Nested water treatment container and water softener

Abstract

The invention discloses a nested water treatment container which comprises an inner barrel which is nested on a bottom adapter at the inner bottom of an outer barrel, the top of the inner barrel is communicated with a central connecting pipe fitting, an inner filter material filling space is formed in the inner barrel, and an outer filter material filling space is formed between the outer wall of the inner barrel and the inner wall of the outer barrel; the central connecting pipe fitting is fixed on the upper barrel opening of the inner barrel in a covering manner; the bottom adapter is fixed at the bottom in the outer barrel and is used for supporting the inner barrel and isolating the outer filter material filling space from the inner filter material filling space, so that a filter material blocking type permeable structure is formed; the outer barrel water distributor is arranged on the central connecting pipe fitting in a sleeving manner; the inner barrel upper water distributor is mounted at the upper part of the inner barrel and forms a filter material blocking type permeable structure; and the inner barrel lower water distributor is mounted at the lower part of the inner barrel, is fixedly positioned at the top of the bottom adapter, and forms a filter material blocking type permeable structure. On the premise that the boundary dimension of a standard single tank and a valve body connector are kept, the double waterway extension function is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water treatment, and in particular to a nested water treatment container and a water softener. Background Technology

[0002] Existing water purification and softening equipment often employs a dual-tank series structure to improve resin utilization and softening effect. Specifically, two small tanks are connected in parallel or series via connectors to extend the contact exchange time between water and resin while maintaining a constant total resin volume. For example, Chinese invention patent application number 202420406112.6 discloses a dual-tank softening valve structure that achieves coordinated operation of the two tanks through a specially designed main valve body and connectors. However, this dual-tank series configuration has the following technical problems: First, there's the issue of valve body compatibility. Existing dual-tank water purification and softening systems often employ a special dual-tank main valve body with connecting parts and a secondary valve body. This requires, for example, two tanks, two central pipes, and two sets of distribution systems, resulting in a large number of spare parts. A single system requires two sets of parts and materials from conventional products. More importantly, this special valve body structure is incompatible with standard single-tank valve bodies, making it impossible to utilize existing, mature single-tank control valve technology.

[0003] Second, there is the issue of space utilization. Because the water treatment containers are arranged in parallel double tanks, there is significant space wastage. When adapting to the whole machine product, it will significantly increase the overall size of the machine, which is not conducive to the miniaturization design of the equipment.

[0004] Third, there is the issue of water treatment efficiency. Existing water treatment containers, whether single-tank or double-tank structures, all have a fixed-bed outer tank with a central tube inside. The water treatment process is all external, flowing from top to bottom, while the internal part of the central tube, flowing from bottom to top, only serves as a water transport channel. This fails to fully utilize the internal space of the central tube for filter media filling and ion exchange, wasting the contact time and distance between the filter media and water.

[0005] Fourth, structural strength issues. To meet the requirements of a single tank with bidirectional water channels, the interface size of the large tank needs to be increased, which will affect the structural strength of the large tank and increase the difficulty of molding.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of water treatment container structure that can achieve double the water path extension, be compatible with standard single-tank valve bodies, have a compact structure, high space utilization, and maintain or improve water treatment efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The summary of this invention introduces a series of simplified concepts, all of which are simplifications of existing technologies in the field, and will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This summary is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a nested water treatment container that can overcome the technical defects of existing dual-tank water treatment containers, such as complex structure, poor versatility and large space occupation, and achieve double water path extension function while maintaining the standard single tank external dimensions and valve body interface.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a nested water treatment container, comprising: Outer drum; The inner tub is nested on the bottom adapter at the bottom of the outer tub, and its top is connected to the central connecting pipe. Its interior forms an inner filter material filling space, and its outer wall and the inner wall of the outer tub form an outer filter material filling space. The central connecting pipe has its upper end inserted into and fixed in the adapter assembly, and its lower end fixedly connected to the opening of the inner tub. The bottom adapter is fixed to the bottom inside the outer barrel and is used to support the inner barrel and isolate the outer filter media filling space from the inner filter media filling space, forming a filter media barrier type permeable structure. The outer tub water distributor is fitted onto the central connecting pipe. The water distributor on the inner tank is installed on the upper part of the inner tank and forms a filter-barrier permeable structure. The water distributor under the inner tank is installed at the bottom of the inner tank and fixed at the top of the bottom adapter, forming a filter media barrier type water permeable structure. The adapter assembly, which is fixed in the opening of the outer tub, is used to convert the opening size of the outer tub into the standard valve body interface size. In the external filter media filling space, water flows from top to bottom, while in the internal filter media filling space, water flows from bottom to top.

