# US 10,099,942 B2 · Systems and methods of eliminating filter air locks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,099,942 B2 - Document ID: US10099942B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/775,211 - Filed: 2014-03-14 - Published: 2016-01-28 - Granted: 2018-10-16 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: Zero Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Zero Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Doug Kellam; Rajan Rajan; Liu Guang Wei - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10099942B2 ## CPC - C02F 1/003: {using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence)} - B01D 24/007: {with multiple filtering elements in series connection} - B01D 24/22: Downward filtration, the filter material being supported by pervious surfaces - B01D 27/02: with cartridges made from a mass of loose {granular or fibrous} material - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/66: by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58) - C02F 1/705: {Reduction by metals} - C02F 2001/427: {using mixed beds} - C02F 2101/006: {Radioactive compounds} - C02F 2101/12: Halogens or halogen-containing compounds - C02F 2101/30: Organic compounds - C02F 2201/006: Cartridges - C02F 2307/02: as part of a bottle - C02F 2307/04: as part of a pitcher or jug - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract Systems and methods of eliminate filter air locks by maintaining a constant water table at the water head layer of the filter. The constant water table eliminates air locks in the filter as the filter drains. Water flows from the water head layer through a filtration medium in a filter cartridge, and the filtered water is output from a water outlet at the top of the cartridge. For a water table retention filter, where the water (or other liquid) being filtered, is re-directed to the top of the filter to the water head layer to avoid drawing air into the filter. Unfiltered water drains down the center of the filter to the water head layer and then flows up through the filter and is directed out near or at the top of the filter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water table retention filter cartridge comprising: a cartridge sidewall having an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein the open top end of the cartridge sidewall receives unfiltered water and that opens into an encased filter cavity; wherein the encased filter cavity is defined by a filter sidewall disposed within the cartridge sidewall, the filter sidewall having an unfiltered water end located at the open top end of the cartridge sidewall and a filtered water end spaced above the closed bottom end of the cartridge sidewall, wherein the filter sidewall houses filter elements and receives unfiltered water at the unfiltered water end from the open top end of the cartridge sidewall and filters the water as the water passes through the filter elements; an outlet cavity formed between the filtered water end of the filter sidewall and the closed bottom end of the cartridge sidewall and extending between the filter sidewall and the cartridge sidewall to a top wall located at a top of the filter cartridge, wherein the outlet cavity receives filtered water that passes through the filter elements and redirects the filtered water to the top of the cartridge such that air is not drawn into the outlet cavity and does not migrate to the encased filter cavity; and a plurality of water outlets positioned at an upper portion of the cartridge sidewall proximate to and below said top wall, wherein the plurality of water outlets receive the filtered water from the outlet cavity and through which the filtered water exits the filter cartridge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water table retention filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter elements comprises: a carbon layer for removing at least one of chlorine or organic contaminants from the unfiltered water; a redox alloy layer for neutralizing pH in the water; an ion exchange layer for removing at least one of inorganic and radiological contaminants in the water; and a micron filter layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The water table retention filter cartridge of claim 2 further comprising: a porous separator for evenly distributing water across a surface area of the filter elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The water table retention filter cartridge of claim 2, wherein the ion exchange layer includes a mixed bed of cationic and anionic resins. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The water table retention filter cartridge of claim 2, wherein the ion exchange layer includes a water softener. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The water table retention filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge provides a flow rate of filtered water of 180-200 ml/min. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The water table retention filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein the filter elements comprises: an organic element and oxidation reduction filter layer; a mold and mildew prevention layer; a separator configured to evenly distribute water across the surface area of the filtration medium to eliminate channeling within the filtration medium; an inorganic element filter layer; and a micron filter layer. ### Claim 8 A method of eliminating air locks in a water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water to remove at least one of organic, inorganic, and radiological contaminants from the unfiltered water to produce potable water suitable for human consumption, the method comprising: (a) passing untreated water through the water table retention filter cartridge configured to remove at least one of organic, inorganic, and