Water filter abstract
A water filter comprising a hollow cylindrical base, a filter assembly
fastened in said base at the top which is comprised of an inner
filter tube covered with a braided outer filter tube, a cylindrical
casing covered on said filter assembly and attached to said base
at the top, a ater outlet pipe connected to said base at the bottom,
a water intake pipe and a drain pipe respective connected to said
base, a plunger fastened in a cylindrical hole inside said base
and rotated by a lever, wherein said plunger has a plurality of
water passage holes alternatively rotated by said lever to let an
intake flow of water from said water intake pipe: (a) flow toward
said water outlet pipe directly; (b) flow through said filter assembly
to said water outlet pipe (c) flow through the space between said
inner filter tube and said outer filter tube and then, penetrate
through said outer filter tube toward said drain pipe; (d) flow
into the space between said outer filter tube and said cylindrical
casing and penetrate through said outer filter tube and then, flow
toward said drain pipe; or (e) be stopped from flowing through said
base.
Water filter claims
I claim:
1. A water filter, comprising:
a hollow, cylindrical base, said base comprising a cylindrical
hole transversely disposed at the inside, an outer thread at the
top, a water intake port aligned with said cylindrical hole at one
end and connected to a water supply through a water intake pipe,
an inner annular groove and an outer annular groove concentrically
disposed on said top edge, two water inlet holes and two water outlet
holes respectively made on said inner annular groove and said outer
annular groove and communicated to said cylindrical hole, an upper
water passage way and a lower water passage way vertically disposed
at two opposite locations, a water outlet port attached with a water
outlet pipe and communicated to said cylindrical hole through said
lower water passage way, and a drain port vertical to said cylindrical
hole and attached with a drain pipe;
a casing attached to said base at the top, said casing having one
end opened and an opposite end closed, the opened end of said casing
having an inner thread being in mesh with the outer thread on said
base;
a filter assembly held inside said casing, said filter assembly
consisted of inner filter tube and an outer filter tube, said inner
filter tube being made from a solid tube stuffed with sponges and
active carbons and having two opposite ends sealed with a top end
cap and a bottom end cap respectively, said outer filter tube being
made from a braided fiber cloth sleeved on said inner filter and
retained between said two end caps;
a plunger fastened in said cylindrical hole of said base and rotated
by a lever, said plunger comprising an elongated rod extending from
a cylindrical body, said elongated rod being extended out of said
base and coupled with said lever, said cylindrical body having a
recessed water chamber at one end disposed adjacent to said water
intake port and a plurality of water passage holes separately communicated
to said recessed water chamber; and
wherein rotating said lever causes said plunger to guide an intake
flow of water to (a) flow toward said water outlet pipe directly;
(b) flow through said filter assembly to said water outlet pipe;
(c) flow through the space between said inner filter tube and said
outer filter tube and then, penetrate through said outer filter
tube toward said drain pipe; (d) flow into the space between said
outer filter tube and said cylindrical casing and penetrate through
said outer filter tube and then, flow toward said drain pipe; or
(e) be stopped from flowing through said base.
2. The water filter of claim 1 wherein said top end cap is made
from a cylindrical, stepped block comprised of a narrower body portion
extending from a wider head portion, said body portion having an
annular groove around a peripheral surface thereof adjacent to said
head portion and a plurality of water passage holes on a bottom
edge thereof respectively communicated to the annular groove thereof
for passing a flow of water.
3. The water filter of claim 1 wherein said bottom end cap is
made from a stepped block comprising a first connecting end at one
end connected to said base, a second connecting end at an opposite
end connected to said inner filter tube, a circular flange at the
middle divided into an upper ring and a lower ring by an annular
groove, and a through hole through the central axis thereof and
connected between said inner filter tube and said upper water passage
way of said base, said lower ring comprising two concentric, ring-shaped
water passage ways, said two concentric, ring-shaped water passage
ways including an inner ring-shaped water passage way passing through
said upper ring, and an outer ring-shaped water passage way communicated
to the annular groove between said upper and lower rings.