[0010] Preferably, the nested water treatment container is further improved such that the opening size of the outer barrel is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the inner barrel.

[0011] Preferably, the nested water treatment container is further improved such that the bottom of the outer barrel is formed into an arc-shaped bottom surface; The bottom adapter has a bowl-shaped structure that matches the curved bottom surface of the outer barrel.

[0012] Preferably, the nested water treatment container is further improved by including: The irregular sealing ring is installed between the adapter assembly and the opening of the outer barrel to seal the irregular contact surfaces between the two.

[0013] Preferably, in a further improvement, the nested water treatment container is fixedly connected to the inner tank via a pin.

[0014] Preferably, in a further improvement, the nested water treatment container has a central connecting pipe that is a variable diameter structure with a larger lower diameter and a smaller upper diameter, preferably an inverted funnel shape.

[0015] Preferably, the nested water treatment container is further improved by having an outer tank made of fiberglass.

[0016] Preferably, the nested water treatment container is further improved by integrating the bottom adapter and the water distributor under the inner tank into a single structure.

[0017] The present invention provides a water softener having a nested water treatment container as described in any one of the above-mentioned claims.

[0018] The working principle of this invention is as follows; This invention utilizes a nested outer and inner tank to form a series structure, achieving dual-tank water treatment within a single tank's external dimensions. It addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by controlling water flow paths and enhancing ion exchange. The specific working process is as follows: Water inlet and distribution stage: Raw water enters the upper water distributor through the external control valve and passes through the outer filter media filling space and the inner filter media filling space. Water flows from top to bottom in the outer filter media filling space and from bottom to top in the inner filter media filling space.

[0019] External tank exchange stage: Water flows through the filter media-resin layer in the external filter media filling space under the action of gravity, and the first ion exchange occurs; The cup-shaped bottom adapter's arc-shaped structure fits snugly against the bottom of the outer tub, ensuring that water flows without any dead zones.

[0020] Bottom transfer stage: Water that has completed the exchange of the outer tank enters the bottom of the inner tank through the grid gaps of the inner tank's lower water distributor. At the same time, the inner tank's lower water distributor prevents the resin from the outer tank from entering the inner tank, achieving physical isolation.

[0021] Inner tank exchange stage: Water flows from bottom to top in the opposite direction through the filter media-resin layer in the inner filter media filling space, and secondary ion exchange occurs, extending the total contact time to about twice that of a traditional single tank.

[0022] Outflow and return stage: The purified water flows into the central tube of the funnel, returns upward to the transfer component, and finally flows back to the control valve to complete the water production.

[0023] Based on the above working principle, the present invention can achieve at least the following technical effects; 1. Existing technologies inevitably lead to redundant component configurations due to the physically isolated dual-tank structure, while the nested design of this invention integrates functions within the same tank space, fundamentally avoiding redundant structures.

[0024] This invention adopts an integrated structure of a single outer tank nested within a single inner tank, replacing the existing separate architecture of "double tanks + double central pipes + two sets of water distribution devices + connectors". The number of parts is reduced by 30%-40%, significantly reducing material costs and assembly time. This invention can achieve structural simplification and cost reduction.

[0025] 2. Existing technologies, due to the parallel connection of two tanks, result in a specialized flow channel structure, making it impossible to achieve compatibility with standard valve bodies through simple adapters. This invention uses an adapter component to convert the non-standard opening of the outer tank into a standard valve body interface (such as 2.5 inches), allowing the container of this invention to be directly compatible with mainstream single-tank control valves on the market. This eliminates the need to develop dedicated dual-tank valve bodies, breaking down product series barriers and improving valve body versatility and after-sales maintenance convenience.

[0026] 3. Existing technologies inherently waste space because an assembly gap must be maintained between the outer walls of the two tanks. The outer filter material filling space of this invention tightly wraps around the inner tank, achieving a space utilization rate of over 95%, making it particularly suitable for scenarios with limited installation space. The nested structure of this invention transforms the lateral space occupation of traditional parallel double tanks into the vertical space layering of a single tank, reducing the overall machine size by approximately 50% while maintaining the same total resin filling volume.

