Cartridge attachment structure and cartridge

Abstract

To provide a cartridge mounting structure which is excellent in workability of mounting and demounting, and which eliminates the need for independent position adjustment work through prevention of liquid leakage at the joint between a manifold and the cartridge.SOLUTION: A mounting structure includes: a cover 62 that is attached to a rotary shaft 65 at one end and opens and closes the storage space 70; a support member 71 that is attached to the rotary shaft 65 and supports a cartridge 12; and a pair of lifting members 72L and 72R attached to the cover 62 so that the cartridge 12 can be clamped along the sides of the cartridge 12. Grooves 73 are formed on the facing inner surfaces of the lifting members 72 L and 72R to receive protrusions 16 formed on the sides of the cartridge 12. The grooves 73 are curved so that the bottom surface of the cartridge 12 moves away from the support member 71 when the protrusions 16 slide along the grooves 73 as the cover 62 rotates about the pivot shaft 65.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an attachment structure for detachably attaching a cartridge for storing consumables to a liquid treatment apparatus such as a pure water production apparatus, and a cartridge adapted to such an attachment structure.

Background Art

[0002] A pure water production apparatus for generating pure water from water to be treated such as tap water includes, for example, an activated carbon treatment apparatus equipped with activated carbon, a reverse osmosis membrane apparatus equipped with a reverse osmosis membrane, an ion exchange apparatus equipped with an ion exchanger such as ion exchange resin, and an ultraviolet oxidation apparatus. For the production of pure water, activated carbon, a reverse osmosis membrane, ion exchange resin, etc. are used, but all of these are consumables and need to be replaced regularly or as needed. It is required to reduce the labor required for replacing the consumables, and it is also necessary to prevent dust, contaminants, etc. from being brought into the interior of the pure water production apparatus when replacing these consumables. Therefore, in a pure water production apparatus, by storing the consumables in a cartridge (also referred to as a filter cartridge or a filter assembly), while preventing contamination inside the pure water production apparatus, the cartridge is detachably attached to the main body of the pure water production apparatus. The cartridge is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the water to be treated. By attaching the cartridge, for example, upward to a manifold or a cap provided on the main body of the pure water production apparatus, the piping inside the main body of the pure water production apparatus is connected to the inlet and the outlet of the water to be treated in the cartridge respectively, and it becomes possible to pass the water to be treated through the cartridge. A cartridge containing activated carbon is, for example, called an activated carbon cartridge, and a cartridge storing ion exchange resin is, for example, called an ion exchange resin cartridge.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a mounting structure including a pedestal, for example, having an L-shaped cross section that can be tilted forward by rotating around a pivot. A cylindrical cartridge is placed and fixed on the tilted pedestal, and then the pedestal is set upright to connect the cartridge to the main body of the liquid processing apparatus. In this structure, when the cartridge is placed on the pedestal, it is necessary to fix the cartridge to the pedestal with a fastening piece, and thus the work efficiency is not necessarily improved. Further, since it is not a structure that presses the connected cartridge against the main body of the liquid processing apparatus, there is a risk of liquid leakage at the connection portion between the cartridge and the main body of the liquid processing apparatus. In order to prevent liquid leakage, it is necessary to separately perform a position adjustment operation, which reduces the workability.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a cup-shaped outer box member is attached to a manifold so as to open and close with respect to the manifold via a hinge. With the outer box member open, a cartridge is stored therein, and then the outer box member is closed and fixed in that state so that the cartridge is connected to the manifold. A similar configuration is also disclosed in Patent Document 3. In the cartridge mounting structures described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, when the cartridge is mounted or removed, the outer box member is in an open state while hanging with respect to the manifold. And in the operation of mounting the cartridge, the cartridge is held by hand and inserted into the open outer box member. If it is a large-sized cartridge, the mass can be several kg, and it is necessary to carefully perform the operation so as not to hit the cartridge against the manifold, so the workability of this operation is not good.

[0005] Patent Document 4 discloses an attachment structure for attaching a cartridge by fitting a cylindrical portion at the tip of the cartridge into a circular space of a circular manifold. A fixing member, which is a linear protrusion extending in the circumferential direction thereof, is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the cartridge, and a groove-shaped slide passage capable of receiving the fixing member is formed on the inner wall of the circular space of the circular manifold. A step is formed on the inner wall of the circular space so that the fixing member can be guided into the slide passage by abutting and sliding. However, in the cartridge attachment structure described in Patent Document 4, it is necessary to position the tip of the cartridge with respect to the circular space of the manifold and turn the cartridge while lifting it, and there may be a risk that the work becomes difficult when the mass of the cartridge is large.

