Water purification cartridge and water purifier

Abstract

To provide a water purification cartridge and a water purifier having a large filtration flow rate.SOLUTION: A casing having an interior space for accommodation of a cylindrical filter member is assembled therein; the casing is assembled with a first portion contacting with a first end part in the axial direction of the filter member directly or via a seal member, a second portion contacting with a second end part which is on the opposite side of the first end part in the axial direction of the filter member directly or via a seal member, and a third portion covering an outer peripheral surface of the filter member; the first portion has a supply port of water on the interior space of the filter member; the second portion has a projection part projecting to the interior space of the filter member; a water channel is formed between the third portion and an outer peripheral surface of the filter member; an exhaust port for water passed through a channel is formed in at least one of the second portion and the third portion; a gap is formed between the projection and an internal surface of the filter member; and feed water to the interior space of the filter member is allowed to flow to a channel from the interior space of the filter member to the outward in the radial direction via the filter member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water purification cartridge and a water purifier. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a water purification cartridge for a pot-type water purifier. This water purifier includes a lid body having a water inlet through which raw water flows and a casing body having a water outlet through which purified water flows. When the lid body is attached to the casing body, a hollow cylindrical filter member is disposed between the water inlet and the water outlet. When raw water is injected into the water purifier, the raw water is supplied to the internal space of the filter member. The raw water passes through the filter member radially outward from the internal space, and is purified during this process, producing purified water. The produced purified water is discharged from an outlet provided in the cartridge. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6204820 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When using the above-mentioned water purifier to produce purified water from raw water, while water is pooling in the water inlet, the raw water passes through the filter element under its own weight, and purified water is continuously discharged from the outlet of the cartridge. However, when the liquid level of the raw water drops to near the top of the filter element, the force of the water discharged from the outlet subsides, and water droplets are discharged intermittently.

[0005] Conventional water purifiers have the problem of intermittent discharge of water droplets for long periods of time, resulting in a low filtration flow rate. The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and aims to provide a water purification cartridge and a water purifier that can increase the filtration flow rate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Item 1. A cylindrical filter member, a casing having an internal space for accommodating the filter member; Equipped with The casing comprises: a first portion that contacts a first end portion of the filter member in the axial direction directly or via a seal member; a second portion that is in direct contact with a second end portion of the filter member opposite to the first end portion in an axial direction of the filter member or that is in contact with the second end portion via a seal member; a third portion covering an outer peripheral surface of the filter member; Equipped with the first portion has a supply port for supplying water to the internal space of the filter member, the second portion has a protrusion that protrudes into the internal space of the filter member, a flow path through which water flows is formed between the third portion and an outer peripheral surface of the filter member, an outlet through which water that has passed through the flow path is discharged is formed in at least one of the second portion and the third portion; a gap is formed between the protrusion and an inner wall surface of the filter member, The water supplied to the internal space of the filter member flows radially outward from the internal space of the filter member through the filter member and into the flow path. Water purification cartridge.

[0007] Item 2. The protrusion is formed in a cylindrical or prismatic shape. Item 1. The water purification cartridge according to item 1.

[0008] Item 3. The water purification cartridge according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the height of the protrusion from the second portion is 20 to 70% of the axial length of the filter member.

[0009] Item 4. The water purification cartridge according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the radial length of the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion and the inner wall surface of the filter member is 1 to 10 mm.

[0010] Item 5. The filter member contains fibrous activated carbon and has a hardness of 86 or less. Item 5. The water purification cartridge according to any one of items 1 to 4.

[0011] Item 6. The water purification cartridge according to item 1 or 2, A container having a raw water storage section having an upper opening and a lower opening, a purified water storage section disposed below the raw water storage section, and a discharge section for discharging the purified water stored in the purified water storage section; and The water purification cartridge is detachably attached to the container so that raw water discharged from the lower opening of the water storage section flows into the supply port of the water purification cartridge. Water purifier. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the water purification cartridge of the present invention, by providing a protrusion that protrudes into the internal space of the filter member, the time during which purified water intermittently drips can be shortened, thereby shortening the filtration time and, as a result, increasing the filtration flow rate. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an in-out type cartridge. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cartridge of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing a filter member. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the flow of water in the cartridge of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a pot-type water purifier in which the cartridge of FIG. 1 is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of a water purification cartridge according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water purification cartridge 1 according to this embodiment, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the water purification cartridge of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a top view of the water purification cartridge of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the water purification cartridge of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge of Fig. 1.

