WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM AND COMPONENT INCLUDING DATA TRANSFER

The present invention relates to a water filter and treatment component for use in host water treatment apparatus, and a system therefor.

In the production of treated and/or purified water, for example ultra-pure water for laboratory use, several components are generally used in conjunction to provide the desired water quality. Some of these components may be used in parallel or in series, and some are more critical than others to the final water quality. Nevertheless, the full and correct performance of all the components is generally essential to guarantee the treated water quality.

One critical parameter is the operational lifetime of a component. Over use of a component, especially a water treatment component such as a filter, will affect, possibly critically, the quality of the water passing therethrough after a certain time.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water treatment component for use in a host water treatment apparatus, the

component having a pre-determined lifetime following which the component ceases to operate.

The component may be any suitable means, unit, device or apparatus, or part or section thereof, which component is in some way adapted to treat water passing therethrough. Such components include separable cartridges, cylinders and the like, such as cartridges of activated carbon, ion exchange resins or other media, filter elements, ultra-violet lamp assemblies or means for other treatment processes known in the art.

The lifetime of the component may be any suitable period of time, being seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years or a combination of same, which suits the usage of the component. The lifetime may be a set time and/or date, or a pre-determined period after manufacture or another major date in the component, such as installation. In one example, the lifetime could be 12 to 24 months after dated manufacture of the component.

To treat water passing through it, the component will contain one or more means adapted to treat the water, such as ion exchange media, filters, and the like. Any or all such means will have a period of optimum usage, following which further usage may not effect treatment of the water as desired or expected by the user. Thus, an advantage of the present invention is to avoid use of the component at a time when its effect is not as desired or expected even if one or more of its parameters are not fully utilised. An example is degradation of the ion exchange resins over time. Hence the component can be considered 'expired' once past its predetermined lifetime.

In one embodiment, the component ceases operation by itself after expiry of the pre-determined lifetime.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the component has means adapted to cooperate with the host apparatus, so as to relay information about the component to the host apparatus. Such information may then be used by the host apparatus to determine the expiry of the pre-determined lifetime, and to cause the cessation of the component.

The means adapted to cooperate with the host apparatus may be optical, magnetic, electronic or a combination of same, non-limiting examples of which include barcodes, magnetic strips, RFIs, and EPROM data chips. Preferably, the means is adapted to co-operate with an electronic circuit in the host apparatus.

More preferably, the component and the host can communicate, and such communication may be via radio, infrared, wireless or any other transmittable waveforms including optical and magnetic contact. They may also communicate by physical electrical contact for maximum robustness of connection, and to minimise interference by other means of communication. More preferably co-operation of the circuits is only possible when the communication is correctly created, and this is only achieved when the component is correctly arranged with, for example installed and/or fitted, the host apparatus.

Any electrical circuit in the host apparatus preferably includes a central processor, and any electronic means in the component preferably includes or is a data chip, e.g. a microchip such as well known in the art.

Any means in the component adapted to cooperate with the host apparatus is preferably integral with the component, and more preferably, is formed integrally with the component during the component manufacture. Such means is preferably embedded into or mounted onto the component.

The component could also include a database having relevant data relating to that component such as validation information, process information, and/or manufacturing information. Typical information includes, but is not limited to, date of manufacture, date of testing, operator, cartridge type, media type(s), media volumes, media lot numbers, quality control details, and possibly a unique reference code. The data of the component could be encrypted.

Information that can be communicated between the component and host apparatus could also include validation information, production information and/or manufacturing information. Such information in the component could be accessed from the component and may be displayed by the host apparatus.

If necessary or desired, the same information in the component and/or host apparatus could be accessed via a separate reader device or otherwise communicated to a remote reader, for analysis and/or display.

In typical operation, the component also includes a data tag, and the presence of the data tag is identified by the host apparatus upon correct fitment and/or installation of the component, which creates a two-way communication protocol. The host apparatus can then upload relevant data from the data tag, etc. and the component's circuit can download the relevant information from the host apparatus.

