Abstract: An improved water carbonator system is provided for thoroughly mixing a carbonating gas with a water supply flowing through a refrigerated reservoir of the type used in soft drink dispenser stations and the like. The carbonator system includes water and gas injector nozzles disposed generally at an upper end of the reservoir, together with a dispense valve for drawing carbonated chilled water from a lower end of the reservoir. A vertically elongated and rotatably driven impeller shaft carries a spaced plurality of vaneless impeller disks for causing the water flowing downwardly through the reservoir to undergo a plurality of directional changes in a radially outward direction. Such directional changes in flow result in improved intermixing with the carbonating gas and improved chilling of the water prior to dispensing. A drive motor has a drive shaft connected in common to a pump for delivering water into the reservoir, and to the impeller shaft.

Abstract: An improved water carbonator system is provided for thoroughly mixing a carbonating gas with a water supply flowing through a refrigerated reservoir of the type used in soft drink dispenser stations and the like. The carbonator system includes water and gas injector nozzles disposed generally at an upper end of the reservoir, together with a dispense valve for drawing carbonated chilled water from a lower end of the reservoir. A vertically elongated and rotatably driven impeller shaft carries a spaced plurality of vaneless impeller disks for causing the water flowing downwardly through the reservoir to undergo a plurality of directional changes in a radially outward direction. Such directional changes in flow result in improved intermixing with the carbonating gas and improved chilling of the water prior to dispensing.

Abstract: A water quality monitor is provided for use in a purified water supply system of the type having a reverse osmosis unit or the like for producing relatively purified water from an ordinary tap or feed water supply. The monitor includes a control circuit having eletrodes in contact with the purified and tap water supplies. The control circuit is activated by depression of a test button to produce a short duration pulse of one polarity which is connected to the electrodes for use in determining the water conductivities. The control circuit compares the conductivities of the purified and tap water supplies, wherein this comparison represents the operational efficiency of the purification system in removing contaminants from the incoming tap water. The control circuit responds to this comparison to illuminate an appropriate indicator light or the like and thereby indicate the operational state of the purification system.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis water purification system is provided for removing contaminants from a tap water supply or the like, to produce a relatively purified water supply. The system includes a header manifold formed as a unitary component and adapted to receive and support a plurality of removable cylindrical canisters having a reverse osmosis cartridge and associated filter cartridges installed therein. The manifold is formed with a main gallery passage which is subdivided into a succession of bores of progressively increasing diametric size, with adjacent bores being separated by transition segments of uniform thread pitch. Appropriate threading plugs and/or check valves and the like are installed along the gallery passage to regulate water flow in series through the reverse osmosis and filter cartridges to separate the tap water supply into the relatively purified water supply and a reject water supply having impurities concentrated therein.

Abstract: A dual stage filter cartridge is provided for use in a reverse osmosis water purification system or the like. The filter cartridge includes a first stage having a filter medium for removing selected contaminants from incoming feed water, and a second stage including a reverse osmosis membrane for converting a portion of the filtered feed water to a relatively purified water supply. The filter media in the first state is particularly selected to remove contaminants which are otherwise potentially harmful to the reverse osmosis membrane. The dual stage cartridge is configured as a single unit adapted for simple drop-in installation into an open-ended cartridge housing.

Abstract: An improved pressure relief valve is provided in a reverse osmosis water purification system to prevent the pressure of produced purified water from exceeding a predetermined pressure limit. In the water purification system, ordinary tap or feed water is supplied to a reverse osmosis module which produces a purified water supply coupled for flow to a pressurized storage reservoir to await dispensing, and a reject water supply coupled through a backpressuring restrictor for flow to a drain. The relief valve comprises a valve head with differential surface areas exposed respectively and directly to the pressure of the purified water supply and to the pressure of the reject water supply upstream of the restrictor, wherein the differential surface areas are chosen for valve head movement to open a purified water relief port when the purified water pressure reaches a selected proportional limit relative to the reject water pressure.

