Filter cartridge for a water filter device

Abstract

Filter cartridge (1) for a water filter device, which comprises a housing (2) filled with a filter medium, wherein the housing (2) comprises at least one inlet (5) and at least one outlet (8), wherein means for flow reversal are provided between the inlet (5) and the outlet (8), wherein the housing (2) has at least one circumferential seal (7), wherein the filter cartridge (1) has an inner (11) and an outer (10) housing, wherein the outer housing (10) is closed at the bottom, wherein the outlet (8) is designed as a tube which does not protrude beyond the bottom of the outer housing (13) of the filter cartridge (1), and wherein a bell-shaped chamber (9) is located above the outlet (8), which together with the outlet (8) forms a suction lifter (16), and wherein the bell-shaped chamber (9) is delimited by a base (13) of the outer housing (10) which extends into the filter cartridge (1) in the central part and by a base (12) of the inner housing (11) which is essentially bell-shaped in the central region.

Description

Field of the InventionThe invention relates to a filter cartridge for a water filter device, in particular for a non-pressurized domestic water filter.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFilter cartridges for water filters, which are used in particular in households for filtration and ion exchange, are known.Thus, German laid-open specification DE 10 2004 026 167 A1 shows a filter cartridge and a device for filtering liquids. The filter cartridge is clamped in a corresponding insert. The water is introduced into a type of funnel and passes through the filter cartridge from top to bottom. After the water exits at the bottom, it runs into a provided container via a connecting piece, which together with the filter cartridge forms a throttle device. The disclosure content of this generic document is referred to in its entirety.A disadvantage of this system is that a dead water zone is formed, in particular as a result of the connection piece.It is particularly disadvantageous that a dead water zone is formed below the inserted filter cartridge, which zone is not in direct contact with the filter medium.In other systems known from practice, there are also problems with the formation of dead water zones, especially at the upper edge of the cartridge.Filter cartridges are also known from the documents DE 38 28 008 A1, WO 2007 / 073822 A1 and DE 43 12 580 C1.Object of the InventionIn contrast, the object of the invention is to at least reduce the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.In particular, it is the object of the invention to reduce dead water zones and to avoid dead water zones which are not in direct contact with the filter medium as completely as possible.Another object of the invention is to stabilize the flow in the cartridge, which changes by the height of the water column. In particular, the flow rate at the end of the filtering process, in which hardly any water or no water is above an inlet opening of the filter, is to be increased to a desired minimum.Another object of the invention is to provide a filter cartridge which can be filled with various filter media.A further object of the invention is to be able to provide a filter cartridge in a particularly simple manner, which permits the addition of minerals, trace elements or flavouring agents.It is a further object of the invention to be able to provide a filter cartridge in which silver ions which are emitted from the filter medium are at least partially removed again at the end of the filtering process.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe object of the invention is already achieved by a filter cartridge for a water filter device according to claim 1.Preferred embodiments and developments of the invention can be taken from the respective dependent claims.The invention relates to a filter cartridge for a water filter device. More particularly, the invention relates to a filter cartridge for a non-pressurized filter, such as is used in household applications in which the water is poured into a hopper above the filter cartridge and passes through the filter only by gravity.The filter cartridge has a housing with at least one upper inlet and at least one lower outlet, wherein means for flow reversal are provided between the inlet and the outlet.The flow reversal within the cartridge allows the water to exit from the cartridge via a defined outlet without the base of the filter cartridge being configured to be water-permeable.At the same time, the space for the filter medium which is present in addition to an inlet connection of the container can be used if appropriate.The housing has at least one circumferential seal. This prevents water from running past the cartridge on the edge side and forming dead water zones. In connection with the intended flow reversal, the zone lying between the bottom and the edge of the filter cartridge and the container into which the cartridge is inserted remains dry.The seal is preferably arranged substantially on an upper edge of the filter cartridge below the inlet.In a further development of the invention, a further chamber is provided in the housing of the filter cartridge between the means for flow reversal and the outlet of the filter cartridge. This chamber, which preferably has a smaller volume than the remaining filter cartridge, in particular a volume of less than one third of the filter cartridge, enables water treatment downstream of the filter medium of