Patent Publication Number: US-2005139540-A1

Title: Static filtration media vessels

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/963,636, filed Sep. 27, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/239,249, which was filed Oct. 11, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In co-pending application Ser. No. 09/506,575 filed Feb. 18, 2000 (Attorney Docket 13-90) and in co-pending provisional application Ser. No. 60/200,014 filed Apr. 27, 2000 (Attorney Docket 13-94), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, various pitchers, static treatment media, and methods and equipment for making static filtration media.  
      The use of portable water filtration bottles, normally used outside of the home can be designed to treat water more slowly than a pitcher type product that frequently would like to be used as soon as possible after filling. Thus, the portable containers meant for use outside of the home utilize a modified static filtration media, which while providing the same exceptional contaminant removal capability, uses a less dense media providing more void area for water volume and requiring several minutes, typically up to five, and under ten minutes to fully treat the water. This is in contrast to the pitcher type products where faster treatment is highly desired, and perhaps a competitive necessity. However, the higher loft less dense static filtration media has application for pitchers that do not require the immediacy of treatment but rather a larger volume of water without increasing pitcher size. Further the use of vent tubes has the same virtues in pitcher configurations as in Sport Bottle or 1.5 liter bottle configurations. Each of the products are simple water containers of a different shape, with variations in utility, but embodying the identical design features and technology which constitute the herein described invention. Thus, according to the present invention a number of unique features and vessels are made possible through the utilization of the new high loft static filtration media and the applications thereof earlier described and incorporated by reference herein.  
      The products and procedures according to the present invention provide significantly enhanced portability, convenience and treatment capability to the consumers as an alternative to tap water providing better quality and taste at a fraction of the cost of bottled waters. The consumer for the past several years has had portable filter bottles available to them that contained either a small granular activated carbon filter or a relatively small radial flow carbon block filter. In either case a plastic “squeeze” bottle was required to force the water through the filter for drinking. Typically, such filters occupied between 10% and 20% of the containers volume. These filters impeded the water flow, which many bottle water users found unacceptable, as the water simple did not provide sufficient flow to be satisfactory. In actuality all the filters currently in use are dynamic (To pass through the media in a constant stream, this providing contact only for a very limited time), and residence time, time in contact, is the key to contaminant removal. Thus, flow rate vs. contaminant removal has been the trade off. The balance required has not proved totally satisfactory to the consumer. The inventors of the current invention are well aware of these facts, being the principal patent holders for that particular area in the state of the art; i.e., portable filter bottles employing radial flow carbon composite filters. The new filtration technology does not require a flexible bottle to “force” the water through the filtration media, thus a hard as well as a flexible, squeezable, bottle may be employed without preference.  
      The present invention, when applied to a portable Sport Type bottle as well as liter or greater sized bottles, that are taken from the house for a mired of purposes, are all well served by the disclosed invention. For the first time the consumer can have a portable water treatment product that would fill rapidly, as fast as the water would flow from a faucet and have exceptionally high rates of contaminant removal not otherwise obtainable. Contaminant removal is much greater, as well as more rapid, than any similar product. The contaminants removed include not only the chlorine and lead, but VOC&#39;s, volatile organic chemicals, which are cancer causing agents and others, not easily treatable with the standard dynamic filter technology. In addition the water is relatively free flowing from the bottle not requiring external pressure other than gravity.  
      To make this possible several new inventions were required. The most important being what is termed “high loft” static filtration media. This media is less than half as dense as the standard media disclosed in the prior patents and patent applications. As used in the prior inventions the media was of denser construction and was further compressed to idealize the void areas within the media, which the water would occupy. To meet the requirements and utility of this new class of product a different type of Static Filtration media is required, being at least half as dense as the preferred media in preceding applications. Typically, in the new applications the high loft media is not compressed to optimize the voids within which the water will accumulate and be treated. By so doing an extended residence time between 5 and 10 minutes vs. 1 to 3 minutes is desired. However, the high loft media provides substantially more volume for water, fills without resistance providing air is vented, and releases water without resistance, again with venting. It should be noted that venting might not be a necessity in all cases, but does enhance filling and pouring. To properly vent, a vent tube was developed to permit air to re-enter the container, at the base if the water flow was not to be impeded. The vent tube is further described in the detailed description of the drawings.  
