Water treatment device with shell made of expanded polymeric material

Abstract

A compact water treatment device (1) for treating water from a water supply system, for example a water supply network of a home or an office, comprises a support structure (10) made of a rigid material, such as metal, defining a chamber (11) and a water treatment group (2) accommodated in the chamber (11). The device (1) comprises a shell (3) predominantly made of an elastic expanded polymeric material. The shell (3) predominantly surrounds the support structure (10) and the water treatment group (2).

Description

"WATER TREATMENT DEVICE WITH SHELL MADE OF EXPANDEDPOLYMERIC MATERIAL" DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a compact water treatment device with a shell made of expanded polymeric material and the shell thereof .

[0002] In particular, the compact water treatment device is a device for puri fying water taken from a domestic water supply network, for example tap water, which may undergo a filtration and / or puri fication treatment in reverse osmosis and possibly also a refrigeration or carbonation treatment .PRIOR ART

[0003] Compact water treatment devices are known, typically using passive filtration or reverse osmosis , which are used to puri fy water, in particular water drawn from a home water supply network .

[0004] These devices typically comprise one or more filtration bodies including at least one osmotic membrane , i . e . , a membrane formed in a semi-permeable material , which are fed with water to be puri fied so that said water laps the membrane . As is well known, part of the water to be puri fied that is fed into the filtration bodies is ef fectively filtered and puri fied, while the remaining part is discharged .

[0005] Typically, this type of device comprises a water pumping element configured to push the water and increase filtration by means of the osmotic membrane .

[0006] Some treatment devices also provide for the arrangement of water refrigeration units or carbonation units .

[0007] Typically, the devices of the prior art provide for a support structure for the treatment groups ( filtration, pumping, cooling) made of metal , such as sheet metal or steel or plastic . Furthermore , the support structure also acts as a containment casing for the treatment groups , so that the device is presented to the final consumer as a metal or plastic box to be placed above the sink or below the sink or above the counter or below the counter .

[0008] Inconveniently, devices wherein the support structure is made of metal are subj ect to corrosion, having to operate in wet environments , or require signi ficant resources for manufacturing in the case of stainless steel fabrications .

[0009] Devices made with a plastic support structure , on the other hand, while not suf fering from corrosive phenomena, are often subj ect to easy breakage or corrosion of the internal sheet metal frame .

[0010] Additionally, both metal and plastic devices are noisy due to the vibrations imparted to the supportstructure by the pumping elements or the refrigeration compressors .SOLUTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The obj ect of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art and therefore to provide a compact water treatment device which is capable of being reliable against corrosive phenomena and which does not require signi ficant resources for its implementation .

[0012] A further obj ect of the present invention is to provide a water treatment device which is capable of reducing the noise perceived by users during its operation .

[0013] These obj ects are achieved with a compact water treatment device and a shell for said device according to the accompanying independent claims .

[0014] The dependent claims describe preferred or advantageous embodiments . DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] The features and advantages of the compact water treatment device and shell will be made apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof , provided by way of non-limiting example , with reference to the accompanying figures , wherein :Fig . 1 is an axonometric view of a compact watertreatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention;- Fig . 2 is a rear elevation view of the compact water treatment device in Fig . 1 ;Fig . 3 is a vertical sectional view of the compact water treatment device in Fig . 1 ; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] With reference to the aforesaid figures , a compact water treatment device for treating water from a water supply system, for example a water supply network of a home or of fice , has been indicated as a whole with the reference numeral 1 .

[0017] The term "compact" refers to that type of water treatment device for home or of fice use or for use in premises , generally box-shaped, which are typically arranged above a counter or under a counter, or above a sink or below a sink . Therefore , no reference is made to large industrial water treatment plants .

[0018] The water treatment device 1 comprises a support structure 10 made of a rigid material , such as metal , defining a chamber 11 suitable for containing a water treatment group 2 .

[0019] Preferably, the support structure 10 is made of steel , preferably stainless steel , but may also be made of plastics .

[0020] Thus , the water treatment device also comprises a water treatment group 2 accommodated in the chamber 11 and supported by the support structure 10 . The water treatment group 2 is configured to receive water from the water supply system and treat it as needed, for example to puri fy it by means of filters or to cool it or to carbonate it or both functions .