[0006] To solve the problem of the technology described in Patent Document 4 that the workability deteriorates when the mass of the cartridge is large, Patent Document 5 discloses providing a lifting member (lifter) having a groove that engages with a protrusion provided on the cartridge on the manifold. In this attachment structure, after placing the cartridge at a position directly below the manifold, the handle is moved to engage the protrusion of the cartridge with the groove of the lifter, and then the lifter is moved by the handle to slide the protrusion along the groove, whereby the cartridge is lifted by the lifter and the cartridge abuts against the connection portion on the manifold side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] In the attachment structure of Patent Document 5, it is not necessary to manually lift the cartridge toward the manifold when attaching the cartridge. However, when initially positioning the cartridge directly below the manifold, it is necessary to accurately position it, including the orientation of the cartridge. Further, the cartridge is lifted using the handle and the lifter as levers, but there is a limit to the length of the handle, and when the mass of the cartridge is large, a certain amount of force is required for the operation.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an attachment structure for a cartridge that has good workability for attaching and detaching the cartridge, prevents liquid leakage at the connection between the manifold and the cartridge, and eliminates the need for independent position adjustment work, and a cartridge that is compatible with the attachment structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The attachment structure of the cartridge of the present invention is an attachment structure for removably attaching a cylindrical cartridge used in a liquid processing apparatus to the liquid processing apparatus. The attachment structure includes a storage space for accommodating the cartridge, a rotation shaft provided along the lower end of the opening of the storage space, a cover having one end rotatably attached to the rotation shaft for opening and closing the storage space, a bottom surface support portion rotatably attached to the rotation shaft for holding the bottom surface of the cartridge, and a side surface support portion for supporting the side surface of the cartridge. The attachment structure further includes a support member disposed on the side of the storage space of the cover, and a pair of lifting members attached to the cover in parallel with each other so as to be able to sandwich the cartridge along the side surface of the cartridge. Grooves are formed on the inner surfaces of the pair of lifting members facing each other for receiving protrusions formed on the side surface of the cartridge, with the end on the side facing the back of the storage space being an open end. The grooves are curved such that when the protrusions slide along the grooves as the cover rotates around the rotation shaft, the bottom surface of the cartridge moves away from the bottom surface support portion.

[0011] The cartridge of the present invention is a cylindrical cartridge attached to a liquid processing apparatus by the attachment structure of the present invention. The cartridge includes a connection portion provided on the top surface and connectable to the manifold of the liquid processing apparatus, and a pair of protrusions provided on the side surface. Liquid can flow between the manifold and the interior of the cartridge through the connection portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an attachment structure of a cartridge with good workability for attaching and detaching the cartridge, and capable of preventing liquid leakage at the connection portion between the manifold and the cartridge and eliminating the need for independent position adjustment work, and a cartridge adapted to the attachment structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Next, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described. The present invention relates to an attachment structure for detachably attaching a cartridge for storing consumables to a liquid treatment apparatus, and a cartridge adapted to such an attachment structure. Therefore, in the following embodiments, assuming that the liquid treatment apparatus is a pure water manufacturing apparatus, an attachment structure for a cartridge used in the pure water manufacturing apparatus will be described. Of course, the liquid treatment apparatus to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to the pure water manufacturing apparatus.

[0015] Figs. 1(a) and 1(b) show the appearance of a pure water production apparatus to which the cartridge mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and Fig. 2 shows the configuration of this pure water production apparatus. This pure water production apparatus 10 is used, for example, in a laboratory for collecting pure water into beakers, flasks, etc., and is configured as a desktop-type device. In the pure water production apparatus 10, cartridges 11 and 12 for storing consumables are detachably attached. In order for water to flow through the cartridges 11 and 12 when the cartridges 11 and 12 are mounted, manifolds 21 and 22 are provided in the pure water production apparatus 10. In the example shown here, the first cartridge 11 is a cartridge containing a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane and activated carbon, and the second cartridge 12 is a cartridge containing an ion exchange resin.

[0016] Raw water such as tap water is supplied to the pure water production apparatus 10, and the supplied raw water 10 is supplied to the first cartridge 11 via the solenoid valve 31 and the manifold 21. In the first cartridge 11, the raw water is subjected to reverse osmosis treatment by a reverse osmosis membrane and treatment by activated carbon, and the treated water from the first cartridge 11 is sent to the tank 32 via the manifold 21. In the reverse osmosis treatment, water that does not permeate through the reverse osmosis membrane, that is, concentrated water is generated, and the concentrated water is discharged as drainage from the manifold 21 via the pipe 41. Therefore, the first cartridge 11 requires three openings as openings for the inflow and outflow of water, namely, an inlet for raw water, an outlet for treated water, and an outlet for concentrated water (drainage). The manifold 21 corresponding to the first cartridge 11 is configured such that three pipes on the main body side of the pure water production apparatus 10 are connected to these three openings respectively.

