Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The field of the invention relates to sports bottles and particularly to sports bottles incorporating filters for filtering tap water and the like. 
         [0003]    2. Brief Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    With the active healthy way of life subscribed to by many in society, a great demand exists for personal sports bottles for carrying a quantity of refreshing or energizing liquid for quick hydration during sporting activities such as running, bicycling, hiking, tennis, golf and the like. Typically, sports bottles are constructed of plastic, a material often not biodegradable and, with the relatively high consumption at today&#39;s rates, the landfills are fast filling with single use bottles. 
         [0005]    It has long been recognized that the cost and inconvenience of accessing filtered water is a problem which can discourage consumption of sufficient quantities of fluids to adequately hydrate the athlete. Accordingly, there has long existed a need for a compact and convenient filtration device which would allow for use of readily available tap water to be conveniently and inexpensively introduced and filtered allowing for numerous repeated fills and a long service life. 
         [0006]    The need for water purification was recognized long ago by inventors seeking to provide a filter which could be connected between the threaded necks of water bottles to thus allow for filtration of water through exhausted Zeolite filters for purifying and sterilization of the water. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,167,225 to Van Eweyk. These devices are relatively cumbersome and impractical, being insufficient compact for personal use to be carried from one&#39;s waste or on a bicycle frame or the like. 
         [0007]    A common theme followed by many artisans has been the proposals of water bottles incorporating filters in the dispensing neck or the like on the theory that a user would draw water from the bottle through the filter. It has also been proposed to design the walls of the bottles to flex inwardly under manual pressure to thereby allow for reduction of volume to either drive fluid through the filter or possibly to allow for the recovery of the compressed walls to draw a partial vacuum thus drawing fluid from an unfiltered compartment through a filter or the like. As will be appreciated, neither the partial vacuum created by oral application of suction to the release valve of a sports bottle or partial vacuum applied by recovery of compressed sidewall is sufficient to create any appreciable pressure drop to force any meaningful volume of flow through a filter to remove impurities. 
         [0008]    Efforts to improve on these prior devices have led to the proposal that a bellows pump be mounted on top of a bottle having a side straw so that fluid can be pressurized downwardly through a filter into the bottle to thus be available for withdrawal through the side straw. A device of this is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,448 to Kaura. While satisfactory for producing some filtration, such devices are incapable of taking the normal form of a traditional sports bottle and, furthermore, typically leave the filter exposed to the drinkable fluid whereby the addition of any additives to the drinking water are exposed directly to the filter thus creating a risk of clogging and contamination of the filter thereby reducing the service life. 
         [0009]    A device incorporating a filter in the neck of a bottle for filtering as the wall of the bottle is compressed to squeeze the fluid from the bottle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,435 to Hughes. 
         [0010]    A multi-stage water purification device has been proposed including a lower compartment having a flexible wall which may be compressed and then released to draw a partial vacuum to thus draw unfiltered water downwardly from an overhead compartment through a multi-stage filter to be partially filtered and stored in the lower compartment so that upon subsequent compression of the flexible wall the partially filtered water will be driven upwardly through a one-way valve to pass through a second stage filter to a filtered water compartment ready to be discharged through a pull up valve. (A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,585,409 to Bommi et al.) Such devices are relatively complicated, expensive to manufacture and rely on atmospheric pressure to control the rate of fluid flow through the first stage filter. 
         [0011]    It has long been recognized that inexpensive filtration bottle devices would be beneficial. It has been proposed to construct a bottle including an outer open top receptacle for receiving a plunger with a bottom well configured of a filter whereby the inner member could be filled with water and plunged into the outer receptacle and then drawn therefrom to create a partial vacuum under the filter causing the water to be drawn to the filter for storage in the outer receptacle to be drawn therefrom on demand. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,386,340 to Wüster. Such devices are impractical for personal water bottles and suffer the shortcoming that the filter is exposed directly to the water so as to result in contamination or clogging by any supplements or mixtures that might be mixed with the water. 
         [0012]    Examples of other efforts to create potable water by removing particulates and pathogens from the water include a container constructed to receive a plunger device configured so that when the plunger is plunged into the container water will be forced through a filter device for collection and storage for subsequent usage. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,093 to Hembree. While beneficial for purification of water on a large scale, such devices are totally impractical for personal use in a sports bottle, and, again, expose the filter directly to any mixtures or supplements that might be incorporated in the water itself. 