[0021] According to the invention, the compact water treatment device 1 comprises a shell 3 predominantly made of an elastic expanded polymeric material . This shell 3 predominantly surrounds the support structure 10 and the water treatment group 2 . In other words , the shell 3 is fitted about the support structure 10 and acts as a casing for the chamber 11 . This allows a compact , lightweight , resistant water treatment device 1 to be obtained and also allows problems related to corrosion to be reduced .

[0022] According to one embodiment , the shell 3 almost completely surrounds the support structure 10 and the water treatment group 2 .

[0023] Preferably, the shell 3 completely surrounds the support structure 10 and the water treatment group 2 .

[0024] According to one embodiment , the shell 3 is made entirely of an elastic expanded polymeric material .

[0025] According to one embodiment , the elastic expandedpolymeric material comprises an expanded cross-linked polyolefin resin .

[0026] According to one embodiment , the elastic expanded polymeric material comprises expanded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) .

[0027] According to one embodiment , the shell 3 is made entirely of expanded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) .

[0028] Preferably, ethylene vinyl acetate has a density between 0 . 08 and 0 . 12 gr / cm3 , a breaking load between 10 and 14 kg / cm2 , an elongation at break between 200 and 300% , and a tearing degree between 1 . 5 and 2 . 5 kg / cm, and a compression degree between 50% and 70% , and a hardness between or equal to 16-21 Shore A, with the latter tending to change as the ambient temperature varies .

[0029] According to one embodiment , the shell 3 is made entirely of an expanded cross-linked polyolefin resin .

[0030] According to one embodiment , the shell 3 has a prismatic shape and comprises a rear shell face 31 .

[0031] Preferably, the rear face 31 comprises a cut 32 predominantly extending along a vertical direction X and which at least partially divides the rear shell face 31 into a first right portion 311 and a first left portion 310 of the rear shell face 31 to facilitate the insertion of the shell 3 around the support structure 10 .

[0032] According to one embodiment , the water treatmentgroup 2 comprises a filtration group 4 fixed to the support structure .

[0033] The filtration group 4 may be fixed directly to the support structure 10 or it may be fixed indirectly, through an accessory fixing device or through a conduit or a connector that feeds water to the filtration group 4 and is fixed to the support structure 10 .

[0034] Preferably, the filtration group 4 is not fixed to the shell 3 .

[0035] According to one embodiment , the water treatment group 2 comprises a reverse osmosis filtration device 5 and a pumping device 6 configured to push the water and carry out the filtration by means of the reverse osmosis filtration device 5 . The reverse osmosis filtration group 5 and the pumping device 6 are fixed to the support structure , but are preferably not supported by the shell 3 .

[0036] Preferably, the compact water treatment device 1 also comprises an electronic control unit 7 , also contained in the chamber 11 , and suitable for controlling the operation of the water treatment device 1 , for example starting the pumping device , or opening and closing one or more solenoid valves for di spens ing water .

[0037] It is clear that the person skilled in the art is aware of both the types of filtration groups , reverseosmosis filtration devices and pumping devices , and the ways in which these devices are fluidically connected to each other for their correct operation . Furthermore , the person skilled in the art already knows the programming methods of the electronic control unit and the adequate number of solenoid valves necessary for the operation of the entire device .

[0038] Therefore , in this discussion the typical components of a compact water treatment device will not be described in further detail , as they are already known to the person skilled in the art .

[0039] Furthermore , not even all embodiments of the water treatment device that the person skilled in the art may envisage with reference to the presence or absence of a reverse osmosis filtration group and / or a re frigeration group and / or a carbonation group and combinations thereof will be described but will still be considered comprised in this discussion .

[0040] According to one embodiment , the shell 3 consists of a front shell face 33 , a left lateral shell face 34 , a right lateral shell face 35, an upper shell face 36 , and a rear shell face 31 .

[0041] According to one embodiment , on the side opposite to the upper shell face 36 , the shell 3 comprises a lower opening 37 .

[0042] Preferably, on the rear shell face 31 a rear opening 312 is obtained suitable for allowing access to the water inlet and / or outlet connections and / or to the power supply .

[0043] According to one embodiment , the support structure 10 is a rigid frame , preferably made of metal , having a box shape , preferably open on one of the faces thereof .

[0044] Preferably, the shell 3 is directly in contact with said rigid frame .

