WO2009025413A1

WO2009025413A1 - Water purifier filter having a filter washing function

Info

Publication number: WO2009025413A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/004537
Authority: WO
Inventors: Min-Won Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-21
Filing date: 2007-09-19
Publication date: 2009-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2010-02-21
Also published as: CN101784321B; KR100909377B1; KR20090019415A; CN101784321A

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a water purifier filter having a filter cleaning function. The water purifier filter includes an upper body, a fluid interruption control part, a filter part, a lower body, and an opening and closing cap. The upper body is provided with an inlet port and an outlet port. The fluid interruption control part is inserted into the upper body and is mounted thereto so as to be able to rotate, and is provided with a knob part and a pipe. The filter part is configured such that one end thereof is fitted into the pipe and is fastened thereto, is configured to have a single net structure or a multiple net structure. The lower body is configured to surround the filter part. The opening and closing cap is guided by the lower end of the filter part.

Description

WATER PURIFIER FILTER HAVING A FILTER WASHING

FUNCTION

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a water purifier filter having a filter cleaning function, and, more particularly, to a water purifier filter having a filter cleaning function, which allows or interrupts the flow of fluid using a simplified number of elements, so that the number of manufacturing processes can be reduced, with the result that the manufacturing time can be reduced and, in addition, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Background Art

[2] Generally, for a water purifier, which purifies water through physical or chemical processes, water purifier filters, such as a high-turbidity filter, a sediment filter, a pre- carbon water purifier filter, a membrane water purifier filter, a post-carbon water purifier filter and a ultraviolet filter, each of which includes an inlet port and an outlet port, are selectively adopted and used according to the purpose of use and regional characteristics.

[3] Here, the high-turbidity filter, in which a filter part having a net structure is provided, provides a function of primarily filtering out floating materials, such as rust, hair and mud, which have a size greater than 50 D, from fluid. The sediment filter provides a function of filtering out foreign materials (sand, heavy metal, etc.), having a relatively small size of less than 50 D, from fluid. The pre-carbon filter provides a function of absorbing and removing a chlorine component, trihalomethane and organic chemical material, which have been dissolved in fluid. The membrane filter is a core filter for water purifiers, and provides a function of finally filtering out foreign material, including heavy metal, viruses, bacteria, and organic chemical material, using a reverse osmotic method based on an ultraprecise semipermeable membrane. The post-carbon filter provides a function of filtering out gaseous components and odor components, which are dissolved in the fluid. Finally, the ultraviolet filter provides a function of removing a very small amount of bacteria, which can enter from the outside, after the purification of water, using a U/V lamp that is provided in a filter, which is made of stainless material.

[4] Furthermore, the inlet and outlet ports of each water purifier filter are connected to each other by a pipe. In the case where a first filter is a high-turbidity filter, which is adopted according to selection from among various filters, the inlet port, which is provided in the high-turbidity filter, is connected with a water tap via a water supply pipe. A raw water interruption valve is installed in the water supply pipe, which is disposed between and connects the inlet port and the water tap of the water purifier filter.

[5] Furthermore, in the case where the last filter is an ultraviolet filter, which is adopted according to selection, a water purifying tank is connected to a water supply pipe, which is connected to the outlet port that is provided in the ultraviolet filter.

[6] In the conventional water purifier filters, constructed as described above, the inside of each water purifier filter must be cleaned for a predetermined period upon use thereof, or a filter part, which is provided in each water purifier filter, must be replaced.

[7] For this purpose, interruption is conducted such that raw water cannot flow, through manipulation of the raw water interruption valve, individual water purifier filters are separated, the inside of each filter is cleaned, or each filter part is replaced, the separated water purifier filters are re-coupled, the interruption is reversed through manipulation of the raw water interruption valve, and then the water purifier filters are used.

[8] However, the conventional water purifier is generally installed to be close to a wall surface to optimize the use of indoor space. In the case of the raw water interruption valve, which is connected to the water supply pipe, which is used to connect the water purifier with the water tap, it may be installed in structures (for example, a sink, a cabinet, etc.), which are provided in an indoor space so as to be hidden from the eyes of a person for aesthetic reasons. In this case, it is difficult to install the raw water interruption valve because most structures have a small internal space. Furthermore, use is inconvenient because the raw water interruption valve, which is installed in a structure, must be manipulated in order to interrupt raw water whenever the inside of each water purifier filter is to be cleaned or a filter part provided in each water purifier filter is replaced.