      From the years of experience in the development, manufacture and sales of the more standard water filter bottles, previously described, it was found that a preponderance of users preferred to see how much water remained within the bottle, as well as to visually see the level of water when filling. Unfortunately, the static filtration media required is black, and consisting of a rather open non-woven material, it does not have esthetic appeal. Thus, it is desirable to encapsulate the media from the users view while, at the same time, permitting the user to visually see the level of treated water. This is accomplished by using an opaque inner housing containing the media and a clear outer housing with a space between the housings, which would contain treated water. Recognize that all the water contained within the bottle was fully treated after having been in contact with the media for 5 to 10 minutes. Any water passing directly through the media, not retained for static filtration, would be treated somewhat comparably to the current standard dynamic filters available. While the use of the double containers provides an elegant solution, it does add cost. Thus, all the functional advantages of the previously described product may also be contained within an opaque bottle that typically would be colored attractively. What the user gives up is the ability to see the water level, at a savings in cost. It should be noted that the clear outer housing is most desirable in bottles of from one to three liters rather than in a Sport type Bottle.  
      The identical features and technology representing the disclosed invention is embodied within the pitcher designs (which are simply another container format). As shown in the drawing represented by  FIG. 6 ; inner and outer housings are employed for the purpose of removing the static filtration media from view while concurrently providing a relatively narrow space between the inner and outer housing. The space is just wide enough to allow the level of water in the annulus or space thus formed to be at the same level as within the media. Thus, a visual reference is created by which the level of water is immediately ascertained, as in the more portable containers. To increase the volume of water within the container a new high loft, static filtration media is used with the trade off being an extended 5-10 minute total contact time required for high levels of treatment. The new high loft media is less dense by approximately 50%-75%, The vent tube has the same utility, and also a somewhat reverse function from the smaller portable bottles or containers dependent upon the pitcher configuration. In the pitcher completely filed with the static filtration media the vent tube would normally vent the air during a rapid fill directly into the media with the pitcher top removed. Similarly, when water was being poured from the pitcher, water within the vent tube would immediately vacate the tube for the open chamber above the tube allowing a rapid pour without the requirement for the water to bubble out to allow air to enter the area vacated by the drawn water. The tilt of the tube to the rear facilitates this function. It is also foreseen where a static, multi purpose media be used made up of two or more layers of media each containing a different coating; one carbon, the second an ion exchange resin, KDF, zeolite, or base granular bed, etc. In such instance the vent tube would become a fill tube introducing the water at the bottom of the media that would allow the air within the media to escape with ease while concurrently forcing all the water to completely traverse the entire bed assuring maximum contaminant removal.  
      While the second Pitcher design as shown in  FIG. 7  appears quite different, the same inventions are embodied; namely the use of two independent housings; the inner housing being partitioned as a raw water reservoir and a static filtration water treatment area. In this configuration the vent tube functions solely as a fill tube allowing the integration of a pre-filtration element such as turbidity filter, a hollow fiber membrane, or other low porosity or sub-micron filter for the removal of biological contamination. Thus the water flows initially from the raw water reservoir, through the pre-filter typically threaded into the housing with an “O” ring seal. The pre-filter discharging the then so treated water into a small reservoir to which the fill tube is attached. The fill tube introduces the water at the point within the static filtration bed furthest from the exit port, thus requiring the water to transit the entire bed prior to discharge. A small air relief hole is at the top rear of the Static Filtration bed housing, essentially directly above the base of the fill tube. When water is poured from the container a direct unencumbered air passage is created between the walls of the inner and outer housings. One obvious question is the reason for the reduced Static Filtration bed volume and how it can function. The initial appearance would seem to dictate a dynamic mode of operation that would be less effective. The design is based upon anticipated duty cycle. By this is meant the quantity of water that would normally be anticipated to be poured within a 5-10 minute period. This design would typically accommodate two glasses every 5-10 minutes, with shorter residence times still delivering water with reasonably high levels of containment removal. In other words the area occupied by the Static Filtration Media would be such as to retain and pour 16 ounces. This can be changed to practically any number by adjusting the bed size and container. By using the same high-loft media as described, all products will contain a larger water volume within the given bed area. The same rational is followed for this product incorporating the same invention as the other configurations disclosed for purposes of clarity and a broad understanding of the invention and significance thereof.  
