Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of filters, and to the particular field of filters for liquids. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Bodies of water play an important part in modern life. Bodies of water are used for decorative purposes in gardens and ponds, for industrial purposes in fish hatcheries, ranching, industrial recycling, and even in municipal water supplies as well as for recreational purposes in camping and military purposes. 
     While extremely useful, most of these bodies of water must be maintained to prevent contamination of the water. This is especially true if the water is to be consumed. However, it is also necessary to maintain a body of water contamination free to prevent formation of insect breeding areas. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a filter unit system which can be used on a large body of water such as a pond, that is also adaptable for use on smaller bodies of water. 
     Since many homeowners use ponds as decoration, any filter system should be easy to set up and maintain. Otherwise, many filter systems will become ineffective due to improper maintenance. 
     Many homeowners also use well water which they may wish to purify. In fact, some homeowners may even wish to further purify municipality-supplied water. To this end, some homeowners have filtration systems for their drinking water. Such filter systems also must be properly maintained. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a sealed filtration system that is easy to set up and maintain. 
     Furthermore, if a body of water is to be used for decorative purposes, such as in landscaping, the system used to maintain that body of water should not be conspicuous. That is, it may detract from the overall aesthetic appeal of such a decorative body of water if a filter unit is located where it can be seen. On the other hand, locating a filter unit in an inconspicuous location may require conduits to be buried and pumps to be sufficiently powerful to move water great distances. Thus, at present, in order to preserve aesthetics, a filter system may be quite expensive and complicated to install. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a sealed filtration system that can be set up in an effective location yet will be inconspicuous and still be cost effective. 
     Many bodies of water have several types of contaminants including both physical particles both large and small, as well as biological and industrial contaminants. Therefore, to be fully effective, a filter system must be amenable to removing a wide variety of contaminants and end user adaptable. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a sealed filtration system that is adaptable for use with a wide variety of contaminants. 
     Camping is a very popular activity. Often campers need to purify available water to be potable. While there are a number of water purifying kits on the market, these kits often are not amenable to removing a wide variety of contaminants, including large and small physical particles as well as biological contaminants. The military also has similar needs. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a sealed filtration system that is amenable to being easily transported yet is capable of removing a wide variety of contaminants from the water. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide an efficient sealed filtration system that is amenable to use in conjunction with a wide variety of bodies of water. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that can efficiently remove a large variety of contaminants from water. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that is easily adaptable for use with a wide variety of filter media as dictated by the contaminants present in the water. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that is easily set up and maintained. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that is portable. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that can be used to purify well water, or industrial water, or water for camping, or water that is to be potable. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that can be set up in an effective location yet be inconspicuous. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that can be set up in an effective location yet be inconspicuous and still be cost effective. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a sealed filtration system that can be used on either, or both, large and small bodies of water and is adaptable with placement either in or out of the water. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a sealed filtration system which can be either submersible or non-submersible, a housing having two chambers which can house a variety of different filter media in a first chamber, and which is easily assembled, as well as a drain chamber in each chamber which is easily drained. The housing also contains a second chamber in which submersible pump can be placed, or a connection established to an external pump, which also can allow for two chambers of filter media, should this option be desired. The unit is end user adaptable 
     The sealed filtration system of the present invention is thus easily assembled and disassembled, easily maintained, versatile, and can easily be adapted to remove a wide variety of different contaminants from a body of water. The sealed filtration system of the present invention is portable and can be submersed so it can be positioned in an inconspicuous location yet will not require complex conduits to function properly. The sealed filtration system is easily adapted for use with either or both large and small bodies of water and can provide nearly any degree of purity desired by merely adding or changing pumps and/or filter media. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sealed filtration system embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of the sealed filtration system shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a sealed filtration system  10  which comprises a sealed housing  12  that is portable and which can be used in large and/or small bodies of water. The submersible/nonsubmersible nature of the housing  12  makes it inconspicuous in use. Housing  12  includes a first end wall  14  having an inner surface  16  and an outer surface  18 , a bottom rim  20  and a top rim  22 . A second end wall  24  has an inner surface  26  and an outer surface  28 , a bottom rim  30  and a top rim  32 . End walls  14  and  24  are parallel with each other and co-extensive. A longitudinal axis  36  extends between the first end wall  14  and the second end wall  24  and defines a length dimension for the housing  12 . Housing  12  further includes a first side wall  38  having an inner surface  40  and an outer surface  42 , a bottom rim  44  and a top rim  46 . Housing  12  further includes a second side wall  50  having an inner surface  52  and an outer surface  54 , a bottom rim  56  and a top rim  58 . The side walls  38 ,  50  are also parallel with each other and are coextensive with each other. 
