EP4313870A1

EP4313870A1 - Filter cartridge and water filter device

Info

Publication number: EP4313870A1
Application number: EP22702945.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christoph Götz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-03-31
Filing date: 2022-01-28
Publication date: 2024-02-07
Also published as: DE102021001668A1; CA3213056A1; US20240182327A1; WO2022207155A1; CN117120377A

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter cartridge for a water filter device, comprising an inlet funnel with a valve which is arranged in a flow channel and has a valve body (304) that can be moved in the axial direction in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body and release the flow channel in a second position. The filter cartridge has a housing which comprises an inflow opening for unfiltered water on the upper face and an outflow opening for filtered water on the lower face and which contains a filter medium. The lower face of the housing has an inversion (402), and a valve puller (502) is arranged in the inversion, said valve puller having a main part (505) and an actuation means (514) which is molded thereon and extends away from the main part (505) in the axial direction and which comprises a receiving hole that is delimited by a grip edge (509) and is designed to allow an actuation section (606) of the valve body (304) to be received.

Description

Filter cartridge and water filter device

Area

The invention relates to a filter cartridge for a water filter device for filtering liquids, in particular a filter cartridge for a water filter device, for example a table water filter device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a water filter device and a water filter device which is equipped with a filter cartridge according to the invention.

background

Water filtration devices are often used to improve the cleanliness of water and to reduce or remove unwanted solutes. Such devices are also referred to below as filter devices. For this purpose, the filter device is typically equipped with a filter cartridge that can be replaced because the filter cartridge is consumed during use of the filter device. A filter material is contained in the filter cartridge for the purification of raw water and the removal of dissolved substances, which includes, for example, activated carbon and an ion exchange material in the form of granules. In addition, suspended matter is removed with close-meshed sieves or filter fabrics. The filter device is used, for example, as a table water jug or table water filter device, as a water tank of a device for preparing hot drinks or as a water tank in a refrigerator.

A table water filter device typically consists of a collection vessel for holding filtered water, into which an inlet funnel is inserted. The inlet funnel has a receiving chamber for a filter cartridge, into which unfiltered raw water flows, which leaves the filter cartridge as filtered water. The inlet funnel has a reservoir for receiving the unfiltered raw water and an outlet opening through which the filtered water leaves the inlet funnel to be collected in the collection vessel of the filter device. There are embodiments of such a filter device in which a valve is arranged in a flow channel leading to the outlet opening, which valve closes the outlet opening or the flow channel if no filter cartridge or no suitable filter cartridge is used in the inlet funnel. When a filter cartridge is inserted into the inlet funnel, the valve in the outlet opening opens open mechanical interaction between a valve body and the filter cartridge.

Such a filter device is described, for example, in DE 202016008866 U1. This filter device has a valve in a flow path for the filtered water that is opened when a specially designed filter cartridge is inserted. For this purpose a valve body is provided with helical structures which interact with corresponding structures in a filter cartridge to open the valve. For many users, the valve has no advantages in the practical handling of the filter device, but it has the disadvantage that a user can only replace used filter cartridges with filter cartridges that are matched to the valve, which considerably restricts the selection of filter cartridges for the maintenance of the filter device.

Proceeding from this, an object of the present invention is to create an alternative filter cartridge that can be used in a variety of different filter systems.

Description of the invention

To solve this problem, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a filter cartridge for a water filter device with an inlet funnel which includes a valve which is arranged in a flow channel and has a valve body which can be moved in the axial direction in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body and release in a second position. The filter cartridge has a housing which has an inlet opening for unfiltered raw water on a top side and an outlet opening for filtered water on a bottom side and which contains a filter medium. An indentation is arranged on an underside of the housing. A valve puller is arranged in the indentation, which has a base body and an integrally formed actuating means which extends in the axial direction away from the base body and which includes a receiving hole delimited by a gripping edge which is designed in such a way that it is possible to receive an actuating section of the valve body permitted.

The filter cartridge according to the invention can be used flexibly in water filter devices with or without a valve in a flow channel. In the first case, the valve puller performs a simple pulling movement on the valve body in order to open the valve in the flow channel. Specifically, the valve puller when inserting the Lift the valve body off a valve seat into the receiving chamber, thereby opening a flow path. In the second case, ie with a water filter device without a valve, the valve puller has no function. If the filter cartridge is to be adapted to differently designed valve bodies, then it is sufficient to change the valve puller accordingly, for example to match its dimensions to a different valve body. The rest of the filter cartridge can remain unchanged. This flexibility offers advantages in the manufacture of filter cartridges for different water filter devices.

