Water purification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083454-B2
Application number	US-202217721998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2022
Priority date	Apr 15, 2022
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A water purification system includes: a housing; a reservoir mounted to the housing and configured to hold and provide unfiltered water to the housing; a dispensing spout mounted to the housing and configured to dispense filtered water; and a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes: a filter unit with an inlet fluidly connected with the reservoir, and the outlet fluidly connected with the dispensing spout; a filter receptacle configured to connect the filter unit inlet with the reservoir and the filter unit outlet with the dispensing spout; and a locking yoke. The locking yoke is configured to move between a locked position, in which the locking yoke engages the filter unit and retains the filter unit in the receptacle, and an unlocked position, in which the locking yoke disengages from the filter unit to enable the filter unit to be removed from the receptacle.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A water purification system, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir mounted to the housing and configured to hold and provide unfiltered water to the housing;
a dispensing spout mounted to the housing and configured to dispense filtered water; and
a filter assembly mounted within the housing, the filter assembly comprising:
a filter unit with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being fluidly connected with the reservoir, and the outlet being fluidly connected with the dispensing spout;
a filter receptacle removably mounted to the housing, the filter receptacle configured to connect the filter unit inlet with the reservoir and the filter unit outlet with the dispensing spout when the filter unit is mounted in the filter receptacle; and
a locking yoke movably mounted to the filter receptacle, the locking yoke configured to move between a locked position, in which the locking yoke engages the filter unit and retains the filter unit in the filter receptacle, and an unlocked position, in which the locking yoke disengages from the filter unit to enable the filter unit to be removed from the filter receptacle.

2. The water purification system defined in claim 1 , further including a biasing member that biases the locking yoke toward the locked position.

3. The water purification system defined in claim 1 , wherein the filter unit includes a pair of radially-extending tabs disposed on opposite sides thereof, and wherein the locking yoke includes a pair of radially-extending hooks that support the pair of radially-extending tabs in the locked position.

4. The water purification system defined in claim 3 , wherein each tab of the pair of radially-extending tabs includes an upwardly-facing beveled surface, and wherein each hook of the pair of radially-extending hooks includes a downwardly-facing beveled surface.

5. The water purification system defined in claim 3 , wherein the filter receptacle includes a pair of diametrically-opposed windows, and wherein each tab of the pair of radially-extending tabs engages a corresponding hook of the pair of radially-extending hooks within a corresponding window.

6. The water purification system defined in claim 5 , wherein each window of the pair of diametrically-opposed windows merges with a slot positioned to at least partially receive the corresponding hook in the unlocked position.

7. The water purification system defined in claim 3 , wherein the locking yoke includes two splayed arms, and wherein each arm of the two splayed arms includes a deflector that engages the filter receptacle to cause the pair of radially-extending hooks to move radially outwardly in the unlocked position.

8. The water purification system defined in claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet of the filter unit are defined by separate ports.

9. The water purification system defined in claim 1 , wherein the filter unit includes a first flat generally vertical surface, and the filter receptacle includes a second flat generally vertical surface, and wherein the first flat generally vertical surface confronts the second flat generally vertical surface when the filter unit is mounted in the filter receptacle.

10. The water purification system defined in claim 1 , further comprising a fitting mounted to the filter receptacle, wherein the fitting is configured to convey water between the reservoir and the filter unit inlet, and between the filter unit outlet and the dispensing spout.

11. A water purification system, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir mounted to the housing and configured to hold and provide unfiltered water to the housing;
a dispensing spout mounted to the housing and configured to dispense filtered water; and
a filter assembly mounted within the housing, the filter assembly comprising:
a filter unit with an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being fluidly connected with the reservoir, and the outlet being fluidly connected with the dispensing spout, wherein the filter unit includes a pair of radially-extending tabs disposed on opposite sides thereof;
a filter receptacle removably mounted to the housing, the filter receptacle configured to connect the filter unit inlet with the reservoir and the filter unit outlet with the dispensing spout when the filter unit is mounted in the filter receptacle; and
a locking yoke movably mounted to the filter receptacle, the locking yoke including two splayed arms, each arm including a radially-extending hook that supports one of the tabs of the filter unit when in a locked position, the locking yoke configured to move between the locked position, in which the hooks of the locking yoke engage the tabs of the filter unit and retain the filter unit in the filter receptacle, and an unlocked position, in which the hooks of the locking yoke disengage from the tabs of the filter unit to enable the filter unit to be removed from the filter receptacle.

12. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , further including a biasing member that biases the locking yoke toward the locked position.

13. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , wherein the filter receptacle includes a pair of diametrically-opposed windows, and wherein each tab engages a respective hook within a respective window.

14. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , wherein each arm further includes a deflector that engages the filter receptacle to cause the hooks to move radially outwardly in the unlocked position.

15. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , wherein the inlet and the outlet of the filter unit are defined by separate ports.

16. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , wherein the filter unit includes a first flat generally vertical surface, and the filter receptacle includes a second flat generally vertical surface, and wherein the first flat generally vertical surface confronts the second flat generally vertical surface when the filter unit is mounted in the filter receptacle.

17. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , wherein the inlet and the outlet of the filter unit are defined by separate ports.

18. The water purification system defined in claim 11 , further comprising a fitting mounted to the filter receptacle, wherein the fitting is configured to convey water between the reservoir and the filter unit inlet, and between the filter unit outlet and the dispensing spout.

19. A water purification system, comprising:
a housing;
a reservoir mounted to the housing and configured to hold and provide unfiltered water to the housing;
a dispensing spout mounted to the housing and configured to dispense filtered water; and
a filter assembly mounted within the housing, the filter assembly comprising:
a filter unit with an inlet and an outlet that is separate and distinct from the inlet, the inlet being fluidly connected with the reservoir, and the outlet being fluidly connected with the dispensing spout;
a filter receptacle removably mounted to the housing, the filter receptacle configured to connect the filter unit inlet with the reservoir and the filter unit outlet with the dispensing spout when the filter unit is mounted in the filter receptacle; and
a locking yoke movably mounted to the filter receptacle, the locking yoke configured to move between a locked position, in which the locking yoke engages the filter unit and retains the filter unit in the filter receptacle, and an unlocked position, in which the locking yoke disengages from the filter unit to enable the filter unit to be removed from the filter receptacle;

Assignees

• Hamilton Beach Brands Inc
• Brita Lp

Inventors

• Romandy Mark K

Classifications

• B01D29/31

  Self-supporting filtering elements · CPC title

• C02F2307/10

  as part of a potable water dispenser, e.g. for use in homes or offices · CPC title

• B01D2201/4076

  Anti-rotational means · CPC title

• C02F1/001

  Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00) · CPC title

• B01D29/15

  arranged for inward flow filtration · CPC title