[0017] A pump 33 for feeding water in the tank is connected to the tank 32. A flow rate sensor (FI) 34 and an ultraviolet oxidation device (UV) 35 are connected to the outlet of the pump 33 in this order. The outlet water of the ultraviolet oxidation device 35 is passed through the second cartridge 12 via the manifold 22. The outlet water of the second cartridge 12, that is, the water that has passed through the ion exchange resin in the second cartridge 12, is supplied to the outlet pipe 36 via the manifold 22. A solenoid valve 37 is provided in the outlet pipe 36, and a nozzle 46 for discharging pure water is provided at the tip of the outlet pipe 36. The nozzle 46 is detachably attached to a nozzle attachment portion 38 which is a flow path member communicating with the outlet pipe 36. As the nozzle 46, one provided with a terminal filter can also be used. For the sake of explanation, the drawings other than FIG. 2 are drawn in a state where the nozzle 46 is removed from the pure water production apparatus 10. Further, in this pure water production apparatus 10, a circulation pipe 39 branches from a position upstream of the solenoid valve 37 in the outlet pipe 36, and the tip side of the circulation pipe 39 is connected to the tank 32. The circulation pipe 39 is provided for returning the outlet water of the second cartridge 12 to the tank 32 during the period when the pure water is not being discharged from the nozzle 46, and a solenoid valve 40 is provided in the circulation pipe 39.

[0018] The pure water production apparatus 10 is also provided with a control unit 51 for controlling the entire pure water production apparatus 10 and an operation panel 52 electrically connected to the control unit 51. The operation panel 52 receives commands from the user for the pure water production apparatus 10 and inputs them to the control unit 51, and is further controlled by the control unit 51 to present information to the user. Specifically, the control unit 52 receives the measured value at the flow rate sensor 34 and controls the solenoid valves 31, 37, 40, the pump 33, and the ultraviolet oxidation device 35 based on the input to the operation panel 52.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the pure water production device 10 has a substantially quadrangular prism shape with rounded corners, and the upper part on the front side protrudes forward as a protruding portion 45. The operation panel 52 is provided on the upper surface of the pure water production device 10 at a position where it is easy for the user to operate, specifically on the front side in FIG. 1(a). The nozzle attachment portion 38 is provided downward on the lower surface of the protruding portion 45 of the pure water production device 10 so that the nozzle 46 can be attached from below. The portion below the protruding portion 45 on the front of the pure water cleaning device 10 is configured as an openable or removable front door 60.

[0020] Next, the production of pure water by this pure water production device 10 will be described. Raw water such as tap water is first supplied to the first cartridge 11 through the solenoid valve 31, and undergoes treatment by a reverse osmosis membrane and treatment with activated carbon. As a result, a considerable portion of the impurities in the raw water is removed. The outlet water from the first cartridge 11 is temporarily stored in the tank 32, and then supplied to the ultraviolet oxidation device 35 as the water to be treated. Here, the water to be treated is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, so that the TOC (Total Organic Carbon) component in the water to be treated is decomposed and removed. Then, the water to be treated is supplied to the second cartridge 12 for ion exchange treatment. Since the ion components in the water to be treated are removed by this ion exchange treatment, pure water is obtained as the outlet water from the second cartridge 12. This pure water is discharged from the nozzle 46 through the supply pipe 36 and the solenoid valve 37. The pump 33 is driven even when the pure water is not being discharged from the nozzle 46, and the pure water, which is the outlet water of the second cartridge 12, is returned to the tank 32 through the circulation pipe 40. That is, when the pure water is not being discharged, the pure water circulates from the tank 32 through the ultraviolet oxidation device 35 and the second cartridge 12 functioning as an ion exchange device and back to the tank 32, preventing the deterioration of the quality of the pure water.

[0021] The discharge of pure water from the nozzle 46 is executed when the user inputs a water collection command to the operation panel 52. When there is an input of the water collection command, the control unit 51 controls to open the solenoid valve 37 and close the solenoid valve 40. When stopping the discharge of pure water, the control unit 51 controls to close the solenoid valve 37 and open the solenoid valve 40. In either case, the control unit 51 keeps the pump 33 in the driving state.

