Method of manufacturing a cartridge for a fluid treatment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10143949-B2
Application number	US-201314385131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2013
Priority date	Mar 20, 2012
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a cartridge for a fluid treatment system, wherein the cartridge includes a housing defining at least one chamber for a fluid treatment medium, includes providing a cartridge housing part including at least one wall defining at least one opening closable by a filter element. The filter element includes a porous body for at least mechanically filtering fluid flowing into the filter element through at least one first surface area of the filter element, through the porous body and out through at least one second surface area of the filter element. The filter element includes a rim, covering at least a peripheral face of the porous body so as to frame the first and second surface areas. The filter element is combined with the cartridge housing part so as to close at least one of the at least one openings by bonding the rim to the cartridge housing part.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of manufacturing a cartridge for a fluid treatment system, wherein the cartridge includes a housing defining at least one chamber, including:
providing a cartridge housing part including at least one wall defining at least one opening closable by a filter element;
providing the filter element, wherein the filter element includes a porous body for at least mechanically filtering fluid flowing into the filter element through at least one first surface area of the filter element, through the porous body and out through at least one second surface area of the filter element, wherein the porous body is a sintered body comprising at least a binder, and wherein the filter element includes a rim, attached to the porous body and covering at least a peripheral face of the porous body so as to frame the first and second surface areas; and
combining the filter element with the cartridge housing part so as to close the at least one opening by bonding the rim to the cartridge housing part by welding, soldering or adhesive bonding via an adhesive or filler material.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge housing is made of thermoplastic material and the rim is ultrasonically welded to the cartridge housing part.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the porous body is planar, and wherein the first and second surface areas are essentially parallel to a plane of the porous body and face in opposite directions.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the porous body is self-supporting.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the filter element includes:
providing an amount of loose material including a binder in a mould; and
causing the loose material to be bound in the mould.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rim is over-moulded.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder is a thermoplastic binder.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the porous body comprises a material for treatment of the fluid by sorption.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a fluid treatment medium is inserted into the cartridge housing part prior to combining the filter element with the cartridge housing part.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber contains a granular fluid treatment medium.

11. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the cartridge housing part includes an outer side wall, laterally enclosing the at least one chamber, wherein inward-facing surfaces of the side wall terminate at one end in an edge defining the at least one opening and lying essentially in a plane at an angle to the inward-facing surfaces of the side wall, and wherein the outer side wall flares outwards along its circumference, so that only the edge defines the at least one opening.

12. A cartridge for a fluid treatment system, including:
a housing defining at least one chamber, the housing including a cartridge housing part including at least one wall defining at least one opening;
at least one filter element, the filter element closing the at least one opening,
wherein the filter element includes a porous body for at least mechanically filtering fluid flowing into the filter element through at least one first surface area of the filter element, through the porous body and out through at least one second surface area of the filter element,
wherein the porous body is a sintered body comprising at least a binder,
wherein the filter element includes a rim, attached to the porous body and covering at least a peripheral face of the porous body so as to frame the first and second surface areas, and
wherein the rim is welded, soldered or adhesively bonded via an adhesive or filler material to the cartridge housing part.

13. The cartridge according to claim 12 , having a body axis defining first and second opposite ends of the cartridge, wherein the at least one filter element is provided at the first end and at least one mechanism for attaching the cartridge to an outlet of a reservoir for accommodating untreated fluid is provided at the second end.

14. A fluid treatment system, including:
a cartridge comprising;
a housing defining at least one chamber, the housing including a cartridge housing part including at least one wall defining at least one opening;
at least one filter element, the filter element closing the at least one opening,
wherein the filter element includes a porous body for at least mechanically filtering fluid flowing into the filter element through at least one first surface area of the filter element, through the porous body and out through at least one second surface area of the filter element, wherein the porous body is a sintered body comprising at least a binder and wherein the filter element includes a rim, attached to the porous body and covering at least a peripheral face of the porous body so as to frame the first and second surface areas, and
wherein the rim is welded, soldered or adhesively bonded via an adhesive or filler material to the cartridge housing part;
a mechanical interface for connecting the cartridge to a supply of untreated fluid so as to establish a fluid-tight connection with an inlet of the cartridge; and
a device for collecting fluid treated in the cartridge.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rim has a lower permeability to fluid than the porous body.

16. The cartridge according to claim 12 , wherein the rim has a lower permeability to fluid than the porous body.

17. The fluid treatment system according to claim 14 , wherein the rim has a lower permeability to fluid than the porous body.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises point-bonded particles.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the porous body is formed of loose material bound by the binder.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the porous body is planar and one or both surfaces of the porous body parallel to a plane of the porous body are covered by a sheet of permeable textile.

21. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the filter element is arranged in an outlet of the chamber and a retainer with a larger mesh size is arranged in an inlet of the chamber.

22. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the cartridge housing part includes an outer side wall, laterally enclosing the at least one chamber, and transitioning at an axial end into an end wall,
wherein the end wall extends radially inwards over a distance large enough to provide a flange defining an opening, and
wherein the opening is closed by the filter element by bonding the rim to the flange.

23. The cartridge according to claim 12 ,
wherein the porous body is self-supporting,
wherein the cartridge housing part includes an outer side wall, laterally enclosing the at least one chamber, and transitioning at an axial end into an end wall,
wherein the end wall extends radially inwards over a distance large enough to provide a flange defining an opening, and
wherein the rim is bonded to the flange so that the filter element closes the opening.

24. The cartridge according to claim 12 ,
wherein the porous body is self-supporting,
wherein the cartridge housing part includes an outer side wall, laterally enclosing the at least one chamber,
terminate at one end in an edge defining the at least one opening and lying in a plane at an angle to inward-facing surfaces of the side wall, and,
wherein the outer sid

Assignees

• Brita Gmbh

Inventors

• Taszarek Josef
• Guckes Gunder
• Festner Maria
• Lang Uwe
• Schuler Tobias
• Forst Juergen
• Hoerning Thomas

Classifications

• C02F2307/04

  as part of a pitcher or jug · CPC title

• C02F1/003 Primary

  using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D35/30 Primary

  Filter housing constructions · CPC title

• C02F2201/006

  Cartridges · CPC title

• C02F1/002

  using small portable filters for producing potable water, e.g. personal travel or emergency equipment, survival kits, combat gear (C02F1/003 takes precedence) · CPC title