Abstract: A filter assembly including a continuous resilient cylindrical helical filter coil having flat top and bottom surfaces with each coil including a regular sinusoidal shape having multiple peaks and troughs with the flat top and bottom surfaces of adjacent coils in contact and a drive engaging the helical coil moving adjacent coils relative to each other to modify the volume of the loop-shaped filter pores and control the pore size. In one embodiment, the drive rotates a coil relative to the remaining coils to bring the sinusoidal waves of adjacent coils into and out of registry to decrease or increase the size of the filter pores. In another embodiment, the drive compresses the filter coil to change the size of the filter pores.

Abstract: A filter assembly and a method of filtering a fluid using the filter assembly are disclosed. The filter assembly includes wave coils arranged axially to define a filter element. The filter element includes bottom and top ends and an inner cavity. The filter assembly also includes a base plate that engages one, or both, ends to support the wave coils. The fluid flows toward the base plate, and the base plate diverts the fluid inside or outside the inner cavity. The wave coils include crests and troughs. engaging one another on adjacent wave coils to define filtration apertures. The diverted fluid is filtered through the filtration apertures such that a filtrate of the fluid passes through the inside or outside of the inner cavity, and a retentate of the fluid is retained on the other of the inside or outside of the inner cavity relative to the filtrate.