Filter cartridge assembly and water purification apparatus

Abstract

This application relates to a filter element assembly and a water purification device, applicable to the field of water purification equipment. It includes a housing and a composite filter element. The housing has a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet arranged at intervals. The composite filter element includes a pre-filter and a post-filter disposed within the housing, with the outlet of the post-filter connected to the outlet. The housing has a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a third flow channel. The inlet of the pre-filter can be connected to the first inlet via the first flow channel, the inlet of the post-filter can be connected to the second inlet via the second flow channel, and the outlet of the pre-filter and the inlet of the post-filter can be connected via the third flow channel. At least one of the first and second inlets is open to form three different water purification paths within the filter element assembly. This application achieves three different water quality outputs with varying purification effects through a single composite filter element integrating multiple water channels, reducing equipment size and lowering operating costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of water purification equipment, and in particular to a filter element assembly and water purification equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Water purifiers, as common point-of-use drinking water treatment equipment, are widely used in homes and commercial settings. Their core function is to filter and purify raw water (such as municipal tap water) through built-in filter cartridges, removing impurities and harmful substances to improve water safety and taste.

[0003] In related technologies, water purifiers typically employ a single, fixed filtration channel and water path design. Raw water flows sequentially through a pre-filtration layer (such as PP cotton or activated carbon) and a core filtration layer (such as an ultrafiltration membrane or reverse osmosis membrane), producing only water of a specific filtration precision. This design ensures that the final water quality output by a single water purifier is unique.

[0004] However, users often need to obtain different water qualities simultaneously in their daily lives. To meet this need, users are usually required to purchase and install multiple independent water purifiers or equip themselves with a composite model with multiple independent filtration systems. This inevitably doubles the overall cost for users, is particularly limiting in installation locations with limited space, and makes it difficult to conveniently and efficiently meet users' actual needs for diverse water qualities. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a filter cartridge and water purification equipment to address the problem that existing single water purification devices cannot conveniently provide multiple different water qualities at the same time to meet users' diverse water needs.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a filter element assembly, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A filter cartridge assembly includes at least a housing and a composite filter cartridge. The housing has a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet spaced apart. The composite filter cartridge includes a pre-filter and a post-filter installed within the housing, with the outlet of the post-filter connected to the outlet. The housing contains a first flow channel, a second flow channel, and a third flow channel. The inlet of the pre-filter is connected to the first inlet via the first flow channel, the inlet of the post-filter is connected to the second inlet via the second flow channel, and the outlet of the pre-filter and the inlet of the post-filter are connected via the third flow channel. At least one of the first inlet and the second inlet is open, allowing the filter cartridge assembly to output water of three different qualities.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first flow channel extends through the post-filter element, the second flow channel is formed between the outer wall of the post-filter element and the inner wall of the housing; the third flow channel is formed between the outer wall of the pre-filter element and the inner wall of the housing; wherein, the first inlet and the second inlet are configured such that: when only the first inlet is opened, water flows sequentially through the first flow channel, the pre-filter element, the third flow channel, and the post-filter element to the outlet; when only the second inlet is opened, water flows through the second flow channel and the post-filter element to the outlet; when both the first inlet and the second inlet are opened simultaneously, the two water flows mix in the post-filter element and are output through the outlet.

[0009] In one embodiment, the pre-filter includes a front upper cover and a front lower cover, the front upper cover being detachably mounted on the front lower cover and defining a front receiving cavity for receiving a first filter material between the two.

[0010] In one embodiment, the post-filter includes a connecting pipe that connects the inlet of the front lower end cap and the first water inlet, and the first flow channel is formed inside the connecting pipe.

[0011] In one embodiment, the lower front end cover has a connecting portion at one end opposite to the upper front end cover, and a first sealing member is sleeved around the connecting portion. The connecting portion can be inserted into the connecting pipe, and the first sealing member is used to seal the gap between the connecting portion and the connecting pipe.

[0012] In one embodiment, the post-filter cartridge further includes a rear upper end cover and a rear lower end cover, the rear upper end cover being detachably mounted on the rear lower end cover and defining a rear receiving cavity for receiving a second filter material between the two.

[0013] In one embodiment, the outer wall of the rear lower end cover has a plurality of supporting ridges, all of which are distributed circumferentially along the rear filter element, and the side of the supporting ridges facing away from the rear lower end cover can contact the inner wall of the housing.

[0014] In one embodiment, a separator is provided between the rear upper cover and the front lower cover, the separator being installed on the rear upper cover or the front lower cover so that the facing end faces of the rear upper cover and the front lower cover are spaced apart.

[0015] In one embodiment, the housing includes an outer shell and a cover plate, the outer shell being fitted around the composite filter element and the cover plate being installed on the outer shell.