[0022] In the pure water production apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, as the discharge modes of pure water from the nozzle 46, there are a fixed - volume water collection mode and a continuous water collection mode (manual water collection mode), and these can be selected by input to the operation panel 52. The fixed - volume water collection mode is a mode in which pure water of a volume set in advance via the operation panel 51 is discharged from the nozzle 46. In the fixed - volume water collection mode, when there is an input of the water collection command, the control unit 51 controls to discharge pure water from the nozzle 46 until the cumulative value of the flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor 34 reaches the set volume, and controls to stop the discharge of pure water when the cumulative value of the flow rate reaches the set volume. On the other hand, in the continuous discharge mode, the control unit 51 controls to start the discharge of pure water when, for example, a button on the operation panel 52 is pressed and then released, and controls to stop the discharge of pure water when the button is pressed and released again. In the continuous water collection mode, the control unit 51 may control to discharge pure water only during the period when, for example, a button on the operation panel 52 is pressed, and stop the discharge of pure water at the moment when the pressing of the button ends. Note that even in the continuous water collection mode, the flow rate sensor 34 measures the discharge amount of pure water, and the total usage amount of pure water in the fixed - volume water collection mode and the continuous water collection mode can be managed on the cloud by transmitting it to the server via a communication device for IoT (Internet of Thing).

[0023] Next, the cartridges 11 and 12 used in the pure water production apparatus 10 of the present embodiment will be described. The first cartridge 11 houses consumable reverse osmosis membranes and activated carbon and is configured as a reverse osmosis membrane device and an activated carbon device. The second cartridge 12 houses consumable ion exchange resins and is configured as an ion exchange device. Both cartridges 11 and 12 should be replaced periodically or when the treated water volume reaches a certain value. When replacing the first cartridge 11, it is necessary to close the solenoid valve 31 so that the supply of raw water to the first cartridge 11 is blocked. When replacing the second cartridge 12, it is necessary to stop the pump 33 to stop the flow of water through the second cartridge 12. The tank 32 is generally in communication with the atmosphere via, for example, an air vent filter. When the second cartridge 12 is removed from the manifold 22, the water in the circulation pipe 39 may flow backward toward the manifold 22 due to the water head difference, and water may drip from the manifold 22. Therefore, when replacing the second cartridge 12, it is preferable not only to stop the pump 33 but also to close the solenoid valve 40 so that the water in the circulation pipe 39 does not flow backward.

[0024] Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) are a side view and a perspective view of the first cartridge 11, respectively, and Figs. 4(a) and 4(b) are a side view and a perspective view of the second cartridge 12, respectively. Fig. 4(c) is also a perspective view of the second cartridge 12, but it is a view seen from the side opposite to the viewpoint in Fig. 4(b). As shown in these figures, both the first cartridge 11 and the second cartridge 12 are formed in a cylindrical shape, and in the illustrated example, they are formed in a circular cylindrical shape. In the following description, the top surface and the bottom surface of each cartridge 11, 12 refer to the top surface and the bottom surface as a cylindrical shape, respectively, and the side surface of each cartridge 11, 12 means the side surface as a cylindrical shape. The length direction of the cartridges 11, 12 refers to the direction connecting the center of the bottom surface and the center of the top surface. On the top surface of each cartridge 11, 12, a connection portion 15 connected to the main body side manifolds 21, 22 of the pure water production device 10 is provided. Each connection portion 15 is a pipe-shaped member extending in the length direction of the cartridges 11, 12 and communicating with the inside of the cartridges 11, 12, and an O-ring 15A is attached to a groove formed in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface. When the connection portion 15 is pressed toward the manifolds 21, 22, it is pushed into the inside of the manifolds 21, 22, and the O-ring 15A is crushed while closely adhering to the inner wall of the manifolds 21, 22. As a result, liquid can flow between the main body side of the pure water production device 10 and the cartridges 21, 22 without causing liquid leakage between the connection portion 15 and the manifolds 21, 22. Three connection portions 15 are provided in the first cartridge 11, and two connection portions 15 are provided in the second cartridge 12.

