Patent Publication Number: US-2006005859-A1

Title: Filter back-flushing and rinsing device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 10/887,651, filed Jul. 9, 2004 (the “parent application”). The contents of that application are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to the field of spa and pool filter cleaning devices, and more particularly to a spa and pool filter cleaning device that allows the filter to be back-flushed and rinsed in the same container, without removing the filter.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,516 (Chaney, 1991) provides a filter washing apparatus comprised of a tank with a submersible pump and a large perforated tube affixed to the bottom of the tank. Inside of the large perforated tube is a small perforated tube. Water and cleaning solution is poured into the tank, and then the pump sucks up the water and cleaning solution and drives it through the small perforated tube into the large perforated tube and out into the rest of the tank. The cycle continues until the back-flushing process has been completed, and the filter is then removed so that it can be rinsed with a garden hose. There is no explanation as to how the oils and debris that are removed from the filter through the back-flushing process are removed from the tank. In contrast to the Chaney invention, the present invention allows the filter to be both back-flushed and rinsed within the same compartment, and it also provides a mechanism for removing the oils and debris from the tank in which the back-flushing process takes place. Unlike the Chaney invention, the present invention can be used without a source of power, and it provides a much simpler design for accomplishing the same purpose as the Chaney invention.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,180 (Jelten el al., 2003) discloses a spa filter cleaning and rinsing device that comprises a rectangular-shaped base, a perforated armature (or arm) that protrudes upward from one end of the base at an angle, and spray jets that are affixed to an upwardly protruding portion of the base. The filter to be cleaned is placed over the armature, and water is sprayed through the holes in the armature to accomplish the back-flushing of the filter. There is no mechanism for holding the filter onto the armature other than the angle of the armature, and there is no provision for preventing the water from coming out the ends of the filter rather than flushing through it. At the same time that water is sprayed out through the perforated armature to accomplish the back-flushing action, water is also sprayed through the spray jets directly at the filter, causing it to rotate or spin on the armature. Thus, the filter is purportedly spinning at the same time that it is being back-flushed. There is no explanation as to how the water from the spray jets or the water that is used to back-flush the filter is contained. Moreover, the Jelten invention is concerned only with rinsing and spinning the filter, and it does not address the actual cleaning process where cleaning solution is used.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is an apparatus for cleaning, back-flushing and rinsing a filter in a single compartment without having to remove the filter at each step. The apparatus comprises a holding tank, a lower compartment, and one or more perforated armatures. The lower compartment comprises one or more threaded receivers, the number of perforated armatures corresponds to the number of threaded receivers, and the perforated armatures screw into the threaded receivers. The lower compartment further comprises an inlet and a main drain, and the lower compartment is sealed so that water entering the lower compartment through the inlet can only travel out the main drain or up through the threaded receivers and perforated armatures. The apparatus of the present invention further comprises one or more filters and one or more screw caps. Each filter is placed over a perforated armature, and a screw cap is placed on top of each filter to hold it in place on the perforated armature.  
      The holding tank comprises one or more overflow drains, which are located on the outside of the holding tank at a level that is higher than the top of the screw cap(s). The holding tank also comprises a lid and a means for attaching the lid to the holding tank. The holding tank comprises handles that are preferably located on the outside of the holding tank.  
      The present invention also covers a method of using the apparatus described above to clean a filter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a top view of a second embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMBERS  
       1  Holding tank  
       2  Lower compartment  
       3  Inlet  
       4  Main drain  
       5  Threaded receiver  
       6  Overflow drain  
       7  Handle  
       8  Lid  
       8   a  Center hinge  
       9  Hinges  
       10  Perforated armature  
       11  Filter  
       12  Screw cap  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. The first embodiment is a relatively smaller embodiment intended for home use. As shown in this figure, the present invention comprises a holding tank  1  with a lower compartment  2 . The lower compartment comprises an inlet  3  and a main drain  4 . The inlet  3  is optionally threaded so that a hose can be screwed into the inlet  3 . The main drain  4  includes a removable plug (not shown) that allows the main drain  4  to be opened and closed. The lower compartment  2  further comprises one or more threaded receivers  5  in the top of the lower compartment  2 . The threaded receivers  5  extend downward from the top of the lower compartment  2 , but they do not extend all the way to the bottom of the lower compartment  2  (see  FIGS. 2 and 4 ). The bottom of the threaded receivers  5  is open to the rest of the lower compartment  2 , which allows water to flow from the lower compartment  2  into the threaded receivers  5 .  
