U.S. patent application number 11/465220 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-07 for low spillage replaceable water filter assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company. Invention is credited to Karl Fritze.
Application Number | 20060272995 11/465220 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25440177 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060272995 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fritze; Karl |
December 7, 2006 |
LOW SPILLAGE REPLACEABLE WATER FILTER ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A filter assembly includes a water filter assembly having a
filter element sealingly disposed in a cartridge, and having an
inlet and an outlet, the water filter assembly being substantially
dripless when charged with water and disposed substantially
horizontally. A manifold assembly is fluidly couplable at an inlet
to a source of water to be filtered and having a filtered water
outlet and having mating members for removably mating to the water
filter assembly and having a mounting means attached to said
manifold providing rotational travel to the water filter assembly
for installation, removal and replacement of the water filter
assembly. A cartridge and a water distribution manifold assembly
are further included.
Inventors: |
Fritze; Karl; (Denmark
Township, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
PO BOX 33427
ST. PAUL
MN
55133-3427
US
|
Assignee: |
3M Innovative Properties
Company
|
Family ID: |
25440177 |
Appl. No.: |
11/465220 |
Filed: |
August 17, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10406637 |
Apr 2, 2003 |
|
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11465220 |
Aug 17, 2006 |
|
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09918316 |
Jul 30, 2001 |
6632355 |
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10406637 |
Apr 2, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
210/234 ;
210/235 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2201/4015 20130101;
C02F 1/283 20130101; C02F 1/003 20130101; B01D 35/153 20130101;
B01D 2201/302 20130101; B01D 2201/4023 20130101; C02F 2201/006
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
210/234 ;
210/235 |
International
Class: |
B01D 35/153 20060101
B01D035/153 |
Claims
1. A manifold assembly for interfacing with a filter assembly and
for being fluidly coupled to a source of water to be filtered,
comprising: a manifold having: a physical interface with the filter
assembly being a first portion of a ramp/tab interlock system; a
filter assembly fluid interface being an insertion plug with a
plurality of o-rings, the insertion plug being matable with a bore
in the filter assembly, the bore being in fluid communication with
a filter assembly filtered water cavity of the filter element; and
a water source interface having at least one mechanically driven
shut-off valves for incoming unfiltered water which are forced open
when the filter assembly is mated to the manifold by means of the
physical interface.
2. The manifold assembly of claim 1 having a plurality of molded
flow channels to route incoming unfiltered water to the filter
assembly and routing filtered water from the filter assembly for
direction of the filtered water to a point of use.
3. The manifold assembly of claim 1 including a spill proof design
having two mechanically driven valves located in contiguous
unfiltered water supply channels.
4. The manifold assembly of claim 3 including the valves serving to
prohibit the flow of unfiltered water prior to full disengagement
of the filter assembly from the manifold.
5. The manifold assembly of claim 1 including a mounting bracket
couplable to the manifold, the mounting bracket serving as a base
to hold the manifold and the filter assembly in a substantially
horizontal orientation.
6. The manifold assembly of claim 5, the mounting bracket coupling
with the manifold by a snap leg mechanism, the snap leg mechanism
providing a quickly engageable and permanent coupling.
7. The manifold assembly of claim 5, the mounting bracket including
a set of swing arms and an angled body.
8. The manifold assembly of claim 7, set of swing arms and an
angled body allowing the mounting bracket and the water manifold
and filter assembly, when mated to the mounting bracket, to be
rotated downward a fixed amount to facilitate replacement of the
filter assembly.
9. The manifold assembly of claim 1, the manifold having two axial
protrusions by which the manifold may be mounted and held in
position.
10. The manifold assembly of claim 9, the axial protrusions being
solid rod type protrusions for insertion into a catch mechanism
bore.
11. The manifold assembly of claim 9, the axial protrusions each
having a bores to accept a catch mechanism protrusion for
supporting the manifold.