[0025] On the side surfaces of each of the cartridges 11 and 12, at positions close to the top surface, a pair of protrusions 16 are provided so as to face each other with the cartridges 11 and 12 interposed therebetween. Since the pair of protrusions 16 serve as the acting points when performing the operation of lifting the cartridges 11 and 12 as will be described later, when the cartridges 11 and 12 are cylindrical, it is preferable that they be provided at positions corresponding to both ends of one diameter respectively. Further, on the side surfaces of each of the cartridges 11 and 12, at positions close to the top surface, a first positioning portion 17 used for positioning when placing the cartridges 11 and 12 on the support member 71 as will be described later, and a second positioning portion 18 formed as a ridge extending in the vertical direction that engages with a positioning groove 77 (see Fig. 9(a)) provided on the main body side of the pure water production apparatus 10 when mounting the cartridges 11 and 12 to the pure water production apparatus 10 are provided so as to protrude. When the cartridges 11 and 12 are cylindrical, it is preferable to provide the first positioning portion 17 at one of the two ends of the diameter orthogonal to the diameter at which the pair of protrusions 16 are arranged at both ends, and the second positioning portion 18 at the other end.

[0026] Next, the configuration for attaching and detaching the cartridges 11 and 12 in the present embodiment will be described. When attaching or detaching the cartridges 11 and 12 to / from the pure water production apparatus 10, the front door 60 is opened or removed to access the inside of the pure water production apparatus 10. For easier explanation, in the following figures, the front door 60 is depicted as being removed. Figs. 5(a) and (b) are a perspective view and a front view of the main part showing the appearance of the pure water production apparatus 10 with the front door 60 removed, respectively, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the main part showing the pure water production apparatus 10 with the cover 62 opened for attaching the second cartridge 12. In Fig. 6, the pipes connected to the manifolds 22A and 22B, the display portion 52, etc. are not shown.

[0027] The cartridges 11 and 12 are both attached to the water purification device 10 in an upright state such that the top surface is on the upper side in the vertical direction and the bottom surface is on the lower side in the vertical direction when connected to the manifolds 21 and 22. In order to accommodate the cartridges 11 and 12 attached in such a manner, the water purification device 10 is provided with a storage space 70 for the cartridges 11 and 12. And openable and closable covers 61 and 62 are provided so as to cover the storage space 70. A single rotation shaft 65 is provided horizontally along the lower end of the opening of the storage space 70. By passing the covers 61 and 62 through the rotation shaft 65, the covers 61 and 62 can rotate around the rotation shaft 65, and the storage space 70 can be closed or opened. A rotation shaft 65 may be provided for each of the covers 61 and 62. In the example shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), a rotation shaft 65 is provided for each of the covers 61 and 62. The penetration position of the rotation shaft 65 in the covers 61 and 62 is at one end, that is, the lower end side, of the covers 61 and 62. The cover 61 on the left side in the drawing is a cover that is opened when attaching and detaching the first cartridge 11, and the cover 62 on the right side in the drawing is a cover that is opened when attaching and detaching the second cartridge 12. In FIG. 6, the cover 61 is closed, and the cover 62 is opened for attaching the second cartridge 12. At the upper ends of the covers 61 and 62, claws 68 that can engage with hooks 76 (see FIG. 9(a)) on the water purification device 10 side to fix the covers 61 and 62 in the closed position are provided. The claws 68 are biased to the position when engaging with the hooks 76 by a spring (not shown). Further, the covers 61 and 62 are provided with a handle 66 for retracting the claws 68 when releasing the engagement state with the hooks 76, and a recess 67 into which a finger or the like is inserted when operating the handle 66. The claws 68, the handle 66, and the spring (not shown) constitute a releasable latch mechanism for fixing the covers 61 and 62 in the position closing the storage space 70. When opening the closed covers 61 and 62, pull the handle 66 forward. By doing so, the claws 68 are disengaged from the hooks 76, and further pulling the handle 66 forward causes the covers 61 and 62 to rotate around the rotation shaft 65 and the covers 61 and 62 to be opened by being pulled down as the cover 62 on the right side in FIG. 6 is.