In an advantageous embodiment, the actuating means is in the form of a truncated cone, the pointed end of which points away from the base body. This shape of the actuating means is mechanically stable and suitable for centering the filter cartridge on a cylindrical pipe extension of the inlet funnel.

In one embodiment, the lateral surface of the truncated cone is a closed wall. In another embodiment, the lateral surface is broken through by a plurality of windows, between which the lateral surface is reduced to strips. In the embodiment with windows, the force required to frictionally couple the actuating means to the valve body is smaller than in the embodiment with a closed lateral surface.

According to a further development of the last-mentioned embodiment, the windows extend as far as the receiving hole, so that one end of the strips is connected to the base body and the other end forms a free end. This embodiment is the most easily compressible compared to the other embodiments. The end faces of the strips are oriented axially and run obliquely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the strips

In an advantageous development of the filter cartridge, the wall of the lateral surface is divided into a plurality of lamellae by slots, one end of which is connected to the base body and the other end forms a free end.

In this development, an essentially closed lateral surface is achieved, in which a force for deforming the lateral surface is lower than in the embodiment with a completely closed lateral surface.

Advantageously, a tubular attachment is formed on the lateral surface of the pointed end of the truncated cone, which forms the gripping edge. The tube approach increases the Gripping edge, which improves the frictional coupling of the valve body with the valve puller.

In the alternative embodiments, the gripping edge is formed by the free ends of the strips or lamellae. The strips or the lamellae have contact surfaces oriented in the axial direction, which rest on an outer circumference of the valve body.

It has proven to be advantageous to form humps on the strips which are directed to the outside of the lateral surface. The humps rest on the pipe socket of the inlet funnel and define a support point for the strips. The strips are therefore preferably deformed around the respective support point, which ensures good reproducibility of the mechanical properties.

Alternatively, the strips are weakened at one point, notably by scoring. At the point where the mechanical weakening is arranged, the strips are preferably deformed. The bending properties of the strips can be defined in a simple manner by appropriate positioning and dimensioning of the mechanical weakening.

Spacer ribs are advantageously formed on the outer circumference of the base body, so that at least one gap is created between the base body and an inside of the indentation in the housing of the filter cartridge. The spacer ribs ensure a flow path for filtered water in cases when the actuating means with its outer surface seals the socket in the inlet funnel. In these cases, filtered water can only drain through the receiving hole in the valve puller. The spacer ribs keep open a flow path for the filtered water to the receiving hole.

It has proven to be advantageous if the spacer ribs continue up to an end face of the base body. This ensures that a flow path for filtered water is also available between the base body and a bottom of the indentation in the filter cartridge

Advantageously, the actuating means is elastic, which couples with the gripping edge in a friction-locked manner with the actuating section of the valve body when the actuating means is deformed in the radial direction. The actuating means is preferably deformed when the filter cartridge is inserted into the receiving chamber of the inlet funnel. In a preferred embodiment of the filter cartridge, positioning ribs are arranged on the base body, which ribs extend perpendicularly and away from the base body in the same direction as the actuating means. The positioning ribs ensure improved stabilization of the valve puller on a pipe attachment of an inlet funnel of a water filter device.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a valve puller for a water filter device with an inlet funnel is proposed, which includes a valve which is arranged in a flow channel and has a valve body which can be moved in the axial direction in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body and in a second position release position. The valve puller is sized to fit into an indentation of a filter cartridge replaceable in a receiving chamber of the inlet funnel. The valve puller has a body and an integrally formed actuating means extending axially from the body and including a receiving hole defined by a gripping edge adapted to allow receipt of an actuating portion of the valve body.

The valve puller is suitable for pulling the valve body from its first position into its second position when the filter cartridge is inserted into the receiving chamber of the inlet funnel. A flow path for filtered water is thereby opened. The valve puller can be produced inexpensively as a molded part and enables the use of filter cartridges in water filter devices with a valve in the flow path without these filter cartridges having to be matched to the valve in the water filter device.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a water filter device with a filter cartridge according to the first aspect of the invention is proposed.

