Water filter abstract
A laminated modular water filter includes superposed annular plates.
A filter unit is disposed between each adjacent pair of the annular
plates. The annular plates include a top plate, a bottom plate,
a plurality of intermediate plates, and at least one flow-guiding
plate sandwiched between two of the intermediate plates. Each of
the top plate, the intermediate plates, and the bottom plate has
an annular outer passage unit in fluid communication with a curved
outer passage unit in the flow-guiding plate. Dirty water is introduced
into two side openings in the top plate, and flows into central
holes in the annular plates via the filter units so as to form filtered
water. Solid particles in the dirty water are guided into two side
openings in the bottom plate via the annular outer passage units
and the curved outer passage unit.
Water filter claims
I claim:
1. A water filter for filtering dirty water having a plurality
of suspended solid particles, said water filter comprising: an intermediate
plate assembly including at least three annular intermediate plates
and at least one annular flow-guiding plate, which are arranged
one above another, each of said flow-guiding plate and said intermediate
plates including a top surface with an annular upper groove, a bottom
surface with an annular lower groove, and a central hole formed
through a respective one of said flow-guiding plate and said intermediate
plates, said central holes in each adjacent pair of said flow-guiding
plate and said intermediate plates being aligned with and being
in fluid communication with each other, each of said intermediate
plates having an annular inner passage unit that is in fluid communication
with said central hole, said upper groove, and said lower groove
in a respective one of said intermediate plates, and an annular
outer passage unit formed theretbrough and having an upper end that
is in fluid communication with an outer peripheral portion of said
upper groove in a respective one of said intermediate plates, and
a lower end that is in fluid communication with an outer peripheral
portion of said lower groove in the respective one of said intermediate
plates, said flow-guiding plate being sandwiched between an adjacent
pair of said intermediate plates and having a curved outer passage
unit that is formed through said flow-guiding plate, that extends
along a circumferential direction of said flow-guiding plate, and
that is in fluid communication with said annular outer passage units
in the adjacent pair of said intermediate plates; an annular top
plate superposed on an uppermost one of said intermediate plates
and having a bottom surface with an annular lower groove that is
aligned with said upper and lower grooves in said flow-guiding plate
and said intermediate plates, a central hole formed through said
top plate and in fluid communication with said central holes in
said flow-guiding plate and said intermediate plates, and two side
openings aligned with and in fluid communication with said annular
outer passage unit in the uppermost one of said intermediate plates
and adapted to permit introduction of the dirty water to be filtered
therethrough; an annular bottom plate, on which a lowermost one
of said intermediate plates is superposed, said bottom plate having
a top surface with an annular upper groove that is aligned with
said upper and lower grooves in said intermediate plates, each adjacent
pair of said top, intermediate and bottom plates and said flow-guiding
plate defining an annular accommodating space therebetween, which
is formed cooperatively by a respective one of said upper grooves
in said intermediate and bottom plates and said flow-guiding plate
and a respective one of said lower grooves in said top and intermediate
plates and said flow-guiding plate so that the dirty water can flow
from said side openings in said top plate into said central holes
in said top and intermediate plates and said flow-guiding plate
through said inner passage units in said intermediate plates, a
central hole formed through said bottom plate and in fluid communication
with said central holes in said intermediate plates, and two side
openings in said bottom plate aligned with and in fluid communication
with said annular outer passage unit in the lowermost one of said
intermediate plates; a plurality of laminated filter units disposed
respectively within a respective one of said accommodating spaces,
each of said filter units including two water-permeable annular
filter films that are received fittingly within the respective one
of said accommodating spaces and that are interconnected fixedly
along outer peripheral portions thereof, and an annular filter net
that is sandwiched between said filter films so as to define an
annular filtered-water passage between said filter films, thereby
preventing flow of the solid particles into said filtered-water
passage via said filter films, said filtered-water passages having
inner peripheries that are in fluid communication with said central
holes in said intermediate plates so as to permit water flow between
said central holes in said intermediate plates and said filtered-water
passages, the dirty water being capable of being forced into said
openings in said top plate when said openings in said bottom plate
are closed such that the dirty water flows into said filtered-water
passages along a flow path of said annular outer passage units in
said intermediate plates and said curved outer passage unit in said
flow-guiding plate, said upper and lower grooves in said top, intermediate
and bottom plates, and said filter films, thereby forming filtered
water, which in turn flows out of said water filter through said
central hole in said bottom plate; and means for connecting said
intermediate plates removably to said top and bottom plates and
said flow-guiding plate; whereby, when said side openings in said
bottom plate are opened, the dirty water can flow out of said water
filter through said side openings in said bottom plate.
