Mixed-bed device for producing pure water

Claim 1

In a mixed-bed device for producing pure water, said device comprising a tubular container, a closure member, a water collecting tube and a water collector having a plurality of apertures, wherein said tubular container has a bottom wall, a cylindrical body portion and a domed upper portion, said domed upper portion of said container has a water supply inlet and a constricted opening formed therein, said closure member is removably inserted in said constricted opening, said water collecting tube extends into said container through said closure member such that an end of said water collecting tube is disposed proximate said bottom wall of said container, and said water collector is attached to said end of said water collecting tube, the improvement comprising said water collector being expandable from a relatively narrow configuration, wherein said water collector is insertable into said container through said constricted opening in said domed portion, to a relatively wide configuration, wherein said water collector has a width substantially equal in size to the inner diameter of said cylindrical body portion of said container, and wherein said expandable water collector comprises a header and a plurality of flexible tubular members, each of said flexible tubular members protrudes from a wall of said header, said flexible tubular members are substantially evenly spaced-apart, said flexible tubular members are in fluid communication with said header, and each of said flexible tubular members comprises a plurality of substantially rigid tube segments and a plurality of flexible tube segments, said flexible tube segments interconnecting said rigid tube segments.