Brief description of the drawing

The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example using an embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. All figures are purely schematic and not to scale. Show it:

1 shows a filter device in the form of a water jug in a perspective view;

2 shows a perspective view of a filter cartridge at an angle from above; FIG. 3 shows a detail of an inlet funnel of the filter device from FIG. 1 in cross section;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the filter cartridge from FIG. 2 at an angle from below;

5A-5D show a first, second and third exemplary embodiment of a valve puller for the filter cartridge from FIG. 2;

FIG. 5E shows a section of a receiving chamber with the valve puller from FIG. 5B in cross section;

6A shows a valve body in a perspective view;

FIG. 6B shows the valve body from FIG. 6A in cross section;

7A shows a detail from the receiving chamber with a filter cartridge inserted, before the filter cartridge reaches its end position;

FIG. 7B shows the detail from FIG. 7A with the filter cartridge in its end position;

FIG. 8A shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of a valve puller for the filter cartridge from FIG. 2; and

8B shows a section of a receiving chamber with the valve puller from FIG. 8A in cross section.

Identical or similar elements are provided with the same or similar reference symbols in the figures. In the following description of the exemplary embodiment, directional information such as “up”, “down”, “up” or “down” relates to the corresponding position or direction in the figure being described in each case.

exemplary embodiments

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a device 100 for the filtration of liquids in a perspective view from the side. the

Device 100 is designed in the illustrated embodiment as a table water jug and has a collection vessel 101 for receiving filtered water. A handle 102 is arranged on the collection vessel 101 for its handling. Furthermore, the collection vessel 101 has a pouring spout 103 on its upper edge on. When using the device, a user can grasp the collection vessel 101 by the handle 102 and pour out filtered water, for example into a glass (not shown), via the pouring spout 103 . An inlet funnel 104, open at the top, is inserted into the collecting vessel 101 and has a receiving chamber 106 for a filter cartridge 200 (FIG. 2) in its lower region. The inlet funnel 104 has a circumferential flange 107 on its upper edge, which rests on an edge of the collection vessel 101 so that the inlet funnel 104 is held in the collection vessel 101 . A base 108 of the inlet funnel 104 is at a distance H from a base 109 of the collection vessel 101. The base 108 of the inlet funnel 104 has one or more outlet openings from which filtered water flows from the inlet funnel 104 into the collection vessel 101. The inlet funnel 104 is closed on its upper side with a removable cover 111 which prevents dust or dirt particles from falling into the inlet funnel 104 when the filter device 100 is in use.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a filter cartridge 200 at an angle from above. A housing upper part or cover 201 forms an upper side of the filter cartridge 200, which sits on a cup-shaped housing lower part 202. The cover 201 and the lower housing part 202 together form a housing of the filter cartridge 200, which is denoted by the reference numeral 203 as a whole. Filter material is accommodated in the housing 203 of the filter cartridge. The filter material is present, for example, as filter granules, which are accommodated loosely or in a filter pocket made of liquid-permeable nonwoven material (not visible in FIG. 2).

Different filter materials can be used to remove unwanted substances, ions and/or particles or suspended matter from the water.

The cover 201 has a plurality of inlet openings 204 through which unfiltered liquid, in particular raw water, flows into the interior of the filter cartridge 200 . A handle part 206 makes it possible to grasp the filter cartridge 200 and to pull it out of the receiving chamber 106 of the inlet funnel 104 if the filter cartridge 200 needs to be changed. A sealing edge 207 can be seen on the upper edge of the lower housing part 201 . The lower housing part 201 also includes a housing base 208 and a peripheral side wall 209.

The lower housing part has a substantially oval shape, which is, for example, 70-80 mm long in the longitudinal direction and 40-50 mm long in the transverse direction. In one embodiment, the cover 201 is of the housing base 202 removable, making the interior of the filter cartridge 200 accessible. With the cover 201 removed, a user can replace used filter granules with new filter granules. This exchange is particularly uncomplicated and easy to carry out if the filter granulate is accommodated in a closed filter bag.

FIG. 3 shows the receiving chamber 106 of the inlet funnel 104 in cross section.

