Chlorine generator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10577263-B2
Application number	US-201815959071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

A chlorine generator apparatus wherein a housing is adapted to be mounted in an exterior, user-accessible surface of a spa and a chlorine generating electrode cartridge carrying a pair of electrodes is configured to be installable by a user in the housing and to thereafter be removeable by the user for replacement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chlorine generator apparatus comprising:
a housing adapted to be mounted in an exterior, user-accessible surface of a spa; and
an electrode cartridge configured to be installable by a user into said housing and to thereafter be removeable by the user for replacement;
wherein the electrode cartridge comprises:
first and second electrodes, each including a vertical portion which forms into a horizontal base portion from which extends an outwardly curved spring arm electrical contact; and
wherein said housing comprises first and second internal electrical contact terminals formed on an inner surface thereof and wherein the outwardly curved spring arm electrical contacts of the first and second electrodes are respectively positioned to make electrical contact with said first and second internal electrical contact terminals when said electrode cartridge is fully inserted into the housing.

2. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrode cartridge comprises a handle grippable by the user.

3. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises:
a wall fitting adapted to be installed into said user-accessible surface; and
a cap removably attachable to the wall fitting by a user to provide user access to the electrode cartridge.

4. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cap comprises an internal web structure which positions and holds the electrode cartridge in place during operation.

5. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horizontal base portion of each of the first and second electrodes respectively fit into a respective mating opening in an electrode cup.

6. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 5 wherein each horizontal base portion is held in place by a bottom surface of a handle component of the electrode cartridge.

7. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outwardly curved spring arm electrical contacts are spring-biased into electrical contact with said first and second internal electric contact terminals.

8. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first and second internal electric contact terminals comprise a portion of respective electrical contacts which extend through said housing to provide electrical interconnection with cooperating apparatus.

9. A chlorine generator apparatus comprising:
a housing adapted to be mounted in an exterior, user-accessible surface of a spa;
an electrode cartridge configured to be installable by a user into said housing and to thereafter be removeable by the user for replacement;
a groove formed in an inner wall of said housing;
first and second locking bars having first and second projections on respective outer ends thereof and mounted to slide laterally in said cartridge such that said first and second projections can come into engagement with said groove to lock said cartridge in position; and
a spring loaded plunger shaped and positioned to cause said first and second locking bars to move laterally such that said projections come into engagement with said groove.

10. The chlorine generator apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of said first and second projections is ball-shaped.

11. A user replaceable electrode cartridge adapted to be installed into a housing beneath a removable lid of the housing by a user of a spa and comprising:
a handle component grippable by the spa user to insert the electrode cartridge into the housing and to pull the electrode cartridge out of the housing for replacement;
first and second electrodes mounted beneath the handle component for generating chlorine from spa water;
first and second electrical contacts positioned on the outer most side edges of said electrode cartridge, one of the first and second electrical contacts being electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second electrodes;
wherein a portion of each of the first and second electrical contacts is positioned within a respective electrode guard located on the outer most side edges and has a conductive surface which extends outside of the respective electrode guard; and
wherein each of the conductive surfaces of the first and second electrical contacts is spring biased outwardly away from a said outer most side edge such that each conductive surface is depressible inwardly toward said electrode cartridge against said spring bias.

12. A user replaceable electrode cartridge adapted to be installed into a housing beneath a removable lid of the housing by a user of a spa and comprising:
a handle component grippable by the spa user to insert the electrode cartridge into the housing and to pull the electrode cartridge out of the housing for replacement;
first and second electrodes mounted beneath the handle component for generating chlorine from spa water, the first and second electrodes each including a vertical portion which forms into a horizontal base portion from which extends an outwardly curved electrical contact;
an electrode cup located beneath the handle component and having first and second slots, a respective one of the vertical portions of the first and second electrodes extending through a respective one of said slots, the electrode cup further having first and second openings, a respective one of the horizontal base portions of the first and second electrodes residing in a respective one of said first and second openings, each horizontal base portion being held in place by a bottom surface of the handle component;
wherein a portion of each outwardly curved electrical contact is positioned within a respective guard and has a contact surface which extends outside of the respective guard, each of the contact surfaces of the first and second electrical contacts being spring biased outwardly such that each contact surface is depressible inwardly against the spring bias.

13. A chlorine generator apparatus comprising:
a housing adapted to be installed in an exterior, user-accessible top surface of a spa in a vertical position in an opening in the top surface, the opening being located above the water level in the spa; and
an electrode cartridge configured to be installable by a user downward vertically into the housing such that the electrode cartridge resides entirely within the housing and beneath a cap removeably attachable to the housing, the electrode cartridge thereafter being removeable upwardly and out of the housing by the user for replacement;
wherein the electrode cartridge comprises a handle grippable by the user and first and second electrodes positioned to extend into the housing;
wherein the housing comprises a wall fitting adapted to be mounted in the opening in the top surface of the spa;
wherein the cap is removably attachable to the wall fitting above the installed electrode cartridge and is openable by a user to provide user access to the handle of the installed electrode cartridge in order to pull the electrode cartridge vertically out of the housing;
wherein the top surface of the spa is a bar top area of a portable spa; and
wherein the housing has a first internal electrical contact mounted on an interior side surface thereof and a second internal electrical contact mounted on an interior side surface thereof and wherein the electrode cartridge has first and second electrical contacts positioned to be in electrical contact with a respective one of said first and second internal electrical contacts when said electrode cartridge is in an installed position in the housing.

Assignees

• Watkins Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Mccague Michael
• Oddou Paul

Classifications

• C02F1/4674 Primary

  with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine · CPC title

• A61L2/18

  Liquid substances · CPC title

• C02F1/46109

  Electrodes · CPC title

• A61L2/26

  Accessories · CPC title

• C02F2201/006

  Cartridges · CPC title