Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to water treatment systems, and, more particularly, to in-home faucet mounted water filtration systems.  
         [0002]     Water treatment devices are generally used to treat water in a home or building for human consumption. At least some known water treatment devices include a filter for filtering particles or sediment from the water. In addition, at least some known water treatment devices include taste and odor filters for reducing chlorine or odor causing material from the water. At least some other known water treatment devices include mercury and lead filters for removing mercury and lead from the water. Furthermore, at least some other known water treatment devices include disinfection devices for removing, killing or inactivating microorganisms such as bacteria, virus, cysts, protozoa, and the like from the water.  
         [0003]     In at least some water treatment systems, a filtration device is mounted to a water faucet. However, at lease some faucet mounted filtration systems include external handles or diverters that render the system bulky or cumbersome to operate. At least some faucet mounted filtration systems also include a removable filter cartridge. Moreover, in at least some such systems, the faucet mounted filter system can be moved between a filtering position and a non-filtering position to extend the life of the filter cartridge. Typically, the user is responsible for certain maintenance functions such as the timely replacement of the filter cartridge.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In one aspect, a faucet mounted water filtration system is provided. The filtration system includes a base having an inlet, a water receiving chamber, and at least one outlet. The inlet is configured to be coupled to a faucet. A body is coupled to the base. The body includes a filter compartment configured to house a filter cartridge. A cover is rotatably coupled to the body. A cam is operatively coupled to the cover. A valve operatively engages a surface of the cam. The cam is rotatable to move the valve to open and close a passageway to the filter compartment. A biasing element biases the cover to a default position.  
         [0005]     In another embodiment, a faucet mounted water filtration system is provided that includes a base having an inlet, a water receiving chamber, and at least one outlet. The inlet is configured to be coupled to a faucet. A body is coupled to the base. The body includes a filter compartment configured to house a filter cartridge. A cover is rotatably coupled to the body. A cam is operatively coupled to the cover. A valve operatively engages a surface of the cam. The cam is rotatable to move the valve to open and close a passageway to the filter compartment. A monitoring system is coupled to the body providing an indication of a condition of the filter cartridge. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a partially cut away perspective view of an exemplary water filter system mountable to a faucet.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the water filter system shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary monitoring system for a faucet mount water filter system.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a software algorithm for the monitoring system shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a filter assembly with a tightening nut section removed.  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the filter system shown in  FIG. 1  with the base removed.  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  7 - 7  through the cam shown in  FIG. 6  with the cam and detent member in a default position.  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  7 - 7  through the cam shown in  FIG. 6  with cam and detent member rotated away from the default position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary water filter assembly  100  that is mountable to a water faucet. The assembly includes a body  102  coupled to a base  104 . A cover  106  is rotatably coupled to body  102 . Cover  106  includes a soft touch ring  108  to aid a user in manipulation of cover  106 . Base  104  includes a tightening nut  112  having an inlet  114  configured to receive an end of a faucet (not shown). Tightening nut  112  also includes a soft touch ring  118  for ease in manipulating tightening nut  112 . Body  102  houses a filter cartridge  120  for filtering water coming into filter assembly  100 . In an exemplary embodiment, cover  106  includes a display  122  that provides an indication of a condition of filter cartridge  120 . Base  104  includes at least one outlet on an underside  124  that delivers filtered or unfiltered water as selected by a user based on the position of cover  106 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates underside  124  of filter assembly  100 . In an exemplary embodiment, filter assembly  100  includes a first outlet  130  providing a filtered water stream, a second outlet  132  providing