2. The water filter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said curved
outer passage unit in said flow-guiding plate has two ends that
are angularly spaced apart from each other by an angle of 180 degrees.
3. The water filter as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inner passage
unit of each of said intermediate plates includes: an upper end
in fluid communication with an inner peripheral portion of said
upper groove in the respective one of said intermediate plates;
a lower end in fluid communication with an inner peripheral portion
of said lower groove in the respective one of said intermediate
plates; and an inner periphery in fluid communication with said
central hole in the respective one of said intermediate plates,
said inner passage units in each adjacent pair of said intermediate
plates which abut against each other being aligned with and being
in fluid communication with each other.
4. The water filter as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of said
filter units has an inner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral
portion, each of said intermediate plates being made of rubber,
and including: an annular inner plate portion defining said central
hole in the respective one of said intermediate plates therein;
an annular intermediate plate portion disposed around said inner
plate portion; an annular outer plate portion disposed around said
intermediate plate portion; a plurality of angularly equidistant,
inner vertical plates extending integrally and radially between
said inner and intermediate plate portions, each adjacent pair of
said inner vertical plates defining a radial inner passage therebetween,
said radial inner passages cooperatively constituting a corresponding
one of said inner passage units, said inner vertical plates of each
adjacent pair of said intermediate plates clamping said inner peripheral
portion of a respective one of said filter units therebetween; and
a plurality of angularly equidistant, outer vertical plates extending
integrally and radially between said intermediate and outer plate
portions, each adjacent pair of said outer vertical plates defining
a radial outer passage therebetween, said radial outer passages
cooperatively constituting a corresponding one of said annular outer
passage units, said outer vertical plates of each adjacent pair
of said intermediate plates clamping said outer peripheral portion
of the respective one of said filter units therebetween.
Water filter description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a water filter, and more particularly
to a laminated modular water filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the parent application, the applicant discloses a laminated
modular water filter that is used to filter dirty water and that
includes a plurality of superposed annular plates and a plurality
of filter units, each of which is disposed between an adjacent pair
of the annular plates to prevent passage of solid particles therethrough.
In use, the solid particles are deposited on the filter units in
a relatively even manner. As such, it is necessary to replace all
of the filter units at one time after a period of use, which is
uneconomical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a laminated modular water
filter that includes a plurality of filter units and a flow-guiding
plate, which guides solid particles in dirty water onto the lowermost
ones of the filter units so that only the lowermost ones of the
filter units are needed to be replaced after use, there by resulting
in low usage costs.