12. The manifold assembly of claim 9, the axial protrusions being
mounts for mounting a fixture cover.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 10/406,637, filed Apr. 2, 2003, now allowed; which is a
divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/918,316 filed Jul. 30,
2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,355, the disclosure of which is
incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a replaceable water filter
assembly for the filtering of drinking water. Specifically, the
invention relates to a drinking water filter assembly in which a
used filter can be replaced with a new filter with very low
spillage regardless of the mounting orientation of the water filter
assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Water filter assemblies for industrial, commercial and
consumer use are widely known throughout the industry. It is well
known that when water filter assemblies are used by consumers or in
consumer goods, they must be limited in size to accommodate
available space limitations. As a filter's volume and/or surface
area are the key components of filter capacity, these smaller
consumer filters have less filtering capacity than their larger
commercial and industrial brethren. It is this reduced filtering
capacity requiring more frequent replacement that makes it a
necessity for consumer water filter assemblies to be designed for
quick and convenient filter element replacement.
[0004] Unfortunately, the combination of quick and easy replacement
along with the consumer's demand for a low price has lead to
designs in which water is easily spilled during filter replacement.
Due to the consumer water filter's small size, it can be mounted in
a multiplicity of locations and orientations. These locations and
orientations are often not easily accessible for the consumer which
makes clean-up of any spilled water even more difficult. What is
needed is a water filter assembly design in which the assembly can
be mounted in a multitude of locations and orientations with no
detriment to the speed and ease of filter element replacement while
also incorporating a low spillage design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The water filter assembly of the present invention meets the
aforementioned requirements of the industry. The water filter
assembly design includes a virtually leak-proof replaceable filter
assembly and a molded water manifold assembly having inlet flow
valves and a drop down design providing quick and easy access when
replacing a filter assembly. In combination, these elements provide
quick and easy maintenance along with the convenience of low
spillage.
[0006] The replacement filter assembly comprises a cylindrical
filter element located within a molded, cylindrical housing. The
filter assembly is designed to be inserted and removed with a
minimum of rotational force applied by the consumer. Replacement of
a filter assembly requires no tools or manipulation of valves or
plumbing prior to maintenance. Used filter assemblies can be
immediately discarded with no disassembly required.
[0007] For purposes of discussion, the specification will reference
a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filter. One versed in the
industry will understand that a variety of other commercially
available filters could be used in place of the GAC filter. These
filters could include but are not limited to depth, surface, media,
ionic and membrane type filters. In the current invention,
unfiltered water flows from the outside of the filter into the
center. Contaminants including organic compounds, particles and
chlorine are removed and filtered water is present in the interior
cavity of the filter. Attached to the incoming end of the filter is
a glue dam which prevents incoming unfiltered water from coming in
contact with filtered water inside the filter cavity. The glue dam
also serves to distribute the incoming water to the outside surface
of the filter element so that the entire cross section of the
filter is used in the filtering process.
[0008] In an embodiment, the glue dam has a neck that is disposable
in a spaced apart relationship with an aperture defined in a top of
the filter cartridge. By being spaced apart, the filer cartridge
top is free to be rotated without imparting rotational motion to
the glue dam. In this manner, the filter top may be spin or sonic
welded to the cartridge housing body without disturbing the glue
dam and the filter element to which the glue dam is adhered. Spin
welding the filter top to the filter cartridge housing is a unique
feature of the present invention.
[0009] The GAC filter is contained in a molded, fluted filter
housing. The housing is tapered on the molded end such that the
housing diameter is slightly less than the filter element. An
adhesive is applied to the housing molded end prior to inserting
the GAC filter. The combination of the adhesive and the compression
required to fully insert the GAC filter prevents unfiltered water
from bypassing the filter and entering the filtered water cavity
inside the filter element. The filter housing is closed and sealed
via an end cap. The end cap is fixed to the housing via gluing,
welding or other appropriate means suitable to the materials. The
end cap serves additional purposes including a means for
interfacing with the water distribution manifold and also providing
force against the glue dam to hold and seal the filter.
[0010] At time of installation or removal, the filter assembly
interfaces directly with the molded water manifold. The water
manifold interfaces with the filter assembly in three distinct
ways. First, the filter assembly is physically held in place via a
ramp/tab interlock system. Secondly, the water manifold assembly
has an insertion plug with o-rings that passes through the filter
cap and into a bore in the filter dam which is in fluid contact
with the filtered water cavity of the filter element. Finally, the
water manifold assembly contains at least one and preferably two
mechanically driven shut-off valves for incoming unfiltered water
which are forced open when the filter assembly is rotated into the
attached position.