[0015] The water purification cartridge 1 according to this embodiment is mainly used in a pot-type (server-type) water purifier in which raw water passes through the cartridge 1 by its own weight. The water purifier will be described later.

[0016] 1 and 2, the water purification cartridge 1 according to this embodiment has an overall cylindrical appearance and includes a casing 2 and a substantially cylindrical filter member 3 housed inside the casing 2. This water purification cartridge 1 is an in-out type cartridge. That is, raw water that flows into the internal space 34 of the filter member 3 passes through the filter member 3 radially outward and flows out as purified water into the space between the outer peripheral surface 320 of the filter member 3 and the inner peripheral surface of the casing 2. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0017] <1. Filter material> 2, the filter member 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an internal space 34. The internal space 34 is also formed in a cylindrical shape. Therefore, the filter member 3 has a first surface 31 and a second surface 33 at both ends in the axial direction.

[0018] The filter member 3 can be made of, for example, a material containing fibrous activated carbon, and has elasticity. The hardness of the filter member 3 is, for example, preferably 94 or less, and more preferably about 65 to 90. The hardness is measured by the method specified in JIS S 6050 "Plastic Erasers," and the average value for N=5 is taken as the hardness.

[0019] From the viewpoint of more reliably preventing the passage of water, it is preferable that a sealant be applied to at least one of the first surface 31 and the second surface 33 of the filter member 3. It is more preferable that a sealant be applied to both the first surface 31 and the second surface 33 of the filter member 3. In this embodiment, a hot melt adhesive is applied to the first surface 31 and the second surface 33 as the sealant. Examples of main components of the hot melt adhesive include ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), olefin, and rubber. The applied thickness of the sealant is 10 μm to 1000 μm, and the applied amount is 1 to 100 (mg / cm 2 The sealing agent may be applied and solidified in advance before the filter member 3 is housed in the casing 2.

[0020] The filter member 3 can be manufactured, for example, as follows. First, a sheet material 300 made of a mixture of fibrous activated carbon and heat-fusible fibers is prepared. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the sheet material 300 is wrapped around a core 301 to a predetermined thickness. The core 301 around which the sheet material 300 is wrapped is placed in an oven and heat-treated, whereby the stacked sheet layers are integrated with each other. This results in a cylindrical intermediate molded body 302 wrapped around the core 301. Next, the intermediate molded body 302 is removed from the core 301 and cut to a predetermined length, thereby obtaining the filter member 3. Note that a hot melt adhesive may be applied to at least one of the first surface 31 and the second surface 33 of the filter member 3 that is produced when the intermediate molded body 302 is cut.

[0021] The heat-fusible fibers contained in the sheet material 300 are preferably heat-fusible fibers made of two or more polymer components with different melting points or softening points. In particular, fibers having a core-sheath structure with a high-melting point polymer as the core component and a low-melting point polymer as the sheath component are preferred because they are easy to heat treat. More specifically, examples of such fibers include polyolefin-based fibers with a core of polypropylene and a sheath of modified polyethylene, fibers with a core of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath of polyolefin, and polyester-based fibers with a core of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath of low-melting point polyester.

[0022] <2. Casing> 2, the casing 2 includes a first cover part 20 that covers the first surface 31 side of the filter member 3, and a second cover part 22 that covers the second surface 33 side of the filter member 3. The first cover part 20 and the second cover part 22 are connected to each other to form a cylindrical internal space that houses the filter member 3.

[0023] <2-1. First cover part> 1 to 3 and 5, the first cover part 20 has a substantially cylindrical side wall part 200 and an inlet part 207 attached to an upper opening of the side wall part 200. The inner diameter of the side wall part 200 is larger than the outer diameter of the cartridge 1. Therefore, a gap (space 230) is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the side wall part 200 and the outer circumferential surface of the cartridge 1, and purified water passes through this gap.

