Fluid purification device

Claim 2

A fluid purification device comprising a housing defining a chamber therein and having inlet and outlet ports communicating with said chamber; a guide tube in said chamber, one end of said guide tube being supported by said housing in fluid flow communication with said outlet port, the other end thereof being in fluid flow communication with said inlet port; a tubular filter element in said chamber surrounding said guide tube and in the path of fluid flow from said inlet port to said other end of said guide tube; and an elongate ultraviolet lamp unit removably mounted on said housing and extending into said guide tube, spaced inwardly therefrom and defining a flow channel therebetween, said lamp unit including a transparent envelope having a thin continuous solid film of non-stick material surrounding, fixed to and in intimate contact with the outer surface of said envelope, said lamp and film being axially removable from said housing as a unit.

Claim 3

A fluid purification device according to claim 1, in which said guide tube is formed of a material capable of reflecting radiation emitted by said ultraviolet lamp.

Claim 4

A fluid purification device according to claim 1, in which said filter element is removably mounted in said chamber and wherein said guide tube provides a protective shield for said film during removal and replacement of a filter element.

Claim 5

A fluid purification device according to claim 1, including base member for said lamp, said base member hermetically sealing one end of said flim to said envelope.

Claim 6

A fLuid purification device according to claim 1, including electrical conductors for said lamp, said conductors extending in a helical manner over the outer surface of said film along the length of said lamp to impart a swirling motion to fluid as it passes along said lamp.

Claim 7

A fluid purification device according to claim 5, including a cap member for said lamp, said cap member hermetically sealing the opposite end of said film to said envelope.

Claim 8

A fluid purification device according to claim 1, including a base member of insulating material supporting said lamp, said base member being screw threaded through said housing whereby said lamp may be removed from said chamber.

Claim 9

A fluid purification device according to claim 7, including electric supply conductors for said lamp, said conductors extending through said base member to the exterior of said housing.

Claim 10

A FLUID PURIFICATION DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A CHAMBER THEREIN AND HAVING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER; A GUIDE TUBE IN SAID CHAMBER, ONE END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET PORT, THE OTHER END THEREOF BEING IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INLET PORT; A TUBULAR FILTER ELEMENT IN SAID CHAMBER SURROUNDING SAID GUIDE TUBE AND IN THE PATH OF FLUID FLOW FROM SAID INLET PORT TO SAID OTHER END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE, SEALING MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID FILTER ELEMENT ADJACENT SAID INLET PORT SEALING SAID ONE END AGAINST FLUID FLOW FROM SAID INLET PORT DIRECTLY TO THE SAID OTHER END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE; SAID HOUSING HAVING THREADED MOUNTING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF ALIGNED WITH SAID GUIDE TUBE; AND AN ELONGATE ULTRAVIOLET LAMP UNIT HAVING A THREADED BASE MEMBER THREADEDLY ENGAGING A SELECTED ONE OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND SUPPORTED THEREBY TO EXTEND INTO SAID GUIDE TUBE WHEREBY SAID LAMP UNIT MAY BE MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING TO EXTEND INTO SAID GUIDE TUBE FROM EITHER END THEREOF.

Claim 11

A FLUID PURIFICATION DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A CHAMBER THEREIN AND HAVING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER; A GUIDE TUBE IN SAID CHAMBER, ONE END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET PORT, THE OTHER END THEREOF BEING IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INLET PORT; A TUBULAR FILTER ELEMENT IN SAID CHAMBER SURROUNDING SAID GUIDE TUBE AND IN THE PATH OF FLUID FLOW FROM SAID INLET PORT TO SAID OTHER END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE, SEALING MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID FILTER ELEMENT ADJACENT SAID INLET PORT SEALING SAID ONE END AGAINST FLUID FLOW FROM SAID INLET PORT DIRECTLY TO THE SAID OTHER END OF SAID GUIDE TUBE; SAID HOUSING HAVING THREADED MOUNTING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF ALIGNED WITH SAID GUIDE TUBE; AND AN ELONGATE ULTRAVIOLET LAMP UNIT HAVING A THREADED BASE MEMBER THREADEDLY ENGAGING A SELECTED ONE OF SAID MOUNTING MEANS AND SUPPORTED THEREBY TO EXTEND INTO SAID GUIDE TUBE WHEREBY SAID LAMP UNIT MAY BE MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING TO EXTEND INTO SAID GUIDE TUBE FROM EITHER END THEREOF.

Claim 12

A fluid purifying device according to claim 9, including electric supply conductors for said lamp, said conductors extending through said base member to the exterior of said housing.

Claim 13

A fluid purifying device according to claim 9, in which said lamp unit includes a covering of non-stick material extending over said lamp in intimate contact therewith.

Claim 14

A fluid purifying device according to claim 9, said sealing means comprising an annular member surrounding said tube supporting one end of said filter element, and a second annular member supported by said housing supporting the opposite end of said filter element.

Claim 15

A fluid purifying device according to claim 12, wherein said annular members each have an annular ridge engageable with the associated end of said filter, and means for forcing said annular members toward each other whereby to embed said annular ridges into said filter element.