     A transverse axis  60  extends between the first side wall  38  and the second side wall  50  and a width dimension for housing  12  is defined along the transverse axis  60 . The top rims  22 ,  32 ,  46 ,  58  of the first end wall  14 , the second end wall  24 , the first side wall  38  and the second side wall  50  are all coplanar with each other and together define a housing top rim  62 . The bottom rims  20 ,  30 ,  44 ,  56  of the first end wall  14 , the second end wall  24 , the first side wall  38  and the second side wall  50  are all coplanar with each other and together define a housing bottom rim  64 . A height dimension H extends between the housing top rim  62  and the housing bottom rim  64 . 
     A housing top  66  has an inner surface  68  and an outer surface  70  and is supported on the housing top rim  62  when covering the housing  12 . Housing top  66  is removable to provide access to the interior volume of the housing  12  as will be understood from the following disclosure. When in place, top  66  seals the housing  12  so fluid cannot bypass the fluid filter circuit of the system by entering the housing  12  between the top  66  and the rest of the housing  12 . 
     A lock system  72  is located on the outside surface  42  of the first side wall  38  and on the housing top  66  and locks the housing top  66  to the first side wall  38  when the housing top  66  is in position on the housing  12 . The lock  72  attaches the housing top  66  to the side and end walls  14 ,  24 ,  38 ,  50  in a watertight manner. 
     An inlet port  78  is defined through the first end wall  14  adjacent to the top rim  22  of the first end wall  14 . A fluid conduit  80  is fluidically connected to the inlet port  78  and a quick disconnect joint  82  is fluidically connected to the inlet port  78  via fluid conduit  80 . A further fluid conduit  84  is also connected to the quick disconnect joint  82  for a purpose that will be understood from the following discussion. 
     An outlet port  86  is defined through the second end wall  24  adjacent to the bottom rim  30  of the second end wall  24 . A fluid conduit  88  is fluidically connected to the interior of the housing  12  via the outlet port  86  and a quick disconnect joint  90  is fluidically connected to the outlet port  86  via fluid conduit  88 . A further fluid conduit  92  is fluidically connected to quick disconnect joint  90 . As will be understood from the teaching of the present disclosure, fluid flows into the interior of the housing  12  via the inlet port  78  and the associated fluid conduits and then flows out of the interior of the housing  12  via the outlet port  86  and the fluid conduits associated with the outlet port  86 . 
     A plurality of drain ports  100  are defined through the first side wall  38  adjacent to the bottom rim  44  of the first side wall  38 . The drain ports  100  are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis  36  of the housing  12 . 
     A grate  102  is located adjacent to the inner surface of the bottom wall and is spaced apart from the inner surface of the bottom wall along the height dimension H of the housing  12 . The grate  102  has a multiplicity of liquid drain holes  104  defined there-through and is attached to the inner surface  16  of the first end wall  14 , to the inner surface  26  of the second end wall  24 , to the inner surface  40  of the first side wall  38  and to the inner surface  52  of the second side wall  50  to be supported in position on the housing  12 . 
     A collection chamber  106  is defined between the grate  102  and the inner surface of the bottom of the housing  12 . The collection chamber  106  is fluidically connected to each of the drain ports  100  of the housing  12 . 
     A first dividing wall  110  is located between the first end wall  14  and the second end wall  24  and is attached to the inner surface  40  of the first side wall  38  and to the inner surface  52  of the second side wall  50  and extends across the entire width of the housing  12  to divide the housing  12  as will be understood from the following discussion. The first dividing wall  110  has a top end  112  which is coplanar with the housing top rim and a bottom end  114  which located closely adjacent to the grate  102  and is superadjacent to the collection chamber  106 . 
     A second dividing wall  116  is located between the second end wall  24  and the first dividing wall  110  and is spaced apart from the first dividing wall  110  along the longitudinal axis  36  of the housing  12 . Second dividing wall  116  is attached to the inner surface  40  of the first side wall  38  and to the inner surface  52  of the second side wall  50  to extend completely across the width of the housing  12 . The second dividing wall  116  has a bottom end  120  fixed to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the housing  12  and a top end  122  spaced apart from the top rim  62  of the housing  12 . Top end  122  of second dividing wall  116  is located between the top rim  62  of the housing  12  and the bottom rim  64  of the housing  12  and extends through the grate  102  and forms a wall  124  in the collection chamber  106 . Wall  124  is impervious to fluid and drain ports  100  are located on both sides of wall  124  so chamber  106  can be fully drained. 
