US 5,308,482 A · Portable water-purifying devices

Abstract

A portable water-purifying device comprises a primary disinfecting chamber (50) and a combined secondary disinfecting chamber and post-filter (30). Water to be purified can be scooped by means of a cover (12) into a receptacle (90) containing a pre-filter media (39) of preferably silvered activated carbon beneath a coarse entry filter pad (102). From that receptacle (90) the water enters the primary disinfecting chamber (50), flowing downwards through nine or so passage-forming segments (22) filled with a microbiocide (56), to effect primary disinfection, that is, to kill a substantial number of pathogenic organisms, but probably not all. Each passage (22) is at least three times longer than it is wide, to prevent channelling of the water through the microbiocide. Disinfectant from the microbiocide (56) enters the water as it passes through. The disinfectant-containing water from the primary disinfecting chamber (50) enters the combined secondary disinfecting chamber and post-filler (30)--"second chamber (30)"--down a center tube (44) to be stored for, say, two minutes or so for any remaining viruses, as well as any other remaining pathogenic organisms, to be killed. The second chamber (30) is then inverted, whereupon the water flows through a charge media (48) of preferably silvered granular activated carbon which effects post-filtration, substantially removing the disinfectant from the water, which flows thence into a drinking cup (10).

Claims17

Dependent claims

A portable water-purifying device comprising:

a first chamber;
a microbiocide in the form of a strong base anion ion-exchange resin adapted to be converted into the iodinated form and to release iodine into water, said microbiocide being contained within said first chamber, and said first chamber being adapted for flow of water into said first chamber and then through the microbiocide and then out of said first chamber;
means for directing the flow of the water through the microbiocide and for regulating the rate of the flow so as to provide sufficient contact time of the water with the microbiocide for causing the release of the iodine from the microbiocide into the water and for killing substantially all bacteria and most viruses in the water;
containment means for receiving and storing the iodine-containing water from the first chamber for at least a predetermined minimum time such that the iodine, in the event of a high concentration of viruses initially in the water, acts as a viricide for killing substantially all the remaining viruses in the water, whereby substantially complete disinfecting of the water is achieved, at least partly by flow of the water through and consequent contact of the water with the microbiocide and, in the event of a high concentration of viruses initially in the water, partly by storage of the iodine-containing water.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Portable water-purifying devices

Life of this patent

Portable water-purifying devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17