Abstract:
“Plug-in” fluid flow diverters are disclosed. Additionally disclosed is water purification equipment adapted to communicate with the diverters. Such equipment is especially (although not solely) useful in connection with circulating streams of water present in systems associated with swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas, as the circulating nature of the water permits more of its volume ultimately to be diverted into the equipment for purification. The diverters, furthermore, may have entrances oriented to receive fluid travelling in only one direction through a conduit and be keyed to one or more components of the equipment for purposes of identification, inventory control, or otherwise.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to diverters of flowing fluid and methods of installing and using such diverters and more particularly to water purification equipment including such diverters optionally keyed internally to components thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,802 to Archer, et al. discloses water purifiers having bodies defining multiple flow paths. As described at column 4, lines 9-21 of the Archer, et al. patent, water flowing into a body along a first path encounters a constricted region of the path 
     that has a smaller cross sectional area than the cross sectional area of the inlet port. This constricted region causes a pressure increase in the water flowing along the first path, and thereby ensures that water will also flow along the second path. As necessary to ensure proper flow through the water purifier, the cross sectional area of the constricted region can be adjusted by removing a flow regulator that is positioned in the constricted region and further reduces the cross-sectional area of the constricted region. 
     (Numeral Deleted.) 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,999 to Bachand, et al. discusses embodiments of another water purifier incorporating a fluid deflector. Extending downward from a support plate contained within the device, the deflector is positioned “such that at least a portion of a flow of water entering” through an inlet strikes it “and is directed upward” into a cavity thereabove. The remainder of the flowing water passes into a strainer basket before exiting the device. See Bachand (&#39;999), et al., col. 3, 11. 25-32. 
     Recently-issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,777 to Bachand, et al. details additional water purification devices. Included in embodiments of these multi-chamber devices are a canister and diffuser, such that: 
     Water entering the canister inlet flows along an inlet tube through the center of the canister. Near the upper end of [the] tube, some of the water flows into [a] lower chamber through side ports, while the remainder continues up [the] tube to enter [an] upper chamber through a diffuser. Water leaves [the] lower chamber through openings positioned within the side wall of [the] canister, flowing out into [a] cavity. Water leaves [the] upper chamber through openings in the top of the canister, also flowing out into [the] cavity. In this manner two separate, effectively parallel flow paths are defined from [the] inlet tube to [the] cavity, one through each of [the chambers]. 
     See Bachand (&#39;777), et al., col. 3, 11. 15-26 (numerals omitted). 
     Each of the devices described above is designed typically to be plumbed in-line and connect to water pipes or hoses (generically referred to herein as “conduits”). As a consequence, inlets and outlets of the devices are usually threaded (or fitted with unions suitable for gluing), permitting them to receive and retain corresponding ends of conduits. The respective flow regulators, deflectors, and diffusers, furthermore, are positioned within the bodies, devices, or canisters of the water purification equipment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, by contrast, provides fluid flow diverters designed to penetrate, or fill, openings intermediate remote ends of conduits. They thus supply “plug-in” styles of diverters which need not be connected to ends of conduits and plumbed in-line. Embodiments of the invention contemplate diverting flowing fluid to purification equipment formed about or otherwise connected to such diverters, permitting diverted water to be purified before rejoining the flow. The purification equipment is especially (although not solely) useful in connection with circulating streams of water present in systems associated with swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas, as the circulating nature of the water permits more of its volume ultimately to be diverted into the equipment for purification. 
     Diverters of the present invention optionally may be “direction-specific,” in that their entrances may be oriented so as to receive fluid travelling in only one direction longitudinally through a conduit. In such cases proper positioning of the diverters relative to the conduit is significant unless reversible flow can occur through it. If desired, equipment associated with the diverters can provide instruction as to its proper placement for a particular direction of flow through such a conduit. 
     Additionally, diverters used in connection with the present invention can communicate with central tubes in (or other desired components of) associated equipment. Connections with such tubes may occur in myriad ways, with particular diverters being keyed to particular styles of central tubes if desired. Such keying may be useful, for example, in controlling inventories of spare parts or for purposes of identification should a component fail in use. 
     Water purification equipment incorporating a flow diverter of the present invention may also include a saddle (or other) clamp designed to attach to a cylindrical (or other) conduit and receive the flow diverter. A gasket or other item or mechanism positioned adjacent the clamp may be used to provide a seal inhibiting (or precluding) fluid from flowing out of the conduit around (rather than through) the diverter. Additionally attached to the clamp may be a shell or housing, which in some embodiments may be topped by a removable dome. In these embodiments of the equipment, removing the dome provides access to the interior of the housing. 
     Placed within the housing of at least some of these embodiments is a (typically removable) cartridge or other container of water purification media. Such media may comprise mineral-based pellets or other objects of silver-, zinc-, or copper-containing material as described in any of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,352,369, 5,766,456, 5,772,896, and 5,779,913, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference. Other suitable non-mineral-based purification media may be used instead, however, as the invention is not limited to media containing one or more of the elements or minerals mentioned in the preceding sentence. Chlorine or other chemicals which may be dissolved or contacted by the water being diverted are among suitable alternatives. 