     A flow chamber  130  is located between the first dividing wall  110  and the second dividing wall  116  and extends from the grate  102  adjacent to the bottom end  114  of the first dividing wall  110  to the top  122  of the second dividing wall  116 . A first filter chamber  132  is located between the inside surface  16  of the first end wall  14  and the first dividing wall  110  and between the grate  102  and the housing top rim  62 . First filter chamber  132  includes a first liquid permeable filter-supporting shelf  134  fixed to the first dividing wall  110  and to the inside surface  16  of the first end wall  14  and to the inside surface  40  of the first side wall  38  and to the inside surface  52  of the second side wall  50 . First filter-supporting shelf  134  is spaced apart from the grate  102  along the height dimension H of the housing  12  and extends in a direction which is parallel to the grate  102 . A first filter media-containing chamber  138  is defined between the first filter supporting shelf  134  and the grate  102  and between the first end wall  14  and the first dividing wall  110  and between the first side wall  38  and the second side wall  50 . A second liquid permeable filter-supporting shelf  140  is fixed to the first dividing wall  110  and to the inside surface  16  of the first end wall  14  and to the inside surface  40  of the first side wall  38  and to the inside surface  52  of the second side wall  50 . Second filter-supporting shelf  140  is spaced apart from the first filter-supporting shelf  134  toward the top rim  62  of the housing  12  along the height dimension H of the housing  12  and extends in a direction which is parallel to the first filter-supporting supporting shelf  134 . The second filter-supporting shelf  140  is located immediately subadjacent to the inlet port  78  of the housing  12 . A second filter media-containing chamber  142  is defined between the first filter-supporting shelf  134  and the second filter-supporting shelf  140  and between the first end wall  14  and the first dividing wall  110  and between the first side wall  38 and the second side wall  50 . 
     A fluid inlet chamber  144  is defined between the second filter-supporting shelf  140  and the top rim  62  of the housing  12  and is fluidically connected to the inlet port  78  of the housing  12  to receive fluid therefrom. 
     A second filter chamber  150  is located between the inside surface  26  of the second end wall  24  and the second dividing wall  116  and between the grate  102  and the housing top rim  62 . 
     First dividing wall  110  is spaced apart from second dividing wall  116  and defines therebetween a flow chamber  154  fluidically connecting the first filter chamber  132  to the second filter chamber  150  via drain holes  104  through the grate  102 . 
     A drain plug  160  is removably mounted in each drain port  100 . 
     First mechanical filter medium  170  is located in the first filter media-containing chamber  138  and a first biological filter medium  172  is located in the second filter media-containing chamber  142 . Other forms of filter media can be used and both chambers can contain mechanical filter media, or both chambers can contain biological filter media, or the like without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as will be understood by those skilled in the art. 
     A submersible liquid pump  180  is located in the second filter chamber  150  and is supported on the grate  102 . Pump  180  is powered from a power source via a cord P. Liquid pump  180  includes an inlet  182  which is fluidically connected to the second filter chamber  150  and an outlet  184  which is fluidically connected to the outlet port  86  of the housing  12 . 
     An inlet pump system  190  is also included in the system  10  and includes an inlet  192  fluidically connected to a body of liquid to be filtered, an outlet  194  fluidically connected to the inlet port  78  of the housing  12 , a filter chamber  196  fluidically interposed between inlet  192  of the inlet pump system  190  and outlet  194  of the inlet pump system  190 . Power for pump system  190  is supplied via a cord P 1  from a suitable power source. A base element  197  supports housing  198  of the inlet pump system  190 . Ports  200  control flow through pump system  190  and ports  202  are also included to further control flow through pump system  190 . A filter medium  206  is located in the filter chamber  196  of inlet pump housing  198 . A fluid connection element  210  connects outlet  194  of inlet pump system  190  to conduit  84  and hence to quick disconnect joint  82  and to the inlet port  78  of the housing  12 . 
     As indicated by flow arrows F in FIG. 2, flow enters housing  12  via inlet port  78  from pump system  190 , flows through the various filter media where both physical and chemical impurities are removed, with the various filter media removing specific portions of the impurities, then into chamber  106  where sludge or the like is deposited to be removed via drain holes  100  during cleaning and/or servicing of the system  10 , then via holes  104  in grate  102  to flow chamber  154  and over wall  116  into chamber  150  and then to pump  180  and via pump  180  to outlet port  86 . Further sludge or large particles can settle through grate  102  via the holes  104  in the grate  102  into chamber  106  for later removal via drain ports  100 . Pump  180  works in conjunction with pump system  190  to move liquid into and through housing  12  in the manner just described whereby impurities are removed from that liquid before it is discharged via housing outlet port  86  and conduit  92 . 
     Whereas most filter systems use high pressure to pump fluid through a media, the system of the present invention pulls the fluid across a media substantially similar to the manner in which a natural aquafer system uses the earth to purify water. In other words, the system of the present invention uses fluid flow rate over media, not pressure through media, to remove contaminants. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.

Technology Category: 7