the actual filter cartridge.In particular, a medium can be arranged in such a chamber, which adsorbs silver that is emitted by the filter medium. According to the invention, the outlet is tubular and arranged above a bottom of the filter cartridge. At the same time, the water can be discharged from the filter cartridge via a tubular outlet, which can be adapted to a container of virtually any desired configuration.The outlet is preferably arranged at least 2 mm and particularly preferably at least 10 mm above the bottom of the filter cartridge.The housing of the filter cartridge is preferably substantially filled with the filter medium up to a housing base. Dead water zones are thus further reduced or avoided.Furthermore, the filter cartridge can have at least two chambers which are separated at least in sections. The chambers are preferably arranged substantially parallel to one another in terms of flow technology, i.e. next to one another.The two chambers separated from one another can be filled with different filter media.In order to be able to design the filter cartridge particularly easily, the chambers preferably have a common housing.The chambers are preferably designed as cylinders or truncated cones arranged substantially next to one another, which overlap in sections.Thus, the resulting notch between the chambers can be used, for example, for integrating a further inlet.Furthermore, above the inlet or after the outlet or between the inlet and the outlet, a chamber with a medium for the discharge of ions, flavourings and / or trace elements can be arranged.The invention relates to a filter cartridge for a water filter device, which has a suction lifter.The suction lifter is arranged at the outlet of the filter cartridge and at the same time forms a flow reversal. The suction lifter is integrated into the filter cartridge.A suction lifter ensures that a sufficient flow rate is present even at the end of the filtering process and residual water is removed as well as possible from the filter cartridge.The outlet is preferably arranged at most 2 cm and particularly preferably at most 1 cm above the base of the filter cartridge in order to keep the amount of residual water remaining in the cartridge as low as possible.Furthermore, the filter cartridge can comprise a housing with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein a further inlet is arranged below the inlet.It has been found that dead water zones are preferably formed on the edge and below inlet openings typically arranged in the upper region of the filter cartridge.The inventors have found that, through a further inlet, which is preferably provided on an edge-side seal which is configured as a channel, this residual water can be conducted into the cartridge at the end of the filtering process and thus removed.The further inlet preferably adjoins a chamber filled with a filter medium or protrudes into the chamber. The residual water is thus introduced directly into the chamber with the filter medium, wherein the further inlet is preferably arranged below the fill level with a filter medium.Furthermore, the filter cartridge can have a tamperproof closure at least at the outlet.The tamperproof closure is preferably designed as an adhesive seal. A combination with a flow reversal is particularly advantageous, since in such a cartridge the water can be discharged via a defined, tubular outlet, via which an adhesive seal can be bonded in a particularly simple manner.The invention further relates to a filter cartridge for a water filter device, wherein the filter medium is designed such that it delivers minerals or trace elements, in particular calcium or magnesium.Thus, food supplements may be added simultaneously during filtering of the water. The addition of such food supplements preferably takes place in a region arranged after a filter stage, in particular in a further chamber.Brief Description of the DrawingsThe invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings FIGS. 1 to 6, which show schematically represented exemplary embodiments of a filter cartridge. FIG. 1 shows a schematic isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a filter cartridge, FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a filter cartridge, FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 shows a schematic, functional side view of a filter cartridge, FIG. 5 shows a further sectional view of a filter cartridge, FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a filter cartridge in a sectional view.Detailed Description of the DrawingsReferring to FIG. 1, the essential components of a filter cartridge 1 will be explained in more detail.The filter cartridge 1 is designed for use in a water filter device which is preferably to be used in the household.The filter cartridge 1 comprises a housing 2 which has a seal 7 on the edge, with which the inserted filter cartridge 1 is sealed off from the container of the water filter device (not shown).Above the edge-side seal 7, a head part with slot-shaped inlets 5 is arranged.In order to be able to remove the filter cartridge 1 easily, the filter cartridge 1 has a corrugated grip piece 6.In this exemplary embodiment, the filter cartridge comprises a first chamber 3 and a second chamber 4, which are arranged next to one another. The chambers 3, 4 are substantially circular-cylindrical in this exemplary embodiment.FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the filter cartridge shown in FIG. 1, with reference to which the inner life of the