4. The water filter of claim 1 wherein said inner annular groove
and said outer annular groove are respectively disposed at locations
corresponding to said inner ring-shaped water passage way and said
outer ring-shaped water passage way of said bottom end cap.
Water filter description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to water filters and relates more
particularly to such a water filter which has a plunger fastened
in the housing thereof and controlled by a lever to change the direction
of an intake flow permitting it to be filtrated by a filter assembly
or guided to a water outlet pipe directly, or causing it to wash
or backwash said filter assembly.
Several water filter devices have been known and used in filtering
city water. If a water filter is used in filtering city water, its
filter element must be regularly cleaned or replaced so that a satisfactory
filtering effect can be constantly obtained. However, it is not
an easy job to wash or replace the filter element of a water filter.
Further, while washing a water filter, the flow or washing water
passes through the same water passage way as the filtrate does.
Therefore, the flow of washing water which carries impurities out
of the filter element may contaminate the piping of the water filter
again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished under the aforesaid
circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a water filter which has means controlled by a lever
to guide an intake flow of water for washing or backwashing a filter
assembly therein. It is another object of the present invention
to provide a water filter which has a separate drain port for drawing
off a washing or backwashing flow of water which passes through
the filter assembly therein. It is still another object of the present
invention to provide a water filter which is simple in structure
and inexpensive and has all water passage ways concealed from the
sight.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water filter embodying the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the base thereof;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on FIG. 3 along line A--A';
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on FIG. 3 along line B--B';
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the water filter showing that
the water filter is turned to the "STOP" mode;
FIG. 7 is another side sectional view of the water filter showing
that the water filter is turned to the "CRUDE WATER" mode;
FIG. 8 is still another side sectional view of the water filter
showing that the water filter is turned to the "FILTRATION"
mode;
FIG. 9 is still another side sectional view of the water filter
showing that the water filter is turned to the "BACKWASHING"
mode; and
FIG. 10 is still another side sectional view of the water filter
showing that the water filter is turned to the "RINSING"
mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 a water filter is comprised of a casing
1 mounted on a base 3 to hold a filter assembly 2 therein. The casing
1 is made in a cylindrical shape having one end closed and an opposite
end opened. The casing 1 has an inner thread 10 on the opened end
thereof by which it can be fastened to the base 3 through a screw
joint. The filter assembly 2 is comprised of an inner filter tube
20 a top end cap 21 fastened in said inner filter tube 20 at a
top end thereof, a bottom end cap 22 fastened in said inner filter
tube 20 at a bottom end thereof, and an outer filter tube 23 sleeved
on said inner tube 20 and retained between said top and bottom end
caps 21 22. The inner filter tube 20 has two inner threads 203
204 at two opposite ends and is stuffed with sponges 201 201' and
active carbons 202. The top and bottom end caps 21 22 each has
an outer thread 210 or 220 being respectively in mesh with the inner
threads 203 204 of the inner filter tube 20. The top end cap 21
is made from a cylindrical, stepped block comprised of a body portion
200 extending from a head portion 201 wherein the outer diameter
of said head portion 201 is relatively larger than that of said
body portion 200. An outer thread 210 and an annular groove 211
are made on the peripheral surface of the body portion 200. A plurality
of water outlet holes 212 are made on a bottom edge 202 of the body
portion 200 respectively communicated to the annular groove 211.