[0011] The water manifold incorporates molded flow channels to
route incoming unfiltered water to the filter assembly while
allowing filtered water to be removed from the filter assembly and
sent to its point of use. As part of the spill proof design of the
entire assembly, the water manifold incorporates two mechanically
driven valves located in the contiguous unfiltered water supply
channels. Unless the filter assembly is mounted to the water
manifold, these valves serve to prohibit the flow of unfiltered
water. Thus, during a filter change water is prevented from flowing
out of the supply channels without any input from the consumer
other than the removal of the filter assembly.
[0012] In one embodiment, the mounting bracket serves as a base by
which the entire assembly is positioned into place by the user. In
the operating disposition, the filter cartridge is held in a
substantially horizontal orientation. The bracket interfaces with
the water manifold via a snap leg mechanism which provides a fast
and permanent coupling of these components. The mounting bracket
includes a set of swing arms and an angled body. These features
allow the bracket including the water manifold and filter assembly
to be rotated downward a fixed amount to provide easy access and
maneuvering space during a filter assembly change-out.
[0013] In another embodiment, the water manifold assembly has two
axial protrusions by which the entire water filter assembly is
mounted and held in position. The axial protrusions can be solid
rod type protrusions for insertion into a catch mechanism. The
axial protrusions can also have bores to accept protrusions for
holding the water filter assembly in position. Furthermore, the
axial protrusions can be used for mounting a fixture cover over the
entire water filter assembly. This allows the fixture cover to be
rotated out of position for maintenance and installation purposes
and back into position when the water filter assembly is ready for
service.
[0014] The present invention is a filter assembly that includes a
water filter assembly having a filter element sealingly disposed in
a cartridge, and having an inlet and an outlet, the water filter
assembly being substantially dripless when charged with water and
disposed substantially horizontally. A manifold assembly is fluidly
couplable at an inlet to a source of water to be filtered and
having a filtered water outlet and having mating members for
removably mating to the water filter assembly and having a mounting
means attached to said manifold providing rotational travel to the
water filter assembly for installation, removal and replacement of
the water filter assembly.
[0015] A cartridge and a water distribution manifold assembly are
further included. The present invention is further a cartridge and
a water distribution manifold assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the low spillage water
filter assembly;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the low spillage
water filter assembly;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the water filter
assembly;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a three dimensional perspective end view of the
filter housing;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a three dimensional cut-away view of the open end
of the filter housing;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a three dimensional perspective view of the filter
element;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a three dimensional cut-away view of the bottom of
the filter dam;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a three dimensional top view of the filter
dam;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a three dimensional top view of the filter end
cap;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a three dimensional bottom view of the filter end
cap;
[0026] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the water
distribution manifold;
[0027] FIG. 12 is an elevational cross-section view of the water
filter interface;
[0028] FIG. 13 is an elevational cut-away cross-sectional view of
the filter interface;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a three dimensional cut-away view of the flow
manifold;
[0030] FIG. 15 is an elevational cross-section view of the flow
manifold;
[0031] FIG. 16 is a three dimensional end view of the flow
manifold;
[0032] FIG. 17 is a three dimensional end view of the tubing
retainer;
[0033] FIG. 18 is an elevational cross-section view of the tubing
retainer;
[0034] FIG. 19 is a three dimensional end view of the mounting
bracket;
[0035] FIG. 20 is a three dimensional bottom view of the mounting
bracket;
[0036] FIG. 21 is a three dimensional assembly drawing of the low
spillage water filter assembly; and
[0037] FIG. 22 is a three dimensional end view of another
embodiment of the flow manifold.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] The low spillage replaceable water filter assembly is shown
generally at 100 in FIG. 1. The water filter assembly 100
incorporates three major components (See FIG. 2): filter assembly
110, water distribution manifold 120 and mounting bracket 130.
[0039] The filter assembly 110 includes four distinct elements (See
FIG. 3): filter housing 140, GAC filter element 150, filter dam 160
and end cap 170.