filter cartridge 1 is to be explained above all. Here too, the inlet 5 in the head part can be seen.Furthermore, the tubular outlet 8 can be seen in this view.Above the outlet 8 there is a bell-shaped chamber 9 which together with the outlet 8 forms a suction lifter.The housing of the filter cartridge 1 comprises an outer housing 10 and an inner housing 11. The inner and outer housings 11, 10 can be firmly connected to each other. In an alternative embodiment, the inner housing 11 together with the head part forms a cartridge insert which is inserted into the outer housing 10. Thus, the outer housing 10 is designed as an adapter, but the function of the filter cartridge 1 does not change in principle, but the reuse of the outer housing 11 designed as an adapter is made possible.The bottom 12 of the inner housing comprises slots which serve as a spout. The water is introduced into the siphon via the slots.The bottom 13 of the outer housing 11 does not comprise any slits, however, so that the water leaves the filter cartridge 1 only via the outlet 8 which is substantially tubular.In this way, it is ensured that no dead water zone is formed below the filter cartridge.Furthermore, the filter cartridge also comprises a further inlet 14, which is arranged below the inlet 5.The further inlet 14 adjoins the encircling seal 7, which at the same time forms a channel 15.Residual water at the end of the filtering process can thus be introduced into the interior of the cartridge via the channel and the further inlet. The function is enhanced by the design of the cartridge with a first chamber 3 and a second chamber 4, since the further inlet 14 can be arranged between the two chambers in a particularly simple manner. Furthermore, the further inlet 14 is arranged below the fill level of the filter medium (not shown) so that no dead water zones which are not in contact with the filter medium form above the filter medium.In this exemplary embodiment, however, the chambers 3 and 4 are separated from one another only in the region of the outlet 8 and do not have a different filter medium (not shown).With reference to FIG. 3, the essential components of an exemplary embodiment of a suction lifter 16 will be explained in more detail.The suction lifter comprises a preferably tubular outlet 8, above which a chamber 9 is arranged.The chamber 9 is bounded by the bottom of the outer housing 13 which is guided into the cartridge in the central part and the bottom of the inner housing which is substantially bell-shaped in the central region.Via a channel 17, which in this embodiment is formed substantially by two nested bells, the water, after leaving the inner housing 11, runs into the chamber 9.In a further development of the invention, a downstream water treatment is arranged in the chamber 9.In particular, it is provided to fill the chamber with what is known as polishing, which adsorbs silver ions, for example, that are emitted by the filter medium (not shown), or filters out heavy metals and arsenic.Referring to Fig. 4, which illustrates a filter cartridge 1, the flow of water in the cartridge will be explained in more detail.The filter cartridge 1 comprises an inlet 5 and an outlet 8 as well as a housing consisting of the chambers 3 and 4.The water enters the filter cartridge 1 via the inlet 5 and seeps through the filter medium (not shown and leaves the sieve-shaped base of the chambers 3 and 4.After leaving the chamber 4, the water flows first to the right in the direction of the cartridge center. The water then passes through the means for reversing the flow, rises up into the chamber 9 in order to leave the cartridge from the chamber 9 in a defined manner through a preferably substantially tubular outlet 8.By suitably dimensioning the cross section 8 of the outlet, the flow rate can thus be reduced in a particularly simple manner and the residence time of the water can be adjusted to a desired value range.FIG. 5 shows a further sectional view of a filter cartridge.Here, too, the inlet 5 and the outlet 8 can be seen.In this illustration, the further inlet 14 is particularly well seen, which adjoins the seal 7 of channel-shaped design. The channel 15 leads in a step shape to the further inlet 14, via which residual water is introduced into the cartridge at the end of the filtering process.FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a filter cartridge 1. this filter cartridge 1 also has an inlet 5 and an outlet 8, which is designed as a flow reversal.In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown above, the first 3 and second chamber 4 are completely separated from one another by a web 18 and can thus be filled with different filter media.Furthermore, in this embodiment, the handle 6 extends beyond the cartridge head with the inlet 5. This allows better handling on the one hand. On the other hand, compared to the exemplary embodiment shown above, in which the handle extends up to the maximum height of the inlet, the overall height of the filter cartridge 1 is increased.It is understood that the invention is not limited to a combination of the features described above, but that the person skilled in the art would use all features in any combination, insofar as this is expedient.List of reference numbers:1 Filter cartridge 2 Housing 3 First chamber 4 Second chamber 5 Inlet 6 Handle 7 Seal 8 Outlet 9 Further chamber 10 Outer housing 11 Inner housing 12 Base of the inner housing 13 Base of the outer housing 14 Further inlet 15 Channel 16 Suction lifter 17 Channel 18 Web

