US 2021/0268441 A1 · REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM CONTROL VALVES

Abstract

A control valve for a reverse osmosis water purifying system provides a feed water port, a squeeze water port, a drain port, and a product water connection, each of which open into a bore. A first, second, and third O-rings are located in the bore successively between the feed water port, the squeeze water port, the drain port, and the product water connection. A control piston is moveably located in the bore of the housing. The control piston includes a vent/drain well in which a side is chamfered and at least one recess disposed around an end of the control piston. The vent/drain well provides a fluid passage between the squeeze water port and the drain port when the vent/drain well passes over the second O-ring. The fluid passage includes an opening formed between the second O-ring and the chamfered side of the vent/drain well, where the size of the opening is responsive to the position of the control piston.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A control valve for a reverse osmosis water purifying system, the control valve comprising:

a housing having a feed water port, a squeeze water port, a drain port, and a product water connection, each of which open into a bore;
a first O-ring located in the bore between the feed water port and the squeeze water port;
a second O-ring located in the bore between the squeeze water port and the drain port;
a third O-ring located in the bore between the drain port and the product water connection;
and
a control piston moveably located in the bore of the housing, the control piston including a vent/drain well in which a side is chamfered and at least one recess disposed around an end of the control piston, the vent/drain well providing a fluid passage between the squeeze water port and the drain port when the vent/drain well passes over the second O-ring, the fluid passage including an opening formed between the second O-ring and the chamfered side of the vent/drain well.

3 more elements

A method for controlling a reverse osmosis water purifying system, the method comprising:

coupling reverse osmosis filter membrane waste water at tap water pressure to a feed water port of a control valve;
coupling a product water storage tank to a product water connection of the control valve through a check valve that prevents reverse flow from the product water connection back to the product water storage tank;
coupling a product water dispensing valve to the product water connection of the control valve such that the check valve prevents reverse flow from the product water dispensing valve back to the product water storage tank;
opening the product water dispensing valve to move a control piston in the control valve to a position furthest from the feed water port and thereby coupling the feed water port to a squeeze water port of the control valve to pressurize an outer surface of a bladder in the product water storage tank;
and
closing the product water dispensing valve to move the control piston toward the feed water port and thereby coupling the squeeze water port and a drain port of the control valve and reduce the pressure on the outer surface of the bladder, wherein the control piston includes a vent/drain well in which a side is chamfered and at least one recess disposed around an end of the control piston, the vent/drain well providing a fluid passage between the squeeze water port and the drain port when the vent/drain well passes over an O-ring, the fluid passage including an opening formed between the O-ring and the chamfered side of the vent/drain well.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reverse osmosis system control valves

Life of this patent

Reverse osmosis system control valves

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20