[9] In order to solve these problems, a conventional fluid interruption means which is provided in a water purifier filter (Korean Pat. Registration No. 10-0521117, which was filed by 'Microfilter Co., Ltd.,' for whom the present applicant is a representative, and was registered), provides a raw water interruption function even though no separate raw water interruption valve is provided in the water purifier when the inside of each water purifier filter is cleaned or when a filter part provided in the water purifier filter is replaced, thus providing refined aesthetics and convenience in use. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[10] However, in spite of the above-described advantages, the fluid interruption means, which is provided in the conventional water purifier filter, is problematic in that the construction is very complicated because a guide path, protrusions, a fastening groove, inflow holes, a fluid guide bar, an opening and closing body, an O-ring, an opening and closing protrusion, and an elastic spring are used in the water purifier filter, so that the number of manufacturing processes is increased, with the result that the manufacture thereof takes a lot of time and, in addition, the manufacturing cost is increased.

[11] Furthermore, it is inconvenient to separate the high-turbidity filter, and take out and clean the filter part, in order to clean foreign materials, which are adhered to the filter part having a net structure, which is contained in the high-turbidity filter. Technical Solution

[12] The present invention provides a water purifier filter having a water cleaning function, including: an upper body provided with an inlet port, which is an inflow path through which fluid flows in from an outside, and an outlet port, which is an outflow path through which purified fluid flows out to the outside; a fluid interruption control part inserted into the upper body and mounted thereto so as to be able to rotate, and provided with a knob part, which has a knob on the upper portion thereof, and a pipe, which is integrally formed under the knob part, is provided with a cut surface in the outer surface of the pipe opposite the inlet port of the upper body to thus form the inflow path, and is configured such that a water flowing hole is formed opposite the outlet port of the upper body and a cleaning hole is provided in one end thereof; a filter part configured such that one end thereof is fitted into the pipe and is fastened thereto, configured to have a single net structure or a multiple net structure so as to purify fluid that flows in through the inflow path, and configured such that a ring-shaped groove having a set of bent portions is formed in the lower portion thereof; a lower body configured to surround the filter part, detachably connected and fastened to the upper body, and provided with a discharge hole in the lower portion thereof; and an opening and closing cap guided by the lower end of the filter part, and configured to open and close the discharge hole by the rotation of the filter part.

[13] Furthermore, the opening and closing cap is guided by the lower end of the filter part and is configured to open and close the discharge hole while being moved upwards and downward by the rotation of the filter part, is provided therein with curved protrusions so as to correspond to the bent portions, and is provided with an interruption sheet having an elastic body on the bottom thereof.

[14] Furthermore, guide grooves are formed in the inner surface of the lower body, and guide protrusions are formed in the outer surface of the opening and closing cap so as to correspond to the guide grooves, so that the opening and closing cap can be internally supported to the lower body and can be guided.

[15] Furthermore, a support groove, which is formed in the bottom of the lower body so that an elastic body can be seated therein, is further included.

Advantageous Effects

[16] The water purifier filer having a filter cleaning function according to the present invention, allows or interrupts the flow of fluid using a smaller number of elements than those of a conventional water purifier filter having a fluid interruption means, so that the number of manufacturing processes can be reduced, with the result that the manufacturing time can be reduced and, in addition, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. [17] Furthermore, the filter part, to which dirt is adhered, can be cleaned without separating the upper and lower bodies from each other.

Brief Description of the Drawings [18] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a water purifier filter having a filter cleaning function, which is the present invention; [19] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a principal part showing, in detail, a front portion of a fluid interruption control part in the construction of FIG. 1 ; [20] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a principal part showing, in detail, a rear portion of a fluid interruption control part in the construction of FIG. 1 ; [21] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a section, which is obtained when the water purifier filter having a filter cleaning function according to the present invention is opened for the use thereof; and [22] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a section of a portion when the water purifier filter having a water cleaning function according to the present invention is cleaned for the use thereof; [23] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a filter part and an opening and closing cap in the water purifier filter having a water cleaning function according to the present invention; [24] FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the state in which the discharge hole of the water purifier filter having a water cleaning function according to the present invention is opened; and [25] FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the state in which the discharge hole of the water purifier filter having a water cleaning function according to the present invention is closed.

[26] <Description of characters of principal elements>

[27] 100: upper body 110: inlet port

[28] 120: outlet port [29] 200: fluid interruption control part

[30] 210: knob part 211: knob

[31 ] 220: pipe 221 : cut surface

[32] 222: water flowing hole 228: cleaning hole

[33] 223,224,224,226,227: O-ring 300: lower body

[34] 310: filter part 311: groove

[35] 311a: bent portions 320: discharge hole

[36] 330: guide grooves 340: seating part

[37] 400: opening and closing cap 410: protrusions

[38] 420: interruption sheet 421: elastic body

[39] 422: fastening hole

[40] 430: guide protrusions

[41] 500: fastening plate 510: bolts

[42] P: inflow path

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[43] The construction and operation of an embodiment of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings below.