radiological contaminants from untreated liquid water to produce potable water suitable for human consumption while eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge, the water table retention filter cartridge comprising: a cartridge sidewall having an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein the open top end of the cartridge sidewall receives unfiltered water and that opens into an encased filter cavity; wherein the encased filter cavity is defined by a filter sidewall disposed within the cartridge sidewall, the filter sidewall having an unfiltered water end located at the open top end of the cartridge sidewall and a filtered water end spaced above the closed bottom end of the cartridge sidewall, wherein the filter sidewall houses filter elements and receives unfiltered water at the unfiltered water end from the open top end of the cartridge sidewall and filters the water as the water passes through the filter elements; an outlet cavity formed between the filtered water end of the filter sidewall and the closed bottom end of the cartridge sidewall and extending between the filter sidewall and the cartridge sidewall to a top wall located at a top of the filter cartridge, wherein the outlet cavity receives filtered water that passes through the filter elements and redirects the filtered water to the top of the cartridge such that air is not drawn into the outlet cavity and does not migrate to the encased filter cavity; and a plurality of water outlets positioned at an upper portion of the cartridge sidewall proximate to and below said top wall, wherein the plurality of water outlets receive the filtered water from the outlet cavity and through which the filtered water exits the filter cartridge, thereby producing potable water suitable for human consumption; and (b) collecting the potable water that exits through the water outlets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water of claim 8, wherein passing untreated water through the water table retention filter cartridge includes: removing at least one of chlorine or organic contaminants from the unfiltered water with a carbon layer in the filter elements; neutralizing pH in the water with a redox alloy layer; removing at least one of inorganic and radiological contaminants in the water with an ion exchange layer; and eliminating discharge of the filter elements into the output water and filtering out elements larger than one micron with a micron filter layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water of claim 9 further comprising: removing impurities from water and regulating water flow through the filter elements with a porous separator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water of claim 9, wherein the ion exchange layer includes a mixed bed of cationic and anionic resins. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water of claim 9 further comprising: softening the water with a water softener in the ion exchange layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water of claim 9 further comprising: providing a flow rate of filtered water of 180-200 ml/min. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of eliminating air locks in the water retention filter cartridge and treating unfiltered water of claim 8, wherein the filter elements comprises: an organic element and oxidation reduction filter layer; a mold and mildew prevention layer; a separator configured to evenly distribute water across the surface area of filter elements to eliminate channeling within the filter elements; an inorganic element filter layer; and a micron filter layer. ### Claim 15 An air lock eliminating water treatment apparatus capable of killing microbiological organisms while removing organic, inorganic, and radiological contaminants from water, the apparatus thereby discharging potable water therefrom, the apparatus comprising: a water table retention filter cartridge including: a cartridge sidewall having an open top end and a closed bottom end, wherein the open top end of the cartridge sidewall receives unfiltered water and that opens into an encased filter cavity; wherein the encased filter cavity is defined by a filter sidewall disposed within the cartridge sidewall, the filter sidewall having an unfiltered water end located at the open top end of the cartridge sidewall and a filtered water end spaced above the closed bottom end of the cartridge sidewall, wherein the filter sidewall houses filter elements and receives unfiltered water at the unfiltered water end from the open top end of the cartridge sidewall and filters the water as the water passes through the filter elements; an outlet cavity formed between the filtered water end of the filter sidewall and the closed bottom end of the cartridge sidewall and extending between the filter sidewall and the cartridge sidewall to a top wall located at a top of the filter cartridge, wherein the outlet cavity receives filtered water that passes through the filter elements and redirects the filtered water to the top of the cartridge such that air is not drawn into the outlet cavity and does not migrate to the encased filter cavity; and a plurality of water outlets positioned at an upper portion of the cartridge sidewall proximate to and below said top wall, wherein the plurality of water outlets receive the filtered water from the outlet cavity and through which the filtered water exits the filter cartridge; and a water container in fluid communication with the water table retention filter cartridge that receives the filtered water from the water outlets. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air lock eliminating water treatment apparatus of claim 15, wherein the water container is at least one of a pitcher, a travel bottle, a sports bottle, a water cooler, a water jug, and a water bottle.