The receiving chamber 106 has a floor 301 which has a pipe socket 302 . A valve bottom part 303 accommodating a movable valve body 304 is inserted into the pipe extension 302 . The valve body 304 is reciprocally movable in the vertical direction. The direction of movement is indicated by a double arrow 306 in FIG. When the valve body 304 assumes an end position that is at the bottom in the illustration in Figure 3, the valve body rests on a valve seat (not shown) and closes a flow path for filtered water through the pipe extension 302. The valve seat forms a lower stop for the movement of the Valve body 304. When the valve body is raised from its lower end position, it releases the flow path for water through the pipe extension 302. The pipe extension 302 has a peripheral annular bead 305 which forms an upper stop for the valve body 304 so that the valve body is caught in the pipe extension 302 and cannot fall out even if the inlet funnel is turned upside down. The valve bottom part 303 and the valve body 304 together form a valve in the filtered water flow path.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the filter cartridge 300 at an angle from below. The cup-shaped lower housing part 201 has guide grooves 401A and 401B which engage with corresponding guide strips (not shown) in the receiving chamber 106 of the inlet funnel 104 when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted into the receiving chamber 106 . In this way, a stable installation position of the filter cartridge 300 in the receiving chamber 106 is supported. FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of an indentation 402 in the bottom 208 of the lower housing part 201. Outlet openings 403A and 403B are provided on both sides of the indentation 402, which outlet openings have outlet screens 404A and 404B. During operation of the filter device, the filtered liquid exits the filter cartridge 200 through the outlet openings 403A and 403B.

The indentation 402 overlaps the pipe extension 302 in the receiving chamber 106. When the filter cartridge 200 is ready for operation, one of the indentations 402 is in the indentation 402 The valve puller 501-503 shown in FIGS. 5A-5D is arranged in FIG. 5, which is omitted in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity.

FIG. 5A shows a first exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 501. The valve puller 501 has a round base body 505 on which a wall 506 is formed, in which an actuating means 507 forms. The wall 506 has the shape of a lateral surface of a truncated cone whose cover surfaces are omitted. At the pointed end of the truncated cone, a circular ring strip 508 is formed on the wall 506, the inside of which functions as a gripping edge 509 and encloses a receiving hole 511. A plurality of spacer ribs 512--for example four--are formed on the round base body 505, which keep open a flow path for filtered water from the filter cartridge 200, as will be explained further below. The spacer ribs 512 are formed along a perimeter of the base 505 and on the major side of the base 505 that faces the wall 506 . The base body 505 has the shape of a circular ring. The arrow z indicates an axial orientation of the valve puller 501. This axial direction convention also applies to the valve pullers 502, 503 shown in Figures 5B-5D.

FIG. 5B shows a second exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 502 which has four windows 513 in the wall 506 . The wall 506 is reduced to strips 514 between the windows 513, which are connected to the base body 505 on the one hand and to the ring strip 508 on the other hand. The strips are formed with bumps 516, for example, in the shape of a segment of a sphere.

FIG. 5C shows a variant of the second exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 502' in cross section. The valve puller 502' differs from the valve puller 502 in that notches 517 are provided in place of the bumps 516. In Figure 5C, the notches 517 in the struts 514 are made from the outside inwards. In a modified variant, the notches 517 in the struts 514 can also be arranged from the inside to the outside, that is, on the opposite side of the strut 514 .