[44] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a water purifier filter having a filter cleaning function according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a principal part showing, in detail, a front portion of a fluid interruption control part in the construction of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a principal part showing, in detail, a rear portion of a fluid interruption control part in the construction of FIG. 1.

[45] As shown in the drawings, the water purifier filter of the present invention includes an upper body 100, a fluid interruption control part 200, a filter part 310, a lower body 300, and an opening and closing cap 400.

[46] First, an inlet port 110, which is an inflow path, through which fluid flows in from the outside, and an outlet port 120, which is an outflow path, through which purified fluid flows out to the outside, are symmetrically provided on the upper body 100.

[47] The fluid interruption control part 200 is configured such that a portion thereof is exposed from the upper portion of the upper body 100, and is provided with a knob part 210, from the upper portion of which a knob 211 protrudes, in order to control the interruption of fluid, which flows in through the inlet port 110. A pipe 220, which is inserted into the upper body 100 to be able to rotate and controls the opening and closing of the paths of fluid, which flows through the inlet port 110 and the outlet port 120, is integrally provided under the knob part 210.

[48] Here, the pipe 220 is configured such that a cut surface 221 is formed in the outer surface of the pipe 220 opposite the inlet port 110 of the upper body 100, so that an inflow path P is formed between the inner surface of the upper body 100 and the outer surface of the pipe 220, therefore fluid, which flows in through the inlet port 110, can flow to the lower body 300, which will be described later, through the formed inflow path P, and is configured such that a water flowing hole 222 is formed in a manner such that it passes though another side surface of the pipe 220, opposite the outlet port 120 of the upper body 100, so as to communicate with the outlet port 120, and thus fluid, which is purified by the lower body 300, which will be described later, can flow out through the outlet port 120.

[49] Furthermore, a cleaning hole 228 is provided in one end of the pipe 220. Thus, when a user rotates the knob 211 and thus the cleaning hole 228 is disposed to communicate with the inlet port 110, inflowing water flows in through the inlet port 110, and thus the filter part 310 is cleaned. In this case, no discharge hole, through which the inflow water is discharged, is formed in the surface opposite the cleaning hole 228, so that the water used for cleaning is not discharged through the outlet port 120, but is discharged through a discharge hole 320, which is formed in the lower body 300. In this case, the filter part 310 is automatically cleaned by the pressure of the inflowing water, which flows therein. Furthermore, foreign materials, which are adhered to the filter part 310, may be removed when the user allows an appropriate amount of inflowing water to flow into the lower body 300 and shakes the lower body 300 while holding it.

[50] In this case, an O-ring 226 is interposed between the upper body 100 and the fluid interruption control part 200 upon assembly, thus preventing leakage.

[51] In order to fasten the fluid interruption control part 200, which is configured such that a portion thereof is inserted into the upper body 100, to the upper portion of the upper body 100 and thus prevent it from being released to the outside, a circular band- shaped fastening plate 500, which comes into contact with the edge of the exposed knob part, is placed on the upper body 100. In this case, four locking bosses, having respective insertion holes, are formed along the edge of the fastening plate 500, and locking holes are also formed in the edge of the upper surface of the upper body 500, at locations which correspond to the locking bosses, and thus fastening can be achieved using bolts 510.

[52] Furthermore, in order to filter fluid, which flows through the inflow path P formed between the inner surface of the upper body 100 and the outer surface of the pipe 220, a filter part 310 is mounted to the lower body 300, and is connected and fastened to the upper body 100. This filter part 310 is detachably connected and fastened to the upper body 100 through spiral coupling. That is, the fluid, which flows through the inflow path P, flows into the filter part 310 and is filtered, and fluid, which results from the filtration, flows through a water flowing path, ranging from the filter part 310 to the outlet port 120, via the water flowing hole 222 of the pipe 220. In this case, an O-ring 227 is interposed between the upper body 100 and the lower body 300 upon assembly, thus preventing leakage.

[53] Furthermore, the discharge hole 320 is provided in one end of the lower body 300.

A cap 321 is detachably spirally coupled to the lower end of the lower body 300, thus closing the discharge hole 320. A support groove 340 is formed in the bottom of the lower body 300 so that an elastic body 421 can be seated therein. As shown in the drawings, a typical elastic spring, that is, a coil spring, is used for the above-described elastic body 421.