[0024] 5, the inlet portion (first portion) 207 is formed in a cup shape recessed downward from the inner wall surface of the side wall portion 200. More specifically, the inlet portion 207 has an annular inner surface portion 202 extending downward from the inner wall surface of the side wall portion 200, and a bottom surface portion 203 closing the lower end of the inner surface portion 202. Therefore, a gap (part of the space 230) is formed between the inner surface portion 202 and the side wall portion 200. The bottom surface portion 203 is formed in a flat surface shape that is smaller than the inner diameter of the side wall portion 200. A circular through-hole (supply port) 207a is formed in the center of the bottom surface portion 203 to allow raw water to flow into the cartridge 1.

[0025] When the filter element 3 is housed in the casing 2, the internal space 34 of the filter element 3 is located approximately directly below the through-hole 207a. As a result, raw water flows into the internal space 34 of the filter element 3 through the through-hole 207a. In addition, a ring-shaped first protrusion 208 that protrudes downward and surrounds the through-hole 207a is formed on the lower surface of the bottom portion 203. The first protrusion 208 is inserted into the first surface 31 of the filter element 3 in a ring shape and surrounds the internal space 34 of the filter element 3.

[0026] In the side wall portion 200, an annular extension portion 204 is formed upward from the outer edge of the inlet portion 207. In the center of the extension portion 204 in the vertical direction, an annular groove 210 extending in the circumferential direction is formed, and an annular gasket 104 is attached to this groove 210.

[0027] The side wall portion 200 is formed so as to extend downward from the outer edge of the inlet portion 207. A plurality of vent holes 205 are formed in the side wall portion 200 at a position facing the inner surface portion 202 of the inlet portion 207. Each vent hole 205 communicates the inside and outside of the casing 2 above the cartridge 1. When raw water flows into the cartridge 1, air inside the cartridge 1 (or the casing 2) is discharged through the vent holes 205, allowing the water to move more smoothly through the cartridge 1.

[0028] 2, a thin region R1 having a small thickness is formed at the lower end of the side wall portion 200. A step is formed at the boundary between the outer peripheral surface of the thin region R1 and the portion above it, making the outer diameter of the thin region R1 smaller than the outer diameter of the side wall portion 200 above the thin region R1. A plurality of approximately rectangular claws 206 protruding radially outward are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the thin region R1.

[0029] The claws 206 are adapted to engage with windows 222 of the second cover part 22, which will be described later, thereby connecting the first cover part 20 and the second cover part 22. Note that the connecting means using the claws 206 and the windows 222 is merely one example of a means for connecting the first cover part 20 and the second cover part, and the connecting means is not particularly limited thereto. Other examples include connection by welding or adhesive, or connection by screw fitting, for example.

[0030] The first cover part 20 can be made of plastic. Examples of the plastic include ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), AS resin (acrylonitrile styrene), PS (polystyrene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and PLA (polylactic acid) resin. More specifically, the plastic can be selected from the group consisting of PP (polypropylene) and ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). The hardness of the first cover part 20 is 95 to 100, which is higher than the hardness of the filter member 3 described below. The hardness of ABS resin is 95, that of PP is 100, and that of PET is 97.

[0031] <2-2. Second cover part> 5, the second cover part 22 has a bottom part (second part) 227 and a side wall part 220 that rises continuously from the bottom part 227, and has a generally cylindrical appearance as a whole. The inner diameter of the side wall part 220 is larger than the outer diameter of the cartridge 1. Therefore, a gap (space 230) is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the side wall part 220 and the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge 1.

[0032] 4, a plurality of through holes (discharge ports) 223a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the peripheral edge of the bottom 227, for discharging purified water to the outside of the cartridge 1. As shown in FIG. 5, when the filter member 3 is housed in the cartridge 1 (hereinafter referred to as the housed state), the through holes 223a are formed so as to be positioned approximately directly below the space 230.