Claims

Filter cartridge (1) for a water filter device, which comprises a housing (2) filled with a filter medium, wherein the housing (2) comprises at least one inlet (5) and at least one outlet (8), wherein means for flow reversal are provided between the inlet (5) and the outlet (8), wherein the housing (2) has at least one circumferential seal (7), wherein the filter cartridge (1) has an inner (11) and an outer (10) housing, wherein the outer housing (10) is closed on the underside, wherein the outlet (8) is formed as a tube which does not project beyond the base of the outer housing (13) of the filter cartridge (1), and wherein a bell-shaped chamber (9) is located above the outlet (8), which chamber forms a suction lifter (16) together with the outlet (8), and wherein the bell-shaped chamber (9) is delimited by a base (13) of the outer housing (10), which base is guided in the central part into the filter cartridge (1), and a base (12) of the inner housing (11), which base is of bell-shaped design substantially in the central region.Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the seal (7) is arranged on an upper edge of the filter cartridge (1).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a chamber (9) is arranged in the housing (2) of the filter cartridge (1) between the means for flow reversal and the outlet (8).Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the chamber (9) is filled with a water treatment medium, in particular a silver, heavy metal and / or arsenic-adsorbing medium.Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet (5) is formed as an upper part of the filter cartridge (1).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet (8) is arranged above a base of the filter cartridge (1).Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the outlet (8) is arranged at least 2 mm, preferably at least 10 mm, above the base of the filter cartridge (1).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (2) is filled with the filter medium up to a housing base (12).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner (11) and outer (10) housings form a suction lifter (16).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter cartridge (1) has at least two chambers (3, 4) which are separated at least in sections.Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the chambers (3, 4) are arranged next to one another.Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that the chambers (3, 4) have a common housing (2).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the three preceding claims, characterized in that the chambers (3, 4) are filled with different filter media.Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding two claims, characterized in that the outlet (8) ends at most 2 cm, preferably at most 1.5 cm, particularly preferably at most 1 cm above the base of the filter cartridge (1).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further inlet (14) is arranged below the inlet (5).Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the further inlet (14) adjoins the edge-side seal (7).Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the edge-side seal (7) forms a channel (15) which is connected to the further inlet (14).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding three claims, characterized in that the further inlet (14) adjoins a chamber (3, 4) filled with a filter medium, in particular projects into the chamber (3, 4).Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding four claims, characterized in that the further inlet (14) is arranged below the fill level with a filter medium.Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tamperproof closure is arranged at least at the outlet (8).Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the tamperproof closure is designed as an adhesive seal extending over a depression.Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter medium delivers minerals and / or trace elements, in particular calcium and / or magnesium.Filter cartridge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing comprises at least two cylinders or truncated cones arranged side by side, which overlap in sections.Filter cartridge (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the cylinders or truncated cones have circular base surfaces.

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