Patent ID: 8529737

Claim:
A portable device for regulating hardness of drinking water, the portable device comprising: a collapsible electrode group including first and second ion-adsorbing electrodes; and a power supply, wherein the first ion-adsorbing electrode includes a first electrically conductive material that is capable of adsorbing ions, the second ion-adsorbing electrode includes a second electrically conductive material that is capable of adsorbing ions, a voltage is applied between the electrodes in the electrode group, with the electrode group being immersed in the drinking water, to regulate an amount of ions adsorbed on the first and second electrically conductive materials, and thereby the hardness of the drinking water is regulated, and the electrode group further includes a metal electrode, and the voltage is applied between the metal electrode and at least one electrode selected from the first and second ion-adsorbing electrodes to electrolyze water at the surface of the metal electrode, and thereby a pH of the drinking water is regulated.