    The housing  10  receives the frame  20  and the elements on the frame  20  therein, and is connected to the frame  20  at a bottom thereof. The housing  20  is provided with a grip  22  on a top thereof for user to carry the water filtering apparatus. The frame  20  is provided with a waste water outlet  20   a,  a filtered water outlet  20   b,  a drinking water outlet  20   c,  and a raw water inlet  20   d,  all of which are adjacent to a bottom of the frame  20 , and connected to the filtering device  30  respectively. The frame  20  further is provided with a power connector  20   e,  which is electrically connected to the power device  60 . 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , to get a good filtering performance, the filtering device  30  is provided with a first front filter  31 , a second front filter  32 , a water switch  33 , a RO (reverse osmosis) filter  34 , and an activated carbon filter  35 . 
         [0021]    The first front filter  31  has a water inlet  31   a,  which is connected to the raw water inlet  20   d  to let raw water flow into the first front filter  31 . In the present embodiment, the water comes from a water source, such as a faucet of tap water or a river. The pump  40  pumps the raw water of the water source to the first front filter  31  through the raw water inlet  20   d.  After the first front filter  31 , the water keeps flowing to the second front filter  32 , the pump  40 , the water switch  33 , and the RO filter  34  in sequence. The RO filter  34  has a first outlet  34   a  and a second outlet  34   b,  wherein the first outlet  34   a  is connected to the waste water outlet  20   a  to drain the waste water out, and the second outlet  34   b  is connected to the filtered water outlet  20   b  through the water switch  33  to output filtered water. A container (not shown) is connected to the filtered water outlet  20   b  to store the filtered water. The second outlet  34   b  is connected to the drinking water outlet  20   c  through the water switch  33  and the activated carbon filter  35 . A valve  92 , such as faucet, is connected to the drinking water outlet  20   c  for user to drink the water coming from the faucet directly. The low-pressure sensing switch  76  is provide on a pipe between the first front filter  31  and the raw water inlet  20   d  to sense a pressure of the raw water entering the first front filter  31 . The high-pressure sensing switch  74  is provided on a pipe after the water switch  33  to sense a pressure of the filtered water coming out of the filtered water outlet  20   b  and the drinking water outlet  20   c.    
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the power device  60  includes a first power input port  62 , a second power input port  64 , and a power output port  66 . The first power input port  62  is connected to the rechargeable battery  50 , the second power input port  64  is connected to a connector  20   e,  which is able to connect to an external power source (not shown), and the power output port  66  is electrically connected to the pump  40 . The power device  60  receives electric power via the first power input port  62  and/or the second power input port  64  to supply the pump  40  with electric power. 
         [0023]    When the connector  20   e  is disconnected to the external power source, the rechargeable battery  50  takes place to provide electric power to the power device  60  via the first power input port  62 , which means that the pump  40  is powered by the rechargeable battery  50 . 
         [0024]    When the connector  20   e  is connected to the external power source, the power device  60  establishes a connection between the second power input port  64  and the power output port  66  to power the pump  40  by the external power source. The power device  60  establishes a connection between the second power input port  64  and the first power input port  62  to charge the rechargeable battery  50  at the same time. In conclusion, the pump  40  is powered by the rechargeable battery  50  when the connector  20   e  is not connected to the external power source, and the pump  40  is powered by the external power source, and the rechargeable battery  50  is charged when the connector  20   e  is connected to the external power source. If the external power source supplies insufficient electric power, both the rechargeable battery  50  and the external power source together supply the sufficient electric power to the pump  40 . 
         [0025]    The band switch  70  has several operating modes for user to select, including a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode. The band switch  70  further includes a first switch member  701  and a second switch member  702 , which work at the seam time. The first switch member  701  is on a line between the power output port  66  and the pump  40 , and the second switch member  702  is on a line between the connector  20   e  and the second power input port  64 . Each operating mode decides specific statuses of the first switch member  701  and the second switch member  702 . 
         [0026]    When the first mode is selected, the first switch member  701  is switched to have a connection between a common terminal  70   a,  which is connected to the power output port  66  of the power device  60 , and a first terminal  70   b,  which is connected to the timer  72 . The timer  72  is electrically connected to the power output port  66  through the high-pressure sensing switch  74  and the pump  40  in sequence to form a loop. The timer  72  is settable to turn the pump  40  on in a specific period when the electric power is supplied to the timer  72 , and cut off the electric power for the pump  40  when time is up. The high-pressure sensing switch  74  is turned off to stop the pump  40  while the pressure of the water coming out of the second outlet  34   b  of the RO filter  34  is higher than an upper-limited pressure. At the same time, the second switch member  702  is switched to have a connection between a common terminal  70   e,  which is connected to the connector  20   e,  and a first terminal  70   f,  which is connected to the second power input port  64  of the power device  60 . 
         [0027]    In the second mode, the first switch member  701  of the band switch  70  is switched to have a connection between the common terminal  70   a  and a second terminal  70   c,  which is not connected to any element, to turn the first switch member  701  off, so that the pump  60  is stopped. At the same time, the second switch member  702  of the band switch  70  is switched to have a connection between the common terminal  70   a  and a second terminal  70   c,  which is not connected to any element, to turn the external power off. 