[0033] In the housed state, a bottom 227 of the second cover part 22 is formed with a ring-shaped second protrusion 224 that protrudes toward the internal space of the casing 2. This second protrusion 224 is inserted into the second surface 33 of the filter member 3 to fix the filter member 3 on the bottom 227. The cross-sectional shape of the second protrusion 224 is not particularly limited as long as it is a shape that allows it to be inserted into the filter member 3, and examples of such shapes include a substantially triangular shape, a substantially rectangular shape, a substantially semicircular shape, and a substantially semi-elliptical shape.

[0034] The bottom 227 is provided with a protruding portion 28 that protrudes into the internal space 34 of the filter member 3. The protruding portion 28 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and has a side portion 281 that extends upward from the bottom 227 and an upper surface portion 282 that closes the upper end of the side portion 281. Therefore, a recess that communicates with the protruding portion 28 is formed on the lower surface of the bottom 227. The side portion 281 is formed so that the outer diameter decreases as it extends upward from the bottom 227. In other words, the side portion 281 is formed in a tapered shape. As a result, the gap between the side portion 281 and the inner circumferential surface of the filter member 3 decreases as it approaches the bottom 227.

[0035] The height of protrusion 28 from bottom 227 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 20 to 70%, and more preferably 30 to 55%, of the height (L1) of filter member 3. A gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of protrusion 28 and the inner wall surface of filter member 3, and the radial length of this gap is preferably 1 to 10 mm, and more preferably 2 to 5 mm.

[0036] 2, the side wall 220 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with roughly the same diameter as the side wall 200 of the first cover part 20. In addition, a thin-walled region R2 having a smaller thickness is formed at the upper end of the side wall 220. A step is formed at the boundary between the inner circumferential surface of the thin-walled region R2 and the part below it, making the inner diameter of the thin-walled region R2 larger than the inner diameter of the side wall 220 below the thin-walled region R2. This allows the thin-walled region R1 of the first cover part 20 to be received inside the thin-walled region R2.

[0037] Furthermore, the thin-walled region R2 is formed with a window 222 into which the claw 206 of the thin-walled region R1 of the first cover part 20 fits. As a result, the first cover part 20 and the second cover part 22 can be connected by inserting the thin-walled region R1 of the first cover part 20 into the inside of the thin-walled region R2 of the second cover part 22 and engaging the claw 206 with the window 222. In this connected state, the outer peripheral surfaces of the side wall part 200 and the side wall part 220 are generally flush with each other and together form the side wall part (third part) 21 of the casing 2. Note that the second cover part 22 can also be removed from the first cover part 20 by disengaging the window 222 from the claw 206. In other words, the first cover part 20 and the second cover part 22 can be connected in a detachable or non-detachable manner.

[0038] The second cover portion 22 may be made of plastic. Examples of the plastic include ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), AS resin (acrylonitrile styrene), PS (polystyrene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and PLA (polylactic acid) resin. More specifically, the plastic is selected from the group consisting of PP (polypropylene) and ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). The hardness of the second cover portion 22 is 95 to 100, which is higher than the hardness of the filter member 3 described below. The hardness of ABS resin is 95, that of PP is 100, and that of PET is 97.

[0039] As long as the hardness of the first cover part 20 is higher than that of the filter member 3 and the hardness of the second cover part 22 is higher than that of the filter member 3, the first cover part 20 and the second cover part 22 may be made of the same material or different materials. Note that the hardness in this specification is measured using a TECLOCK hardness tester GS701G in accordance with the method specified in JIS S 6050 "Plastic Erasers", and the average value for N=5 is taken as the hardness.

[0040] 3. Connection structure between filter member and each cover part The distance L1 (see FIG. 2) between the first surface 31 and the second surface 33 before the filter member 3 is housed in the casing (i.e., before the filter member 3 is pressed axially and elastically deformed) is longer than the distance L3 (see FIG. 5) between the tip of the first protrusion 208 and the tip of the second protrusion 224 in the connected state. As a result, the first protrusion 208 bites into and engages with the first surface 31 of the filter member 3 in the housed state. This applies a force to the filter member 3 that compresses the filter member 3 in the axial direction, bringing the first surface 31 and the surface 203 of the first cover part 20 into close contact. Similarly, the second protrusion 224 bites into and engages with the second surface 33 of the filter member 3 in the housed state. This applies a force to the filter member 3 that compresses the filter member 3 in the axial direction, bringing the second surface 33 and the surface 221 of the second cover part 22 into close contact. These prevent water from passing through the surfaces at both ends of the filter member 3, and separate the raw water in the internal space 34 from the purified water in the space 230.