      The Static liquid treatment media disposed within the inner body functions differently than the typical hollow block carbon dynamic filter, or granular activated carbon media, normally used. The media consists of fine non-woven polyester fibers that are specially treated to permit bonding upon their entire surface a layer of activated carbon, zeolite, ion exchange resins, or other treatment media in powder form in such a manner as to retain the media to the fibers without blinding the active sites. Functionally, the water to be, or being treated is always in contact with the media while in the bottle or container. The contaminants within the water adjacent to the media coated fibers are adsorbed by the media. As there are voids within which the water resides within the coated fiber matrix, as the contaminants are removed from the water in contact with the media coated fibers, the remaining contaminants seeking equilibrium within the water, migrate into the area adjacent to the fibers and are in turn removed. Thus, the process of contaminant dispersion caused by the search for equilibrium rapidly removes most all of the contaminants form the contained water. No other process is as effective, operates in this manner, nor provides the extended residence time that static filtration does. In a portable bottle the movement of the water within the bottle further enhances dispersion and contact with the treatment fibers.  
      The bottle or container typically contains a vent tube, centrally located for convenience, extending from an area just above the top of the media, or pre-filter to the base of, or just below, the media contained within the container. A provision for a small void between the base of the media and the bottom of the container may be left to facilitate the transfer of air into or out of the media filled container. Preferably the vent tube has a larger open cross sectional area at the top or neck end. For example, this may be provided by constructing the vent tube so that it has a flare from a point approximately ⅓ the length of the tube from top open end providing a slight venturi effect. Also, the top end of the vent tube located in the neck of the container preferably has a hood to minimize or prevent water from entering the vent tube while the container is being filled. The hood may be an attached component of the tube or connected to an outer supporting element by a plurality of substantially radial support arms, and the outer supporting element operatively connected to the container adjacent the neck or open end thereof. A second component of the supporting arms is at the point of contact with the bottle where a section in a doughnut configuration forms a shield protecting the open annulus or space between the inner and outer housings from filling with untreated water during the fill operation.  
      In addition to the static filtration media, the container may further incorporate a conventional screen or non-woven fiber particulate filter between the static treatment media at the entry of the liquid passageway. While functional for the removal of larger particulate matter, on entry, the other purpose is one of appearance, cosmetically and esthetically. A secondary particulate filter may be positioned as a post filter to eliminate the possibility of any carbon fines that may come loose from entering the discharged product water.  
      In a preferred embodiment the static filtration media comprises a non-woven mat of a material capable of meeting 21 CFR 177.2260, having a weight of between about 7 oz/sq. yd., and a coating comprising about 80%-150% of the weight of the mat, and including, by weight, or about 85% activated carbon, about 10-20% binder, and about 0-20% zeolite. KDF which is an amalgamation of zinc and copper may also be added for control of biological growth, with a loading of approximately 8%-12%. The mat may be of polyester non-woven material and may be in roll or pleated form (such as disclosed in EP 0402661 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,391, which have been incorporated by reference herein). The fibers may be polyester, and the mat may substantially fill either all or part of the inner body and have a porosity of at least 90%, prior to any compression which may either occur or be designed in.  
      The closure may comprise a wide variety of conventional structures, such as a cap with a conventional manual valve (such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,759), a bite type valve or baby bottle style nipple or the closure may comprise a substantially solid cap, with a screw-on arrangement.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention a static filtration media is provided comprising a composite structure of activated carbon, ceramic ion-exchangers of either the class of zeolites, or amorphous gels comprised of sodium salts of aluminum silicates or titanium silicates, and a polyester substrate carrier in one of sponge or fiber form, preferably without being compressed to form a treatment zone so that contaminate molecules suspended in water contained in the treatment zone are within about 1-5 mm of the carbon or zeolite coated matrix. The media may be contained in (and substantially fill the operative portions of) a filter housing which holds between approximately 8 and 48 ounces of water, the treatment media removing at least about 70% of chlorine and at least about 90% of lead within about 5-10 minutes (preferably about 5) minutes of filling of the filter housing.  
      The philosophy behind, and scientific description of, a matrix according to the invention will now be set forth.  
      The extra particle extra fiber porosity of the treatment matrix may be closely controlled to optimize the functions of (1) Filling or replenishing, (2) Time in contact required to achieve contaminant results and, (3) Rate of pouring, or flow of treated water from the treatment media. Functions (1) and (3) are most easily achieved with a more open, less restrictive filter density. Function (2), contact time required is reduced as the density is increased.  
      The BET surface area (Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 60, p309, 1938) of a particular adsorbent is often used to reflect the number of binding sites available for contaminant removal per unit mass, and the ratio of pore volume to this surface area as an indicator of adsorption preferences based on molecular size of the contaminant. The porosity (pore volume per unit mass) of an adsorbent has also been used to provide an indication of adsorptive capacity. However, fluid contained within the pore structure of the adsorbent media is not generally accessible for removal from the filter, as capillary forces tend to hold it in place. Thus the overall porosity of the medium is not a useful descriptor of the treatment capacity of an adsorbent bed used in static treatment.  