[0045] It is clear that a shell 3 for covering a compact water treatment device 1 described in the present discussion is also a subj ect per se of the present invention . The shell 3 is intended to be made according to the embodiments already described in the preceding paragraphs .

[0046] In particular, the shell 3 is predominantly made of an elastic expanded polymeric material , preferably entirely of expanded cross-l inked polyolefin resin or entirely of expanded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) .

[0047] Innovatively, the present invention success fully overcomes the cited drawbacks with respect to water treatment devices of the prior art .

[0048] Due to the presence of the shell made of elastic expanded polymeric material , problems related to corrosion are reduced and an adequate strength andlightness of the device is ensured .

[0049] Furthermore , the elastic expanded polymeric material makes it possible to reduce the vibrations transmitted to the support structure and, consequently, to reduce the overall noise of the device .

[0050] In particular, the inventor has experienced that the use of expanded ethyl vinyl acetate for the manufacture of the shell allows for adequate performance to be obtained both in terms of mechanical strength and ease of fitting the shell onto the support structure and in terms of vibration reduction .

[0051] A person skilled in the art may, in order to meet speci fic needs , make several changes to the embodiments of this invention or substitutions of elements with other functionally equivalent ones .

[0052] These variants are also contained within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims .

Claims

CLAIMS1. A compact water treatment device (1) for treating water from a water supply system, for example a water supply network of a home or an office, comprising:- a support structure (10) made of a rigid material, such as metal, defining a chamber (11) ;- a water treatment group (2) accommodated in the chamber (11) and supported by the support structure (10) and configured to receive water from the water supply system; characterized in that it comprises a shell (3) predominantly made of an elastic expanded polymeric material , and in that said shell (3) predominantly surrounds the support structure (10) and the water treatment group (2) .

2. Compact water treatment device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the shell (3) almost completely surrounds the support structure (10) and the water treatment group (2) .

3. Compact water treatment device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the shell (3) completely surrounds the support structure (10) and the water treatment group (2) .

4. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell (3) is entirely made of an elastic expanded polymeric material.

5. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic expandedpolymeric material comprises an expanded cross-linked polyolefin resin.

6. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the elastic expanded polymeric material comprises ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) .

7. Compact water treatment device (1) according to claim 6, wherein ethylene vinyl acetate has a density between 0.08 and 0.12 gr / cm3, a breaking load between 10 and 14 kg / cm2, an elongation at break between 200 and 300%, and a tearing degree between 1.5 and 2.5 kg / cm, and a compression degree between 50% and 70%, and a hardness between or equal to 16-21 Shore A.

8. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell (3) has a prismatic shape and comprises a rear shell face (31) , wherein said rear face (31) comprises a cut (32) predominantly extending along a vertical direction (X) and which at least partially divides the rear shell face (31) into a first right portion (311) and a first left portion (310) of the rear shell face (31) to facilitate the insertion of the shell (3) around the support structure .

9. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the water treatmentgroup (2) comprises a filtration group (4) fixed to the support structure.

10. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the water treatment group (2) comprises a reverse osmosis filtration device (5) and a pumping device (6) configured to push the water and carry out the filtration by means of the reverse osmosis filtration device (5) , wherein the reverse osmosis filtration group (5) and the pumping device (6) are fixed to the support structure but are not supported by the shell (3) .

11. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shell (3) consists of a front shell face (33) , a left lateral shell face (34) , a right lateral shell face (35) , an upper shell face (36) , and a rear shell face (31) , wherein on the side opposite to the upper shell face (36) , the shell (3) comprises a lower opening (37) and wherein on the rear shell face (31) a rear opening (312) is obtained suitable for allowing access to the water inlet and / or outlet connections and / or to the power supply.

12. Compact water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (10) is a rigid frame, preferably made of metal, having a box-like shape, preferably open on a facethereof, wherein the shell (3) is directly in contact with said rigid frame consisting of a front shell face (33) , a left lateral shell face (34) , a right lateral shell face (35) , an upper shell face (36) , and a rear shell face (31) , wherein on the side opposite to the upper shell face (36) , the shell (3) comprises a lower opening (37) and wherein on the rear shell face (31) a rear opening (312) is obtained suitable for allowing access to the water inlet and / or outlet connections and / or to the power supply .

13. A shell (3) for covering a water treatment device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, said shell being predominantly made of an elastic expanded polymeric material, preferably of an expanded cross-linked polyolefin resin or expanded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) .

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