Container for filter-as-you-pour system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479697-B2
Application number	US-201415039008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to container bodies configured to be used in filter-as-you-pour systems, where filtering is achieved as the user pours water from the container. Such container bodies may have an undivided internal storage volume, so as to not include a reservoir compartment for unfiltered water. They may be part of systems configured to filter water both as water is introduced into a container body of the system and as water is poured from the container body of the system. The filter assembly may be attached to the container body at a location proximate the outlet of the system. Filter media of the filter assembly may comprise an activated carbon textile material that presents a curved surface to water passing through the filter assembly. The container body may be configured as a pitcher, carafe, water bottle, jug, or other shaped container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filter-as-you-pour system configured to filter water as the water is poured from the system, the system comprising:
a container body defining an internal storage volume extending from a top edge to a bottom floor of the container body and configured to hold the water;
a filter assembly attachable to the container body or a lid body, the filter assembly being disposed so as to be in a flow stream of the water as the water is poured from the container body through an outlet so that all water exiting through the outlet passes through the filter assembly to filter the water before exiting through the outlet;
wherein the internal storage volume defined from the top edge to the bottom floor of the container body is undivided when the container body and filter assembly are assembled, so as to not include a reservoir compartment for unfiltered water and another compartment for filtered water, with the filter assembly disposed between the two compartments; and
wherein filter media of the filter assembly comprises an activated carbon textile material wrapped around and in contact with a sidewall of an inner hollow core frame member to define a central hollow section and to present an annular curved surface to the water entering and passing through the annular curved surface of the filter assembly;
wherein the filter assembly includes an open and non-partitioned filter top extending from the central hollow section to freely pass the water through the open and non-partitioned filter top to the outlet;
wherein the system further comprises the lid body, the outlet being disposed in the lid body and a separate spaced apart inlet disposed in the lid body configured to receive the unfiltered water into the internal storage volume without flowing through a filter or a reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly comprises a gravity flow filter.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly includes the inner hollow core frame member with the activated carbon textile material wrapped there around and a shell sandwiching and contacting the activated carbon textile material between the inner hollow core frame member and the shell, wherein the shell includes slots configured to enable the water to flow into the annular curved surface of the filter assembly from the container body in a radial direction toward a longitudinal axis of the filter assembly, and flow out of the open and non-partitioned filter top of the filter assembly towards the outlet in an axial direction.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to provide a minimum flow rate of 0.3 gallons per minute.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container body is a pitcher.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to only filter the water as the water is poured out of the container body when the container body and the filter assembly are assembled.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly is releasably attachable to the lid body at a location proximate the outlet of the system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is disposed in the container body.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the filter assembly is attachable to the container body at a location proximate the outlet of the system.

10. A filter-as-you-pour system configured to filter water as the water is poured from the system, the system comprising:
a container body defining an internal storage volume extending from a top edge to a bottom floor of the container body configured to hold the water;
an inlet through which unfiltered water may be introduced into and held in the internal storage volume of the container body;
an outlet separate and spaced apart from the inlet through which filtered water may be poured;
a lid body attachable to the container body, the inlet and the outlet disposed in the lid body; and
a filter assembly attached to the container body or the lid body at a location proximate the outlet of the system, the filter assembly having an open and non-partitioned top and configured to filter the water as the water is poured from the container body through the filter assembly, and out the open and non-partitioned top to the outlet of the system;
wherein the inlet is configured to enable the unfiltered water to be introduced into the internal storage volume of the container body through the inlet to the bottom floor of the container body without flowing through a filter or a reservoir while the system, including the container body, lid body, and filter assembly are assembled and enable the filtered water to exit the container body through the outlet, while the system, including the container body, lid body, and filter assembly are assembled;
wherein filter media of the filter assembly comprises an activated carbon textile material wrapped around and in contact with a sidewall of an inner hollow core frame member to define a central hollow section and to present an annular curved surface to the water entering and passing through the annular curved surface of the filter assembly.

11. The system of claim 10 , where the filter assembly comprises a gravity flow filter.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the filter assembly further includes a shell sandwiching the activated carbon textile material between the inner hollow core frame member and the shell, wherein the shell includes slots configured to enable the water to flow into the filter assembly from the container body in a radial direction toward a longitudinal axis of the filter assembly, and flow out of the filter assembly towards the open and non-partitioned top to the outlet in an axial direction, wherein the activated carbon textile material is in contact with a sidewall of the inner hollow core frame member and the shell.

13. The system of claim 10 , where the system is configured to provide a minimum flow rate of 0.3 gallons per minute.

Assignees

• Brita Lp

Inventors

• Dani Nikhil P
• Mcdonald Jonathan
• Doan Nicole
• Wiegele Jonathan Taylor

Classifications

• B01D29/96

  in which the filtering elements are moved between filtering operations; Particular measures for removing or replacing the filtering elements; Transport systems for filters (B01D29/09, B01D29/70 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D29/15

  arranged for inward flow filtration · CPC title

• C02F2307/04

  as part of a pitcher or jug · CPC title

• C02F2307/02

  as part of a bottle · CPC title

• C02F2303/185

  The treatment agent being halogen or a halogenated compound · CPC title