      The only fluid (in particular water) which is available for use from any filtration device is that which is contained in the extra-particular or ‘bulk’ volume surrounding the adsorbent. In static treatment, this bulk volume must be sufficient to deliver a useful amount of fluid from the filter when drained, yet the distance between adsorbent particles must be small enough for the bulk fluid to approach equilibrium within a practical time.  
      A useful term to describe a filter medium, which can be operated in a static manner, is the ratio of “readily deliverable fluid volume” (RDV) to total bed volume (BV). Readily deliverable fluid volume is defined here as the volume of fluid, which will quickly drain from a decanted filter bed without the application of any external force (other than gravity). The word “quickly” in the previous definition refers to the time prior to the cessation of streaming flow. High Loft Static filters typically exhibit RDV/BV ratios from 85 to 92 percent.  
      Traditional filtration devices cannot be operated effectively in a static manner, because the extra-particular bulk volume in a packed bed is very small relative to the bed volume. The RDV/BV ratio of a granular activated carbon bed packed with 12×30-mesh carbon is typically 9 percent for a cylindrical bed around 8.5 inches in depth and 4.5 inches in diameter, as measured from cessation of streaming flow. The argument cannot be made that a packed bed overlaid with a column of fluid constitutes static treatment, as the mean distance between a fluid molecule and an adsorptive site is too large to allow for treatment within a reasonable amount of time. In addition, in such a system the torturous nature of the fluid path between the particles of the packed bed would hinder diffusion to the point of making the majority of the bed inaccessible to adsorption.  
      It is a primary object of the present invention to provide for enhanced effective filtration of water to remove chlorine, lead, and other contaminants there from, in an efficient and cost effective manner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary container according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the vessel of  FIG. 1  taken at the top of the bottom of the vessel;  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary piece of filtration media mat representing the static filtration non-woven base material according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a view like that of  FIG. 1  of another embodiment of a vessel according to the present invention embodying a single housing and  
       FIGS. 6 and 7  are views like that of  FIG. 1  only of still other modifications of vessels pursuant to the present invention incorporating inner and outer housings, static filtration media, and a vent or fill tube comprising the principal aspects of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  generally illustrates a vessel  10  according to the present invention capable of providing an exceptionally high degree of water treatment or filtration by means of static filtration, requiring only gravitational forces. The vessel or container uniquely consists of an inner and outer housing, the inner housing to contain the filtration and treatment media and is opaque for esthetic reasons. The outer housing is clear and is sufficiently larger in diameter to create a void area between the housings which functions as a treated water reservoir, the real purpose of which is to allow the user to visually determine the amount of water remaining within the total container. It is critical to recognize that the treatment media is used in a static filtration mode, while filling the void volume of the inner housing, in fact represents only between ten and twenty percent of the actual volume present. The water being at the same level in the inner housing as within the annulus formed by the void between the inner and outer housings. The vessel  10 , includes a neck or open end  17 , which is at a first end of the bodies  11 , 13 , opposite the substantially closed bottom  12 , through which water enters the inner filter body  13 . at fill port  1 . Unique features, which permit this filtration device to function at very high performance levels, include the construction features at the water entry or fill point  1 . These are the open top end  3 , of the inner housing  13  that is larger in diameter than the water entry point  1 , and is also protected from untreated water from entering the reservoir annulus  14  during filling by means of a baffle  2 , which extends over the treated water exit from  14  at  4 . The static filtration media  15 , is highly porous providing very little resistance to filling. Treated water enters the annulus reservoir  14  by means of open ports  16 , permitting the volume of water to be equal with the volume remaining within the filtration media and housing  13 . However, it has been found that both filling and pouring is enhanced by the inclusion of an air relief tube  20 . A shroud  24  is positioned over the top of the relief tube that precludes water from entering during filling but permits the escape or entry of air, as required.  