[0040] The filter housing 140 (See FIGS. 4 and 5) is a molded,
tapered cylindrical housing made of suitable materials. The filter
housing 140 has one end 180 which is molded shut and the other end
190 being open. The diameter of the shut end 180 may be less than
the diameter of the open end 190. A raised, molded, conical
protrusion 200 extends from the center of the shut end 180 toward
the open end 190. Surrounding the raised, conical protrusion 200 is
a lattice of support ribs 210 extending to the perimeter of the
filter housing 140. Extending from the closed end 180 toward the
open end 190 is a network of hemispherical grooves 220 around the
outside perimeter of the filter housing 140. Molded into the closed
end 180 on the outside of the filter housing 140 are instructions
230 and an arrow 240. Located in the inner perimeter of the open
end 190 is a recessed lip 250.
[0041] The GAC filter element 150 (See FIG. 6) is a cylindrical
filter with a hollow cavity 260 running throughout the length of
the filter. The GAC filter element 150 is open on both ends
270.
[0042] The filter dam 160 (See FIGS. 7 and 8) has a mating surface
280 which is recessed inside the perimeter of the filter dam lip
290. The mating surface 280 is flat with the exception of small
ridges 300 protruding up from the mating surface 280. The center of
the filter dam 160 contains through bore 310. Where the through
bore 310 intersects the mating surface 280 is a tapered protrusion
320 extending out from the mating surface 280. On the opposite side
of the mating surface 280, a relatively large diameter neck
protrusion 330 extends from the intersection of the surface 280 and
the through bore 310. The diameter of the large diameter protrusion
330 is significantly larger than the diameter of the tapered
protrusion 320. Similarly, the bore 310 has a significantly greater
diameter within the neck protrusion 330 as compared to the diameter
of the bore 310 in the protrusion 320. Surrounding the large
diameter neck protrusion 330 is a network of crush ribs 340. The
large diameter protrusion end 350 is tapered on the inside
perimeter proximate upper margin of the neck protrusion 330.
[0043] The end cap 170 (See FIGS. 9 and 10) has a molded cylinder
360 protruding up from the filter cap surface 370. Located on the
outside perimeter of the protruding cylinder 360 are two generally
rectangular tabs 380 located 180.degree. from one another. These
rectangular tabs 380 have angled faces 390 on two of the diagonally
opposing corners. The end cap 170 contains a centrally located
through bore 400. The inside diameter of the bore 400 is somewhat
greater than the neck protrusion 330.
[0044] On the filter cap surface 370, located on the perimeter of
the through bore 400 are two small ramps 410 located 1800 from one
another. Located just beyond the small ramps 410 are a series of
evenly spaced small diameter bores 420. Preferably, bores 420 have
diameters between 0.030'' and 0.125'' and are more preferably
0.050''. On the filter interface side 430 lies a recessed ridge
440. Just inside the recessed ridge 440 lies a weld energy director
450. The inside end perimeter 460 of the protruding cylinder 360 is
tapered.
[0045] The water distribution manifold 120 is an assembly
consisting of three individual elements (See FIG. 11): water filter
interface 470, flow manifold 480 and tubing retainer 490.
[0046] The water filter interface 470 (See FIGS. 12, 13 and 21) is
preferably a molded component and is preferably formed of the same
material as the filter housing 140. One end of the water filter
interface 470 has a molded insertion plug 500. The outside diameter
of the plug 500 is preferably slightly less than the larger inside
diameter of bore 310 in the end cap 160. Located on the insertion
plug 500, are dual concentric seal grooves 510 which accommodate
o-rings 515. A third seal groove 520 of larger diameter which
accommodates seal 525 is located at the base of the insertion plug
500.
[0047] Through the center of the insertion plug is a bore 530 which
extends all the way through the water filter interface 470. On the
end opposite the insertion plug 500, two cylindrical mounting lugs
540 extend from the surface 542. Outside the perimeter of the bore
530 are two bores 550 which run parallel to the insertion plug bore
530 and are located 1800 opposed from one another.
[0048] The flow manifold 480 is preferably a molded piece (See
FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 21) and is preferably made of the same
material as the filter housing 140 and water filter interface 470.