     Circumscribed by the exterior of the container may be a central tube, which as noted above communicates with the diverter to permit fluid flow therethrough. A portion of the tube may in some cases extend beyond the end or (nominal) top of the container and include one or more openings. If the top of the container likewise contains openings, the pressurized fluid travelling through the diverter may exit the tube through the one or more openings and reenter the container through the openings in its top. Moreover, if the dome is not opaque, this pressurized fluid may be visible therethrough as it exits the tube and reenters the container, providing a visual display of the operation of the equipment. Alternatively or additionally, the tube may contain openings in the sides of the portion included within the container through which fluid may exit. 
     Once having exited the central tube and entered the container, the flowing fluid diverted from the conduit contacts the purification media. This contact acts to purify the diverted fluid and, in some situations, to abrade, dissolve, or otherwise cause minute quantities of the media to join the fluid stream. Post contact the purified fluid exits the cartridge, rejoining the fluid in the conduit either slightly downstream or slightly upstream of the diverter (or both). Those skilled in the art will, however, recognize that variations and relative placements of components may occur or change, respectively, and yet remain consistent with the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide fluid flow diverters and methods of installing and using the same. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide such diverters which penetrate openings in the walls of conduits intermediate their ends. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide “plug-in” fluid flow diverters which function to divert fluid to purification equipment. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide flow diverters whose entrances may be oriented to receive fluid travelling in only one direction through a conduit. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide fluid flow diverters which engage and can be keyed to other objects such as central tubes of purification equipment. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide water purification equipment in which a housing optionally may have a removable dome permitting access to the interior of the equipment. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide water purification equipment containing purification media which may, but need not necessarily, be mineral-based. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide water purification equipment in which diverted water travels through at least a portion of the central tube before contacting the purification media. 
    
    
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the remainder of the text and the drawings of this application. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of water purification equipment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the equipment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of some of the components of the equipment of FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 4-6 are cross-sectional views of aspects of alternative mechanisms for mating diverters and center tubes of the equipment of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary equipment  10  consistent with the present invention. Equipment  10  includes housing  14 , whose exterior  18  is shown in FIG. 1, and clamp  22 . Also included as part of equipment  10  are fasteners  26 , which in the embodiment of FIG. 1 are exemplified by bolts  30  and nuts  34 . Illustrated as well in FIG. 1 are cover ring  38  and dome  42 , which may comprise components of either housing  14  or cartridge  44 . If a component of the latter, cover ring  38  may be fitted onto housing  14  to assist in retaining it in position. 
     Equipment  10  is adapted for connection to a conduit C. As shown in FIG. 1, such connection may occur at a walled section S of conduit C intermediate ends E 1  and E 2 . Equipment  10  thus may be connected to conduit C without being plumbed in-line. Furthermore, because housing  14  need not be upright in use, it may be oriented above, below, or to the side of conduit C as appropriate or desired. Such flexibility of orientation of housing  14  relative to conduit C enhances the ability of equipment  10  to optimize utilization of space surrounding the conduit C. 
     Clamp  22  and fasteners  26  may be used to connect housing  14  to conduit C. FIG. 1 details clamp  22  as having two saddle-shaped sections, nominally denoted “upper” section  46  and “lower” section  50 . As noted in the preceding paragraph, however, equipment  10  may be oriented such that, in some cases, upper section  46  may be below lower section  50  relative to a floor or the ground. 
     Each of upper section  46  and lower section  50  may define one or more pairs of openings  54  and  58 , respectively, the openings of each of which pairs may be aligned so as jointly to receive a bolt  30  or other fastening means. If desired, at least a portion  62  of each opening  54  may be of size greater than the head  66  of bolt  30  received therein. This effectively countersinks head  66  below surface  70  of upper section  46  while portion  62  provides a guide facilitating insertion of bolt  30  into opening  54 . 
     FIGS. 2-3 detail additional components which may be present in exemplary equipment  10 . Shown therein are diverter  74 , container  78  (to which cover ring  38  may be connected), center tube  82 , and media retainer  86 , the latter component functioning as the nominal “top” of container  78  within cartridge  44 . Also illustrated particularly in FIG. 3 are various seals such as gasket  90  and O-rings  94  and  98 , which may be used to inhibit fluid leakage at certain junctions within equipment  10 . Those skilled in the art will, of course, recognize that more or fewer such seals may be employed as appropriate or desired. Optionally included as well as part of equipment  10  may be sticker or ring  102 , which if present may convey information to a consumer as to the desired month or date for replacing purification media  106 , which is shown schematically as being present within container  78 . If container  78  is threaded or otherwise adapted to receive dome  42 , these components may form the majority of a removable cartridge  44 . 
