Filter cartridge for a whole house water filtering system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11471794-B2
Application number	US-202016782836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2020
Priority date	Feb 11, 2019
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A filter cartridge for a whole house water filter includes a cylindrical, or tubular, filter media coupled to a mixer tank with improved high flow mixing features. The mixer tank includes a bowl in which a flow diverter, a flow guide with angled fins and a filter media are provided. The flow diverter has a concave portion, i.e., a mushroom-shaped portion, the interior of which is in fluid connection with a central passage through which filtered water flows. In operation, the filtered water flows through the central passage and is deflected by the concave interior of the flow diverter down through the angled fins of the flow guide. The filtered water then passes out through an outlet. The mixer tank stirs the filter media and water mix to increase the kinetics of the mixing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter cartridge for a whole house water filtering system, comprising:
a filter having a central passage defined therein;
a mixer tank coupled to the filter such that an interior space of the mixer tank is fluidly coupled to the central passage;
a water conditioning media disposed in the mixer tank interior space;
a flow guide disposed in the mixer tank interior space, comprising:
a plurality of angled blades to create a circular flow pattern inside the mixer tank; and
a central tube; and

a flow diverter coupled to the flow guide comprising:
a dome portion having a concave interior surface; and
a stalk extending from the concave interior surface, the stalk disposed in the central tube to couple the flow diverter thereto,

wherein the central tube is aligned with the central passage of the filter.

2. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 1 , wherein the stalk comprises:
a plurality of ribs,
wherein each rib is configured to fit within the central tube.

3. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flow guide further comprises a circular outer collar, wherein the plurality of angled blades extend from the central tube and are coupled to the outer collar.

4. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of angled blades are equidistantly disposed about a circumference of the outer collar.

5. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mixer tank further comprises:
a cap, having an opening defined therein, coupled to the mixer tank to enclose the mixer tank interior; and
an exit filter disposed in the mixer tank and positioned to cover the cap opening, wherein the exit filter is configured to prevent the water conditioning media from passing through the cap opening.

6. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 5 , wherein the exit filter comprises a mesh screen.

7. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a screen positioned in the interior space of the mixer tank to prevent the water conditioning media from entering into the flow guide central tube.

8. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 1 , wherein the filter includes a top half and a bottom half configured to assemble via a filter cap disposed on a portion of the bottom half.

9. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 8 , wherein the filter cap includes a central flange defining a central aperture forming a portion of the central passage.

10. A whole house water filtering system, comprising:
a pressure vessel; and
a filter cartridge as recited in claim 1 disposed within the pressure vessel.

11. A filter cartridge for a whole house water filtering system, comprising:
a filter defining a central passage along an axis for egress of filtered fluid;
a mixer tank coupled to the filter such that an interior space of the mixer tank receives the filtered fluid from the central passage of the filter, wherein the mixer tank has a bottom portion;
a loose granular filter media in the bottom portion;
a flow diverter disposed above the bottom portion in the interior space of the mixer tank, the flow diverter having a concave portion configured to guide the filtered fluid in a direction opposite the direction of filtered fluid entering the flow diverter along the axis to the bottom portion to mix with the loose granular filter media in the interior space of the mixer tank; and
a flow guide disposed between the flow diverter and the interior space of the mixer tank, wherein the flow diverter further comprises a stalk disposed in the flow guide and extending from the concave portion to couple the flow diverter thereto.

12. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 11 , wherein the flow guide includes a plurality of angled blades configured to direct flow in a circular pattern in at least a portion of the interior space of the mixer tank.

13. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 12 , further comprising:
a mesh exit screen disposed adjacent to an exit port of the mixer tank,
wherein flow is directed through the central passage of the filter and thereafter redirected by the concave portion of the flow diverter,
wherein the angled blades of the flow guide direct the flow in a circular pattern around the interior space of the mixer tank such that the loose granular filter media is mixed with the flow,
wherein the flow thereafter passes through the mesh exit screen,
wherein the mesh exit screen excludes the loose granular filter media from passing through.

14. The filter cartridge as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a mesh exit screen disposed adjacent to an exit port of the mixer tank and the concave portion directs the loose granular filter media radially outward during settling.

15. A filter cartridge for a whole house water filtering system, comprising:
an elongated filter defining a central passage along an axis for egress of filtered flow;
a mixer tank having a bottom with an upstanding sidewall defining an interior space, the bottom defining a central hole aligned with the central passage;
a flow guide having: a central tube mounted in the central hole and fluidly coupled to the central passage for receiving the filtered flow; a collar surrounding the central tube; and a plurality of blades angled with respect to the axis and extending between the central tube and collar;
a loose granular filter media disposed in the interior space;
a flow diverter having a concave dome portion mounted above the central tube in the interior space to redirect the filtered flow passing through the central tube through the plurality of angled blades to create a swirling filtered flow in the bottom of the mixer tank to mix the filtered flow with the loose granular filter media;
a cap enclosing the interior of the mixer tank and defining an exit port for egress of the filtered flow forced upward and around the concave dome portion; and
an exit screen axially spaced between the concave dome portion and the exit port and the exit screen is axially spaced from the concave dome portion, wherein a central low pressure exit area and a radially outward high exit pressure area are created on the exit screen allowing the loose granular media to settle back into the bottom of the mixing tank to reduce clogging of the exit screen.

16. The filter cartridge of claim 15 , wherein: the concave dome portion is rounded; and the loose granular media is directed radially outward by the concave rounded dome portion during settling.

17. The filter cartridge of claim 16 , wherein the central low pressure exit area has a higher flow rate than the radially outward high exit pressure area.

18. The filter cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the mesh exit screen is circular in shape.

Assignees

• Watts Regulator Co

Inventors

• Schmitt Craig
• Preston Monica
• Ramirez Gilbert

Classifications

• C02F1/003 Primary

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

• B01D2101/02

  Carbon filters · CPC title

• B01D2201/302

  having inlet or outlet ports · CPC title

• B01D29/33

  arranged for inward flow filtration · CPC title

• B01D29/925

  containing liquid displacement elements or cores · CPC title