Abstract: A purified water dispensing and reject water control device is provided for operative association with a pressurized feed water supplied reverse osmosis cartridge that has purified water and reject water outlets and a tank that is subdivided by a movable barrier into first and second compartments of variable volume that receive purified and reject water and may have same discharged therefrom. The control device includes a single elongate tube that actuates first and second valve members that tend to remain in first positions. Purified water from the purified water outlet flows to the first compartment and reject water from reject water outlet flows through a first flow restrictor and then through a second flow restrictor defined by the tube to the drain when the valve members are in first positions.

Abstract: A water supply station is provided with series connected reservoirs for receiving and storing potable water or the like under different temperature conditions. The station includes a first reservoir for receiving an incoming water flow, and a second reservoir coupled to the first reservoir via an overflow conduit. When the first reservoir reaches a substantially filled condition, additional water flow spills through the overflow conduit for passage into the second reservoir. The water within the two reservoirs is maintained under different conditions, such as at selected cold and hot temperatures, respectively, ready for immediate dispensing through appropriate dispensing valves. The water supply station is particularly adapted for use as a countertop unit wherein the reservoirs respectively store water for immediate dispensing and use, for example, in cold or hot beverages.

Abstract: An improved pressure relief valve is provided in a reverse osmosis water purification system to prevent the pressure of produced purified water from exceeding a predetermined pressure limit. In the water purification system, ordinary tap or feed water is supplied to a reverse osmosis module which produces a purified water supply coupled for flow to a pressurized storage reservoir to await dispensing, and a reject water supply coupled through a backpressuring restrictor for flow to a drain. The relief valve comprises a valve head with differential surface areas exposed respectively and directly to the pressure of the purified water supply and to the pressure of the reject water supply upstream of the restrictor, wherein the differential surface areas are chosen for valve head movement to open a purified water relief port when the purified water pressure reaches a selected proportional limit relative to the reject water pressure.

Abstract: An improved purified water supply system is provided of the type including a reverse osmosis unit for producing relatively pure water from ordinary tap water or the like. The reverse osmosis unit receives incoming tap water and produces separate outflows of purified water and relatively impure reject water. The purified water is supplied from the reverse osmosis unit to a purified water chamber within a compact storage vessel, wherein the purified water chamber is separated within the vessel by a movable barrier from a reject water chamber. When use of the purified water is desired, one or more faucet valves are opened to open a discharge path permitting purified water to flow from the storage vessel through a discharge spout or the like for use. An improved control valve assembly operates in conjunction with the faucet valve or valves to apply reject water under sufficient pressure to the reject water chamber to force purified water from the storage vessel through the open discharge path.

Abstract: An improved reverse osmosis unit is provided for use in a water purification system, wherein the reverse osmosis unit includes an integral control valve for regulating water inflow in response to system demand for purified water. The reverse osmosis unit includes a feed water inlet receiving a supply of ordinary tap water or the like for flow through a reverse osmosis cartridge having a membrane for separating the water inflow into a relatively pure water supply and a reject water supply with impurities concentrated therein. The pure water supply is coupled through a pure outlet port for collection within an appropriate storage vessel to await dispensing through a faucet valve or the like, whereas the reject water supply flows through a reject outlet port for discharge to a drain.

Abstract: A single control valve and associated conduits for operating a reverse osmosis assembly that includes a reverse osmosis cartridge, a reservoir that has a movable barrier therein that subdivides the interior into first and second confined spaces of variable volume, and a manually operated purified water dispensing valve, so that as the first confined space approaches a filled condition with purified water, the single control valve throttles the flow of pressurized feed water to the cartridge to minimize the use of feed water in the operation thereof, with the maximum backpressure to which purified water is subjected in discharging from the cartridge being that due to the weight of reject water in the second confined space, and a membrane in the reverse osmosis cartridge being fast-flushed with feed water to remove foreign material therefrom when the purified water dispensing valve is discharging purified water.