[54] Furthermore, an opening and closing cap 400, which is guided by the lower end of the filter part 310 and is configured to open and close the discharge hole 320 by the rotation of the filter part 310, is internally supported and fastened to the lower body 300.

[55] The above-described opening and closing cap 400 is a part that opens and closes the discharge hole 320 in such a way as to be guided by the lower end of the filter part 310 and to be moved upward and downward by the rotation of the filter part 310, is provided therein with curved protrusions 410 so as to correspond to bent portions 311a, and is provided with an interruption sheet 420, having the elastic body 421, on the bottom thereof.

[56] Here, guide grooves 330 are formed in the inner surface of the lower body 300, and guide protrusions 430 are formed in the outer surface of the opening and closing cap 400 so as to correspond to the guide grooves 340, so that the opening and closing cap 400 can be internally supported to the lower body 300 and can be guided.

[57] In this case, the filter part 310 is configured such that one end thereof is fitted into the pipe 220 and is fastened thereto, is configured to have a single net structure or a multiple net structure so as to purify fluid, which flows in through the inflow path P and so as to filter out foreign materials (clay, hair, etc.), which are contained in the fluid, and is configured such that a ring-shaped groove 311 having a set of bent portions 31 Ia is formed in the lower portion thereof.

[58] It is preferred that the water purifier filter of the present invention, which is constructed as described above, be applied to a high-turbidity filter, and that the filter part 310 have a dual net (overlapped net) structure. The water purifier filter may be formed to have a single net structure or a multiple net structure according to the purpose of use.

[59] In the case where the cut surface 221 of the pipe 220 is moved from the inlet port

110 and is located at a locking location by rotating the knob part 210, the outer surface of the pipe 220 interrupts the outflow path of the outlet port 120. In this case, an O-ring 224, having an inside diameter greater than that of the outflow path, is mounted to the outer surface of the pipe 220, which is in contact with the outflow path, so that a leakage prevention function of preventing inflowing and outflowing fluids from flowing to unwanted places can be provided.

[60] Furthermore, an O-ring 223 is mounted to an outer surface of the water flowing hole 222, which is formed in the pipe opposite the outlet port 120 of the upper body 100, and an O-ring 225 is mounted to the outer surface of the cleaning hole 228, which is formed in the pipe 220 opposite the inlet port 110 at the time of rotation of the knob part 210.

[61] Furthermore, respective raw water flowing hoses are connected to the inlet port 110 and the outlet port 120. In this case, an O-ring, a collar and a collet are sequentially connected and mounted along each of the water flowing paths of the ports 110 and 120 in order to prevent the connected raw water flowing hoses from being released when the connected raw water flowing hoses are fitted into respective ports 110 and 120. Since the above-described O-ring, collar and collet are commercialized technologies, the coupling relationships therebetween are not described.

[62] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a fluid allowance and interruption function of the water purifier filter having a fluid interruption means of the present invention, which is assembled as described above, is described below. First, FIG. 4 shows the state in which the inlet port 110 and the outlet port 120 are opened, so that fluid can be filtered and can flow. In the case where fluid flows in through the raw water flowing hose connected to the inlet port 110, the inflowing fluid passes through the inlet port 110 and flows to the lower body 300 through the inflow path P formed between the inner surface of the upper body 100 and the outer surface of the pipe 220, that is, between the inner surface of the upper body 100 and the cut surface 221.

[63] The fluid that flows to the lower body 300 flows to the filter part 310, which is provided in the lower body 300, and is filtered, thus being purified.

[64] The purified fluid flows into the water flowing hole 222, which is formed in the pipe 220 of the fluid interruption control part 200, and flows out to the outside through the outlet port 120 of the upper body 200, thus completing the purifying process.

[65] Thereafter, with reference to FIG. 5, in the case where a water purifier manager desires not to discharge fluid, that is, raw water, through the outlet port 120 but to cause it to flow into the lower body 300 in order to clean the inside of the water purifier filter, the cleaning hole 228 of the pipe 220 is located at the inlet port 110 by rotating the knob 211 of the fluid interruption control part 200 in the direction of the arrow, shown in FIG. 4, so that the portion opposite the cleaning hole 228 comes into watertight contact with the outlet port 120, therefore the filter part 310 is cleaned by the raw water flowing into the lower body 300. In this case, watertightness is maintained because the O-ring 223 is mounted to the cleaning hole 228. The O-ring 224, as shown in FIG. 5, is provided at a location opposite the cleaning hole 228, and thus the outlet port 120 is watertightly interrupted.

