Patent ID: 12195353

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION INCLUDING BEST MODE

FIG.1shows a water filter cartridge1on insertion into a water tank10, the housing of which is numbered10.1. For this purpose, the filter-side tank connection element3is joined to a tank-side filter connection element10.2. Preferably by means of a plug connection.

The water filter cartridge1comprises a housing2, an inlet opening1.3and an outlet opening1.4for the ingress and egress of the water8, stocked in the water tank, into the filter cartridge1and out again. This water8is guided via a filter section4, for treatment for use in, for example, a hot-beverage machine11that is connected downstream. A filter section of this kind may be formed in the inflow chamber1.1and/or the outflow chamber1.2. The arrows8.1symbolize the running direction of the water when it is taken from the water tank10, when the filter cartridge1in the ready-inserted state is working in filter operation.

In accordance with the invention, additionally to the filter section4and formed separately from it, the water filter cartridge1comprises a depot in the form of a reservoir chamber6for at least one means5to counter precipitations in the water tank, more particularly for at least one means to counter limescale precipitations in the water tank, where contact openings7are provided which connect the depot in the form of the reservoir chamber6to the water8stocked in the water tank10.

The reservoir chamber6may be arranged in the housing2of the water filter cartridge1. In the case depicted, this is realized in a lid2.1of the housing2.

The at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, in the water tank may comprise an acidic cation exchanger, more particularly a weakly acidic cation exchanger, and/or a hardness stabilizer and/or a sparingly soluble polyphosphate, more particularly based on calcium.

The at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, in the water tank may also comprise a readily soluble polyphosphate based on sodium.

Furthermore, the at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, in the water tank may comprise a basic anion exchanger material, preferably with polyphosphate ions as counterions. To provide a higher capacity, a weakly basic anion exchanger material is used, more particularly a weakly basic anion exchanger material with polyphosphate ions as counterions.

And the weakly basic anion exchanger material may be provided as a stabilizing agent for the polyphosphate.

The arrows8.1symbolize the inflow of the water8, stocked in the water tank10, to the at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, in the water tank. It flows through the contact openings7into the depot to the means5. Optionally there is also a nonwoven fabric9or the like in order to additionally enclose the means5.

The arrows5.1symbolize water8which is stocked in the water tank10and which has already been processed with the at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, in the water tank. Owing to the higher concentration of the processing substances from the at least one means5in the water8in the vicinity of the at least one means5, in comparison to water stocked elsewhere in the water tank and having not yet made contact with the at least one means5, a concentration balancing is triggered, which in the course of the storage time brings about the processing of the rest of the water stored in the water tank, as well, and hence in accordance with the invention results in the avoidance of precipitations, especially limescale precipitations, on the surfaces coming into contact with the water.

FIG.2shows, by way of example and schematically, a representation of an alternative embodiment toFIG.1of a water filter cartridge1, having a filter-side tank connection element3and a depot in the form of a reservoir chamber6for at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, in front elevation. In this case, a depot6for the at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, may be arranged in and/or on the housing2. For visualization of the preferably granular means5, small circles are shown. The granules5may be held in the depot6via a cover means2.1, e.g., corresponding to the lid2.1in the version according toFIG.1.

Here as well, contact openings7may permit access for water to the means5. The rectangular representation of the contact openings7is purely by way of example, for better differentiation, in this visualization. The openings may quite easily also have other contours and/or cross sections. This embodiment, with the depot6arranged comparatively near to the water inlet and/or to the water outlet, for the at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations, may be advantageous, for example, for water tanks whose height is low. In particular, on the basis of the low arrangement relative to the operating position of the water filter cartridge, a maximum contact time of the limescale preventative with the water surrounding the water filter cartridge can be realized.

FIG.3shows a sectional representation for the version of a water filter cartridge1that is depicted inFIG.2, with depots6, arranged on opposite sides of the housing2, for the at least one means5to counter precipitations, more particularly to counter limescale precipitations. Contact openings for access for water to the at least one means5are not shown, in order to simplify the representation, but may be present. The rest of the reference numerals correspond to the features of the water filter cartridge1as set out in relation toFIG.1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1Water filter cartridge1.1Inflow chamber1.2Outflow chamber1.3Inlet opening1.4Outlet opening2Housing2.1Lid3Filter-side tank connection element4Filter section5Means to counter limescale precipitations5.1Water processed with means to counter limescale precipitations6Depot7Contact openings8Water8.1Arrow9Nonwoven or the like10Water tank10.1Housing10.2Tank-side filter connection element11Household appliance, esp. hot-beverage machine