Chlorinators and replaceable cell cartridges therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12281490-B2
Application number	US-201816223500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2018
Priority date	Jul 29, 2011
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A chlorinator system for pools or spas is disclosed. The chlorinator system includes a replaceable chlorinator cell cartridge having built in sensors, switches, and custom connections. The chlorinator system includes a controller, a chlorinator, a replaceable cell cartridge, and compression fittings for connecting the chlorinator to piping of a pool or spa system. The cartridge includes a body, a bi-directional flow switch, a connector plug, a lid, a printed circuit board, which includes non-volatile memory, and electrically-charged plates or blades.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chlorinator comprising:
a body installable inline with a piping of a pool or a spa system; and
a replaceable cartridge receivable within said body, said replaceable cartridge having a cartridge cap defining a first cavity and a cartridge body attached to and depending from the cartridge cap, the cartridge cap and the cartridge body defining a second cavity positioned below the first cavity, a plurality of electrically-charged plates positioned within the second cavity and at least partially housed by the cartridge body, and a printed circuit board in electrical communication with said plurality of electrically-charged plates, said printed circuit board including a non-volatile memory for storing information relating to operation of said replaceable cartridge, said printed circuit board and said non-volatile memory positioned within the first cavity, said cartridge cap defined at least in part by an annular side wall and a bottom wall extending between the annular side wall, the bottom wall and the annular side wall positionable within the body of the chlorinator such that the annular side wall abuts an inner surface of the body of the chlorinator,
wherein the cartridge body and at least a portion of the cartridge cap are positionable within the body of the chlorinator.

2. The chlorinator of claim 1 , wherein said body includes a cartridge port for receiving said replaceable cartridge, a first flow port at one end of said body, and a second flow port at an opposite end of said body.

3. The chlorinator of claim 2 , wherein said one end of said body includes a first compression fitting securable to a first pipe segment of said pool or said spa system, and said opposite end of said body includes a second compression fitting securable to a second pipe segment of said pool or said spa system.

4. The chlorinator of claim 3 , wherein said first compression fitting includes a first nut, a first compression ring, a first collar, and a first face sealing gasket, and said second compression fitting includes a second nut, a second compression ring, a second collar, and a second face sealing gasket.

5. The chlorinator of claim 4 , wherein said first compression ring surrounds the first pipe segment.

6. The chlorinator of claim 5 , wherein said body includes a flow guide for guiding fluid passing through said body.

7. The chlorinator of claim 6 , wherein a portion of said body is transparent.

8. The chlorinator of claim 6 , wherein a portion of said body is translucent.

9. The chlorinator of claim 6 , wherein said printed circuit board includes a microprocessor in electrical communication with said non-volatile memory.

10. A chlorinator comprising:
a body installable inline with a piping of a pool or a spa system; and
a cartridge receivable within said body, said cartridge including a cartridge cap defining a first cavity and a cartridge body attached to and depending from the cartridge cap, the cartridge cap and the cartridge body defining a second cavity positioned below the first cavity, a plurality of electrically-charged plates positioned within the second cavity and at least partially housed by the cartridge body, and a printed circuit board in electrical communication with said plurality of electrically-charged plates, said printed circuit board including a non-volatile memory storing identification information for authenticating said cartridge, said printed circuit board and said non-volatile memory positioned within the first cavity, said cartridge cap defined at least in part by an annular side wall and a bottom wall extending between the annular side wall, the bottom wall and the annular side wall positionable within the body of the chlorinator such that the annular side wall abuts an inner surface of the body of the chlorinator,
wherein the cartridge body and at least a portion of the cartridge cap are positionable within the body of the chlorinator.

11. The chlorinator of claim 10 , wherein said body includes a cartridge port for receiving said cartridge, a first flow port at one end of said body, and a second flow port at an opposite end of said body.

12. The chlorinator of claim 11 , wherein said one end of said body includes a first compression fitting securable to a first pipe segment of said pool or said spa system, and said opposite end of said body includes a second compression fitting securable to a second pipe segment of said pool or said spa system.

13. The chlorinator of claim 12 , wherein said first compression fitting includes a first nut, a first compression ring, a first collar, and a first face sealing gasket, and said second compression fitting includes a second nut, a second compression ring, a second collar, and a second face sealing gasket.

14. The chlorinator of claim 13 , wherein said first compression ring surrounds the first pipe segment.

15. The chlorinator of claim 14 , wherein said body includes a flow guide for guiding fluid passing through said body.

16. The chlorinator of claim 15 , wherein a portion of said body is transparent.

17. The chlorinator of claim 15 , wherein a portion of said body is translucent.

18. The chlorinator of claim 15 , wherein said printed circuit board includes a microprocessor in electrical communication with said non-volatile memory.

Assignees

• Hayward Ind Inc

Inventors

• Chen Patrick
• Sawyer Jr Douglas M
• Carter James

Classifications

• C25B1/245

  Fluorine; Compounds thereof · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C25B9/00

  Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features · CPC title

• C02F2209/005

  Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC] · CPC title

• C02F2201/4615

  Time · CPC title