Oh, papents! LifeStraw® personal water filter (3)

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

LifeStraw® markets a high-end, stainless steel, personal water-filtering "straw". The high-end model has two caps, one on top, covering the mouthpiece, and another on the bottom, covering the filter inlet for unclean water. The ornamental design of the capped, stainless steel, high-end LifeStraw® personal water-filter is patented in the US design patent USD783773S1, titled Water purifier.

As a reminder: a utility patent protects the way an article is used and works (35 U.S.C. 101), while a design patent protects the way an article looks (35 U.S.C. 171) [MPEP Chapt. 1502.01; [R-07.2015]].

The stylish, high-end, stainless steel Lifestraw® is no less efficient at purifying water and delivering undistorted taste. The LifeStraw® Steel model delivers a patented(1), synergistic, 2-stage filtering system,  that removes:

Stage 1 (using a fiber membrane filter)

- 99.999999% (log 8) of bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholera, and Salmonella Typhi), 

- 99.999% (log 5) of parasites (e.g., Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum), and

- 99.999% (log 5) of microplastics

Stage 2 (using a carbon-activated filter) 

- Chlorine 

- Bad odor and taste 

- Organic chemical matter

The design patent Figure 3, showing a side view of the water purifier with caps. is included below, together with an image of the marketed, high-end, LifeStraw® Steel model. 

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Note
(1) Aspects of the synergistic, 2-stage water filtering invention are recited, for example, in US20100051527A1, titled Microporous filter with an antimicrobial source, and  US20100044321A1, titled Microporous filter with a low elution antimicrobial source.

References

LifeStraw®

https://www.lifestraw.com/

MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent
https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html