         [0013]    Other efforts at solving the filtered water problem have led to the proposal of a plunger configured with a filter media defining a platen to be plunged into a container of water to purportedly filter the water through the platen. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,854,848 to Olson. Such devices have proven impractical and, again, expose the filter directly to any supplements or mixtures which might be included in the water. 
         [0014]    Until now artisans were faced with the dilemma of selecting between relatively cumbersome self-filtering sports bottles that were inconvenient to use and those to which the use was discouraged from adding additives because of filter clogging problems. 
         [0015]    It will be appreciated that the significant demand for inexpensive and conveniently available filtered water has led to various proposals for portable filtration bottles. The shortcoming of many such bottles is that the flexibility of the users in adding supplements, flavorings and enhancements to water or the like is restricted due to the fact that the supplements will typically come into contact with the filter media, thus clogging the filter medium and significantly reducing the service life, thereby making the self-filtering potable bottles impractical. It is this shortcoming to which the present invention is directed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Briefly and in general terms, the present invention is directed to a two piece personal self-filtering bottle apparatus with filter isolated from the filtered water cup. 
         [0017]    The features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a self-filtering portable bottle apparatus of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view showing the filter apparatus of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the plunger apparatus incorporated in the filtering apparatus of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a vertical sectional view, in a large scale, taken along the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1  but showing the plunger device received within the cup; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7  are respective transverse sectional views taken along the respective lines  5 - 5 ,  6 - 6 , and  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a detailed sectional view, in enlarged scale, of an upper portion of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a transverse sectional view, in reduced scale, of the cup shown in  FIG. 4  filled with liquid; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a vertical sectional view similar to  FIG. 9  but showing the plunger being received in the cup; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 , but in enlarged scale and showing the operation of a vent valve. 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a partial perspective view, in reduced scale, of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 , but with a cap mounted thereon; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a transverse sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    Referring now in more detail to the exemplary drawings for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or like elements among the several views, 
         [0031]    Referring first to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the personal water filtration cup apparatus of the present invention includes, generally, a pair of inner and outer containers  21  and  23  forming, respectively, a cup device and a fluid receptacle  21  and  23 . The cup device  21  includes in its lower extremity a through filter device, generally designated  25 , for flow of liquid upwardly through a grill  27  to lift a flapper  29  of an isolation device, generally designated  31 , off the grill for flow of liquid into the upper cup  33  to provide filtered water. When pressurization of the filter device is diminished, the flapper  31  will lay down over the grill  27  as shown in  FIG. 31  to prevent backflow of liquid into the filter device. 
         [0032]    The receptacle  23  is conveniently constructed of readily available plastic material and is formed in its lower portion with a peripheral rib  41  ( FIG. 4 ) to elevate the bottom wall  43  slightly. The bottom wall  43  is formed with a through-port  45  which receives the stem  47  of a poppet valve, generally designated  49 , that serves to vent air into the receptacle when the plunger-type cup apparatus is elevated. 
         [0033]    The upper portion of the receptacle  23  is formed with an upwardly and readily outwardly tapered flange  52  configured for convenient receipt of a turnback engagement flange  53  formed in the upper extremity of the cup apparatus. 
         [0034]    The cup apparatus  21  is configured in its lower portion with an integral transverse wall defining the grill  27  ( FIG. 12 ) to form a plurality of through-ports  49  arrayed thereabout and covering the majority of the transverse cross-section of the cup  33  to thereby provide for a high-volume combined flow area to provide minimal resistance to flow of fluid. The grill  27  may take numerous different forms, and in the preferred embodiment provides a combined flow area of at least 50% of the overall cross-sectional area of the cup and preferably approximately 60% of the overall flow area to thereby provide for the desired structural integrity while still minimizing the resistance to fluid flow upon pressurization of the filter device. 
         [0035]    With continued reference to  FIG. 12 , the grill  27  is spaced a distance upwardly about one-fifth the length of the overall cup apparatus from the bottom end  51  thereof, and is formed in its upper extremity with coarse internal female threads  53 . 