an unfiltered water spray, and a third outlet  134  provided an unfiltered water stream. The water stream provided at third outlet  134  may or may not be an aerated water stream. Outlets  130 ,  132 , and  134  are formed in a cap  136  that may be removed for outlet screen cleaning. In one embodiment, cap  136  is threadedly attached to base  104 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic block diagram of a monitoring system  140  for use with filter assembly  100  to monitor a condition of filter cartridge  120 . Monitoring system  140  monitors a time that filter cartridge  120  has been in service or in use in body  102  and also a volume of water flow through filter cartridge  120 . Indications of the condition of filter cartridge  120  are displayed in display  122 . In an exemplary embodiment, display  122  may include one or more light emitting diodes (LED&#39;s) that visually indicate the condition of filter cartridge  120 . In an exemplary embodiment, monitoring system  140  includes a processor  142  and a timer  144 . Timer  144  may, in one embodiment, be included within processor  142 . In other embodiments, timer  144  may be external to processor  142 . When timer  144  is external to processor  142 , timer  144  may be reset when filter cartridge  120  is changed. Monitoring system  140  may also include a flow meter  146  for monitoring a volume of water filtered by filter cartridge  120 . Monitoring system  140  is powered by a battery  148 . In an exemplary embodiment, processor  142  also monitors a condition of battery  148  and provides an indication that battery  148  needs replacement when the useful life of battery  148  is reached.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates a software algorithm  150  that may be incorporated in processor  142  for monitoring the condition of filter cartridge  120 . Algorithm  150  begins at step  152  with the installation of a new filter cartridge and a new battery  148  ( FIG. 3 ). At step  154 , processor  142  sends a blinking pattern to display  122  after a default time period. In one embodiment, the default time period is a period of two months. A buffer period is provided at  156  for the user to replace filter cartridge  120 . In one embodiment, when filter cartridge  120  is replaced, the timer is reset. Alternatively, battery  148  may be replaced when filter cartridge  120  is replaced. At step  158 , processor  142  estimates a remaining battery capacity based on the time the battery has been in use. If the remaining battery capacity is determined to be less than that needed for the life of a filter cartridge, algorithm  150  continues at step  160  where a another blinking pattern is shown in display  122  signaling a need for a filter cartridge change and a battery change. In one embodiment, the blinking pattern signaling the need for both a filter cartridge change and a battery change is faster than the blinking pattern signaling the need for only a filter cartridge change. If the battery capacity is determined to be sufficient for the life of another filter cartridge, processing continues at step  162  where display  122  continues to indicate a need for a filter change.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a top perspective view of filter assembly  100  with tightening nut  112  removed. Inlet  114  in tightening nut  112  opens into a water receiving chamber  180 . Water receiving chamber  180  includes a plurality of passageways in fluid communication with at least one outlet from water receiving chamber  180 . More specifically, water receiving chamber  180  includes a first passageway  182  in fluid communication with first outlet  130 , a second passageway  184  in fluid communication with second outlet  132 , and a third passageway  186  in fluid communication with third outlet  134 . Each passageway  182 ,  184 , and  186  includes an inlet  192 ,  194 , and  196  respectively and an outlet  202 ,  204 , and  206  respectively.  
         [0019]     Each passageway  182 ,  184 , and  186  also includes a valve  212 ,  214 , and  216 , respectfully that is positioned within each passageway  182 ,  184 ,  186  to control water flow between inlets  192 ,  194 ,  196  and outlets  202 ,  204 ,  206  of passageways  182 ,  184 ,  186 . Valves  212 ,  214 , and  216  are movable along a length of each respective passageway to allow water to flow from a respective inlet to a respective outlet as will be described.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of filter assembly  100  with base  104  removed. A cam  220  and a detent member  222  are rotatably mounted at a lower end of body  102 . An actuating shaft  224  extends through a center channel of filter cartridge  120  ( FIG. 1 ) within body  102  and is coupled to an underside of cover  106  (shown in phantom outline) so that cam  220  and detent member  222  are rotated by rotation of cover  106 . Valves  202 ,  204 , and  206  ( FIG. 5 ) are moved or operated by rotation of cam  220  and detent member  222 .  