In another embodiment of the present invention, lack of co-operation of the component and the host apparatus indicates the incorrect fitment and/or installation of the component with the host apparatus, or incorrect location of a component on a host apparatus where more than one location is possible.

The present invention extends to a water treatment component as hereinbefore defined useable with a host water treatment apparatus, as well as a host water treatment apparatus useable with a water treatment component as hereinbefore defined, as well as their co-operation to provide a water treatment system.

In a further embodiment of the present invention the water treatment component of the present invention is a consumable and/or replacement unit such as a cartridge. This includes water treatment units containing ion exchange resins, filters, media, UV lamps, etc.

According to a yet further embodiment of the present invention, the water treatment component useable with the host apparatus of the present invention is an operational unit. Such operational units include means to sanitise and/or clean e.g. by way of disinfection and/or chemical cleaning, one or more parts of the host apparatus. This may be by means of a component that contains the sanitant or by the fitment of dummy components in place of components that may be damaged by the sanitant.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying and diagrammatic Fig. 1 showing a water treatment component and host water treatment apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 , there is shown a first water treatment component 2 and a host water treatment apparatus 4. The host apparatus 4 has two component locations, one shown ready to receive the first component 2, and one shown fitted with a second component 22.

The component 2 has an embedded microchip 6, which can co-operate with an electronic interface 8 on the host apparatus 4. The remaining part of the electronic circuitry in the host apparatus 4 is not shown.

The component 2 includes inlet and outlet water ports 10a, 12a, to fit with complementary inlet and outlet water ports 10b, 12b on the host apparatus.

The host apparatus includes a purified water outlet 14, and an electronic display 16.

The host apparatus 4 is a water purification unit, and the component 2 is a consumable resin cartridge.

The microchip 6 includes a record of the date of manufacture of the component 2, optionally as well as for example the date of testing, operator, cartridge type, media type (within the component), media volume, media lot numbers, quality control details, and a unique reference code. Preferably, only the correct installation and fitting of the component 2 within the opening in the host apparatus 4, allows the microchip 6 to engage and co-operate with the interface 8 on the host unit 4.

Once the component 2 is fitted correctly, the electronic circuitry in the host apparatus identifies the presence of a data tag on the component 2, such that a communication protocol is established. Once communication has been made, the host apparatus 4 can upload relevant data from the

microchip data tag 6, and optionally the micro chip data tag 6 can download relevant information from the host apparatus 4.

In particular, information concerning the lifetime of the component 2 is uploaded to the host apparatus 4. This information may only be the date of manufacture of the component 2, from which the host apparatus can calculate the addition of a pre-determined period of time, such as for example twelve months, following which the component will cease to operate. The component 2 could cease to operate by self enactment, or by non-cooperation by the host apparatus 4. Such non-cooperation could be by any means or route, such as by non-cooperation of the microchip 6 and interface 8 on the host apparatus 4.

Alternatively, the predetermined lifetime is initiated from the date of installation of the component 2 or the date of co-operation of the microchip 6 and host apparatus 4.

Some or all of this information could be displayed on the display 16 on the host apparatus 4. This could include visual warning of any incorrect operation, the life-time of the component 2, a warning of the impending end of lifetime, or a combination of same. The component 2 and/or the host apparatus may also include a visual, aural, electronic or combination of same, warning of the impending end of the component lifetime to give the user or a remote location warning of same, and time to prepare for the expiry of the component 2, e.g. by obtaining a new component 2. Ceasing of the component 2 in mid user-operation may therefore be avoided. The visual warning may be in any form such as a light, a numerical display, a percentage figure, graphically or iconically, the latter usually in a user screen or other interface, including a remote interface.

The present invention provides a component and accompanying host apparatus forming a system which is able to ensure that water treatment components are not used past their expected lifetime of operation, which may then damage the expected water treatment function expected by the user. Where the host apparatus 4 can display the lifetime of the component, or the remaining operational lifetime of the component 2, this could also provide the user with greater awareness of expected function of the water treatment system or component.