According to this invention, a laminated modular water filter includes
a plurality of superposed annular plates. A filter unit is disposed
between each adjacent pair of the annular plates. The annular plates
include a top plate, a bottom plate, a plurality of intermediate
plates, and at least one flow-guiding plate sandwiched between two
of the intermediate plates. The top plate overlies the uppermost
one of the intermediate plates. The lowermost one of the intermediate
plates overlies the bottom plate. Each of the top plate, the intermediate
plates, and the bottom plate has an annular outer passage unit in
fluid communication with a curved outer passage unit in the flow-guiding
plate. Dirty water is introduced into two side openings in the top
plate, and flows into central holes in the annular plates via the
filter units so as to form filtered water. When the water to be
processed is comparatively dirty, the number of the intermediate
plates and the filter units can be increased. Solid particles in
the dirty water are guided into two side openings in the bottom
plate via the annular outer passage units and the curved outer passage
unit. As such, solid particles in the dirty water are concentrated
on the lowermost ones of the filter units, which are disposed under
the flow-guiding plate and which are to be replaced after the water
filter is used for a long period of time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of this invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred
embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment
of a laminated modular water filter according to this invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an intermediate plate of the preferred
embodiment;
FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the intermediate plate of the preferred
embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a flow-guiding plate of the preferred
embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 6 illustrates the flow path of the water to be filtered in
the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 7 illustrates the flow path of unfiltered water in the preferred
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 2 and 5 the preferred embodiment of a laminated
modular water filter 100 according to this invention is shown to
include a plurality of superposed annular plates and a plurality
of laminated filter units 50. The annular plates are interconnected
detachably by means of a plurality of bolts 38 (only one is shown
in FIG. 2) and a plurality of nuts 39 (only one is shown in FIG.
2). Each adjacent pair of the annular plates clamp a respective
one of the filter units 50 therebetween. The annular plates include
a plurality of intermediate plates 10 a flow-guiding plate 20 sandwiched
between an adjacent pair of the intermediate plates 10 a top plate
30 overlying the uppermost intermediate plate 10 and a bottom plate
40 abutting against and disposed under the lowermost intermediate
plate 10. The main difference between this invention and the parent
application (i.e. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/000539) resides
in that no flow-guiding plate 20 is provided in the parent application.
Each of the intermediate, top and bottom plates 10 30 40 and
the flow-guiding plate 20 is made of rubber, and has a central hole
11 31 41 21. The central holes 11 31 41 21 in the intermediate,
top and bottom plates 10 30 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20 are
in fluid communication with one another, as shown in FIG. 5. The
bolts 38 extend through fastener holes 37 47 in the top and bottom
plates 30 40 and engage respectively the nuts 39 thereby interconnecting
detachably the intermediate, top and bottom plates 10 30 40 and
the flow-guiding plate 20.
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, each of the intermediate plates
10 includes a top surface 101 with an annular upper groove 12 a
bottom surface 102 with an annular lower groove 13 an annular inner
passage unit 14 and an annular outer passage unit 15. Each of the
inner passage units 14 is formed through the respective intermediate
plate 10 and has an upper end that is in fluid communication with
an inner peripheral portion of the upper groove 12 in the respective
intermediate plate 10 and a lower end that is in fluid communication
with an inner peripheral portion of the lower groove 13 in the respective
intermediate plate 10. Each of the outer passage units 15 is formed
through the respective intermediate plate 10 and has an upper end
that is in fluid communication with an outer peripheral portion
of the upper groove 12 in the respective intermediate plate 10
and a lower end that is in fluid communication with an outer peripheral
portion of the lower groove 13 in the respective intermediate plate
10.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 the flow-guiding plate 20 is similar
to the intermediate plates 10 in construction except that the flow-guiding
plate 20 is not provided with any inner passage unit, and includes
a curved outer passage unit 24 which extends along a circumferential
direction of the flow-guiding plate 20 and which has two ends that
are angularly spaced apart from each other by an angle of 180 degrees.
Like the intermediate plates 10 the flow-guiding plate 20 includes
a top surface 201 that is formed with an annular upper groove 22
and a bottom surface 202 that is formed with an annular lower groove
23.
Referring back to FIGS. 1 2 and 5 the top plate 30 has two side
openings 33 that are located on two sides of the central hole 31
and that are in fluid communication with the outer passage units
15 in the intermediate plates 10 and a bottom surface 301 that
is formed with an annular lower groove 32 an annular inner passage
unit 34 aligned with the inner passage units 14 in the intermediate
plates 10 and an annular outer passage unit 35 aligned with the
outer passage units 15 in the intermediate plates 10. The inner
and outer passage units 34 35 are not formed through the top plate
30.
