Water conditioning systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017942-B2
Application number	US-202017085029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

Water conditioning systems are shown and described. The water conditioning systems include a water conditioner having a plurality of conditioning stages along a flow path between an inlet and an outlet that are configured to condition water. The plurality of conditioning stages include a pre-filter stage, a feed pump, a reverse osmosis stage, and a post-filter stage. A pure water valve is arranged between the feed pump and the reverse osmosis stage and a boost valve is arranged between the feed pump and the outlet. The pure water valve is configured to selectively allow water to flow from the feed pump, through the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, prior to exiting through the outlet, and the boost valve is configured to selectively allow water to flow from the boost pump directly to the outlet and bypassing the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water conditioning system, comprising:
a frame;
a water conditioner supported on the frame, the water conditioner having a plurality of conditioning stages arranged along a flow path between an inlet and an outlet, the water conditioner configured to condition water, and the plurality of conditioning stages comprising, in a direction along the flow path, a pre-filter stage, a feed pump, a reverse osmosis stage, and a post-filter stage;
wheels coupled to the frame, the water conditioner and the frame being moveable on the wheels to form a manually moveable unit;
a pure water valve arranged between the feed pump and the reverse osmosis stage;
a boost valve arranged between the feed pump and the outlet,
wherein the pure water valve is configured to selectively allow the water to flow from the feed pump, through the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, prior to exiting through the outlet, and
wherein the boost valve is configured, in response to a user input, to selectively allow the water to flow from the feed pump directly to the outlet and bypassing the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, and increase a water pressure at the outlet; and
a handheld cleaning implement fluidly coupled to the manually moveable unit and the handheld cleaning implement including a cleaning brush configured to receive the water from the outlet of the water conditioner,
wherein the handheld cleaning implement is further fluidly coupled to receive the water directly from the boost valve in response to the user input.

2. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising a one-way valve arranged between the post-filter stage and the outlet.

3. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising a water counter arranged between the pre-filter stage and the feed pump.

4. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising a pump control arranged downstream from both the boost valve and the post-filter stage.

5. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising a total dissolved solids sensor arranged just before the outlet along the flow path.

6. A water conditioning system, comprising:
a frame;
a water conditioner supported on the frame, the water conditioner having a plurality of conditioning stages arranged along a flow path between an inlet and an outlet, the water conditioner configured to condition water, and the plurality of conditioning stages comprising, in a direction along the flow path, a pre-filter stage, a feed pump, a reverse osmosis stage, and a post-filter stage;
wheels coupled to the frame, the water conditioner and the frame being moveable on the wheels to form a manually moveable unit;
a pure water valve arranged between the feed pump and the reverse osmosis stage;
a boost valve arranged between the feed pump and the outlet,
wherein the pure water valve is configured to selectively allow the water to flow from the feed pump, through the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, prior to exiting through the outlet, and
wherein the boost valve is configured, in response to a user input, to selectively allow the water to flow from the feed pump directly to the outlet and bypassing the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, and increase a water pressure at the outlet; and
a handheld cleaning implement fluidly coupled to the manually moveable unit and the handheld cleaning implement including a cleaning brush configured to receive the water from the outlet of the water conditioner,
wherein the handheld cleaning implement is further fluidly coupled to receive the water directly from the boost valve in response to the user input,
wherein, when the pure water valve is open and the boost valve is closed, treated water is dispensed from the outlet having a rate of 300 liters per hour or less.

7. The water conditioning system of claim 6 , wherein the treated water has a pressure of 4 bar or less.

8. A water conditioning system, comprising:
a frame;
a water conditioner supported on the frame, the water conditioner having a plurality of conditioning stages arranged along a flow path between an inlet and an outlet, the water conditioner configured to condition water, and the plurality of conditioning stages comprising, in a direction along the flow path, a pre-filter stage, a feed pump, a reverse osmosis stage, and a post-filter stage;
wheels coupled to the frame, the water conditioner and the frame being moveable on the wheels to form a manually moveable unit;
a pure water valve arranged between the feed pump and the reverse osmosis stage;
a boost valve arranged between the feed pump and the outlet,
wherein the pure water valve is configured to selectively allow the water to flow from the feed pump, through the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, prior to exiting through the outlet, and
wherein the boost valve is configured, in response to a user input, to selectively allow the water to flow from the feed pump directly to the outlet and bypassing the reverse osmosis stage and the post-filter stage, and increase a water pressure at the outlet; and
a handheld cleaning implement fluidly coupled to the manually moveable unit and the handheld cleaning implement including a cleaning brush configured to receive the water from the outlet of the water conditioner,
wherein the handheld cleaning implement is further fluidly coupled to receive the water directly from the boost valve in response to the user input,
wherein, when the boost valve is open and the pure water valve is closed, treated water is dispensed from the outlet having a rate of 600 liters per hour or greater.

9. The water conditioning system of claim 8 , wherein the treated water has a pressure of 6 bar or greater.

10. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the pre-filter stage comprises a sediment and carbon pre-filter.

11. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the reverse osmosis stage comprises at least one of a reverse osmosis membrane and a nano filtration membrane.

12. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the post-filter stage comprises a deionization polisher.

13. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to selectively control operation of the pure water valve and the boost valve.

14. The water conditioning system of claim 13 , wherein the switch is at least one of an electronic switch, a mechanical switch, and an electromechanical switch.

15. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote-control device configured to control at least one of an on/off state of the water conditioning system and a boost/pure water operation of the water conditioning system.

16. The water conditioning system of claim 15 , wherein the remote-control device is configured to wirelessly communicate or communicate through a wire with a received receiver on the water conditioning system.

17. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the handheld cleaning implement comprises the cleaning brush at an end of a pole.

18. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator element on the handheld cleaning implement, wherein the indicator element is configured to generate a notification associated with the treated water.

19. The water conditioning system of claim 18 , wherein the indicator element is one of a light, a speaker, and a haptic feedback device.

20. The water conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the handheld

Assignees

• Unger Marketing Int Llc

Inventors

• Harrington William
• Hirsch Kai
• Huda Stephen P
• Stockfleit Michael
• Haag Adrian

Classifications

• C02F1/42

  by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) · CPC title

• C02F2103/02

  Non-contaminated water, e.g. for industrial water supply · CPC title

• C02F2201/008

  Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle · CPC title

• B08B13/00

  Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning · CPC title

• C02F2301/043

  Treatment of partial or bypass streams · CPC title