Water treatment apparatus and components

Abstract

A water purification apparatus an embodiment of which comprises a water pump with an inlet port for receiving water from an external source; a nonreturn valve, the inlet port of which is in fluid communication with the water pump outlet port; an ionizer chamber, the ionizer chamber inlet port being in fluid communication with the nonreturn valve output port; and a filter, wherein the filter input end is in fluid communication with the output end of the ionizer chamber. An embodiment of the method of using the water purification apparatus comprises rotating a handle associated with the water pump from a stowage position to an operating position; operating the water pump to cause water to enter the apparatus; monitoring the impedance of the water within the apparatus; dosing a bacteriacide into the water within the apparatus based on the monitored impedance; filtering the dosed water; and, outputting the filtered water.

1 . Water treatment apparatus including: 
 a base;    pump means operatively mounted to said base, said pump means having a water inlet and a water outlet;    coarse filter means upstream of said pump means for filtering undesirably large solids from the water prior to entering said water inlet and a flexible conduit connected to said coarse filter means for providing a flow path for the water to said pump means;    adsorbent filter means downstream of said pump means for removing undesirable odours, tastes and chemical pollutants from the water;    fine filter means downstream of said pump means and in series with said adsorbent filter means for removing organisms of the protozoan group from the water;    a first silver ion generator downstream of said pump means and in series with said adsorbent filter means and said fine filter means for releasing silver ions into water inflowing from said pump outlet;    control means for controlling the operation of said first silver ion generator whereby said silver ion generator discharges silver ions into the water at a predetermined rate and in response to a predetermined flow rate, said control means including a flow switch;    flow regulating means downstream of said pump means and in series with said adsorbent filter means, said fine filter means and said first silver ion generator, for regulating the rate of flow of water from said pump outlet; and    connection means for connecting a battery type power supply to said silver ion generator    
     
     
         2 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a second silver ion generator downstream of said adsorbent filter means and said fine filter means for releasing silver ions into the filtered water.  
     
     
         3 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said first silver ion generator is located upstream of said adsorbent filter means.  
     
     
         4 . Water treatment apparatus including: 
 a mounting base adapted to be secured to a wall for mounting the apparatus near a water supply outlet;    filter means mounted to said mounting base and adapted to be connected to the water supply outlet, said filter means including adsorbent filter means for removing undesirable odours, tastes and some chemical pollutants from the water and fine filter means in series with said adsorbent filter means for removing organisms from the water;    a first silver ion generator upstream of said adsorbent filter means and said fine filter means for releasing silver ions into water inflowing from said water supply outlet;    a second silver ion generator downstream of said adsorbent filter means and said fine filter means for releasing silver ions into the filtered water;    control means for controlling the operation of said first and second silver ion generators whereby said silver ion generators discharge silver ions into the water at a predetermined rate and in response to a predetermined flow rate, said control means including a flow switch;    flow regulating means in series with said adsorbent filter means, said fine filter means and said first and second dosing means for regulating the rate of flow of water through said first and second dosing units; and    connection means for connecting a power supply to at least one of said first and second dosing means.    
     
     
         5 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said adsorbent filter means is a carbon filter which is selected to retain therein at least some of the silver ions generated by said first silver ion generator.  
     
     
         6 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said fine filter means is a ceramic filter which is selected to prevent the passage of organisms and undesirable metal particulates.  
     
     
         7 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said fine filter means is located downstream of said adsorbent filter means and said first silver ion generator.  
     
     
         8 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said adsorbent filter means and said fine filter means are suitably sized to provide a reservoir of water which has been dosed with silver ions so that water will remain in the system for a sufficient time for all harmful bacteria to be destroyed by the silver ions.  
     
     
         9 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , and further including a foot valve or non-return valve located upstream of said pump means for preventing backflow of treated or semi-treated water from the apparatus.  
     
     
         10 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow switch includes: 
 a body having an inlet passage and an outlet passage;    a reed and a contact mounted in said body downstream of said inlet passage, said reed being adapted for oscillating movement towards and away from said contact into and out of engagement therewith, and said reed and said contact being constructed of electrically conductive material; and    a piston mounted in said inlet passage for sliding movement along said inlet passage towards and away from said reed, said piston having an upstream end and a downstream end, and a flow passage in said piston, said flow passage having an inlet at or adjacent the upstream end and an outlet intermediate said upstream end and said downstream end, the parts being so made and arranged that fluid entering said inlet passage will cause said piston to move in said inlet passage and engage with said reed forcing said reed into electrically conductive engagement with said contact and will flow through said flow passage and be discharged sidewardly of said piston in said body downstream of said inlet passage for discharge through said outlet passage.    
     
     
         11 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said piston has a tapered portion adjacent said downstream end and said flow passage outlet is located in said tapered portion.  
     
     
         12 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said body is substantially a rectangular prism in form with a single cylindrical passage therethrough with one end portion of said cylindrical passage forming the inlet passage and the other end portion forming the outlet passage.  
     
     
         13 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said cylindrical passage is provided in one half of the body so that fixing apertures may be provided in the other half of the body without the risk of opening into the cylindrical passage.  
     
     
         14 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . The water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said undesirable odors, tastes and chemical pollutants include chlorine, trichloromethanes, herbicides, and pesticides.  
     
     
         19 . The water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said organisms include amoeba, giardia, and cryptospiridium.  
     
     
         20 . The water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump means is connected to said battery type power supply.  
     
     
         21 . The water treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a cover means removably attached to said base means for at least partially covering said pump means, said coarse filter means, said adsorbent filter means, said fine filter means and said first silver ion generator.  
     
     
         22 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said first silver ion generator is located upstream of said adsorbent filter means.  
     
     
         23 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said adsorbent filter means is a carbon filter which is selected to retain therein at least some of the silver ions generated by said first silver ion generator.  
     
     
         24 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in said fine filter means is a ceramic filter which is selected to prevent the passage of organisms and undesirable metal particulates.  
     
     
         25 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said fine filter means is a ceramic filter which is selected to prevent the passage of organisms and undesirable metal particulates such as lead.  
     
     
         26 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said fine filter means is a ceramic filter which is selected to prevent the passage of organisms and undesirable metal particulates.  
     
     
         27 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said fine filter means is located downstream of said adsorbent filter means and said first silver ion generator.  
     
     
         28 . Water treatment apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said adsorbent filter means and said fine filter means are suitably sized to provide a reservoir of water which has been dosed with silver ions so that water will remain in the system for a sufficient time for all harmful bacteria to be destroyed by the silver ions.  
     
     
         29 . The water treatment apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said undesirable metal particulates include lead.