The head portion 201 has an annular groove 213 on a bottom edge
thereof adjacent to the body portion 200. The bottom end cap 22
is made from a stepped block consisted of three parts, namely, a
narrower part at an opposite end made with an outer thread 220 around
part at an opposite end made with an outer thread 220 around the
peripheral surface thereof, and a widest part at the middle formed
into an upper ring 224 and a lower ring 225 divided by an annlar
groove 223. Two ring-shaped water passage ways 22l6 227 are concentrically
made on the lower ring 225 wherein the inner ring-shaped water
passage way 226 passes through the annular groove 223 and turns
outwards through the outer thread 220; the outer ring-shaped water
passage way 227 communicates to the annular groove 223. The bottom
end cap 22 further comprises a through hole 221 through the central
axis thereof, namely, through the central axis of the hollow screw
rod 222. The through hole 221 is served as a water outlet hole for
discharging a filtrated flow of water. Three water seal rings 24
25 26 are respectively mounted on the lower ring 225 on a bottom
edge thereof, wherein the largest water seal ring 24 is disposed
around the outer ring-shaped water passage way 227 the medium water
seal ring 25 is disposed between the outer and inner ring-shaped
water passage ways 227 226 and the smallest water seal ring 26
is disposed around the hollow screw rod 222. The upper ring 224
has an annular groove 228 corresponding to the annular groove 213
on the top end cap 21. The outer filter tube 23 is made from a fiber
cloth suitable for filtering water and sleeved on the inner filter
tube 20. Once the outer filter tube 23 is sleeved on the inner filter
tube 20 its two opposite ends are respectively inserted into the
annular grooves 213 228 of the top and bottom end caps 21 22 while
the outer threads 210 220 of the top and bottom end caps 21 22
are respectively screwed into the inner threads 203 204 of the
inner filter tube 20.
Referring to FIG. 3 4 and 5 and seeing FIG. 2 again, the base
3 is made in a cylindrical shape having a first bolt hole 30 longitudinally
disposed on the top edge thereof and disposed in mesh with the hollow
screw rod 222 of the bottom end cap 22 a cylindrical hole 31 transversely
disposed at the inside and attached with a rubber tube 311 for holding
a plunger 4 a second bolt hole 32 on the peripheral surface thereof
disposed at one end of the cylindrical hole 31 and screwed up with
a ring-shaped element 45 which ring-shaped element 45 has a round
hole 451 at the center and is to stop the plunger 4 from moving
out of the base 3 a third bolt hole 33 on the peripheral surface
thereof disposed at an opposite end of the cylindrical hole 31 and
connected to a water supply pipe (not shown), an outer thread 34
on the peripheral surface thereof at one end and disposed in mesh
with the inner thread 10 on the casing 1 an inner annular groove
35 and an outer annular groove 36 on the top edge thereof corresponding
to the inner and outer ring-shaped water passage ways 226 227 on
the bottom end cap 22 two water inlet holes 351 361 and two water
outlet holes 352 362 respectively made on the two annular grooves
35 36 and communicated to the cylindrical hole 31 an upper water
passage way 371 and a lower water passage way 372 vertically disposed
at two opposite locations, a hollow screw rod 38 extending from
the bottom edge thereof for connecting an outlet pipe 5 and communicated
to the cylindrical hole 31 via the lower water passage way 372
a drin hole 39 on the peripheral wall surface thereof at right angle
relative to the cylindrical hole 31 and a drain pipe 391 connected
to the drain hole 39. The plunger 4 comprises a cylindrical body
42 set inside the cylindrical hole 31 and an elongated rod 41 extending
from the cylindrical body 42 and projected out of the ring-shaped
element 45 through the round hole 451 for connecting a lever 43
wherein the cylindrical body 42 has a recessed water chamber 44
on an end edge thereof and a plurality of water passage holes thereon
(the water passage holes will be described further). The lever 43
has a mounting hole (not shown) for inserting the elongated rod
41 and a bolt hole 431 at right angle for fastening a lock screw
(not shown) to firmly secure the lever 43 to the elongated rod 41.
When the outer thread 34 and the inner thread 10 are in mesh, a
water seal ring 341 is firmly retained in between the casing 1 and
the base 3 to seal up the gap therebetween.
Referring to FIGS. 6 7 8 9 and 10 and seeing FIG. 3 again, rotating
the lever 43 causes the plunger 4 to rotate in the cylindrical hole
31 for controlling five operational modes (functions) which include
"STOP", "FILTRATION", "CRUDE WATER",
"BACKWASHING", and "RINSING". These modes are
respectively outlined hereinafter.
