# US 2014/0151285 A1 · Vertically stacked or divided fluid filter system for inlet, outlet or both inlet and outlet filtering > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151285 A1 - Document ID: US20140151285A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/095,204 - Filed: 2013-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: NIHAT O. CUR; KIRK W. GOODWIN; TIMOTHY A. KEE; JAMES W. KENDALL; STEVEN JOHN KUEHL; VERNE H. MYERS; GINGER ELAYNE PATERA; MARK M. SENNINGER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151285A1 ## CPC - B01D 15/10: characterised by constructional or operational features - B01D 35/30: Filter housing constructions - C02F 1/003: {using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence)} - C02F 1/281: {using inorganic sorbents} - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/68: by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water (medicinal water A61K) - C02F 1/76: with halogens or compounds of halogens {(C02F1/4674 takes precedence)} - C02F 5/10: using organic substances - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2101/306: {Pesticides} - C02F 2101/322: {Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene} - C02F 2303/185: The treatment agent being halogen or a halogenated compound - C02F 2307/04: as part of a pitcher or jug - 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) - 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) ## Abstract A liquid (water) pitcher that includes a pitcher having a liquid receiving aperture configured to allow a liquid (water) to be delivered into an interior liquid storage volume defined by at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from a base and a liquid (water) filter positioned within the pitcher that includes a filter housing and at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing where the filter housing has a plurality of fluid intake apertures and at least one treated fluid outlet configured to deliver treated fluid into an internal volume of a vessel wherein the at least one fluid filtering medium treats the liquid at a rate of at least about one liter per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the liquid (water). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid pitcher comprising: A pitcher having a liquid receiving aperture configured to allow a liquid to be delivered into an interior liquid storage volume defined by at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from a base; a liquid filter positioned within the pitcher that includes a filter housing and at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing wherein the filter housing has a plurality of fluid intake apertures and at least one treated fluid outlet configured to deliver treated fluid into an internal volume of a vessel wherein the at least one fluid filtering medium treats the liquid at a rate of at least about one liter per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the liquid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein the liquid filter is a divided filter with two gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced adjacent one another in the filter housing and divided from one another by a dividing wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The liquid pitcher of claim 2, wherein the two gravity-driven treatment medium provide different treatment to fluid passing through them. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The liquid pitcher of claim 2, wherein the liquid filter is positioned proximate the top of the pitcher and the divided filter positioned such that water added to the pitcher is initially treated only by a first one of two gravity-driven fluid treatment medium and water dispensed from the pitcher out a spout of the pitcher is subsequently dispensed and treated only through the second of the two gravity-driven filtering medium. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein the at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing comprise two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another and positioned proximate one another such that fluid is treated in two stages by the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The liquid pitcher of claim 5, wherein the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another are positioned to treat fluid received from a fluid source as the fluid is added to the pitcher from the fluid source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The liquid pitcher of claim 5, wherein the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another are positioned to treat fluid that is dispensed from the pitcher as the liquid is being poured from the pitcher. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The liquid pitcher of claim 5, wherein the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another are positioned immediately adjacent one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The liquid pitcher of claim 8, wherein the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another are spaced beneath a lid sized to fit a top of the pitcher wherein the lid has a fluid receiving portion and a fluid dispensing portion and two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another are positioned proximate the lid and configured to treat fluid received into the pitcher through the fluid receiving portion of the lid and wherein the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium treat fluid differently from one another to either remove or add different components to the fluid being treated by contact with the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The liquid pitcher of claim 9, wherein the two separate gravity-driven fluid treatment medium spaced in a stacked relationship to one another are spaced beneath the lid and on one side of a dividing wall extending into the interior volume of the pitcher from a bottom surface of the lid and configured to limit fluid contact with the gravity-driven fluid treatment medium to when fluid is added to the pitcher or when fluid is dispensed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein the gravity-driven fluid treatment medium is a compressed medium produced from activated carbon, a blown polyethylene or an open weave fibrous material and having a pill inside the interior of the compressed medium wherein the pill includes a sensor, signal generator, and battery pack and provides at least one of operational data, filter status, filter type information and filter life information to a user display. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The liquid pitcher of claim 11, wherein the sensor is a piezo sensor made from biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein at least one of the gravity-driven fluid treatment medium is a gravity-driven water treatment medium that reduces chlorine taste and odor components (CTO) per NSF 42 to a minimum of 60 gallons and the at least one gravity-driven water treatment medium allows for a water flow rate of at least about two liters per minute of flow through the gravity-driven water treatment medium under a force of gravity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The liquid pitcher of claim 11, wherein the at least one fluid treatment medium includes at least one water treatment medium that allows for a water flow rate of at least about two liters per minute of flow through the water treatment medium under a force of gravity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein the pitcher's at least one upwardly extending wall and base have an exterior surface and are constructed of a base material with a layer of glass on the exterior surface thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The liquid pitcher of claim 15, wherein the base material is a plastic substrate and the layer of glass is a one micron thick layer of glass. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein the filter housing comprises a top screened surface and a bottom screened surface and a plurality of support bars extending between the top screened surface and the bottom screened surface to form a cage structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The liquid pitcher of claim 1, wherein the at least one fluid treatment medium comprises an aluminosilicate. ### Claim 19 A water pitcher comprising: A pitcher having a water receiving aperture configured to allow a water to be delivered into an interior water storage volume defined by at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from a base and a lid sized to cover the water receiving aperture; a water filter positioned within the pitcher proximate the lid that includes a filter housing and at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing wherein the filter housing has a plurality of fluid intake apertures and at least one treated fluid outlet configured to deliver treated fluid into an internal volume of a vessel wherein the at least one fluid filtering medium treats the water at a rate of at least about one liter per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the water. ### Claim 20 A water pitcher comprising: A pitcher having a water receiving aperture configured to allow a water to be delivered into an interior water storage volume defined by at least one upwardly extending wall extending upward from a base and a lid sized to cover the water receiving aperture; a water filter positioned within the pitcher proximate the lid that includes a filter housing and at least one gravity-driven fluid treatment medium within the filter housing wherein the filter housing has a plurality of fluid intake apertures and at least one treated fluid outlet configured to deliver treated fluid into an internal volume of a vessel wherein the at least one fluid filtering medium treats the water at a rate of at least about one liter per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the water; and wherein the pitcher's at least one upwardly extending wall and base have an exterior surface and are constructed of a plastic material with a layer of glass on the exterior surfaces thereof.