[0028] Inside the covers 61 and 62, there are provided support members 71 on which the cartridges 11 and 12 are placed or supported when the cartridges 11 and 12 are attached and detached. When the covers 61 and 62 are closed, the support members 71 are arranged inside the storage space 70 and covered by the covers 61 and 62. In FIG. 6, the support member 71 for the second cartridge 12 is shown. In FIG. 2, it is drawn such that one manifold 22 corresponds to the two connection parts 15 of the second cartridge 12, but in FIG. 6, more specifically, two manifolds 22A and 22B corresponding to the two connection parts 15 of the second cartridge 12 are drawn respectively. The object of the cartridge mounting structure according to the present invention is, with respect to the second cartridge 12, after placing the second cartridge 12 on the support member 71 in an obliquely lying state, without directly lifting the cartridge 12 by hand, accurately positioning the connection parts 15 to the manifolds 22A and 22B and connecting them to the manifolds 22A and 22B. Of course, it is necessary to prevent liquid leakage or the like from occurring between the connection part 15 and the manifolds 22A and 22B. To achieve such an object, the cover 62 is provided with lifting members 72L and 72R corresponding to a pair of protrusions 16 of the cartridge 12 respectively. Details of the lifting members 72L and 72R will be described later.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 7, the support member 71 is a member in which a bottom surface support portion 71a that supports the bottom surface of the cartridge 12 and a side surface support portion 71b that supports the side surface of the cartridge 12 are formed. Assuming that the cartridge 12 has a cylindrical shape, the side surface support portion 71b is a member that curves so as to have a semi-circular cross section and extends in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge 12, and is upright with respect to the bottom surface support portion 71a. In the vicinity of the position where the side surface support portion 71b is connected to the bottom surface support portion 71a, the rotation shaft 65 penetrates the bottom surface support portion 71a. As a result, the support member 71 can also rotate around the rotation shaft 65. The bottom surface support portion 71a is formed with a contact portion 71d that comes into contact with the cover 62 when the support member 71 rotates around the rotation shaft 65. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the angle θ formed by the direction a in which the cover 62 extends and the direction b in which the side surface support portion 71b extends, as viewed from the rotation shaft 65, is limited to a certain angle value or less. Therefore, the support member 71 is disposed on the side of the storage space 70 of the cover 62. The support member 71 is rotatable in a direction approaching the cover 62. However, the lower end of the cover 62 and the bottom surface support portion 71 are connected by a spring member 75. For this reason, when the cover 62 is open as shown in FIG. 6, the angle θ is kept constant by the spring member 75. At the upper end of the side surface support portion 71b, a cutout portion 71c (see FIG. 9(a)) for receiving the first positioning portion 17 of the cartridge 12 is provided as a fitting portion that fits into the first positioning portion 17. The cutout portion 71c is open on the upper end side of the side surface support portion 71b, and allows the cartridge 12 to move away from the bottom surface support portion 71a along the side surface support portion 71b from the state where the first positioning portion 17 is fitted into the cutout portion 71c.

[0030] The lifting members 72L and 72R are plate-shaped members, and are attached to the cover 62 at an interval that is the same as or slightly wider than the width of the cartridge 12 (diameter in the case of the cylindrical cartridge 12), parallel to each other, and extending toward the back side of the storage space 70. As shown in FIG. 8, grooves 73 for receiving the protrusions 16 of the cartridge 12 are formed on the opposing inner surfaces of the lifting members 72L and 72R. FIG. 8 shows the inner surface of one of the lifting members 72L, and the inner surface of the other lifting member 72R is formed symmetrically to FIG. 8. The groove 73 is formed in a curved shape. More specifically, assuming that the cartridge 12 is placed on the support member 71 with the angle θ maintained at a constant value by the spring member 75, as the angle θ decreases, the pair of protrusions 16 of the cartridge 12 enter the grooves of the lifting members 72L and 72R, and the protrusions 16 slide in the groove 73 with the side surfaces of the cartridge 12 sandwiched by the lifting members 72L and 72R. That is, at the position of the end on the storage space 70 side of the lifting members 72L and 72R, the groove 73 is formed as an open end 73a so as to be able to receive the protrusion 16, and the curved shape of the groove 73 is such that the distance between the groove 73 and the rotation axis 65 is small at the end on the back side of the storage space 70, and this distance increases as it approaches the front side, that is, the side where the handle 66 of the cover 62 is provided. In other words, the groove 73 is curved so that the bottom surface of the cartridge 12 moves away from the bottom surface support portion 71a of the support member 71 when the protrusion 16 of the cartridge 12 slides along the groove 73 as the cover 62 rotates around the rotation axis 65.

[0031] Next, regarding the attachment and detachment operations of the cartridges 11 and 12 in this embodiment, the attachment of the second cartridge 12 will be described as an example. FIGS. 9(a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of the main part of the pure water production apparatus 10 with the cover 62 open, as seen in the X-X cross-section of FIG. 5(b). FIG. 9(a) shows a state where the cartridge 12 is not placed on the support member 71, and FIG. 9(b) shows a state where the cartridge 12 is placed on the support member 71. When attempting to attach the second cartridge 12, if the cover 62 is closed, as described above, by pulling the handle 66 of the cover 62 forward, the engagement state between the claw 68 and the hook 76 is released, and the cover 62 is pulled down to the front side, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 9(a). In this state, the angle θ formed between the extending direction of the cover 62 (arrow a in FIG. 7) and the extending direction of the side surface support portion 71b of the support member 71 (arrow b in FIG. 7) across the rotation axis 65 is kept constant by the action of the spring member 75.