[0016] Secondly, this application provides a water purification device, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0017] A water purification device includes the aforementioned filter cartridge assembly.

[0018] The aforementioned filter cartridge assembly achieves three different water purification effects through a single composite filter cartridge integrated with a multi-water-path design, eliminating the need for repeated purchases and maintenance of multiple filter cartridge systems and significantly reducing operating costs.

[0019] Furthermore, the multiple water quality output functions are compressed into the same filter cartridge space, eliminating the redundant volume of multiple filter cartridges placed side by side, and adapting to installation scenarios with limited space. In addition, based on single inlet switching or dual inlet linkage control, three water qualities can be flexibly obtained by controlling the opening and closing of the first and second inlets, simplifying the operation process and improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a filter element assembly in one embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a filter element assembly in one embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a filter element assembly in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the filter element assembly in another embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the filter element assembly in another embodiment of this application.

[0025] Attached image annotations:

[0026] 1. Shell; 11. Outer shell; 111. First inlet; 112. Second inlet; 113. Outlet; 12. Cover plate; 2. Pre-filter element; 21. Front upper cover; 211. Front inlet hole; 212. Support bar; 22. Front lower cover; 221. Front outlet hole; 23. Front receiving cavity; 24. Connecting pipe fitting; 25. Connecting part; 3. Rear filter element; 31. Rear upper cover; 311. Rear inlet hole; 32. Rear lower cover; 321. Rear outlet hole; 33. Supporting protrusion; 34. Connecting pipe fitting; 35. Rear receiving cavity; 4. First flow channel; 5. Second flow channel; 6. Third flow channel; 7. First seal; 8. Second seal; 9. Separator; F1. First direction. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0029] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0030] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0032] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. Wherein, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible embodiments. The "first direction" can be the axial direction of the housing, denoted as F1 in this application.

[0033] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-5 The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail.

[0034] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 An exploded view of a filter element assembly according to one embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a filter element assembly according to an embodiment of this application is shown. An embodiment of this application provides a filter element assembly, including a housing 1 and a composite filter element. The housing 1 has a mounting cavity (not shown) for accommodating the composite filter element. The composite filter element is assembled in the mounting cavity of the housing 1 along a first direction F1 for purifying the water flow entering the filter element assembly.

[0035] Specifically, the housing 1 includes a barrel-shaped outer shell 11 and a cover plate 12 detachably installed at the opening of the outer shell 11. The cover plate 12 is used to seal the mounting cavity after the composite filter element is assembled. The side wall of the outer shell 11 is provided with a first inlet 111, a second inlet 112, and an outlet 113 spaced apart from each other. During the water production process, at least one of the first inlet 111 and the second inlet 112 is opened for tap water intake, and the outlet 113 is used for filtered purified water output.

[0036] In this application, the cover plate 12 and the outer shell 11 are assembled by spin-fusion to close the mounting cavity. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the cover plate 12 and the outer shell 11 may also be detachably connected by threaded or bolted connections, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0037] Combination Figures 3 to 5 As shown, Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a filter element assembly according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 3 The middle arrow indicates the water path inside the filter assembly when only the first inlet 111 is open; Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a filter element assembly according to another embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 4 The middle arrow indicates the water path inside the filter assembly when only the second inlet 112 is open; Figure 5 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a filter element assembly according to another embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 5 The middle arrow shows the water path inside the filter assembly when the first inlet 111 and the second inlet 112 are opened simultaneously.

[0038] In some embodiments, the filter assembly includes a post-filter 3 and a pre-filter 2 sequentially installed in the housing 1 along a first direction F1. The outlet of the post-filter 3 is connected to the water outlet 113 on the housing 11 for discharging purified water. The pre-filter 2 is filled with a first filter media to adjust the water purification rate. For example, the first filter media can be used to filter out calcium and magnesium ions in the water, turning hard water into soft water. The post-filter 3 is filled with a second filter media to improve the taste of the water. For example, the second filter media can be used to adsorb residual chlorine and odors in the water.

[0039] In this embodiment, the first filter material and the second filter material are made of different materials. Specifically, the first filter material can be resin, and the second filter material can be activated carbon. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the first filter material and the second filter material can also be replaced by other materials with the same or similar functions, and this application does not limit this.

[0040] The post-filter 3 has a first flow channel 4 running through it, and the inlet of the pre-filter 2 can be connected to the first water inlet 111 via the first flow channel 4. A second flow channel 5 is defined between the outer wall of the post-filter 3 and the inner wall of the housing 1, and the inlet of the post-filter 3 can be connected to the second water inlet 112 via the second flow channel 5. A third flow channel 6 is defined between the outer wall of the pre-filter 2 and the inner wall of the housing 1, and the outlet of the pre-filter 2 and the inlet of the post-filter 3 can be connected via the third flow channel 6.