      In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the vessel  10  has an outer body having a sidewall  11  of substantially transparent or translucent material, and a substantially closed bottom  12 . The sidewall may be continuous (e.g. a cylindrical side wall) or may have a number of flat surfaces, e.g. be polygonal in cross section, or have a wide variety of other shapes. The vessel  10  further comprises an inner body  13  of substantially opaque material, the inner body spaced from the outer body to define a volume  14  there between. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, as seen particularly from  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the bodies  11 ,  13  are substantially concentric, and the volume  14  is substantially cylindrical and annular, and the bodies  11 ,  13  are substantially circular in cross-section, and the inner body has an outer diameter (or cross-sectional area where not circular) of about 2-5% less than the inner diameter (or cross-sectional area if not circular) of the outer body  11 . In the preferred embodiment, substantially the entire outer body  11  (e.g. at least about 80% thereof) is transparent, such as of glass, or hard or flexible (squeezable) plastic, and the inner body  13  may be made of any suitable material, and is preferably opaque.  
      The design is such to preclude untreated water from entering the annulus  14  formed between the inner and outer housing when filling. At the neck or open end  17  a secondary particulate filter of conventional construction is provided, and such a filter may also or alternatively be provided at the bottom of the interior of the inner body  13 , also whether or not a secondary particulate filter is provided at the bottom of the interior of the inner body  13 , a plurality of support elements  18  (see  FIG. 3  in particular) are preferably provided for supporting the inner body or shell  13  within the outer body/shell  11  to provide radial alignment relative to housing  11  This can also be accomplished by adapting the shapes of the inner and outer bodies to nest together at two points, typically at the top and bottom.  
      Also, the vessel  10  preferably comprises a vent tube  20  that is open at the base end  21  adjacent the bottom  12  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The vent tube  20  has a second open end  23  adjacent the neck or open end  1  of the vessel  10 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the portion  24  of the vent tube  20  adjacent the second end  23  thereof (e.g. the top approximately ⅓ of the vent tube  20  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) is flared so that it has a larger cross-sectional area at the second end  23  than does the majority of the vent tube  20 , and particularly a greater cross-sectional area than at the first end  21  enhancing the air flow. When the vent tube  20  is provided, there is a non-interrupted stream of water that is delivered out of the neck or open end  17  during pouring or other discharge from the vessel  10  without the undesirable intermittent bubbling flow associated with a “glug, glug” sound when venting is inadequate, and flow is retarded. The outer flare adjacent the second end  23  enhances the venting function.  
      In this instance the hood and tube is positioned and supported by structure  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) with radially extending arms  26  with the hood section just above the second open end  23 . The annular support  25  can be adhesively secured, ultrasonically welded, (screw threaded) or in any other conventional manner affixed to the inner surface of the neck or open end  17  so as to properly position the vent tube and hood  24  to deflect liquid from the vent tube  20  when filling and releasing the trapped air facilitating filling and conversely allowing air to enter the container eliminating the vacuum, or differential pressure effect during discharge of liquid from the container  10 .  
      The vessel  10  also preferably comprises a closure, such as the solid screw-on cap  29  illustrated in  FIG. 1  for closing the top of the neck or open end  17 . Alternatively the closure  29  could connect to the neck or open end  17  by a mechanism other than screw threads, and the closure  29  need not be solid but may include a manual valve (such as a conventional bicycle bottle pull-push valve), or other conventional construction.  
      While in the embodiment of  FIG. 1  the vessel  10  is illustrated so that the bottom  12  of the outer body having a side wall  11  is integral with the side wall  11 , the vessel can be constructed so that the bottom  12  is removable (e.g. screws off) as long as a tight seal is provided when the bottom  12  is attached to the side wall  11 . The removable base can be incorporated with a single or two compartment bottle and is typically of the diameter of the bottle at its widest base dimension. The large base facilitates the ease of assembly of the filtration components and may also be used as a centering means when an inner housing is used.  
       FIGS. 5 through 7  illustrate other embodiments of vessels that may be utilized with the static filtration media  15  according to the present invention in an effective manner.  
      The embodiment of  FIG. 5  includes a vessel  40  which has a resilient plastic body bottle  41  as one of the main components thereof, the resilient plastic body  41  being substantially filled with the filtration media  15 . A conventional fine particle filter  42  may be provided at the top of the plastic body  41  which allows water to pass into and out thereof. The bottle  41  has a removable cap  43 , which preferably comprises a screw cap having a conventional pull-push valve  44  at the top thereof for dispensing liquid from the bottle  41 .  