[0032] Next, the second cartridge 12 is placed on the support member 71 such that the first positioning portion 17 of the second cartridge 12 fits into the cutout portion 71c of the support member 71. At this time, it is necessary to position the first positioning portion 17 so that it fits into the cutout portion 71. This operation is as follows: After temporarily placing the cartridge 12 on the inclined support member 71, the bottom surface of the cartridge 12 is supported by the bottom surface support portion 71a, and the side surface is supported by the side surface support portion 71b. Then, it is easy to rotate the cartridge 12 on the support member 71 until it is in a fitted state. By appropriately setting the spring constant of the spring member 75, the support member 71 will not sink significantly due to the mass of the second cartridge 12 at this time. Also, at this time, the pair of protrusions 16 of the cartridge 12 are located at positions close to the open ends of the grooves 73 of the lifting members 72L and 72R. FIG. 9(b) shows the state at this time.

[0033] Subsequently, by pressing near the handle 66 of the cover 62, the cover 62 rotates around the rotation axis 65 and moves toward the storage space 70. Due to the action of the spring member 75, the angle θ formed between the extending direction a of the cover 62 and the extending direction b of the side surface support portion 71b of the support member 71 is kept constant. Therefore, the support member 71 also rotates around the rotation axis 65, and the cartridge 12 placed on the support member 71 also rotates. As a result, the cartridge 12 comes to be positioned within the storage space 70. Eventually, the cartridge 12 stands upright inside the storage space 70. At this time, the cartridge 12 abuts against the back wall of the storage space 70, and the second positioning portion 18 enters into the positioning groove 77 formed in the back wall of the storage space 70. The positioning groove 77 is formed to extend in the vertical direction, and in a state where the second positioning groove 18 has entered into the positioning groove 77, it enables the cartridge 12 to move in the vertical direction within the storage space 70. Since the cartridge 12 abuts against the back wall of the storage space 70, the cartridge 12 cannot rotate any further around the rotation axis 65, and the support member 71 also cannot rotate any further. This state is shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is also a cross-sectional view of the main part of the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10 in a state where the cover 62 is semi-open, as seen in the cross-section taken along the line X-X of FIG. 5(b). In this state, there is a gap between the connection portion 15 of the cartridge 12 and the manifolds 22A and 22B provided corresponding to the ceiling portion of the storage space 70 in the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10.

[0034] When the vicinity of the handle 66 of the cover 62 is further pressed, the support member 71 does not rotate, but the cover 62 further rotates around the rotation shaft 65 against the biasing force of the spring member 75. As a result, the pair of protrusions 16 of the cartridge 12 enter the grooves 73 formed in the pair of lifting members 72L and 72R from the side of the open end 73a and slide along the grooves 73. Since the groove 73 is formed in a curved shape as described above, the cartridge 12 is lifted in a direction away from the bottom surface support portion 71a of the support member 71 as the protrusion 16 slides. Further, when the cover 62 is pushed in, the claw 68 at the tip of the cover 62 abuts against the hook 76 on the main body side of the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10 and is pushed in. When the claw 68 passes through the hook 76, the claw 68 returns to its original position and engages with the hook 76. As a result, the cover 62 closes the storage space 70 and the cover 62 cannot be opened. Further, in this state, the cartridge 13 is fixed in the storage space 70 as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10 in a state where the cover 62 is closed, as seen in the cross section taken along the line X-X of FIG. 5(b). In the state shown in FIG. 11, the cartridge 12 is lifted upward by the lifting members 72L and 72R, and the connection portion 15 of the cartridge 12 is pushed into the interiors of the manifolds 22A and 22B. At this time, the O-ring 15A provided on the outer peripheral surface of the connection portion 15 is crushed and closely adheres to the inner walls of the manifolds 22A and 22B. As a result, the cartridge 12 is attached to the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10, and it becomes possible to circulate a liquid between the manifolds 22A and 22B and the inside of the cartridge 12 without causing liquid leakage to the outside.