Molded in the flow manifold 480 are separate conduits for incoming
unfiltered water 560 and outgoing filtered water 570. On the filter
side 580 of the manifold 480 are two hexagonal bores 590. The flow
manifold 480 also has a pair of angular tracks 600 located 1800
opposed from one another. At the beginning of the angular tracks
600 are two hemispherical openings 610 in the flow manifold 480.
The bracket side 620 of the flow manifold 480 has 4 evenly spaced
guide ramps 630 which lead to four notches 640 in the outside of
the flow manifold 480. Inside the perimeter of the flow manifold
480 on the bracket side 620 is a recessed lip 650. The bracket side
620 of the flow manifold 480 has two adjacent circular bores, one
bore 660 in contact with the molded unfiltered water channels 560
and the other bore 670 in contact with the filtered water channel
570.
[0049] Mounted in the unfiltered water channels 560 are the spring
valve assemblies 565. The spring valve assembly consists of a
spring 566 and a fluted valve body 567. On the outside of the
filtered water bore 670 are three hemispherical ridges 680. At the
ends of the unfiltered water bore 660 and the filtered water bore
670, there are o-ring grooves 690. On the perimeter of the bracket
side 620 is an extended tab 700.
[0050] The tubing retainer 490 (See FIGS. 17, 18 and 21) has two
adjacent bores, an unfiltered water bore 710 and a filtered water
bore 720. On the outside of the filtered water bore 720 are 3
hemispherical ridges 730. On both sides of the bores 710 and 720,
the openings are tapered 740. On the manifold side 750 of the
tubing retainer 490, there is an extension 760 of the bores 710 and
720 with an o-ring groove 770 accommodating o-rings 775 at the base
of each extension 760. Extending through the unfiltered water bore
710 is the unfiltered water supply tubing 744. Extending through
the filtered water bore 720 is the filtered water return tubing
745. Both the unfiltered water supply tubing 744 and filtered water
return tubing 745 have a barbed and tapered end 746.
[0051] The mounting bracket 130 (See FIGS. 19 and 20) is a molded
component of the same material as the filter housing 140 and water
distribution manifold 120. The mounting bracket 130 has two pivot
arms 780 opposite one another. The mounting bracket 130 has a pivot
ramp 790. The mounting bracket 130 has a circular mounting face
800. The outside edge of the mounting face 800 is grooved 810. The
mounting face 800 has a notch cutout 820 in the outside edge.
Located on the mounting face 800 are four snap posts 830. The
mounting face 800 has opening 840. One side of the opening 840 has
three hemispherical notches 850. On the bottom side 860 of the
mounting bracket 130, there is a support rib 870 running between
the pivot arms 780.
[0052] In another embodiment (See FIG. 22), the flow manifold 875
has two cylindrical protrusions 880 located 180.degree. opposed
from one another. The cylindrical protrusions 880 have hollow bores
890 which extend the length of the cylindrical protrusions 880.
Flow manifold 875 also includes an angled surface 900.
[0053] In one embodiment, the water filter assembly 110, water
distribution manifold 120 and mounting bracket 130 are attached to
make the low spillage filter assembly 100.
[0054] The first step in assembling the water filter assembly 110
is to attach the filter dam 160 to one end of the filter element
150. The tapered protrusion 320 of the filter dam 160 is inserted
into the filter cavity 260. The mating surface 280 is bound to the
filter element 150 through hot melt gluing or other suitable
attachment method based on the materials. The ridges 300 on the
mating surface 280 provide a fixed stop to insure proper assembly
height and to eliminate the adhesive layer from being compressed
into a thin film.
[0055] Following attachment of the filter dam 160, an adhesive is
dispensed into the filter housing 140 and the filter element 150 is
inserted into the filter housing 140. The raised conical protrusion
200 of the filter housing 140 projects into the filter cavity 260.