[0041] In the actual water production process, at least one of the first inlet 111 and the second inlet 112 is configured to be in the open state to form three different water purification paths inside the filter assembly, so as to output three kinds of water with different purification effects respectively.

[0042] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, when only the first inlet 111 is opened, the second inlet 112 is closed. The water flows through the first channel 4, the pre-filter 2, the third channel 6, and the post-filter 3 in sequence before being discharged through the outlet 113. At this time, the water flows through the pre-filter 2 and the post-filter 3 in sequence. The water quality after double filtration is the best and the purification effect is the best.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, when only the second inlet 112 is opened, the first inlet 111 is closed. The water flows through the second channel 5 and the post-filter 3 and is discharged through the outlet 113. The water only passes through the post-filter 3 for filtration, and the water purification effect is slightly worse than that of the water prepared by the previous water purification path.

[0044] like Figure 5 As shown, when the first inlet 111 and the second inlet 112 are opened at the same time, the two water streams are mixed in the post-filter 3 and discharged through the outlet 113. Part of the discharged water undergoes double filtration, while the remaining part is only filtered by the post-filter 3. The water purification effect of the generated water is moderate compared to the previous two types.

[0045] As shown in the embodiments of this application, the filter element assembly achieves the output of water with three different purification effects through a single composite filter element integrated with a multi-water channel design. This effectively eliminates the need for repeated purchase and maintenance of multiple filter element systems, significantly reducing user costs.

[0046] Furthermore, the multiple water quality output functions are compressed into the same filter cartridge space, eliminating the redundant volume of multiple filter cartridges placed side by side, and adapting to installation scenarios with limited space. In addition, based on single inlet switching or dual inlet linkage control, three water qualities can be flexibly obtained by controlling the opening and closing of the first and second inlets, simplifying the operation process and improving the user experience.

[0047] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the pre-filter 2 includes a front upper end cover 21 and a front lower end cover 22. The front lower end cover 22 is configured in a cylindrical shape. The front upper end cover 21 can be detachably assembled to the front lower end cover 22 along a first direction F1, and defines a front receiving cavity 23 for receiving the first filter material between the front upper end cover 21 and the front lower end cover 22.

[0048] In some embodiments, the pre-filter 2 further includes a second sealing element 8, which may specifically be a sealing ring surrounding the outer edge of the upper front cover 21. After the upper front cover 21 is assembled to the lower front cover 22 along the first direction F1, the second sealing element 8 is pressed against the inner wall between the outer edge of the upper front cover 21 and the opening of the lower front cover 22 to seal the assembly gap between the upper front cover 21 and the lower front cover 22.

[0049] Specifically, the upper front cover 21 is provided with multiple pre-outlet holes 221 for water discharge. All the pre-outlet holes 221 are distributed circumferentially around the upper front cover 21, and the multiple pre-outlet holes 221 together constitute the outlet of the pre-filter element 2. The lower front cover 22 is provided with a pre-inlet hole 211 for water inlet on the side opposite to the upper front cover 21. This pre-inlet hole 211 is the inlet of the pre-filter element 2.

[0050] Furthermore, the front upper cover 21 is provided with a plurality of support strips 212 extending along the first direction F1 on the side opposite to the front lower cover 22, so that after the pre-filter element 2 is assembled, there is always a certain gap between it and the cover plate 12 of the housing 1 to allow water to flow through, and it provides effective support for the composite filter element formed in the first direction F1, completes axial positioning, and ensures the assembly stability of the filter element assembly.

[0051] In some other embodiments, the post-filter 2 includes a connecting pipe 24, which is connected along the first direction F1 between the front water inlet 211 of the front lower end cover 22 and the first water inlet 111 of the outer shell 11. The connecting pipe 24 has the aforementioned first flow channel 4 inside, which is used to directly transport water from the first water inlet 111 to the pre-filter 2 for pre-filtration treatment.

[0052] Specifically, the lower front cover 22 has an integrally formed connecting portion 25 at the end opposite to the upper front cover 21, and the connecting portion 25 extends towards the rear filter element 3 along the first direction F1. During actual assembly, the connecting portion 25 is inserted into the connecting pipe 24 along the first direction F1 to complete the construction of the first flow channel 4. Furthermore, a first sealing member 7 is sleeved around the connecting portion 25, allowing the connecting portion 25 to be inserted into the connecting pipe 24 along the first direction F1. The first sealing member 7 is used to seal the gap between the connecting portion 25 and the connecting pipe 24.