[0027] 4. While existing dual-tank series connections can extend the water path, turbulence losses within the connectors reduce the actual effective contact time. In this invention, the bottom adapter is integrated with the inner tank's lower water distributor, resulting in a smooth water flow transition without additional pressure drop. By forcibly connecting the outer and inner filter media filling spaces in series, the water flow path length is doubled, extending the ion exchange time and improving softening efficiency.

[0028] 5. The outer barrel opening of this invention is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the inner barrel, allowing the inner barrel assembly to be installed as a whole from the top, solving the problem of nested structures being unable to be assembled separately. Simultaneously, the bowl-shaped structure of the bottom adapter adapts to the curved barrel bottom, eliminating the need for precise alignment and simplifying the tooling requirements of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings are intended to illustrate the general characteristics of the methods, structures, and / or materials used in specific exemplary embodiments of the invention, supplementing the description in the specification. However, the drawings are schematic diagrams not drawn to scale and may not accurately reflect the precise structural or performance characteristics of any of the given embodiments. The drawings should not be construed as limiting or restricting the range of numerical values ​​or properties covered by exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: Outer bucket 1; Inner bucket 2; Center connecting fitting 3; Bottom adapter 4; 5. Outer tub water distributor; Water distributor 6 on the inner tank; Inner tub lower water distributor 7; Adapter component 8; 9. Special-shaped sealing ring; External filter media filling space 10; Internal filter media filling space 11. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can fully understand other advantages and technical effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be applied based on different viewpoints, with various modifications or changes made without departing from the overall design concept of the invention. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. The following exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments set forth herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention is thorough and complete, and that the technical solutions of these exemplary embodiments are fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as "connected" or "combined" to another element, the element can be directly connected or combined to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements. The difference is that when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly combined" to another element, there are no intermediate elements. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals always denote the same elements. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] First embodiment; refer to Figure 1 Combination Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a nested water treatment container, comprising: Outer bucket 1, the opening size of outer bucket 1 is larger than the maximum outer diameter of inner bucket 2; The inner tub 2 is nested on the bottom adapter 4 at the bottom of the outer tub 1. Its top is connected to the central connecting pipe 3. Its interior forms an inner filter material filling space 11. Its outer wall and the inner wall of the outer tub 1 form an outer filter material filling space 10. The central connecting pipe 3 has its upper end inserted into and fixed in the adapter assembly 8, and its lower end fixedly connected to the opening of the inner barrel 2; the central connecting pipe 3 is formed as a variable diameter structure with a larger lower diameter and a smaller upper diameter, preferably an inverted funnel shape.

[0034] The bottom adapter 4 is fixed to the bottom inside the outer barrel 1. It is used to support the inner barrel 2 and isolate the outer filter material filling space 10 from the inner filter material filling space 11. It forms a filter material barrier type water-permeable structure, that is, water can pass through but the filter material cannot. The outer tub water distributor 5 is mounted on the central connecting pipe 3; The water distributor 6 is installed on the upper part of the inner tank 2 and forms a filter media barrier type water permeable structure. The inner tub lower water distributor 7 is installed at the lower part of the inner tub 2 and fixed at the top of the bottom adapter 4, forming a filter media barrier type water permeable structure. The adapter component 8 is fixed in the opening of the outer barrel 1 and is used to convert the opening size of the outer barrel 1 into the standard valve body interface size. In the outer filter media filling space 10, water flows from top to bottom, while in the inner filter media filling space 11, water flows from bottom to top.

[0035] Preferably, in a further improvement to the first embodiment described above, the bottom of the outer barrel 1 is formed into an arc-shaped bottom surface; The bottom adapter 4 has a bowl-shaped structure that matches the curved bottom surface of the outer barrel 1.

[0036] The bottom adapter 4 is fixedly connected to the inner tub 2 by a pin.

[0037] Preferably, in a further improvement of the first embodiment described above, the outer tub 1 and inner tub 2 of the bottom adapter 4 are made of glass fiber.

[0038] Preferably, in a further improvement of the first embodiment, the bottom adapter 4 and the inner tub water distributor 7 are integrated into a single structure.

[0039] Second embodiment; The second embodiment of the present invention is a further improvement based on the first embodiment described above. The identical parts will not be repeated here, and it also includes: The irregular sealing ring 9 is disposed between the adapter assembly 8 and the opening of the outer barrel 1 to seal the irregular contact surface between the two.

