Portable Water Filter with Manual Pump for Virus Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable water filtration devices, such as straw-type filters, struggle to effectively remove contaminants of all sizes, including viruses, due to limitations in pore size and water flow efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, portable water filtration device with a manually operated pump assembly that utilizes a telescoping filtration chamber and pre-filter to create negative and positive pressures, allowing water to pass through filters with significantly smaller pore sizes than conventional devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pore size of the filter is made smaller to remove more contaminants including viruses, then the filtration effectiveness is improved, but the water flow becomes insufficient and becomes overly difficult to draw through the filter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pump assembly that generates positive pressure to force water through the filter, replacing the conventional negative pressure suction method. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach allows water to be pushed through filters with smaller pore sizes (down to 0.1 microns for virus removal) without the flow rate becoming impractically low, as the pump actively maintains sufficient flow pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The pump assembly creates dynamically alternating positive and negative pressure cycles during operation. The positive pressure phase forces water through the fine filter, while the negative pressure phase draws water into the pump chamber. This dynamic pressure variation allows the system to maintain adequate flow rates even when using filters with very small pore sizes
2Reliability
If the number or thickness of the filters is increased to remove more contaminants, then the filtration effectiveness is improved, but the device becomes larger and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes porous filter materials with controlled pore structures that provide high filtration effectiveness without requiring excessive filter thickness or multiple filter layers. The pump assembly's positive pressure capability allows the system to achieve virus-level filtration (0.1 micron pore size) using a single, relatively thin filter element rather than stacking multiple thicker filters
Solution Approach 2:
By employing a pump assembly that generates sufficient positive pressure, the system can achieve effective filtration with thinner, lighter filter elements. The hydraulic force compensates for the reduced filter mass, maintaining adequate flow rates even with filters designed for high contaminant removal efficiency
3Productivity
If the pump assembly generates sufficient positive pressure to force water through the filter, then the water flow is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly is designed to be manually operated by the user, eliminating the need for external power sources, motors, or complex mechanical drive systems. The user simply activates the pump, and the device automatically generates the necessary positive and negative pressure cycles to drive water through the filter, maintaining simplicity while achieving high flow rates through fine filters
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 device effectively filters most bacteria, viruses, cysts, chemical toxins, microplastics, and trace pharmaceuticals from water, providing a reliable and efficient means of purifying water in a compact and lightweight form.
Implementation Method 1
the water is passed through a pre-filter which in some embodiments is a screen positioned over the inlet opening having a screen size which filters most large physical contaminants from the water supply
Implementation Method 2
The lower pressure created must also be sufficient to cause the water to pass through the filters
Implementation Method 3
operation of the manual pump assembly... creates negative pressure... allows atmospheric pressure to force water from the source
Implementation Method 4
An adapter having an inlet opening or passageway containing a one-way valve is secured over the suction end of the holding chamber which allows fluid to flow into the holding chamber through the valve but not a reverse flow
Implementation Method 5
Water drawn into the holding chamber is then forced through another one-way valve in an adapter coupled to the inlet end of the filtering chamber by a positive pressure when the filtering chamber is slidingly returned into the holding chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A portable water filtration device including a holding chamber and a filtration chamber containing at least one filter media and configured to telescope with said holding chamber, a suction end adapter connected to the distal end of the holding chamber, and an outlet adapter coupled over the outlet end of the filtration chamber having a pair of opposite outwardly extending finger grips connected to a side wall of the cap section, wherein water is drawn into the holding chamber and then into the filtration chamber by a pumping action, and a pre-filter configured to be secured to the suction end adapter by a friction fit, and a channel extending through the adapter portion of the pre-filter configured to connect to a free end of the tubular member connected to the outlet adapter also by a friction fit to enable cleaning of the pre-filter by reverse flushing water through said pre-filter.