[0041] That is, the first protrusion 208 contacts the first surface 31 of the filter element 3 in an annular shape so as to surround the outer periphery of the internal space 34, pressing the filter element 3 in the axial direction and elastically deforming it. Similarly, the second protrusion 224 contacts the second surface 33 of the filter element 3 in annular shape so as to surround the outer periphery of the internal space 34, pressing the filter element 3 in the axial direction and elastically deforming it. This prevents raw water that has flowed into the internal space 34 of the filter element 3 from passing through the gap between the first surface 31 and the first cover portion and the gap between the second surface 33 and the second cover portion, even without interposing an elastic member between the molded water purification material and the casing and lid body as in the water purification cartridge described in Patent Document 1, for example. This makes it possible to prevent raw water from passing through the gap between the first surface 31 and the first cover portion and the gap between the second surface 33 and the second cover portion, thereby facilitating the passage of raw water through the filter element 3.

[0042] The compression ratio (L3 / L1×100(%)) of the length L1 of the filter member 3 between contact portions in the housed state is preferably 98% or less, more preferably 96 to 98%, and even more preferably 97 to 98%. When the compression ratio (L3 / L1×100(%)) of the filter member 3 in the housed state is within the above range, the ratio (L2 / L1×100(%)) of the distance L2 to the length L1 of the filter member 3 is, for example, 98% or more, preferably 98 to 101%, and more preferably 99 to 101%, from the viewpoint of reducing the area of ​​each protrusion 208, 224 in a plan view in the housed state and making it easier to increase the pressure that presses the filter member 3 in the axial direction and elastically deforms it.

[0043] <4. Water Purifier> First, the main flow of water passing through the interior of the cartridge 1 will be described. The water flow is represented by the arrows in FIG. 7 . First, raw water flows into the cartridge 1 through the inlet 207 of the first cover part 20. The raw water that flows into the cartridge 1 flows into the internal space 34 of the filter member 3 and is temporarily stored there. Here, the first protrusion 208 and the second protrusion 224 engage with the upper and lower peripheral edges of the internal space 34, respectively, pressing the filter member 3 in the axial direction and elastically deforming it. This prevents the raw water from flowing into the space 230 via the first surface 31 and the second surface 33. The raw water stored in the internal space 34 passes radially outward through the side peripheral part 32 and flows out into the space 230 as purified water. The purified water is then discharged from the space 230 to the outside of the cartridge 1 through the through-hole 223a.

[0044] An example of a water purifier is shown in Figure 8. As shown in the figure, this water purifier 100 includes a housing 101 with an opening S1 at the top. Inside the housing 101 is a tank (first storage section) 102 with an open top. The tank 102 is a section for storing raw water, and raw water can be poured into the tank 102 through an opening S2 at the top. An opening S4 is formed at the bottom of the tank 102, and below this opening S4 is formed a server space (second storage section) 103 in which purified water is stored. An opening S3 is formed at the top end of the housing 101 and is connected to the server space 103 via a flow path, and purified water is discharged from this opening S3.

[0045] The cartridge 1 is attached so as to seal the periphery of the opening S4 together with the gasket 104. At this time, the vent 205 of the cartridge 1 is positioned so as to be located within the server space 103.

[0046] After passing through the interior of cartridge 1, the raw water flows out from the bottom of cartridge 1 as purified water and is stored in server space 103. The purified water stored in server space 103 is then discharged from opening S3 by the user tilting housing 101.

[0047] <5. Features> When purified water is produced from raw water using the water purifier described above, while water is stored in tank 102, the raw water passes through the filter member with momentum due to its own weight, and purified water is continuously discharged from through-hole 223a of the cartridge. However, when the water in tank 102 runs out and the raw water level drops to within inlet portion 207 of the cartridge, the momentum of the water being discharged from through-hole 223a subsides, and water droplets are discharged intermittently.