In a modification of the valve puller 502, 502', which is not shown, the ring strip 508 is interrupted and consists of several circular arcs, in particular as many circular arcs as the valve puller 502, 502' has strips 514. In this modification, the strips 514 can be more easily deflected counter to the direction z when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted into the receiving chamber 106 . Finally, FIG. 5D shows a third exemplary embodiment of a valve puller 503, which differs from the valve puller 502 from FIG. 5B in that the windows 513 extend into the receiving hole 511 and the ring strip 508 is not present. The strips 514 are thus connected to the base body 505 at one end and have a free end 518 at their other end, the inner surfaces 519 of which form the gripping edge 509 . The inner surfaces 519 are oriented in the axial direction and are therefore essentially in full contact with the valve body 304 when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted into the receiving chamber 106 . FIG. 5E shows an example of the valve puller 502 in a perspective sectional view as it sits on the tube extension 302, the filter cartridge 200 being omitted from the illustration for the sake of clarity. The valve puller 502 protrudes into the pipe extension 302 with the ring strip 508 in front. The bumps 516 rest on the annular bead 305. When the valve puller 502 is pressed into the pipe extension 302 in the direction of the arrow 520 when the filter cartridge is inserted into the receiving chamber 106, the strips 514 are elastically deformed, as a result of which the ring strip 508 is compressed and lifted in the opposite direction to the arrow 520. The compression of the annular ledge 508 causes the free diameter of the receiving hole 511 to decrease. The annular strip 508 is in frictional contact with the valve body 304, in particular with the actuating section 606 (FIGS. 6a, 6B), and lifts the valve body into its second position. The compression of the annular strip 508 is not absolutely necessary in order to produce a frictional contact with the valve body 304 which is sufficient to be able to lift the valve body. A frictional contact that is sufficient for this can already be established when the valve body 304 slides into the receiving hole 511 when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted into the receiving chamber 106 . The bumps 516 act like a support point for a two-sided lever that is formed by the strips 514. The compressive force that is exerted when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted into the receiving chamber 106 is transmitted to the valve puller 502 via the base body 505 . In the valve puller 502', when the strips abut the annular bead 305, the strips 514 deform where the notches 517 are located. The notches 517 are preferably far enough away from the base body 505 that they are spaced apart from the annular bead 305 .

In the case of the valve puller 503, the strips 514 are also elastically deformed in a corresponding manner, as a result of which the inner surfaces 519 of the strips 514 approach one another and move upwards counter to the direction of the arrow 520. In the case of the valve puller 501, the wall 506 is deformed when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted. The ring strip 508 is thus compressed in exactly the same way as in the case of the valve puller 502 and is lifted in the opposite direction to the arrow 517 . In this case, too, there is sufficient frictional contact between the ring strip 508 and the valve body 304 when the valve body slides into the receiving hole 511 of the valve puller 502 .

FIG. 6A shows the valve body 304 in a perspective view. As shown in FIG. 3, the valve body 304 is accommodated in the socket 302 and can move back and forth in the socket 302 in a vertical direction (FIG. 3, double-headed arrow 306). The valve body 304 is guided in the pipe extension 302 by two guide rings 601, 602 spaced apart from one another, the outer diameter of which is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe extension 302, so that the valve body 304 is guided within the pipe extension 302 with play. The two guide rings 601, 602 are connected to one another by means of webs 603. A sealing surface 604 is formed on the side of the valve body 304 which is at the bottom in the installed position. A pin-shaped actuation section 606 is arranged on the side of the valve body 304 that is at the top in the installed position.

The valve body 304 is shown in cross-section in FIG. 6B. The guide rings 601,602 have openings 607,608 which provide a flow path for liquids, in particular for water, in the axial direction of the valve body 304. The axial direction is along an axis 609 shown as a dash-dot line.

FIG. 7A shows a section of the receiving chamber 106 with a filter cartridge 200 in cross section. The filter cartridge is inserted into the receiving chamber 106, with the indentation 402 overlapping the pipe extension 302. An annular gap 701 is created between the pipe extension 302 and the indentation 402. The housing base 208 of the filter cartridge 200 is located at a distance above the base 301 of the receiving chamber 106. In the housing base 208 of the filter cartridge 200, the outlet sieves 404A an annular rim 702A and 702B, respectively, to equalize the flow of water.

The valve puller 502 is inserted into the indentation 402 with a press fit. In the representation shown in Figure 7A, the filter cartridge 200 has not yet reached its end position, which it assumes when the filter device 100 is in operation, as at a distance 703 between an end face 704 of the pipe extension 302 and the base body 505 is recognizable. The position of the filter cartridge shown is referred to as position I. Nevertheless, the operating portion 606 is received in the receiving hole 511 so that the gripping edge 509 is in frictional contact with the operating portion 606 .

The tube extension 302 is closed with the valve base part 303 which provides a valve seat 706 for the valve body 304 and has at least one outlet opening 707 which is or are closed by the valve body 304 when the valve body 304 abuts the valve seat.

Although the guide sections 601, 602 of the valve body 304 permit a longitudinal back and forth movement 306 (FIG. 3), the valve body 304 remains captive between the valve bottom part 303 and the annular bead 305. The actuation section 606 of the valve body 304 protrudes from the tube extension 302 .