         [0036]    An upwardly opening filter cup, generally designated  57 , is received in the lower extremity of the cup apparatus and is formed with a cylindrical wall configured in its upper extremity with male threads  61  for meeting with the lower extremity of the filter cup is configured with a radially outwardly projecting rib  65  to complement a fit within a cross section of the receptacle. 
         [0037]    The filter cup  57  is formed with a lower wall defining a grill generally designated  67 . Also configured throughout the majority of its transverse area with a plurality of flow ports  69  which provide a combined flow area in excess of 25% of the overall transverse cross section of the cup apparatus and in the preferred embodiment provide a combined cross-sectional flow in excess of 50% of the overall transverse cross-section of the cup apparatus. 
         [0038]    The grill  27  is formed centrally with an enlarged bore  60  which receives a downwardly projecting compressible stem  62  of the isolation device  31 . The stem  62  is formed on its lower extremity within an enlarged cross-section stop  64  to cooperate in securing the isolation device to the grill. 
         [0039]    The filter apparatus includes a cylindrical filter  71  which may be constructed of any desirable commercially available filter media for filtration of water such as conventional charcoal filter. 
         [0040]    The filter  71  is sandwiched between a pair of felt retainer disks  73  and  75  to provide for containment against any possibly dislodged particles, but to allow for free flow of fluid as introduced from the lower grill  67  and to pass through the upper grill  27 . 
         [0041]    The interior wall of the cup above the grill  27  is preferably formed with a cylindrical peripheral retainer rib  40  configured to cooperate with the peripheral edge of the flapper to provide for protection of the thin peripheral edges thereof. The flapper itself is in the form of a circular plate and is configured to taper radially outwardly from a thick central section to a thin peripheral edges to thereby, in the manner dictated by well-known plate stress formulas, provide for a memory tending to maintain the flexible flapper  29  by its downwardly into contacting relationship over the pores  49  of the grill  27  to provide for sealing engagement therewith, but, to, upon application of pressure from the filter chamber on the order of 15 psi or so, provide for bending of the flapper to allow the peripheral edges to be raised for high volume flow therepast to provide for rapid flow of the newly filtered liquid. The isolation device is selected and configured to provide for effective sealing thereof as described above while providing for ready flexing under upward acting pressure to thereby provide for efficient flow. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the flapper is to be constructed of material which is relatively tough and resistant to high temperatures on the order of 450 degrees Fahrenheit and more, as would be consistent with washing in a dishwasher or the like and to yet provide for the operation dictated by the disciplines of the present invention. A material found successful for this operation is floor silicone material, but may be one of several food-safe elastomeric materials known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0042]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art the outer receptacle and cup apparatus may be molded of PC material and the filter cup  57  of an ABS or ABS blend material. In manufacture, these components may be molded separately and available for ready assembly. 
         [0043]    In one preferred embodiment, a pouring closure in the form of a cap device, generally designed  81  ( FIGS. 13-14 ) may be provided for snap fit onto the personal filter body assembly of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 14 . The cap device  81  is formed with a domed closure  83  configured in its lower peripheral wall with a gland  85  configured to be friction-fit over the exterior of the lip to set on the top of the combined apparatus. The cap assembly  83  may be constructed of, for instance, ABS, and will be formed with an upwardly open stub drinking tube  87  covered by a friction fit plug  89  carried from a strap  90  hinged at a pivot pin  91  of an upstanding stem  93  for convenient opening and closure of the tube  87 . 
         [0044]    In manufacture, it will be appreciated that there are a minimum number of assembly steps. As an example, referring  FIG. 3 , the disk  75  may be nested down into the filter cup  57  overlying the grill  67 , the filter stacked up thereon and the disk  73  placed thereover, and the combination then fitted up into the bottom end of the cup apparatus and the filter cup  57  rotated to engage the respective threads  61  and  53  to tighten the assembly in position to slightly compress the filter media to maintain a slight pressure thereon and maintain some force on the engaged threads to facilitate closure of the filter cup into the cup apparatus. 
         [0045]    An O-ring  99  will be fitted down over the filter cup  57  to nest on the peripheral rib  65 . 