[0048] In the cartridge 1 of this embodiment, the protrusion 28 that protrudes into the internal space 34 of the filter member 3 is formed, so that the amount of water that accumulates in the internal space 34 of the filter member 3 can be reduced. This reduces the time that water droplets are intermittently discharged, and therefore increases the filtration flow rate.

[0049] <6. Variations> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the following modifications are possible. Furthermore, the gist of the following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[0050] <1> The cartridge 1 of the above embodiment is mainly attached to a pot-type water purifier for use, but is not limited to this and can also be applied to a type of water purifier that is attached to, for example, a water faucet.

[0051] <2> In the above embodiment, the filter member 3 is manufactured from a sheet made of a mixture of fibrous activated carbon and heat-fused fibers. However, the manufacturing method of the filter member 3 is not limited to this. For example, an elastic filter member 3 can also be manufactured by a wet molding method. In the wet molding method, for example, granular activated carbon and a pre-beaten fibrous binder (pulp) are mixed in water. The resulting slurry is sucked into a mold having a substantially cylindrical cavity and molded into the shape of the filter member 3. The molded product is then removed from the mold and dried to manufacture the molded filter member 3. In the wet molding method, the hardness of the filter member 3 can be adjusted by adjusting the blend ratio of the pulp used as the binder. This method can produce a filter member with a hardness of, for example, approximately 77.

[0052] <3> In the above embodiment, the vent hole 205 is formed on the side surface of the casing 2, but it is also possible to omit the formation of the vent hole 205.

[0053] <4> The configurations of the inlet portion 207 and the outlet portion 223 are not limited to those described in the above embodiment. For example, the number, shape, and position of the through holes 207a and the through holes 223a can be changed as appropriate.

[0054] <5> In the above embodiment, the first cover portion 20 and the second cover portion 22 are detachable, but the first cover portion 20 and the second cover portion 22 may also be configured to be non-detachable. Furthermore, the shapes of the first cover portion 20 and the second cover portion 22 are not limited to those described above. In the above embodiment, the first cover portion 20 is in direct contact with the first surface 31 of the filter member 3, and the second cover portion 22 is in direct contact with the second surface 33 of the filter member 3, but these may be modified as appropriate. For example, the shape and number of the protrusions 208 and 224 described above are not particularly limited as long as they engage with the filter member 3. Furthermore, a configuration in which these protrusions 208 and 224 are not provided is also possible.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, the first cover portion 20 may be connected to the first surface 31 of the filter member 3 via a sealing member that is separable from the filter member 3, and the second cover portion 22 may be brought into contact with the second surface 33 of the filter member 3 via the sealing member. This seals the gap between the first cover portion 20 and the first surface 31 of the filter member 3, and the gap between the second cover portion 22 and the second surface 33 of the filter member 3, preventing raw water from passing through. The sealing member is not particularly limited, and may be an elastic material such as rubber, an adhesive, or any other material that can prevent raw water from passing through. Other configurations of the cover portions 20, 22 may be modified as appropriate.

[0056] <6> The shape of the protrusion 28 is not particularly limited, and may be a rectangular tube (polygonal column). The protrusion may be solid or may not be hollow. The protrusion may have any other shape, as long as it can reduce the volume of the internal space 34 of the filter member 3. [Example]

[0057] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0058] As the water purifiers, pitchers PT-304 (1.0 L batch volume) and PT-306 (0.5 L batch volume) manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc. were used, and cartridges according to the examples and comparative examples of the present invention were attached to them, and the filtration time was measured.

[0059] The filter material has an outer diameter of 50 mm, an inner diameter of 30 mm, an axial height (L1) of 97 mm, and a density of 0.23 cm 3 The filter members were all cylindrical. Specifically, they were all made of a sheet consisting of a mixture of fibrous activated carbon and heat-sealed fibers, and were manufactured using the manufacturing method described in Figure 6. The filter members had a sealant (a hot-melt adhesive whose main component was ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)) applied to the first and second surfaces, and had a hardness of 86.