The valve puller 502 is configured to pull the valve body 304 upwardly away from the valve seat when the filter cartridge 200 is moved from position I shown in Figure 7A to position II shown in Figure 7B.

FIG. 7B shows the filter cartridge 200 in an end position (position II), in which the base body 505 rests on the end face 704 of the pipe extension 302. The bumps 516 rest on the annular bead 305. Due to the compressive force transmitted to the base body 505 when the filter cartridge 200 is inserted into the receiving chamber 106, the ring strip 508 or the gripping edge 509 has lifted the valve body 304 from the valve seat 706, so that a gap 708 is created between the valve base part 303 and the valve body 304 and the Outlet openings 707 are open. The valve body 304 is raised when the filter cartridge 200 changes from the position I shown in FIG. 7A to the position II. The frictional contact between the ring ledge 508 and the valve body 304 is sufficient to lift the valve body 304 .

In position II of the filter cartridge 200, the valve body 304 opens a flow path for the filtered water. The water flows out of the outlet screens 404A, 404B, rises in the indentation 402 and flows between the spacer ribs 512 on the base body 505 past. Then the water flows through the window 513 and the openings 607.608 in the valve body 304 to finally flow out of the outlet openings 707. The windows 513 are provided in the valve pullers 502 and 503, but not in the valve puller 501. The valve puller 501 is therefore only used when the gripping edge 509 does not tightly enclose the actuating section 606 of the valve body. This is the case, for example, when structures are provided on the actuating section 606 between which flow channels are formed in the axial direction of the valve body 304 .

In a further exemplary embodiment of the filter cartridge 200, which is not shown, spacer ribs are provided in the indentation 402, which ribs hold the base body 505 of the valve puller at a specific distance from a base 709 of the indentation 402.

The valve pullers 501-503 also contribute to stabilizing the filter cartridge in the receiving chamber, regardless of whether a valve is arranged in the inlet funnel 104 or not. In the latter, the valve pullers 501-503 reach "into the void" so to speak. The valve puller 501 can also be designed as a throttle element for the flow rate of the filtered water through the filter cartridge 200. If the base body 505 rests sealingly on the end face 704 of the pipe extension 302, the flow rate can be adjusted by appropriately dimensioning the spacer ribs 512. The spacer ribs 512 determine the size of the free spaces between the base body 505 and the wall indentation 402. The size of the free spaces can be chosen such that the valve puller 501 forms a limiting element for the flow rate through the filter cartridge. The same applies to the variant of the valve puller 501, in which the wall of the lateral surface is divided into a large number of lamellae by slots.

FIG. 8A shows a further valve puller 801, which has positioning ribs 802 on the pipe extension 302, which extend perpendicularly away from the base body 505, in the interests of even further improved stabilization. The positioning ribs 802 rise above the base body 505 in the same direction as the strips 514. The positioning ribs 802 each have a starting bevel 803 at their free ends. Otherwise, the valve puller 801 does not differ from the valve puller 502.

FIG. 8B shows the valve puller 801 in a perspective sectional view as it is seated on the tube extension 302, the filter cartridge 200 being omitted from the illustration for the sake of clarity. The positioning ribs 802 overlap from the outside the tube attachment 302 and ensure that the valve puller 801 and the cartridge 200 are not tilted when inserted into the receiving chamber 104. The bevels 803 make it easier to place the valve puller 801 on the pipe extension 302 or to insert the filter cartridge 200 into the receiving chamber 104. In FIGS. 5B-5D and 8A, the valve pullers 502,503,801 have four strips

514 trained. In other exemplary embodiments, on the other hand, more or else fewer than four strips 514 are provided. This does not significantly affect the functioning of the valve pullers 502,503.

In the exemplary embodiments described, the valve puller was shown as a part that was initially separate from the filter cartridge 200 and that is inserted into the indentation 402 of the filter cartridge 200 in a final manufacturing step. As an alternative to this, however, it is also possible to co-inject the valve puller with the lower housing part 202 of the filter cartridge 200 in a single production step.