[0053] Continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the post-filter element 3 also includes a rear upper end cover 31 and a rear lower end cover 32. The connecting pipe 24 is integrally formed on the rear upper end cover 31 along the first direction F1. The rear upper end cover 31 is also constructed in a cylindrical shape. The rear lower end cover 32 can be detachably assembled to the rear upper end cover 31 along the first direction F1, and defines a rear receiving cavity 35 for accommodating the second filter material between the lower and lower end covers 31.

[0054] Specifically, the upper rear cover 31 has multiple rear water inlet holes 311 on the side opposite to the lower rear cover 32. All the rear water inlet holes 311 are distributed circumferentially around the upper rear cover 31, and the multiple rear water inlet holes 311 together constitute the inlet of the rear filter element 3. The lower rear cover 32 has a rear water outlet hole 321 on the side opposite to the upper rear cover 31, which is the outlet of the rear filter element 3. A connecting pipe 34 is integrally formed at the rear water outlet hole 321, and the rear water outlet hole 321 can be connected to the water outlet 113 through the connecting pipe 34.

[0055] In some embodiments, the outer wall of the rear lower end cover 32 has a plurality of support ridges 33 extending along a first direction F1, and all the support ridges 33 are distributed circumferentially along the rear filter element 3. The side of the support ridges 33 facing away from the rear lower end cover 32 can contact the inner wall of the housing 1 to radially limit the composite filter element.

[0056] Continue reading Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the composite filter element also includes a separator 9 disposed between the rear upper end cover 31 and the front lower end cover 22. The separator 9 extends along the first direction F1 and can be fixed to at least one of the rear upper end cover 31 and the front lower end cover 22, so that the facing end faces of the rear upper end cover 31 and the front lower end cover 22 are spaced apart after the filter element assembly is assembled, forming a gap through which water flows.

[0057] In some embodiments, this application also provides a water purification device, which includes at least a filter element assembly as shown in any of the above embodiments, and is capable of outputting a variety of different water qualities according to user needs to adapt to different water use scenarios.

[0058] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0059] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A filter element assembly, characterized in that, The filter assembly includes at least: The casing has a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet arranged at intervals; and, The composite filter element includes a pre-filter element and a post-filter element installed in the housing, wherein the outlet of the post-filter element is connected to the water outlet. The housing is provided with a first flow channel, a second flow channel and a third flow channel. The inlet of the pre-filter can be connected to the first water inlet through the first flow channel. The inlet of the post-filter can be connected to the second water inlet through the second flow channel. The outlet of the pre-filter and the inlet of the post-filter can be connected through the third flow channel. At least one of the first inlet and the second inlet is opened so that the filter assembly can output water of three different qualities.

2. The filter element assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first flow channel extends through the post-filter element; the second flow channel is formed between the outer wall of the post-filter element and the inner wall of the housing; the third flow channel is formed between the outer wall of the pre-filter element and the inner wall of the housing. The first water inlet and the second water inlet are configured as follows: When only the first inlet is open, the water flows sequentially through the first channel, the pre-filter, the third channel, and the post-filter to the outlet. When only the second inlet is open, the water flows through the second flow channel, the post-filter element, and to the outlet. When the first water inlet and the second water inlet are opened simultaneously, the two water streams mix in the post-filter and are then output through the outlet.

3. The filter element assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-filter includes a front upper end cover and a front lower end cover. The front upper end cover is detachably installed on the front lower end cover and defines a front receiving cavity for accommodating the first filter material between the two.

4. The filter element assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The post-filter includes a connecting pipe that connects the inlet of the front lower end cap and the first water inlet, and the first flow channel is formed inside the connecting pipe.

5. The filter element assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lower front end cover has a connecting part at one end opposite to the upper front end cover. A first sealing member is sleeved around the connecting part. The connecting part can be inserted into the connecting pipe. The first sealing member is used to seal the gap between the connecting part and the connecting pipe.

6. The filter element assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The post-filter also includes a rear upper end cover and a rear lower end cover. The rear upper end cover is detachably installed on the rear lower end cover and defines a rear receiving cavity for accommodating the second filter material between the two.

7. The filter element assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer wall of the rear lower end cover has multiple supporting ridges, all of which are distributed circumferentially along the rear filter element. The side of the supporting ridges away from the rear lower end cover can contact the inner wall of the housing.

8. The filter element assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, A separator is provided between the rear upper end cover and the front lower end cover. The separator is installed on the rear upper end cover or the front lower end cover so that the facing end faces of the rear upper end cover and the front lower end cover are spaced apart.

9. The filter element assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes an outer shell and a cover plate. The outer shell is fitted around the composite filter element, and the cover plate is installed on the outer shell.

10. A water purification device, characterized in that, Includes the filter element assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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