[0060] The cartridge according to the example was substantially the same as that shown in the above embodiment, with the outer diameter of the lower end of the protrusion being 26 mm, the outer diameter of the upper end being 20 mm, and the height from the bottom being 46 mm. The radial length of the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion and the inner wall surface of the filter member was 2 to 5 mm. The radial distance of the gap (the space 230) between the outer peripheral surface of the filter member and the side wall surface of the cartridge was 2.0 mm.

[0061] In the cartridge according to the embodiment, the casing L2 was 96 mm and L3 was 94 mm.

[0062] The cartridge according to the comparative example does not have a protruding portion, but is otherwise the same as the cartridge according to the example.

[0063] The test was carried out as follows: First, the cartridge was immersed in water for 10 minutes for initial conditioning, and then 1 L of water was purified twice through the cartridge.

[0064] Next, the filtration flow rate was calculated according to JIS S 3201 "Test Methods for Household Water Purifiers." Specifically, a predetermined amount of raw water was stored in the water purifier tank and filtration was performed. The start time of filtration was when the raw water was poured into the tank, and the end time of filtration was when the purified water discharged from the cartridge became droplets and the interval between droplets became 1 second or more. The filtration flow rate Lf (L / min) was calculated using the following formula, where h (min) is the time required from the start time to the end time of filtration, and L (L) is the amount of filtrate water poured in. Lf=L / h (1) The above filtration test was carried out on five samples from each of the Examples and Comparative Examples. The results are as follows:

[0065] [Table 1]

[0066] The details of the discharge of purified water are as follows: In Table 2 below, filtration time A is the time from the start of filtration until the discharge of purified water becomes droplets, and filtration time B is the time from the start of filtration to the end of filtration. Therefore, the difference between filtration time B and A is the time during which purified water drips at a stepwise rate as droplets. [Table 2] (unit: seconds)

[0067] In Table 2, comparing the Examples and Comparative Examples, there is no significant difference in filtration time A, even when the batch size is different. However, the time (BA) during which purified water is intermittently dripped is shorter in the Examples than in the Comparative Examples, and the difference becomes larger as the batch size increases.

[0068] Therefore, by providing a protrusion on the cartridge, the time during which purified water intermittently drips can be shortened, shortening the filtration time and, as a result, increasing the filtration flow rate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1 cartridge 2 Casing 203 Bottom part 203 (first part) 207a Through hole (supply port) 223a Through hole (exhaust port) 227 Bottom 227 (second part) 21 Side wall part (3rd part) 28 Protrusion 3 Filter material

Claims

1. A cylindrical filter member; a casing having an internal space for accommodating the filter member; Equipped with The casing comprises: a first portion that contacts a first end portion of the filter member in the axial direction directly or via a seal member; a second portion that is in direct contact with a second end portion of the filter member opposite to the first end portion in an axial direction of the filter member or that is in contact with a second end portion via a seal member; a third portion covering an outer peripheral surface of the filter member; Equipped with the first portion has a supply port for supplying water to the internal space of the filter member, the second portion has a protrusion that protrudes into the internal space of the filter member, a flow path through which water flows is formed between the third portion and an outer peripheral surface of the filter member, an outlet through which water that has passed through the flow path is discharged is formed in at least one of the second portion and the third portion; a gap is formed between the protrusion and an inner wall surface of the filter member, The water supplied to the internal space of the filter member flows radially outward from the internal space of the filter member through the filter member and into the flow path. Water purification cartridge.

2. The protrusion is formed in a cylindrical or prismatic shape. The water purification cartridge according to claim 1 .

3. The water purification cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height of the protrusion from the second portion is 20 to 70% of the axial length of the filter member.

4. The radial length of the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion and the inner wall surface of the filter member is 1 to 10 mm. The water purification cartridge according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The filter member contains fibrous activated carbon and has a hardness of 86 or less. The water purification cartridge according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The water purification cartridge according to claim 1 or 2; A container having a raw water storage section having an upper opening and a lower opening, a purified water storage section disposed below the raw water storage section, and a discharge section for discharging the purified water stored in the purified water storage section; and The water purification cartridge is detachably attached to the container so that raw water discharged from the lower opening of the water storage section flows into the supply port of the water purification cartridge. Water purifier.

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