The bottom plate 40 has a top surface 401 with an annular upper
groove 42 two side openings 43 that are located on two sides of
the central hole 41 and that are in fluid communication with the
outer passage units 15 in the intermediate plates 10 an annular
inner passage unit 44 aligned with the inner passage units 14 in
the intermediate plates 10 and an annular outer passage unit 45
aligned with the outer passage units 15 in the intermediate plates
10. The inner and outer passage units 44 45 are formed in the top
surface 401 and are not formed through the bottom plate 40.
The upper grooves 12 42 22 in the intermediate and bottom plates
10 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20 are aligned with the lower
grooves 13 32 23 in the intermediate and top plates 10 30 and
the flow-guiding plate 20. Each adjacent pair of the intermediate,
top and bottom plates 10 30 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20 define
an annular accommodating space 6 therebetween, which is formed cooperatively
by the respective upper groove 12 42 22 and the respective lower
groove 13 32 23 so as to receive the respective filter unit 50
fittingly therein.
Each of the top and bottom surfaces 101 102 of the intermediate
plates 10 the bottom surface 301 of the top plate 30 and the top
surface 401 of the bottom plate 40 is formed with an annular slot
16 36 46. Each adjacent pair of the intermediate, top and bottom
plates 10 30 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20 clamp an O-ring
161 therebetween, which is received within the corresponding slot
16 36 46 26 so as to establish a liquid-tight seal around the
corresponding filter unit 50. Each of the filter units 50 includes
two annular filter films 54 55 that are received fittingly within
the corresponding accommodating space 6 and that are interconnected
fixedly along outer peripheral portions thereof, and a filter net
56 that is sandwiched between the filter films 54 55 so as to define
an annular filtered-water passage 561 between the filter films 54
55. The filtered-water passages 561 have inner peripheries that
are in fluid communication with the central holes 11 31 41 in
the intermediate, top and bottom plates 10 30 40. Each of the
upper and lower grooves 12 13 22 23 32 42 is provided with
a seal ring 123 133 223 233 323 423 that is disposed in an
inner periphery thereof, that abuts against an inner periphery of
the respective filter film 54 55 and that is disposed between
the corresponding filter film 54 55 and a corresponding one of
the intermediate, top and bottom plates 10 30 40 and the flow-guiding
plate 20.
When it is desired to filter dirty water, the openings 43 in the
bottom plate 40 are closed. Subsequently, dirty water is forced
into the openings 33 in the top plate 30 e.g. by means of a pump
(not shown), so as to flow into the annular outer passage units
15 in the intermediate plates 10. Because the inner passage units
14 are in fluid communication with the annular outer passage units
15 via the upper and lower grooves 12 13 the dirty water flows
from the upper and lower grooves 12 13 and the inner and outer
passage units 14 15 into the filtered-water passages 561 thereby
forming filtered water. The filtered water is forced from the filtered-water
passages 561 into the central holes 11 31 41 21 in the intermediate,
top and bottom plates 10 30 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20
thereby flowing out of the water filter 100 through the central
hole 41 in the bottom plate 40.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 since the outer passage unit 24 in
the flow-guiding plate 20 is curved, water will flow along the top
surface 201 of the flow-guiding plate 20 in one direction, and along
the bottom surface 202 of the flow-guiding plate 20 in the opposite
direction. As such, solid particles in the dirty water are guided
onto the lowermost ones of the filter units 50 which are disposed
under the flow-guiding plate 20. The openings 43 in the bottom plate
40 can be opened to permit flow of the dirty water from the water
filter 100 therethrough. The number of the flow-guiding plate 20
can be increased.
Referring once again to FIGS. 3 and 3A, each of the intermediate
plates 10 includes an annular inner plate portion 103 an annular
intermediate plate portion 104 an annular outer plate portion 105
a plurality of angularly equidistant inner vertical plates 143
and a plurality of angularly equidistant outer vertical plates 153.
