US 4,784,763 A · Water purification machine

Abstract

A method and apparatus for purifying water to two different laboratory quality levels of purity, both of which are made available for dispensing. Ordinary tap water is prefiltered and treated by reverse osmosis to produce virtually salt free product water which is made available to a cabinet mounted faucet. The product water is delivered to a system of polishing cartridges which produce polished water and supply it to a special hand held dispensing gun. A recirculation pump operates to recirculate the water in the polishing system to prevent it from standing and eliminate the need for water storage. The product water is also recycled through the reverse osmosis cartridge. Some of the reject water from the RO cartridge is directed to a drain, but most of the reject water is recycled to conserve water. A microprocessor based control system monitors and displays the water quality and other conditions and generates an alarm if an abnormal condition arises.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A water purification apparatus comprising:

an inlet line for receiving feed water to be purified;
reverse osmosis means for receiving the feed water and producing therefrom clean water and reject water of lesser purity than the clean water;
main pump means for pumping water from the inlet line to said reverse osmosis means;
a clean water line coupled with said reverse osmosis means for receiving the clean water therefrom, said clean water line being split into first and second alternative paths;
a drain line for receiving the reject water from said reverse osmosis means;
a clean water dispenser coupled with said first path of the clean water line and selectively operable to dispense the clean water therein;
water polishing means coupled with said second path of the clean water line for receiving the clean water therein and polishing same to produce higher quality polished water;
means for pumping the clean water from said second path of the clean water line through said polishing menas;
and
a polished water dispenser for receiving and selectively dispensing the polished water.

7 more elements

In a water pruification system having a reverse osmosis treatment unit for providing clean water, the improvement comprising:

a clean water line for receiving the clean water, said clean water line being split into first and second alternative paths;
a clean water dispenser coupled with said first path of the clean water line and selectively operable to dispense the clean water therefrom for use;
a recirculating pump having an intake side communicating with said second path of the clean water line to receive the clean water therefrom and a discharge side opposite the intake side;
water polishing means coupled with said discharge side of the pump for receiving the clean water and polishing same to provide polished water having a higher purity than the clean water;
a polished water dispenser selectively operable to dispense the polished water;
a tube communicating at one end with said polishing means to receive the polished water therefrom and coupled at the other end with said dispenser to deliver the polished water thereto;
and
a recirculation line coupled at one end with said tube and at the other end with the intake side of the pump to recirculate the polished water through said polishing means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Water purification machine

Life of this patent

Water purification machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22