[66] In this case, when cleaning is performed, it is preferred that the cap 321, which is mounted to the lower body 300, be separated, and that raw water flowing into the inlet port 110 be continuously discharged through the discharge hole 320 after cleaning the filter part 310.

[67] Subsequently, when the user rotates the knob 211 in the direction of the arrow, shown in FIG. 4, in order to interrupt the flow of raw water into the inlet port 110 after a water purification process and/or a cleaning process have been completed, the O-ring 224 watertightly interrupts the flow of the raw water into the inlet port 110 is, and thus a "locking" function is performed.

[68] With reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, a process in which the discharge hole 320 of the lower body 300 is opened or closed when the user rotates the knob 211 is described. First, when the user rotates the knob 211 as in FIG. 7, the pipe 220 is located such that a water purification function is performed, as in FIG. 4. In this case, as the filter part 310 rotates, the bent portions 311a press the protrusions 410 of the opening and closing cap 400, so that the opening and closing cap 400 is moved downwards, therefore the elastic body 421 and the fastening hole 422 are pressed and held in the seating part 340 and, in addition, the interruption sheet 420 makes the seating part 340 and the discharge hole 320 watertight by pressing them, as in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the flow of the raw water through the discharge hole 320 is interrupted, and thus the water purification function is performed. In contrast, when the user rotates the knob 211 and, thus, the pipe 220 is located such that a cleaning function is performed, as in FIG. 5, the bent portions 311a and the protrusions 410, which are in contact with each other, are separated from each other and, in addition, the opening and closing cap 400, as shown in FIG. 8, is moved upwards by the elasticity of the elastic body 421. In this state, when the user separates the cap 321, the raw water, which has cleaned the filter part 310, is discharged to the outside through the discharge hole 320. Meanwhile, the opening and closing cap 400 is moved upwards even when inflowing raw water is interrupted. However, the pressure of water is not high, because the raw water does not flow into the lower body 300, so that the watertightness of the lower body 300 can be maintained using only the cap 321.

[69] In this case, it is preferred that the interruption sheet 420 be made of soft synthetic resin material.

[70] Furthermore, the elastic body 421 is fastened to the fastening hole 422 in a shrink- fit manner.

Claims

[1] A water purifier filter having a water cleaning function, comprising: an upper body (100) provided with an inlet port(l 10), which is an inflow path through which fluid flows in from an outside, and an outlet port (120), which is an outflow path through which purified fluid flows out to the outside; a fluid interruption control part (200) inserted into the upper body (100) and mounted thereto so as to be able to rotate, and provided with a knob part (210), which has a knob (211) on an upper portion thereof, and a pipe (220), which is integrally formed under the knob part (210), is provided with a cut surface (221) in an outer surface of the pipe (220) opposite the inlet port (110) of the upper body (100) to thus form the inflow path (P), and is configured such that a water flowing hole (222) is formed opposite the outlet port (120) of the upper body

(100) and a cleaning hole (228) is provided in one end thereof; a filter part (310) configured such that one end thereof is fitted into the pipe

(220) and is fastened thereto, configured to have a single net structure or a multiple net structure so as to purify fluid that flows in through the inflow path

(P), and configured such that a ring-shaped groove (311) having a set of bent portions (31 Ia) is formed in a lower portion thereof; a lower body (300) configured to surround the filter part (310), detachably connected and fastened to the upper body (100), and provided with a discharge hole (320) in a lower portion thereof; and an opening and closing cap (400) guided by a lower end of the filter part (310), and configured to open and close the discharge hole (320) by rotation of the filter part (310).

[2] The water purifier filter according to claim 1, wherein the opening and closing cap (400) is guided by the lower end of the filter part (310) and is configured to open and close the discharge hole (320) while being moved upwards and downward by rotation of the filter part (310), is provided therein with curved protrusions (410) so as to correspond to the bent portions (31 Ia), and is provided with an interruption sheet (420) having an elastic body (421) on a bottom thereof.

[3] The water purifier filter according to claim 1, wherein guide grooves (330) are formed in an inner surface of the lower body (300), and guide protrusions (430) are formed in an outer surface of the opening and closing cap (400) so as to correspond to the guide grooves (340), so that the opening and closing cap (400) can be internally supported to the lower body (300) and can be guided.

[4] The water purifier filter according to claim 1 or 3, further comprising a support groove (340) that is formed in a bottom of the lower body (300) so that an elastic body (421) can be seated therein.