Each of the inner plate portions 103 defines the central hole 11
in the respective intermediate plate 10. Each of the intermediate
plate portions 104 is disposed around the respective inner plate
portion 103. Each of the outer plate portions 105 is disposed around
the respective intermediate plate portion 104. The outer vertical
plates 153 extend integrally and radially between the intermediate
and outer plate portions 104 105. The inner vertical plates 143
extend integrally and radially between the inner and intermediate
plate portions 103 104. Each adjacent pair of the inner vertical
plates 143 define a radial inner passage 144 therebetween. The inner
passages 144 cooperatively constitute the inner passage unit 14.
Each adjacent pair of the outer vertical plates 153 define a radial
outer passage 154 therebetween. The outer passages 154 cooperatively
constitute the outer passage unit 15. Each of the filter units 50
has an outer peripheral portion that is clamped between the outer
vertical plates 153 of an upper one of an adjacent pair of the annular
plates 10 20 30 40 and the outer vertical plates 153 of a lower
one of the adjacent pair of the annular plates 10 20 30 40 and
an inner peripheral portion that is clamped between the inner vertical
plates 143 of the upper one of the adjacent pair of the annular
plates 10 20 30 40 and the inner vertical plates 143 of the lower
one of the adjacent pair of the annular plates 10 20 30 40.
Each of the inner plate portions 103 is formed with a plurality
of integral flanges 106 that are spaced circumferentially apart
from each other, and two annular slots 122 132 that are formed
respectively in top and bottom surfaces of the respective inner
plate portion 103 between the flanges 106 and the inner vertical
plates 143 and that are in fluid communication with the inner passage
unit 14 in the respective intermediate plate 10. Each of the slots
122 132 receives the seal ring 123 133 and the inner periphery
of the corresponding filter unit 50 therein. Likewise, the seal
ring 323 is disposed between the top plate 30 and the uppermost
intermediate plate 10 while the seal ring 423 is disposed between
the lowermost intermediate plate 10 and the bottom plate 40. The
inner periphery of each of the filter units 50 is clamped between
the corresponding two seal rings 123 133 223 233 323 423 as
shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.
Each of the flanges 106 has flat top and bottom surfaces 107 108.
The flanges 106 of each adjacent pair of the intermediate plates
10 abut against each other by engagement of the corresponding top
surface 107 and the corresponding bottom surface 108. Each adjacent
pair of the flanges 106 define a space 109 therebetween, which is
in fluid communication with the corresponding central hole 11 and
the annular slots 122 132.
Referring once again to FIGS. 2 and 5 each of the intermediate
and bottom plates 10 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20 is formed
integrally with a plurality of upper posts 126 426 226 that extend
upwardly therefrom and that are disposed within the corresponding
upper grooves 12 42 22 so as to press against a bottom surface
of the corresponding filter unit 50 thereby forming a turbulent
water flow around each of the upper posts 126 426 226. Each of
the intermediate and top plates 10 30 and the flow-guiding plate
20 is formed integrally with a plurality of lower posts 136 336
236 that extend downwardly therefrom and that are disposed within
the corresponding lower grooves 13 32 23 so as to press against
a top surface of the corresponding filter unit 50 thereby forming
a turbulent water flow around each of the lower posts 136 336
236.
Each adjacent pair of the intermediate, top and bottom plates 10
30 40 and the flow-guiding plate 20 are positioned relative to
each other by engagement of a plurality of positioning posts 124
424 224 which are formed on the top surface of a corresponding
one of the intermediate and bottom plates 10 40 and the flow-guiding
plate 20 with a plurality of positioning holes 134 324 234 which
are formed in the bottom surface of a corresponding one of the intermediate
and top plates 10 30 and the flow-guiding plate 20.
Because the intermediate plates 10 can be easily removed from and
mounted to the remaining parts of the water filter 100 when the
water to be processed is comparatively dirty, the number of the
intermediate plates 10 the seal rings 123 133 the O-rings 161
and the filter units 50 can be increased accordingly.
With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous
modifications and variations can be made without departing from
the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended
that this invention be limited only as indicated by the appended
claims. |