      It is desirable to have an air relief tube  45  extending substantially through to the center of the bottom end  46  of the tube  45  is preferably open, as is the top end  47 , although it is preferably covered with a water deflector or snorkel  48  to prevent water from flowing directly into the tube  45  and thus occluding it when the vessel  40  is being filled (with the cap  43  removed). The water deflector  48  is attached to the open top  47  of the tube  45  by a plurality of support arms so that water moving downwardly is deflected by the element  48 , but air can easily pass under the element  48  into the open end  47  of the tube  45 . The tube may also be secured by simple rolling the media about the tube thus both centralizing while providing support of the tube.  
      If desired, an optional conventional flow restricting valve  49  may be provided in the tube  46  which can preclude water from exiting the bottle through the tube while allowing the passage of air either during filling or the venting cycle.  
      When utilizing the configuration of  FIG. 5 , the cap  43  is removed and water flows downwardly into the bottle  41  in contact with the media  15 . When the cap  43  is screwed back on and the valve  44  opened, the bottle  41  may be squeezed so as to expel water through the particulate filter  42  and through the open valve  44 . With the high loft media the water essentially flows freely, requiring a minimum to no squeezing of the bottle unless a heavy continuous stream of water is desired. The static filtration media  15  has sufficient flexibility so that the media recovers its shape and uniformity following each duty cycle. The air relief tube  45  allows the air to vent from the media  15  when the bottle  41  is being filled, the air moving up through the tube  45  to pass underneath the water deflector  48  and then out of the open top of the bottle  41 . If a vent tube  41  is not employed, air evacuation may be improved by repeatedly flexed the bottle  41  during filling to force trapped air out of the lower portions of the media  15 .  
      In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a vessel  55  is provided having an outer body  56  and an inner body  57 , with a spout portion  56 ′ of the outer body  56  preferably of transparent material so as to provide a fill level indicator and to also illustrate the clarity of the water in the volume  58  between the inner body  57  and the spout  56 ′. In this embodiment conventional particle filters  59  and  60  may be placed as desired. As in the other embodiments the static filtration media  15  is disposed in the interior body  57  and substantially fills it, although it is desirable to include a fill or air relief tube  61  having an upper conical/funnel shaped fill port  62  to which liquid flows when the vessel  55  is being filled, being discharged out the open bottom  63  of the fill tube  61  to move into the media  15 . The opposite function is provided if the water is poured directly to the media upon filling, thus rendering the tube a vent tube. Regardless, this same function occurs upon pouring. One or a plurality of ports  64  may be provided in the vessel body  57  to allow treated liquid to flow into the volume  58  to provide the functions indicated above. Liquid can then be poured out of the vessel  55  through a relatively large opening  66  adjacent to the particle filter in the top portion of the inner body  57  adjacent the spout  56 ′, and through the opening  67  in the divider  68  between the volume  58  and the opening  66 , the opening  67  adjacent the particle filter  59 . A hinged exit flap  70  may be provided attached to the removable top  71  so that when the user grasps the handle  72  of the vessel  55  and tilts it, the flap  70  will pivot open while water is dispensed through the openings  66  and  67  out of the vessel  55 .  
      In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , a vessel  75  is provided having a static filtration media  15  defined in a bed that only takes up a partial portion of the interior volume of the vessel  75 , preferably adjacent the bottom thereof as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In this embodiment the outer body  76  has an independent raw water reservoir housing  77  that can be removed from the outer housing  76 . The cover  78  is removed and water poured therein to fill the raw water reservoir. The raw water reservoir  77  has an opening  79  in the bottom  80  thereof, and a protozoa or bacteria filter  81  is mounted in the opening  79 . For example, filter  81  can be threaded into the opening  79 , and an O-ring or like seal may be provided. Raw water must then pass through the conventional filter  81  and flows through the water entry tube  82  into the static filtration media  15 . There, lead and chlorine and the like are removed.  
      When a user grasps the handle  83  of the vessel  75  and tilts it, treated liquid flows through the static filtration media  15 , preferably through the final particle filter  84 , through the opening  85  in the solid wall  86  of the canister containing the filtration media  15 , and then into the pour reservoir  87 , moving past the hinged flap  88  to be dispensed. As the reservoir  77  is preferably removable from the vessel  75 , it is maintained in place (by any suitable locating or latching mechanisms, conventional per se) within the vessel  75  until it is desired to remove it. When removed, the internal filter housing  80  may be easily removed.  
      It will thus be seen that according to the present invention a very simple yet effective static filtration media, and various vessels optimally using the static filtration media, have been provided. While the invention has been herein shown and described in what is presently conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment thereof it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and devices and methods. Also, each of the numerical ranges set forth above specifically includes all narrower ranges within a broad range.