         [0028]    In the third mode, the first switch member  701  is switched to have a connection between the common terminal  70   a  and a third terminal  70   d,  which is connected to the low-pressure sensing switch  76 . When the third mode is selected, the electric power is transmitted to the low-pressure sensing switch  76  instead of the timer  72 , and then transmitted to the high-pressure sensing switch  74 , the pump  40 , and the power output port  66  of the power device  60  in sequence. The low-pressure sensing switch  76  is turned off when a pressure of the raw water entering the water inlet  31   a  of the first front filter  31  is lower than a lower-limited pressure, so that the pump  40  is stopped. At the same time, the second switch member  702  is switched to have a connection between the common terminal  70   e  and a third terminal  70   h,  which is connected to the second power input port  64  of the power device  60 , to supply the power device  60  with the electric power of the external power source. 
         [0029]    The displace circuit  80  is electrically connected to the power device  60 , and has a power light  80   a,  a battery light  80   b,  and a charging light  80   c  to indicate a power status of the power device  60 . 
         [0030]    When the power light  80   a  lights, it means that the power device  60  is working. The system is turned on. 
         [0031]    When the battery light  80   b  lights, it means that the rechargeable battery  50  supplies electric power to the pump  40 . The system is powered by the rechargeable battery  50 . 
         [0032]    When the charging light  80   c  lights, it means that the rechargeable battery  50  is being charged. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the water filtering apparatus of the present invention is disconnected to the tap water, and connected to an outdoor water source  90 , such as a river, through the raw water inlet  20   d,  a plug  92  is inserted into the filtered water outlet  20   b  to seal it, and the band switch  70  is switched to the first mode. At this time, the pump  40  is running under a control of the time switch  72  to filter the river water in a predetermined period, and the drinking water could come out from the drinking water outlet  20   c  by opening the valve  92 . The pump  40  would be stopped when the high-pressure sensing switch  74  senses a water pressure higher than the upper-limited pressure. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the raw water inlet  20   d  is connected to a tap water  93 , the filtered water outlet  20   b  is connected to a container  94 , the waste water outlet  20   a  is connected to a waste water pipe  95 , the drinking water outlet  20   c  is connected to a faucet  96 , and the band switch  70  is switched to the third mode, the pump  40  is running under a control of both the high-pressure sensing switch  74  and the low-pressure sensing switch  76 . When the tap water  93  does not supply enough water, the low-pressure sensing switch  76  will sense a water pressure lower than the lower-limited pressure, and the pump  40  will be stopped to protect the pump  40 . When the container  94  is full, the high-pressure sensing switch  74  senses a water pressure higher than the upper-limited pressure, and the pump  40  will be stopped to stop filtering water. 
         [0035]    The water filtering apparatus of the present invention would be turned off when the band switch  70  is switched to the second mode no matter the apparatus is used at indoors or at outdoors. 
         [0036]    In conclusion, when the user is taking an outdoor activity, the water filtering apparatus of the present invention could filter water from any water source he/she could find, such as river or pond. Therefore, people didn&#39;t have to carry any water bottle. When the water filtering apparatus is installed at home, it could filter water from the tap water. If there is a power blackout or shortage, the water filtering apparatus of the present invention would keep working with the electric power of the rechargeable battery  50 . It could connect to a battery of a vehicle or a solar battery to supply power as well for the backup power. 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  shows a water filtering apparatus of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is the same as the first embodiment, including a housing  10 , a frame, on which a filtering device, a pump, a rechargeable battery, a power device, a switch, a timer, a high-pressure sensing switch, a low-pressure sensing switch, and a displace circuit. 
         [0038]    The different part of the water filtering apparatus of the second preferred embodiment is that the filtering device  230  includes a first front filter  231 , a second front  232 , a water switch  233 , a hollow fiber membrane filter  234 , and an activated carbon filter  235 . 
         [0039]    The same as above, the pump  240  pumps raw water through the raw water inlet  220   d  to be filtered by the first and the second front filters  231 ,  232 , and then water is sent to the hollow fiber membrane filter  234  through the water switch  233  and the pump  240  in sequence to be filtered. The hollow fiber membrane filter  234  has a water outlet  234   a  to output filtered water, and then the filtered water is sent to activated carbon filter  235  through the water switch  233 . At last, the filtered water comes out through the drinking water outlet  220   c.  The low-pressure sensing switch  276  is provided on a pipe between the first front filter  231  and the raw water inlet  220   d  to sense a pressure of the water entering the first front filter  231 . The high-pressure sensing switch  274  is provided on a pipe between the hollow fiber membrane filter  234  and the drinking water outlet  220   c  to sense a pressure of the filtered water coming out of the hollow fiber membrane filter  234 . The function and operation of the second preferred embodiment is the same as the first preferred embodiment. The use of hollow fiber membrane filter  234  instead of the RO filter makes the filtering faster and need no waste water outlet and the container. 
         [0040]    The filter device of the present invention could be provided with only one filter, or three, four, five, or more filters of various types based on the requirements, such as size, weight, and so on. 
         [0041]    It must be pointed out that the embodiments described above are only some preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent structures which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present invention.