The raised conical protrusion 200 centers the filter element 150 in
the filter housing 140 and prevents the adhesive from entering the
filter cavity 260. The filter interface side 430 of the filter end
cap 170 is placed over the top of the filter dam 160 with the large
diameter protrusion 330 extending into the through bore 400. The
recessed ridge 440 of the filter end cap 170 interfaces with the
recessed lip 250 of the filter housing 140. The filter end cap 170
is permanently fixed to the filter housing 140 by attaching the
recessed lip 250 and the recessed ridge 440 via a sealing mechanism
appropriate to the materials. These sealing mechanisms may include
either spin welding or sonic welding techniques. During the sealing
process, the material fuses to form a water-tight seal between the
housing 140 and the filter end cap 170.
[0056] The next step in assembling the low spillage filter assembly
100 is to assemble the water distribution manifold 120. The two
spring valves 565 are inserted into the unfiltered water channels
560 located on the flow manifold 480. The cylindrical mounting lugs
540 on the water filter interface 470 are aligned with and inserted
into the hexagonal bores 590 on the flow manifold 480. The
connection between the water filter interface 470 and the flow
manifold 480 is made permanent with attachment methods appropriate
to the materials, such as sonic welding. The barbed, tapered ends
746 of the unfiltered water supply tubing 744 and the filtered
water return tubing 745 are inserted through the unfiltered water
bore 710 and filtered water bore 720 of the tubing retainer 490.
The unfiltered water supply tubing 744 and the filtered water
return tubing 745 are inserted through o-rings 775. O-rings 775
reside in the unfiltered water bore 660 and the filtered water bore
670 and form a watertight seal between the tubing retainer 490 and
the flow manifold 480. The hemispherical ridges 730 on the tubing
retainer 490 is aligned with the hemispherical ridges 680 on the
flow manifold 480. Finally, tubing retainer 490 is permanently
attached to the flow manifold 480 via appropriate binding methods
for the material. Sonic welding is a suitable means of attaching
certain materials.
[0057] The final step in assembling the low spillage filter
assembly 100 is to attach the mounting bracket 130 and the water
distribution manifold 120. The unfiltered water supply tubing 744
and the filtered water return tubing 745 are inserted through the
mounting face opening 840. The hemispherical ridges 730 on the
tubing retainer 490 are aligned with the hemispherical notches 850
in the mounting face opening 840. The snap posts 830 are aligned
with the guide ramps 630 on the water distribution manifold 120.
Insertion force is applied to the snap posts 830 until they engage
with the manifold notches 640 which create a permanent connection
between the mounting bracket 130 and the water distribution
manifold 120. At this point, extended tab 700 should be aligned
with and residing in notch cut-out 820.
[0058] In another embodiment, the flow manifold 875 is attached to
the filter assembly 110 by the means previously described. In place
of the mounting bracket 130, the water filter assembly 100 is
mounted into position through the use of cylindrical protrusions
880. The cylindrical protrusions 880 can be inserted into a holding
mechanism for positioning and mounting the water filter assembly
100. Furthermore, the hollow bores 890 can be used as receivers in
conjunction with an insertion mechanism to mount and hold the water
filter assembly 100. The cylindrical protrusions 880 can also be
used to provide a mounting mechanism for a cover assembly for the
entire water filter assembly 100.
[0059] In operation, unfiltered water is supplied through the
unfiltered water supply tubing 744 attached to the unfiltered water
bore 710 on the tubing retainer 490. The unfiltered water flows
from the unfiltered water bore 710, through the unfiltered water
bore 660 on the flow manifold 480 and into the unfiltered water
channel 560. If the water filter assembly 110 is attached to the
water distribution manifold 120, the spring valves 565 in the
unfiltered water channel 560 are compressed and water is allowed to
flow through the small diameter bores 550 on the water filter
interface 470. The water emerges from the small diameter bores 550
and enters the water filter assembly 110 through the small diameter
bores 420 located on the filter end cap 170.
[0060] Inside the water filter assembly 110, the crush ribs 340
keep the filter element 150 in compression. This compression forces
the filter open end 270 to seal against the raised conical
protrusion 200 of the filter housing 140. The slip fit design
between the filter dam 160 and the filter end cap 170 allows the
filter housing 140 to elongate under pressure without placing
tension on the filter element 150 which could result in the failure
of the filter element 150. In addition to providing compression,
the crush ribs 340 also protect the water filter assembly 110 from
breakage in the event that the water filter assembly is
dropped.