         [0021]     A biasing member  226  is provided in filter assembly  100  to bias cover  106 , cam  220 , and detent member  222  in a neutral position. Biasing member is coupled between cover  106  and body  102 . In one embodiment, biasing member  226  is a flat spring having a first end  228  coupled to cover  106  and a second end  230  that is received and slidably retained by a retention element  232  formed on an inner wall of body  102 . Biasing member  226  is operable to bias cover  106 , cam  220 , and detent member  222  toward the neutral position in response to either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of cover  106 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  illustrates a cross sectional view through cam  220  with cam  220  and detent member  222  in a neutral or default position. First valve  212  and second valve  214  engage cam  220  and are operated by rotation of cam  220 . Valve  216  engages detent member  222  and is operated by rotation of detent member  222 . In the neutral or default position illustrated, first valve  212  and second valve  214  are in a closed position such that flow of water through passageways  182  and  184  is disabled. Third valve  206  engages detent member  222  at a center section  240 . When valve  216  engages center section  240 , valve  216  is moved to an open position where water flow through passageway  186  is enabled.  
         [0023]     In an exemplary embodiment, each passageway  182 ,  184 , and  186  has a first diameter D 1  proximate passageway inlets  192 ,  194 , and  196  ( FIG. 5 ) and a second diameter D 2  proximate passageway outlets  202 ,  204 , and  206  ( FIG. 5 ). In the exemplary embodiment, first diameter D 1  is greater than second D 2  and further passageways  182 ,  184 , and  186  are substantially uniform in size. In alternative embodiments, passageways  182 ,  184 , and  186  may be of different diameters.  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view through cam  220  with cam  220  and detent member  222  rotated away from the neutral or default position. As illustrated, cam  220  moves valve  214  to an open position wherein water flow through passageway  184  is enabled. Valve  212  is in a closed position. Also, valve  216  is moved away from center section  240  on detent member  222  and is in a closed position. Cam  220  and detent member  222  are formed such that only one of valves  212 ,  214 , and  216  is in an open position at one time. Further, biasing member  226  returns cover  106  as well as cam  220  and detent member  222  to the neutral or default position when the user turns off the water at the faucet. However, when the water is turned on, water pressure on valves  212 ,  214 , and  216  is sufficient to overcome biasing member  226  and hold cover  106 , cam  220  and detent member  222  in the position selected by the user.  
         [0025]     Cam  220  and also cover  106  are rotatable through an angle β from a first position to a second position. First position is depicted in  FIG. 8  and represents clockwise rotation of cover  106  and cam  220  from a neutral position to a position wherein valve  212  is in an open positioning an exemplary embodiment, when valve  212  is in an open position, filtered water is provided. In the second position (not shown), cover  106  and cam  220  are rotated in a counterclockwise direction to a position wherein valve  214  is in an open position. In one embodiment, when valve  214  is in an open position, unfiltered is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, second position is an unfiltered spray. The neutral or default position is between the first and second positions.  
         [0026]     Valves  212 ,  214 , and  216  are of a construction well known in the art. Generally, each of valves  212 ,  214 , and  216  are formed with substantially cylindrical bodies including a contact tips that engage cam  220  and detent member  222 . The bodies include first and second sections having raised diameters that are slightly less than passageway diameters D 1  and D 2 . Each of the first and second sections are configured to receive a seal for sealing against the interior of passageways  182 ,  184 , and  186 .  
         [0027]     The above-described faucet mounted filter assembly provides a cost-effective and reliable system for filtering water at a faucet. The assembly allows the user to select filtered or unfiltered water. The assembly provides an unfiltered default position that extends the life of the filter cartridge. The system automatically returns to the default position when the water is turned off. A monitoring system monitors the time the filter cartridge has been in service and also the volume of water passing through the filter cartridge. A display gives a visual indication that the filter cartridge should be replaced and also that the monitoring system battery should be replaced.  
         [0028]     Exemplary embodiments of a faucet mounted water filter assembly are described above in detail. The components of the faucet mounted filter assembly are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather may be utilized independently and separately from other components described herein. Each component can also be used in combination with other water filter assemblies.  
         [0029]     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Technology Category: 8