Reference List

100 filter device 501-503 valve puller

101 collection vessel 505 basic body

102 handle 506 wall

103 pouring spout 507 actuation means

104 inlet funnel 508 ring bar

509 grip edge

106 receiving chamber 511 receiving hole

107 peripheral flange 512 spacer ribs

108 inlet funnel floor 513 window

109 vessel bottom 514 stripes

516 cusps

111 cover 517 notches

518 free end

200 filter cartridge 519 face

201 housing upper part, cover 520 direction of insertion

202 lower housing part

203 housing as a whole 601.602 guide rings

204 inlet openings 603 webs

604 sealing surface

206 handle part 606 operating section

207 sealing edge 607,608 breakthroughs

208 caseback 609 axis

209 peripheral side wall

701 annular gap

301 bottom 702A.702B annular rim

302 tube attachment 703 gap

303 valve bottom part 704 face

304 valve body 706 valve seat

305 torus 707 outlet opening

306 double arrow 708 gap

401 A, 401 B guide groove 709 bottom of the indentation 402 indentation

403A.403B exhaust ports 801 valve puller

404A.404B outlet screens 802 positioning ribs

803 ramps

Claims

patent claims

1. Filter cartridge for a water filter device (100) with an inlet funnel (104) which comprises a valve which is arranged in a flow channel and has a valve body (304) which can be moved in the axial direction in order to close the flow channel in a first position of the valve body (304). close and release in a second position, the filter cartridge having a housing (201, 202, 203) which has an inlet opening (204) for unfiltered raw water on a top side and an outlet opening (403A, 403B) for filtered water on a bottom side and which contains a filter medium , an indentation (402) being arranged on an underside of the housing (201,202,203), characterized in that a valve puller (501-503) is arranged in the indentation (402), which valve puller (501-503) has a base body (505) and an integrally formed actuating means (506 ;514,516,517) which extends away from the base body (505) in the axial direction and which has a gripping edge (509) a limited receiving hole (511) formed to allow receiving an operating portion (606) of the valve body (304).

2. Filter cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuating means (506; 514, 516, 517) is in the form of a truncated cone whose pointed end points away from the base body (505) and that the truncated cone has a lateral surface.

3. Filter cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that the lateral surface of the truncated cone is a closed wall (506) or is broken through by several windows (513), between which the lateral surface is reduced to strips (514).

4. Filter cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that the window

(513) to the receiving hole (511) extend so that one end of the strip

(514) is connected to the base body (505) and another end forms a free end (518).

5. Filter cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that the lateral surface is divided by slots into a plurality of lamellae, one end with is connected to the base body (505) and whose other end forms a free end.

6. Filter cartridge according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at the pointed end of the truncated cone on the lateral surface an annular strip (508) is formed, which forms the gripping edge (509).

7. Filter cartridge according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the gripping edge (509) is formed by the free ends (518) of the strips (514) or of the lamellae.

8. The filter cartridge as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that humps (516) are formed on the strip (514) and are directed towards the outside of the lateral surface.

9. Filter cartridge according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the strips (514) are weakened at one point, in particular by notches (517). 10. Filter cartridge according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that spacer ribs (512) are formed on an outer circumference of the base body (505), so that the Filter cartridge (200) creates at least one gap. 11. Filter cartridge according to claim one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating means (506; 514, 516, 517) is elastic, which by means of the gripping edge (509) frictionally couples to the actuating section (606) of the valve body (304) when the actuating means ( 506; 514, 516, 517) is deformed in the radial direction. 12. Filter cartridge according to claim one of the preceding claims, characterized in that positioning ribs (802) are arranged on the base body (505) which extend perpendicularly and in the same direction as the actuating means away from the base body (505).

13. Valve puller for a water filter device (100) with an inlet funnel (104), which comprises a valve which is arranged in a flow channel and has a valve body (304) which can be moved in the axial direction in order to move the flow channel in a first position of the valve body (304 ) to close and release in a second position, the valve puller (501-503) being dimensioned such that it fits into an indentation (402) of a filter cartridge (200) which can be inserted into a receiving chamber (106) of the inlet funnel (104), characterized in that the valve puller (501-503) a

Base body (505) and a molded-on actuating means (506; 514, 516, 517) which extends away from the base body (505) in the axial direction and which comprises a receiving hole (511) delimited by a gripping edge (509) which is designed in such a way that it allows an actuating portion (606) of the valve body (304) to be received.

14. Water filter device with a filter cartridge (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.