     To install equipment  10  in the manner of FIGS. 1-3, a hole H must be formed or created in conduit C. Such hole H admits fluid flow from conduit C into housing  14 , permitting the fluid so flowing to contact media  106  before returning to the conduit C. Fluid communication between conduit C and housing  14  is provided at least in part by diverter  74 , which as shown in FIG. 2 extends through (i.e. “plugs into”) hole H into conduit C. Diverter  74  in turn communicates with center tube  82 , which provides a flow path through container  78  to a region  110  of the interior of cartridge  44  between dome  42  and retainer  86 . 
     One or more openings  118  of center tube  82  present in region  110  allow fluid to escape from the tube  82  into the region  110 , from which it can reenter container  78  via one or more openings  122  of media retainer  86 . These actions can assist in distributing the flowing fluid more uniformly within container  78 , facilitating more uniform contact of the fluid with purification media  106 . If dome  42  is not opaque, furthermore, fluid escaping into region  110  may be visible from outside the dome  42 , providing consumers with a visual indication whether or not equipment  10  is operating. Alternatively or additionally, center tube  82  may open directly into container  78  to expose fluid to purification media  106  contained therein. 
     In an embodiment of equipment  10  consistent with FIGS. 2-3, a portion of center tube  82  opposite openings  118  has integrally formed therewith cup  126 , whose nominal “bottom”  130  contains one or more openings  134 . Such openings  134  permit fluid to exit container  78 , after having contacted media  106 , for return to conduit C via hole H to rejoin the fluid passing through the conduit C. 
     Passage of fluid between openings  134  and hole H is governed by at least partially hollow riser  138  of upper section  46  of clamp  22 . As configured in FIGS. 2-3, riser  138  has threads  142  which engage corresponding threads  146  of container  78 , thus connecting upper section  46  to container  78 . Additionally included as parts of riser  138  are external shoulders  150  and outer circumferential lip  154 , between which housing  14  may be fitted (i.e. snapped into place). Diverter  74 , by contrast, may be fitted into the interior of riser  138  and retained therein, thus fixing its position relative to each of riser  138 , housing  14 , and container  78 . Center tube  82 , finally, may be connected to diverter  74  as discussed in connection with FIGS. 4-6 or otherwise as appropriate. These connections provide a flow path in which fluid passes through each of openings  134 , a hollow portion of riser  138 , and hole H to return to conduit C. 
     Illustrated in FIG. 2 is an exemplary diverter  74  of the present invention. Diverter  74  may include a scooped portion, or trough  158 , extending into conduit C. Trough  158  communicates with channel  162  of diverter  74 , in turn permitting communication with center tube  82 . 
     Because trough  158  faces end E 2  of conduit C, it is adapted to receive fluid travelling only from end E 2  to E 1 , in the direction of arrow A. In this sense diverter  74  is “direction specific”: Were fluid to flow through conduit C in the direction opposite arrow A, such fluid would contact base  166  of trough  158  and not be admitted into channel  162 . A non-direction specific diverter  74  alternatively could have dual troughs  158 , one opening in each direction of fluid flow longitudinally within conduit C, or otherwise accept fluid flowing in either direction with the conduit C. 
     However, in embodiments of the invention in which diverter  74  is direction specific, its proper orientation relative to the direction of fluid flow within conduit C is significant. Accordingly, diverter  74  can be designed, if desired, so as to fit within riser  138  in only one orientation. In these circumstances upper section  46  could be provided with textual or visual instruction (or both) to aid consumers in orienting clamp  22  relative to the direction of flow within conduit C. 
     FIGS. 4-6 illustrate alternative diverters  74  of the present invention and their relationships with various alternative center tubes  82 . In FIG. 4, for example, diverter  74 ′ includes wall  170 , of circular cross-section, which continues channel  162  beyond shoulders  174 . Wall  170  is of diameter such that it may be fitted into center tube  82 ′ adjacent cup  126  and retained therein by friction or interference. 
     FIG. 5, by contrast, illustrates a diverter  74 ″ in which channel  162  terminates before reaching shoulders  174 . In this embodiment of equipment  10 , diverter  74 ″ includes a semicircular collar  178 . This collar  178  is designed to be received by a corresponding recess  182  at the junction of center tube  82 ″ and cup  126 . 
     As should be readily apparent from FIGS. 4-5, diverter  74 ′m cannot properly fit within tube  82 ″. Likewise, diverter  74 ″ cannot properly engage tube  82 ′. Pairs of diverters  74  and tubes  82  are thus keyed one to another in these embodiments of equipment  10 , facilitating such things as identification of components and inventory control should one or the other of a diverter  74  or tube  82  need to be replaced. Yet another example of keying a diverter  74  to a tube  82  is shown in FIG. 6, where wall  170  of diverter  74 ′″ contains one or more external flanges  186  alignable with steps or grooves  190  in tube  82 ′″. 
     At least some components of equipment  10  may be made of moldable plastics materials such as (but not limited to) urethane, ADS, or acetal. No component need necessarily be made of moldable plastics materials, however, but rather may be formed of any appropriate substance. Additionally, although multiple components of equipment  10  are described in the preceding paragraphs, none need necessarily be utilized exactly as described, and fewer or more components may be used instead. Thus, although the foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention, modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.