         [0046]    The umbrella isolation device  31  may be then introduced to the cup assembly from the top end thereof and the stem  62  inserted through the bore  60  to drive the conical holer  64  downwardly through such bore to compress the sides thereof, and, upon clearing the lower edge of the lower surface of the grill  27 , expand and maintain the isolation device in place. It will be appreciated that a relief bore  98  is formed in a center top of the filter to provide clearance for the fastener  64 . 
         [0047]    It will be appreciated that the diameter of the cup apparatus is of a size sufficiently smaller than the inside diameter of the receptacle such that the cup apparatus will telescope efficiently into the receptacle without binding, it being further appreciated that the O-ring  99  will provide a dynamic seal with the wall thereof. Thus, the components may be easily separated and the receptacle  23  filled with, for instance, tap water, and the cup apparatus  21  introduced thereinto as guided by the flare of the bell section so as to slide conveniently downwardly in plunger fashion to contact the lower extremity thereof with the water in the receptacle as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . As the cup apparatus is plunged downwardly, the O-ring will prevent escape therepast of water. Thus, as the apparatus is forced downwardly, causing the water to flow upwardly through the opening  69  in the grill  67  and into and through the filter device  71  to flow upwardly through the top felt discs  73  and through the ports  49  to apply a pressure underneath the reduced in thickness peripheral portions of the flap  29 , thereby applying a bending force to the diametrically outer portions thereof to thus bend the flapper and raise the edges thereof a shown in  FIG. 12  to permit a high volume flow of water as depicted by the directional arrows  101  upwardly into the cup  33 . As the full volume of water is passed upwardly through the filter device  71 , as for instance  16  ounces thereof, while the cup device is pressed downwardly through its full stroke, the cup  33  will be filled with filtered water ready for consumption. As the end of the downward stroke is reached, the other portion of the lip  51  will flex and snap over the upper edge of the bell section  51  to draw the cup apparatus into place within the receptacle for a secure joinder. 
         [0048]    The filtered water is then available for ready consumption, and, if desirable, the cap  81  ( FIGS. 13 and 14 ) may be snapped down into place over the lip  53  to close the top of the cup portion while making the filtered water available for consumption by merely lifting the lever  91  to unplug the stub tube  87  for ready access to the water. 
         [0049]    In the meantime, it will be appreciated that when the pressure in the filter chamber has been reduced, the memory of the material in the flapper will cause it to return to its horizontal position shown in  FIG. 4  to be disposed in overlying sealing relationship over the ports  49  to thus act somewhat as a check valve to prevent flow of water back downwardly and to the filter compartment. Thus, in those many instances where users add energy or flavoring substances to the filtered water, the filter will be isolated from those substances to thus prevent contamination and clogging of the filter and protect the long life thereof. 
         [0050]    If desirable, the cup apparatus may be removed from the exterior receptacle and will be available for transporting the filtered water about as desired by the user. 
         [0051]    It should also be noted that, when the cup apparatus is retained in the receptacle  23  as shown in  FIG. 4 , once the filtered water has been consumed, the cup assembly  21  may be rapidly withdrawn by the user grasping the overhang of the rib  53  to draw it vertically upwardly as the wall of the cup defining the bell mouth  51  is flexed inwardly to allow for release, thereby freeing the cup assembly to be lifted relative to the receptacle. It will be appreciated that this action will cause a partial vacuum to be generated beneath the lower grill  67 , thereby applying a pressure differential across the poppet valve  49 , causing such poppet valve to be raised off its seat for introduction of atmospheric air to thereby break the partial vacuum and free the cup assembly to be drawn quickly and rapidly upwardly to be removed from the receptacle for refill of the receptacle itself. 
         [0052]    When the apparatus is emptied and it is desired to wash the cup apparatus, it can be placed directly in an automatic dishwasher or the like and tests have proven that the isolation device, filter and components will accommodate the heat and environment of such a dishwasher and will be available for subsequent. 
         [0053]    From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the self-filtering portable bottle apparatus of the present is economical to manufacture, efficient to use and offers the flexibility of allowing the user to supplement his or her drink with additives and supplements without concern for clogging the filter to thereby provide for a long and trouble free life. 
         [0054]    The invention may be embodied in other forms without departure from the spirit and essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments described therefore are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Although the present invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments that are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are also within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is intended to be defined only by reference to the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1