      On two sides of the holding tank  1  there are overflow drains  6 . Directly beneath the overflow drains  6  are handles  7  for carrying the holding tank  1 . There is a lid  8  on top of the holding tank  1 , and the lid  8  is attached to the holding tank  1  with a plurality of hinges  9 .  
      A perforated armature  10  is screwed into each of the threaded openings  5  in the top of the lower compartment  2 . The perforated armatures  10  are detachable for cleaning or replacement purposes, and they are threaded on both ends. The lower compartment  2  is sealed so that water entering into the lower compartment  2  can only exit through the main drain  4 , if the main drain  4  is open, or through the threaded receivers  5  and up into the perforated armatures  10 , if the main drain is closed  4 . A filter  11  is placed onto each perforated armature  10 . The size of the perforated armatures  10  and threaded receivers  5  can vary to fit any spa or pool filter.  
      The number of perforated armatures  10  and threaded receivers  5  can also vary depending upon the particular end use, and the present invention is not limited to any specific number of perforated armatures  10  or threaded receivers  5 . For example, a large holding tank  1  with numerous perforated armatures  10  and threaded receivers  5  could be designed for a spa dealer that cleans several of its customers&#39; filters at one time. A smaller, more portable embodiment could be constructed with only one perforated armature  10  and threaded receiver  5  for home use. The present invention covers any number of perforated armatures  10  and threaded receivers  5 .  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a first embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the holding tank  1 , the lower compartment  2 , and the inlet  3 . The main drain  4  (not shown) is opposite the inlet  3 . This figure also shows the threaded receivers  5  that extend from the top of the lower compartment  2  and that are open to the rest of the lower compartment  2  to allow water to pass from the lower compartment  2  up into the threaded receivers  5  and perforated armatures  10 . As illustrated in this figure, a screw cap  12  is placed on top of the filter  11  to hold the filter in place during the cleaning and rinsing process. The screw cap  12  also ensures that water passing up through the perforated armatures  10  will travel through the filter itself and not out either end of the filter  11 . As is shown in  FIG. 2 , the filter  11  and screw cap  12  are situated beneath the overflow drain  6 .  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the orientation of the filter  11  on the perforated armature  10  in an embodiment that has only two perforated armatures.  
       FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of a first embodiment of the present invention taken at the line shown in  FIG. 3 . This figure shows the holding tank  1 , the lower compartment  2 , the threaded receivers  5 , the lid  8 , the perforated armatures  10 , the filter  11  and the screw cap  12 . Although  FIGS. 1, 3  and  4  show a filter  11  on only one of the perforated armatures  10 , there would typically be a filter  11  on each perforated armature  10 .  
       FIGS. 5-7  illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is a relatively larger embodiment intended for commercial use. In this embodiment, the holding tank I is round for ease of manufacturing, the dimensions are greater than in the first embodiment, and the number of filters  11  is greater than in the first embodiment. Not only are there more perforated armatures  10  in this embodiment, but the filters  11  can also be stacked on top of each other for maximum efficiency.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows ten perforated armatures  10 , each holding three filters  11  stacked on top of one another. The present invention, however, is not limited by the number of armatures  10  or the number of filters  11 . Furthermore, as with the first embodiment, the size of the perforated armatures  10  and threaded receivers  5  can vary to fit any spa or pool filter.  
      This figure also shows the lower compartment  2 , the inlet  3 , and two main drains  4 . The present invention is not limited by the number of inlets  3  or main drains  4 . As with the first embodiment, a water pump can be attached to the inlet  3  to provide additional water pressure. The perforated armatures  10  screw into the threaded receivers  5 , the filters  11  are placed over the perforated armatures  10 , and a screw cap  12  holds the filters  11  in place. This embodiment optionally includes handles (not shown).  
