FILTRATION UNITS, FILTRATION SYSTEMS, AND FILTRATION METHODS

1 . A filtration unit comprising:

a pump;

a carbonator; and

a housing coupled to the pump and the carbonator, the housing configured to be coupled to:

a filter;

a carbonation canister; and

a pitcher;

where, if the housing is coupled to a filter, a carbonation canister comprising fluid, and a pitcher comprising fluid, the filtration unit can:

pump fluid from the pitcher, through the filter, and out of the housing if a user activates a first configuration; and

pump fluid from the pitcher, through the filter, through the carbonator to be mixed with fluid from the carbonation canister, and out of the housing if a user activates a second configuration.

2 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , where the housing further comprises:

a dry break assembly configured to cooperate with a pitcher having an interior to permit fluid communication between the interior and the filtration unit.

3 .- 4 . (canceled)

5 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a controller configured to enable a user to activate the first configuration if a user presses a first button and to enable a user to activate the second configuration if a user presses a second button.

6 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a controller; and

a sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect if fluid enters the filtration unit;

where, if a user activates the first configuration or the second configuration, the controller is configured to pump fluid from a pitcher after the sensor detects that fluid has entered the filtration unit.

7 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a controller;

a first solenoid;

a second solenoid; and

a third solenoid;

where the controller is configured such that:

if a user activates the first configuration, the controller signals to open the first solenoid to permit fluid from the pitcher to move out of the housing; and

if a user activates the second configuration, the controller signals to:

open the second solenoid to permit fluid from the pitcher to move into the carbonator; and

open the third solenoid to permit fluid from the carbonation canister to move into the carbonator.

8 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a flow conditioner configured to control fluid flow after exiting the carbonator.

9 .- 13 . (canceled)

14 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a carbonation canister adjuster configured to permit a user to adjust an amount of fluid exiting the carbonation canister if the carbonation canister is coupled to the housing.

15 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , where the filtration unit is configured to alert a user when the filter, if coupled to the housing, should be replaced.

16 . The filtration unit of claim 1 , where the housing further comprises:

a carbonation canister compartment configured to accommodate a carbonation canister; and

a door configured to open to permit a user to couple a carbonation canister to or decouple a carbonation canister from the housing and configured to close to prevent visibility of the carbonation canister.

17 . A filtration unit comprising:

a pump;

a carbonator; and

a housing coupled to the pump and the carbonator, the housing configured to be coupled to:

a filter;

a carbonation canister; and

a pitcher;

where, if the housing is coupled to a filter, a carbonation canister comprising fluid, and a pitcher comprising fluid, the filtration unit can:

filter fluid from the pitcher and dispense the fluid from the housing if a user activates a first configuration; and

filter fluid from the pitcher, mix fluid from the pitcher with fluid from the carbonation canister, and dispense fluid from the housing if a user activates a second configuration.

18 . The filtration unit of claim 17 , where the housing further comprises:

a dry break assembly configured to cooperate with a pitcher having an interior to permit fluid communication between the interior and the filtration unit.

19 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . The filtration unit of claim 17 , further comprising:

a controller configured to enable a user to activate the first configuration if a user presses a first button and to enable a user to activate the second configuration if a user presses a second button.

22 . The filtration unit of claim 17 , further comprising:

a controller; and

a sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect if fluid enters the filtration unit;

where, if a user activates the first configuration or the second configuration, the controller is configured to pump fluid from a pitcher after the sensor detects that fluid has entered the filtration unit.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The filtration unit of claim 17 , further comprising:

a flow conditioner configured to control fluid flow after exiting the carbonator.

25 .- 29 . (canceled)

30 . The filtration unit of claim 17 , further comprising:

a carbonation canister adjuster configured to permit a user to adjust an amount of fluid exiting the carbonation canister if the carbonation canister is coupled to the housing.

31 . The filtration unit of claim 17 , where the filtration unit is configured to alert a user when the filter, if coupled to the housing, should be replaced.

32 . (canceled)

33 . A filtration system comprising:

a pitcher;

a filter;

a carbonation canister; and

a filtration unit coupled to the pitcher, the filter, and the carbonation canister, the filtration unit comprising:

a pump; and

a carbonator;

where, if the carbonation canister comprises fluid and the pitcher comprises fluid, the filtration system can:

filter fluid from the pitcher and dispense the fluid from the housing if a user activates a first configuration; and

filter fluid from the pitcher, mix fluid from the pitcher with fluid from the carbonation canister, and dispense fluid from the housing if a user activates a second configuration.

34 .- 35 . (canceled)

36 . The filtration unit of claim 33 , further comprising:

a controller configured to enable a user to activate the first configuration if a user presses a first button and to enable a user to activate the second configuration if a user presses a second button.

37 .- 43 . (canceled)

44 . The filtration unit of claim 33 , where the pitcher is coupled to a cooling stick configured to cool fluid in the pitcher.

45 .- 46 . (canceled)

47 . The filtration unit of claim 33 , where the housing further comprises:

a carbonation canister compartment configured to accommodate the carbonation canister; and

a door configured to open to permit a user to couple the carbonation canister to or decouple the carbonation canister from the housing and configured to close to prevent visibility of the carbonation canister.

48 . A method of filtering fluid, comprising:

coupling a pitcher holding fluid to a filtration unit; and

activating the filtration unit in one of:

a first configuration in which fluid is pumped from the pitcher, through a filter, and out of the filtration unit; and

a second configuration in which fluid is pumped from the pitcher, through a filter, through a carbonator to be carbonated, and out of the filtration unit.

49 . (canceled)

50 . The method of claim 48 , further comprising:

chilling fluid in the pitcher with a cooling stick.

51 . A method of filtering fluid, comprising:

engaging a pitcher holding fluid with a filtration unit; and

activating the filtration unit in one of:

a first configuration in which fluid is pumped from the pitcher, through a filter, and out of the filtration unit; and

a second configuration in which fluid is pumped from the pitcher, through a filter, through a carbonator to be carbonated, and out of the filtration unit.

52 . (canceled)

53 . The method of claim 51 , further comprising:

chilling fluid in the pitcher with a cooling stick.