1. When the lever 43 is rotated to the "STOP" mode to
stop the supply of water, the water passage holes on the cylindrical
body 42 of the plunger 4 are sealed by the rubber tube 311 and
therefore, the flow of water which is guided from a water supply
into the third bolt hole 33 is stopped at the third bolt hole 33
by the plunger 4 (see FIG. 6).
2. When the lever 43 is rotated to the "CRUDE WATER"
mode, a first water passage hole 421 on the cylindrical body 42
of the plunger 4 is aligned with the lower water passage way 372
permitting the flow of water which is guided from a water supply
into the third bolt hole 33 to directly discharge out of the hollow
screw rod 38 (see FIG. 7).
3. When the lever 43 is rotated to the "FILTRATION" mode,
the flow of water which is guided from a water supply into the third
bolt hole 33 flows through the recessed water chamber 44 a second
water passage hole 422 on the cylindrical body 42 of the plunger
4 the water inlet hole 361 into the outer annular groove 36 (see
FIG. 3), then, flows from the outer annular groove 36 through the
outer ring-shaped water passage way 227 and the annular groove 223
into the space between the casing 1 and the outer filter tube 23.
The flow of water which is accumulated in the space between the
casing 1 and the outer filter tube 23 immediately penetrates through
the outer filter tube 23 and flows into the inner filter tube 20
via the annular groove 211 and the water outlet holes 212. While
passing through the inner filter tube 20 the flow of water is filtrated
by the sponges 201 201' and the active carbons 202. After filtration
through the inner filter tube 20 the flow of water immediately
flows through the through hole 221 the upper water passage way
371 and a third water passage hole 423 on the cylindrical body 42
of the plunger 4 into the hollow screw rod 38 via the lower water
passage way 372 (see FIG. 8).
4. When the lever 43 is rotated to the "BACKWASHING"
mode, as shown in FIG. 9 the flow of water which is guided from
a water supply into the third bolt hole 33 flows through the recessed
water chamber 44 a fourth water passage hole 424 on the cylindrical
body 42 of the plunger 4 and the water inlet hole 351 into the inner
annular groove 35 (see FIG. 3), then, flows from the inner annular
groove 35 through the inner ring-shaped water passage way 226 into
the space between the inner filter tube 20 and the outer filter
tube 23. The flow of water which is accumulated in the space between
the inner filter tube 20 and the outer filter tube 23 immediately
penetrates through the outer filter tube 23 to carry impurities
out of the meshes on the outer filter tube 23. Because the upper
water passage way 371 is blocked by the cylindrical body 42 of the
plunger 4 the flow of water is forced to flow through the annular
groove 223 the outer ring-shaped water passage way 227 the outer
annular groove 36 and the outlet hole 362 into a fifth water passage
hole 425 on the cylindrical body 42 of the plunger 4. Because the
fifth water passage hole 425 is aligned with the drain hole 39 (see
FIG. 5), the flow of water is guided from the fifth water passage
hole 425 into the drain hole 39 to drain away through the drain
pipe 391.
5. When the lever 43 is rotated to the "RINSING" mode,
as shown in FIG. 10 the flow of water which is guided from a water
supply into the third bolt hole 33 flows through the recessed water
chamber 44 a six water passage hole 426 on the cylindrical body
42 of the plunger 4 and the water inlet hole 361 into the outer
annular groove 36 then, flows from the outer annular groove 36
through the outer ring-shaped water passage way 227 into the space
between the outer filter tube 23 and the casing 1. The flow of water
which is accumulated in the space between the outer filter tube
23 and the casing 1 immediately penetrates through the outer filter
tube 23 to carry impurities out of the meshes on the outer filter
tube 23 and flows through the inner water passage way 226 the inner
annular groove 35 the water outlet hole 352 and a seventh water
pasage hole 427 and an eighth water passage hole 428 on the cylindrical
body 42 of the plunger 4 into the drain hole 39 and the drain pipe
391 for drawing away. Therefore, the outer filter tube 23 is washed
from the inside when the lever 43 is rotated to the "RINSING"
mode, or washed from the outside when the lever 43 is rotated to
the "BACKWASHING" mode.
|