Low-Profile Water Filter Assembly for Beverage Dispenser Reservoirs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single serve beverage dispensers are ineffective in filtering particles and volatile organic compounds from water due to the use of single mesh filters, which also cause pressure drops that can lead to pump cavitation.
Innovation Solution
A water filter assembly with a housing and filter medium extending perpendicular to the vertical direction, featuring a support member and attachment member for minimal pressure drop, utilizing a filter medium that covers a larger surface area to effectively filter contaminants while maintaining a low profile and efficient water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a single mesh filter is used to minimize pressure drop, then pressure drop is reduced, but filtering effectiveness for particles and volatile organic compounds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into multiple filtering elements arranged in parallel, each element providing a portion of the total filtering capacity. This segmentation allows water to flow through multiple paths simultaneously, reducing pressure drop while maintaining effective filtration for particles and volatile organic compounds through the combined surface area of all elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering elements are arranged in a horizontal orientation extending perpendicular to the vertical water flow direction, rather than vertically. This dimensional change creates a large horizontal filtering surface area that water flows across, minimizing pressure drop while providing extensive contact area for effective filtration of contaminants.
2Reliability
If a larger filter surface area is used to improve filtration, then filtering effectiveness improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The large filter surface area is divided into multiple smaller filtering elements arranged in parallel. Each element handles a portion of the water flow, distributing the hydraulic load across multiple paths. This maintains the total filtering surface area for effective contaminant removal while preventing excessive pressure drop that would occur with a single large filter element.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter elements extend horizontally perpendicular to the vertical water flow, creating a large surface area that water flows across in a thin film manner. This dimensional arrangement provides extensive filtering surface area while maintaining low pressure drop by distributing flow across the horizontal plane rather than forcing water through a single vertical path.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a low profile filter assembly is used to accommodate varying water levels, then adaptability improves, but filtering surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly utilizes a horizontal orientation extending perpendicular to the vertical direction, maximizing filtering surface area within a low vertical profile. This dimensional arrangement allows the filter to accommodate varying water levels in the reservoir while maintaining a large horizontal filtering surface area through the side walls of the reservoir.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple filtering elements are arranged horizontally in parallel, each contributing to the total filtering surface area within the constrained vertical space. This segmentation allows the assembly to maintain large surface area while keeping the vertical profile low enough to accommodate varying water levels in the reservoir.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively removes particles and volatile organic compounds from water while minimizing pressure drop, ensuring proper pump operation and maintaining a low profile to accommodate varying water levels in the reservoir.
Implementation Method 1
A filter medium extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical direction
Implementation Method 2
filtering volatile organic compounds—such as chloroform, lindane, and atrazine—from the water within the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
A water filter assembly for a beverage dispenser including a filter medium and a housing is provided. The water filter assembly may be positioned in a reservoir of the beverage dispenser. The filter medium and housing of the water filter assembly each extend in a direction generally perpendicular to a vertical direction of the beverage dispenser. The housing includes a support member at a first end and an attachment member at a second end. The support member is configured for supporting the water filter assembly within the reservoir, and the attachment member is configured for attaching the housing of the water filter assembly to a fitting in the reservoir of the beverage dispenser.