Abstract: A regulated control valve assembly is provided for use in a water purification system having a reverse osmosis unit to produce relatively purified water from a feed water supply of ordinary tap water or the like. Purified water produced by the reverse osmosis unit is supplied to a purified water chamber in a storage vessel ready for dispensing on demand by operation of a faucet valve. The control valve assembly includes a throttle valve responsive to the purified water chamber reaching a substantially filled condition to throttle or halt feed water inflow to the system. In addition, the control valve incorporates a pressure regulator for shifting the throttle valve in a manner regulating the pressure of feed water supplied to the purification system to a predetermined, relatively low pressure level.

Abstract: A single valve and associated conduits for so operating a reverse osmosis assembly that includes a reverse osmosis cartridge, a reservoir that has a movable barrier therein that sub-divides the interior into first and second confined spaces of variable volume, and a manually operated purified water dispensing valve, so that as the first confined space approaches a filled condition with purified water, the single valve throttles the flow of pressurized feed water to the cartridge to minimize the use of feed water in the operation thereof and when the second confined space approaches a filled condition with reject water the single valve stops the flow of pressurized feed water to protect the reservoir from damage due to high pressure that may be present in the feed water source.

Abstract: A water purification system includes cooling apparatus for reducing the temperature of purified water produced by the system. The purification system includes, for example, a reverse osmosis unit for producing a supply of purified water by removal of impurities from standard tap water, wherein the purified water is stored within a reservoir tank ready for use. The cooling apparatus comprises a thermoelectric heat transfer module adapted to transfer thermal energy from a cold side to a hot side of the module. The module is mounted on the reservoir tank with its cold side in thermal communication with the stored purified water to extract heat energy therefrom. The hot side of the thermoelectric module is thermally communicated with a system water flow particularly such as a flow of waste water produced by the reverse osmosis unit, or the tap water flow, wherein this system flow provides a compact heat sink carrying heat energy away from the module to provide efficient cooling of the purified water supply.

Abstract: A control valve assembly for use in a reverse osmosis system in which a tank and a pliable barrier are used to define a reservoir having separate confined spaces for purified water and reject water. The barrier when not deformed occupies only a portion of the interior of the tank, and requires a minimum of material to define. The uppermost part of the tank supports a single valve that has a pressurized feed water inlet and outlet, and a movable portion that extends into the interior of the upper interior portion of the tank. Upward movement of the movable portion throttles the rate of flow of pressurized feed water between the inlet and outlet. The barrier in addition of sub-dividing the interior of the reservoir into separate confined spaces of variable volume also serves to physically contact the movable portion and move it upwardly as the first confined space moves towards a last stage in approaching a filled condition to throttle the flow of pressurized feed water through the valve.

Abstract: A single valve and associated conduits for so operating a reverse osmosis assembly that includes a reverse osmosis cartridge, a reservoir that has a movable barrier therein that sub-divides the interior into first and second confined spaces of variable volume, and a manually operated purified water dispensing valve, so that as the first confined space approaches a filled condition with purified water, the single valve throttles the flow of pressurized feed water to the cartridge to minimize the use of feed water in the operation thereof, with the maximum back pressure to which purified water is subjected in discharging from the cartridge is that due to the weight of reject water in the second confined space, and the membrane in the reverse osmosis cartridge being fast flushed with feed water to remove foreign material therefrom when the purified water dispensing valve is discharging purified water.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis system in which a pair of oppositely disposed, vertically aligned rigid cup shaped bodies that have outwardly extending first flanges are by a circumferentially adjustable band forced into pressure sealing contact with a second flange of a pliable cup shaped barrier to define a reservoir. The barrier when not deformed occupies only a portion of the interior of one of the cup shaped bodies, and requires a minimum of material to define. The uppermost one of the cup shaped bodies supports a single valve that has a pressurized feed water inlet and outlet, and a movable portion that extends into the interior of the upper cup shaped member. Upward movement of the movable portion throttles the rate of flow of pressurized feed water between the inlet and outlet.