[0035] When removing the cartridge 12 from the state shown in FIG. 11, pull the handle 66 to release the engagement between the claw 68 and the hook 76, and further pull the handle 66 forward to open the cover 62. As a result, since the cover 62 moves in the opposite direction to the time of attachment, the projection 16 of the cartridge 12 slides toward the open end 73a of the groove 73, and the cartridge 12 moves downward. When the cover 62 is opened to the state shown in FIG. 10, the connection portion 15 of the cartridge 12 is separated from the manifolds 22A and 22B, and the bottom surface of the cartridge 12 comes into contact with the bottom surface support portion 71a of the support member 71. By the movement of the cover 62 up to this point, the support member 71 does not move due to the action of the spring member 75. After that, when the cover 62 is further opened, since the magnitude of the angle θ formed between the cover 62 and the side surface support portion 71b of the support member 71 is restricted to a certain value or less, the support member 71 also rotates around the rotation axis 75 in accordance with the movement of the cover 62, and the cartridge 12 placed on the support member 71 also rotates. And finally, since it returns to the state shown in FIG. 9(b), it becomes possible to pick up the cartridge 12 from the support member 71 by hand.

[0036] As described above, regarding the attachment structure of the cartridge in the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the second cartridge 12 has been described as an example, but the first cartridge 11 is also attached to the pure water manufacturing apparatus 10 by the same attachment structure. Here, although the cartridges 11 and 12 have been described as being both cylindrical in shape, the shapes of the cartridges 11 and 12 do not have to be cylindrical, and may be, for example, a polygonal cylindrical shape. The consumables stored in the cartridges 11 and 12 are not limited to activated carbon, reverse osmosis membranes, and ion exchange resins, and may be other consumables. Further, the water treatment apparatus to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to a pure water manufacturing apparatus, and may be any other apparatus that performs treatment on water.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0037] 10 Pure water manufacturing apparatus 11, 12 Cartridges 15 Connection portion 15A O-ring 16 protrusions 17, 18 positioning parts 21, 22, 22A, 22B manifolds 61, 62 covers 65 rotation axis 70 storage space 71 support member 72L, 72R lifting members 73 groove 75 spring member

Claims

1. An attachment structure for removably attaching a cylindrical cartridge used in a liquid processing apparatus to the liquid processing apparatus, wherein the attachment structure includes a storage space for housing the cartridge, a rotation shaft provided along the lower end of the opening of the storage space, a cover having one end rotatably attached to the rotation shaft for opening and closing the storage space, a support member rotatably attached to the rotation shaft and including a bottom surface support portion for supporting the bottom surface of the cartridge and a side surface support portion for supporting the side surface of the cartridge, the support member being disposed on the side of the storage space of the cover, a pair of lifting members attached to the cover in parallel to each other so as to be able to sandwich the cartridge along the side surface of the cartridge, and grooves are formed on the inner surfaces of the pair of lifting members facing each other, the grooves being configured to receive protrusions formed on the side surface of the cartridge with open ends at the ends facing the back of the storage space, the grooves being curved such that the bottom surface of the cartridge is separated from the bottom surface support portion when the protrusions slide along the grooves as the cover rotates around the rotation shaft. Attachment structure.

2. The attachment structure according to claim 1, wherein after the cartridge placed on the support member reaches a predetermined position in the storage space as the support member rotates, rotation of the support member is restricted.

3. The attachment structure according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined position is a position where the cartridge stands upright in the storage space, and rotation of the support member is restricted by the cartridge abutting against the back wall of the storage space in the upright position.

4. The attachment structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a contact portion that contacts the cover is provided on the support member such that an angle formed between a direction from one end to the tip of the cover across the rotation shaft and a direction in which the side surface support portion extends does not exceed a predetermined value.

5. having a spring member connecting the cover and the support member, the spring member maintaining the angle such that the protrusions do not enter the grooves. Attachment structure according to claim 4.

6. The attachment structure according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a releasable latch mechanism for fixing the cover in a position closing the storage space is provided at the tip of the cover.

7. The mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the side support portion is provided with a fitting portion that fits into a positioning portion formed on the side surface of the cartridge.

8. A cartridge having a cylindrical shape attached to the liquid processing apparatus by the mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a connection portion provided on the top surface and connectable to the manifold of the liquid processing apparatus, a pair of the protrusions provided on the side surface, and is provided with, and liquid can flow between the manifold and the inside of the cartridge through the connection portion A cartridge that is capable of circulation.

9. A cartridge having a cylindrical shape attached to the liquid processing apparatus by the mounting structure according to claim 7, a connection portion provided on the top surface and connectable to the manifold of the liquid processing apparatus, a pair of the protrusions and the positioning portion provided on the side surface, and is provided with, and liquid can flow between the manifold and the inside of the cartridge through the connection portion.

10. The cartridge according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the cartridge has a cylindrical shape, and the protrusions are provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the diameter of the cartridge on the side surface.

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