[0061] Once the unfiltered water is supplied to the water filter
assembly 110, it is dispersed by the filter dam 160 to the outside
of the filter element 150. The unfiltered water travels through the
filter media and emerges into the filter cavity 260 as filtered
water. The filtered water flow out of the filter cavity 260,
through the through bore 310 of the filter dam and into the through
bore 530 in the insertion plug 500. The filtered water flows out of
the through bore 530 and into the filtered water channel 570 of the
flow manifold 480. The filtered water flows though the filtered
water bore 670, through the filtered water bore 720 and to point of
use through the filtered water return tubing 745 attached to the
tubing retainer 490.
[0062] At time of first use or based upon a period of continuous
usage, the water filter assembly 110 will require installation or
routine replacement. In one embodiment, the low spillage
replaceable water filter assembly 100 is rotated into a more
accessible position by rotation around the pivot arms 780 located
on the mounting bracket 130. The pivot ramp 790 rotates until it is
in contact with the mounting surface which serves to hold the low
spillage replaceable water filter assembly 100 in position.
[0063] In another embodiment, the flow manifold 875 has two
cylindrical protrusions 880 which are used to provide rotational
travel for the low spillage replaceable water filter assembly 100.
The cylindrical protrusions 880 can be inserted into a retaining
device on the mounting surface or an insertion device on the
mounting surface can be inserted into the hollow bores 890 of the
cylindrical protrusions 880. The angled surface 900 molded into the
flow manifold 875 limits the amount of rotation of the low spillage
replaceable water filter assembly 100 by contacting the mounting
surface. A cover offering aesthetic and functional qualities can be
installed over the low spillage replaceable water filter assembly
100 by fastening it to the cylindrical protrusions 880. The
cylindrical protrusions 880 provide rotational travel for the cover
depending upon the status of the low spillage replaceable water
filter assembly 100.
[0064] Regardless of the embodiment, removal of the water filter
assembly 110 is accomplished through the consumer gripping the
filter housing 140 by hand and rotating it counter-clockwise as
indicated by the instructions 230 on the filter housing 140. When
the water filter assembly 110 has been removed, water leakage is
prevented through the design mechanisms of the present invention.
First, the two ramps 410 on the filter end cap 170 disengage from
their interface with the spring valves 565 located in the small
diameter bores 550 of the water filter interface 470. This prevents
unfiltered water from spilling out of the water distribution
manifold 120. Second, the small diameter bores 420 on the filter
end cap 170 are sized so that the surface tension of the water
prevents spillage out of the small diameter bores 420 when the
water filter assembly 110 is removed. This in turn creates a vacuum
which prevents water from spilling out of the through bore 400 on
the filter end cap as well.
[0065] At time of first use or following removal of a consumed
water filter assembly 110, a new water filter assembly 110 must be
attached to the water distribution manifold 120. Depending upon the
embodiment, the low spillage replaceable water filter assembly 100
is rotated into an accessible position using either the pivot arms
780 on the mounting bracket 130 or the cylindrical protrusions 880
on the flow manifold 875. The consumer aligns the rectangular tabs
380 on the filter end cap 170 with the hemispherical notches 610 of
the flow manifold 480. By applying a clockwise rotation to the
water filter assembly 110, the angled corners 390 on the
rectangular tabs 380 of the filter end cap 170 will interface with
the angular tracks 600 on the flow manifold 480. As the consumer
rotates the water filter assembly 110 into position, the insertion
plug 500 enters the through bore 310 on the filter dam 160 and the
o-rings 515 seal along the inner surface of the through bore 310.
At the same time, the o-ring 525 seats in the large diameter o-ring
groove 520 and provides a seal against the inside wall of the
protruding cylinder 360. Installation of the new water filter
assembly 110 is complete when the consumer is no longer able to
continue with the clockwise rotation. At this point, spring valves
565 are returned to an open position and unfiltered water can begin
to flow. The supply pressure of the unfiltered water overcomes the
surface tension of the small diameter bores 420 and water begins to
flow through the water filter assembly 110.
[0066] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other
embodiments in addition to the ones described herein are indicated
to be within the scope and breadth of the present application.
Accordingly, the applicant intends to be limited only by the claims
appended hereto.
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