      In this embodiment, water flows through an overflow drain  6  as described in connection with the first embodiment. Preferably, the overflow drain  6  is located on the same side of the tank as the main drains  4 . The first embodiment is intended to be used inside of a tub so that the water that drains through the overflow drain  6  can simply flow down the tub drain. The second embodiment, on the other hand, is too large to fit inside a tub; therefore, the overflow drain  6  is shaped and threaded to allow a hose or tube to be attached to the overflow drain  6  for the drainage of fluids during the back-flushing and rinsing processes.  
      The holding tank is optionally covered with a lid  8 . The lid  8  can either be permanently attached to the top of the tank  1  with hinges, as shown in the first embodiment, or it can be loose and unattached to the tank  1 . In the latter case, due to the larger size of this embodiment, the lid  8  optionally comprises a center hinge  8   a  that allows the lid  8  to fold over onto itself.  
       FIG. 6  is a top view of a second embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the orientation of the filters  11  on the perforated armatures  10  and an example of a configuration of multiple perforated armatures  10 . The present invention is not limited to a particular configuration of the perforated armatures  10 , however.  
       FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of a second embodiment of the present invention taken at the line shown in  FIG. 6 . This figure shows the lower compartment  2 , the threaded receivers  5 , the perforated armatures  10 , the filters  11  and the screw caps  12 . As is apparent in this figure, the screw caps  12  are closer to the top of the tank than in the first embodiment, although the overflow drain  6  is still situated higher than the top of the screw caps  12 . The reason for placing the screw caps closer to the top of the tank is to minimize the volume of water contained in the tank. This is not a concern with the smaller embodiment, but it is a concern with the larger embodiment.  
      The present invention works as follows: first, the perforated armatures  11  are screwed into the threaded receivers  5 . Second, the filters are placed over the perforated armatures  11 . Third, a screw cap  13  is screwed onto the top of each perforated armature  11  to hold the filter in place  12 . The main drain(s)  4  and lid  8  are closed, and a garden hose is screwed into the inlet  3 . The holding tank  1  is filled with water to just beneath the overflow drain  6 . This can be accomplished by injecting water into the lower compartment and up through the perforated armatures through the inlet, or water could also be poured into the tank from the top of the holding tank. Optionally, a water pump can be attached to the inlet  3  to facilitate filling the holding tank  1  with water, although the pump is not essential to the operation of the present invention.  
      By filling the tank to just beneath the overflow drain  6 , the filters  12  are covered with water, but the water is not high enough to flow out the overflow drain  6 . Cleaning solution is added to the holding tank, and the filters are allowed to soak in the diluted cleaning solution for 24 hours or whatever time period is prescribed by the particular cleaning product.  
      After the filters  12  have soaked in the cleaning solution for the prescribed period of time, the cleaning solution is drained from the holding tank  1  through the main drain(s)  4 , and then water is injected into the lower compartment  2  through the inlet  3 . This can be accomplished simply by turning the garden hose on, or a water pump can be attached to the inlet to provide greater pressure. The water travels through the threaded receivers  5 , up through the perforated armatures  11  and out through the filters  12 . This action causes the filters to be back-flushed and oil and debris to be removed from the filters and flushed out into the water in the holding tank  1 . At this step, the water is allowed to flow out the overflow drain  6 . The oils will rise to the surface of the water and will flow out the overflow drain  6  with the excess water.  
      When the filters  12  have been back-flushed for a sufficient period of time, the water is turned off, the main drain(s)  4  is/are opened, and the rest of the water can be removed through the main drain(s)  4 . Once all of the water from the back-flushing process has been removed from the holding tank  1  and lower compartment  2 , the main drain(s)  4  is/are closed again, clean water is injected into the lower compartment  2  through the inlet  3 , and the filters are rinsed as the water passes up through the perforated armatures  11  and out the filters  12 . As with the back-flushing process, water is allowed to flow out the overflow drain  6 , and when the rinsing process has been completed, the water is turned off, and any remaining water is drained out of the main drain(s)  4 . The screw caps  13  and filters  12  are removed, and the perforated armatures  11  can also be removed if necessary.  
      Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.