[0040] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, the assembly process of the nested water treatment container provided by the present invention is described as follows: 1) Pre-assemble the inner tub: Insert the lower inner tub water distributor 7 into the annular groove of the bowl-shaped bottom adapter 3. The bowl-shaped curvature of the bottom adapter 3 matches the radius of curvature of the curved bottom surface of the outer tub 1. Insert the bottom of the inner tub 2 into the center positioning post of the bowl-shaped bottom adapter 3 and fix it horizontally with an ABS pin to form the inner tub assembly.

[0041] 2) Filling the outer barrel with filter media: Insert the above-mentioned inner barrel assembly vertically into the bottom of the barrel from the top opening of the outer barrel 1; fill the inner barrel 2 with cation exchange resin through the funnel; install the water distributor 6 on the inner barrel and the connecting pipe 3 at the center of the funnel in sequence, with the lower end of the funnel center pipe 3 connected to the water distributor 6 on the inner barrel by a socket, and the upper end extending to the vicinity of the adapter 8.

[0042] 3) Filling the outer barrel with filter media: Fill the annular space between the outer barrel 1 and the inner barrel 2 with the same type of cation exchange resin, with the resin height lower than the top of the inner barrel 2.

[0043] 4) Top sealing: Embed the silicone rubber special-shaped sealing ring 8 into the bottom rounded corner sealing groove of the 7-inch to 2.5-inch adapter assembly 8; fit the adapter assembly 8 onto the top of the outer barrel 1 and tighten it evenly with stainless steel screws to achieve a seal.

[0044] 5) Valve body connection: Bond and fix the outer barrel water distributor 5 to the 2.5-inch threaded interface of the control valve; screw the entire control valve assembly into the 2.5-inch internal thread of the adapter assembly 8 to complete the final assembly.

[0045] Third embodiment; This invention provides a water softener having a nested water treatment container as described in any of the above embodiments. Other parts of the water softener are not improvements of this invention and can be any of the existing technologies.

[0046] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It will also be understood that, unless explicitly defined herein, terms such as those defined in a general dictionary shall be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with their meaning in the relevant field context, and not as having an idealized or overly formal meaning.

[0047] The present invention has been described in detail above through specific embodiments and examples, but these are not intended to limit the invention. Many modifications and improvements can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the invention, and these should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A nested water treatment container, characterized in that, include: Outer barrel (1); The inner bucket (2) is nested on the bottom adapter (4) at the bottom of the outer bucket (1), and its top is connected to the central connecting pipe (3). Its interior forms an inner filter material filling space (11), and its outer wall forms an outer filter material filling space (10) with the inner wall of the outer bucket (1). The center connecting pipe (3) has its upper end inserted into and fixed in the adapter assembly (8), and its lower end fixedly connected to the opening of the inner barrel (2); Bottom adapter (4) is fixed to the bottom inside the outer barrel (1) to support the inner barrel (2) and isolate the outer filter material filling space (10) from the inner filter material filling space (11), forming a filter material barrier type permeable structure; The outer barrel water distributor (5) is mounted on the central connecting pipe (3); The water distributor (6) on the inner barrel is installed on the upper part of the inner barrel (2) and forms a filter material barrier type water permeable structure; The water distributor (7) is installed at the bottom of the inner tank (2) and fixed at the top of the bottom adapter (4), forming a filter media barrier type water permeable structure; The adapter assembly (8) is fixed in the opening of the outer barrel (1) and is used to convert the opening size of the outer barrel (1) into the standard valve body interface size. In the external filter media filling space, water flows from top to bottom, while in the internal filter media filling space, water flows from bottom to top.

2. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The opening size of the outer bucket (1) is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the inner bucket (2).

3. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the outer barrel (1) is formed into an arc-shaped bottom surface; The bottom adapter (4) has a bowl-shaped structure that matches the curved bottom surface of the outer barrel (1).

4. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A non-circular sealing ring (9) is provided between the adapter assembly (8) and the opening of the outer barrel (1) to seal the non-circular contact surface between the two.

5. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom adapter (4) is fixedly connected to the inner tub (2) by a pin.

6. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The outer barrel (1) is made of fiberglass.

7. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The central connecting pipe fitting (3) is formed as a variable diameter structure with a large lower diameter and a small upper diameter.

8. The nested water treatment container as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom adapter (4) and the inner tub water distributor (7) are integrated into one structure.

9. A water softener, characterized in that: It has a nested water treatment container as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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