Filter assembly for gravity-assisted air conditioner discharge water saver systems
View Patent ↗A filter assembly for use with a gravity-assisted water saver system that sanitizes condensate from an air conditioning system with vapors released from dissolvable tablets, such as those used for treating swimming pool water or laundering purposes. It is compact and cleanable via a removable bottom cover, and it inner structure is configured to substantially reduce the likelihood of treatment vapors from the treatment chamber backing through the filter assembly and entering the connected air conditioning system from which condensate is collected. Applications can include, but are not limited to, use with systems that replenish water lost from swimming pools due to evaporation, and divert water for use in filling toilets, pressure washing, cleaning, and other gray water uses.
1. A filter assembly for use with a gravity-assisted water saver system that sanitizes condensate from an air conditioning system with vapors released from dissolvable tablets, such as those used for treating swimming pool water or laundering purposes, said filter assembly comprising:
a housing having a bottom end, a fluid inlet opening, and a fluid discharge opening, said fluid discharge opening being positioned lower in height than said inlet opening for gravity-assisted fluid flow from said inlet opening to said discharge opening, said housing further having internal structure providing vapor-blocking means that is selected from a group consisting of P-traps, valves and valve seats, float balls and valve seats;
a removable bottom cover having a leak-proof connection to said bottom end of said housing; and
a connecting brace configured for securely fixing said housing against the treatment chamber of a gravity-assisted water saver system that sanitizes condensate from an air conditioning system with vapors released from dissolvable tablets so that when water levels within said housing are low, said vapor-blocking means prevents vapor released by the dissolvable tablets from backing up into the air conditioning system from which the treated condensate was originally collected.
2. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing also has an outer wall and a downwardly extending inner wall at a spaced-apart distance from said outer wall, and wherein said inner wall extends beyond said bottom end of said housing and forms a portion of one said P-trap.
3. The filter assembly of claim 2 wherein said bottom cover has an upwardly extending inner wall member and wherein said inner wall member is positioned within said downwardly extending inner wall of said housing when said housing and said bottom cover are joined, and wherein said upwardly extending inner wall member forms a portion of the same said P-trap containing said downwardly extending inner wall of said housing.
4. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said bottom cover has an upwardly extending inner wall member and wherein said inner wall member forms a portion of one said P-trap.
5. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said connecting brace has a downwardly extending protuberance that forms a portion of one said P-trap.
6. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said bottom cover has at least one ridge configured for assistance in hand manipulation during rotation of said bottom cover during removal from or attachment of said bottom cover to said housing.
7. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said discharge opening is formed through said housing in a position under said connecting brace.
8. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing has an upper surface and said inlet opening is positioned through said upper surface.
9. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said bottom cover is attached to said bottom end of said housing via a threaded connection.
10. The filter assembly of claim 1 having a float ball and valve seat and wherein said float ball and valve seat are centrally located within said housing.
11. The filter assembly of claim 1 having two P-traps, a float ball, and a valve seat, and wherein said float ball and valve seat are positioned within said housing between said P-traps.
12. The filter assembly of claim 1 further comprising an attachment member outwardly extending from said housing, said attachment member configured to provide fluid communication between said housing and an associated water saver system.
13. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing has a top surface with a recess therein, and wherein said connecting brace is configured for leak proof positioning within said recess.
14. The filter assembly of claim 13 wherein said recess has a bottom surface and an upwardly extending partition, and said partition and said bottom surface of said recess form a portion of one said P-trap.