Water Filter Cartridge and Valve with Autobypass Feature
A liquid filter cartridge system includes a housing, a valve body, a valve actuator, a filter, an inlet passage having a portion extending through each of the valve body and the valve actuator and into the filter, and an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, and extending through each of the valve actuator and the valve body. An interface is located between the inlet passage portions in the valve actuator and the filter and an interface is located between the outlet passage portions in the valve actuator and the filter. The inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface may lie in the same plane as each other. They may each comprise a face seal comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter. They may each comprise a seal between the valve actuator and the filter, wherein the two seals are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact.
The present invention relates to filters for water and other liquids.
Filters are widely used to separate impurities and solids from liquids in a variety of applications. For example, filters are used in water lines to provide water in which dissolved minerals and other particles may be removed. Filters are also used in lubrication and fuel lines to remove metals and other solids from the lubricant or fuel.
Because the filters have a relatively short lifetime, compared to the equipment they are used in association with, such as water dispensers, etc., the filters are arranged to be removed and replaced from time to time. The removal and replacement feature requires that there be an interface between the filter and the remainder of the liquid system which typically requires a seal at the interface, in that generally the liquid moving through the filter is at a pressure elevated above ambient pressure.
In some systems, removal of the filter creates an opening in the liquid line, requiring replacement of the filter before the system can be used. For example, Great Britain Patent No. 1,296,051 discloses a removable filter, that once removed, leaves a disconnected path at a head portion between an inlet and an outlet in the liquid line, that requires replacement of the filter before the system can be used. The filter is sealed to the head portion via a sealing ring and a hollow plug which provide sealing interfaces at different planes, and are engaged in a sliding manner between mating surfaces when the filter is attached to the head portion via a bayonet mount arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,275 discloses a removable filter, that once removed, leaves a disconnected path at a filter mount between an inlet and an outlet in the liquid line, that requires replacement of the filter before the system can be used. The filter is sealed to the filter mount via an O-ring radial seal that slidingly engages a side wall of the filter mount and a gasket that slidingly engages a face of the filter mount, located in a plane different than the side wall of the filter mount.
In other systems, a valve is provided to close off the liquid line when the filter is removed, also requiring replacement of the filter before the system can be used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,854 discloses a removable filter that engages with a rotatable block to rotate the block relative to a valve housing, to align and misalign the inlet and outlet passages. The filter is sealed to the actuator via 2 radial seal O-rings lying in different planes that slidingly seal against an inside side wall of the block as the filter in inserted into the block.
In still other systems, some type of valve or bypass arrangement is provided so that the system can remain in use, even with the filter removed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,701 discloses a removable filter that engages with a rotatable housing member to rotate the housing member relative to a valve body, to align and misalign the inlet and outlet passages, and to align radial bypass passages formed in the housing member to allow the system to remain in use with the filter removed. The filter is sealed to the valve body via a axial seal member that slides against a face of the valve body as the filter is threaded onto the housing member. U.S. Patent Application Publication US2006/0070942 A1 discloses a water purifying apparatus with a removable filter that engages with a rotatable inner case to rotate the inner case relative to an outer case, to align and misalign the inlet and outlet passages, and to align a transverse bypass passage formed on an outer face of the inner case to allow the system to remain in use with the filter removed. The filter is sealed to the inner case via two radial seal O-rings that slide into place relative to the inner case, in different planes, as the filter is engaged with the inner case.
Sliding sealing surfaces allow for the seals to twist or move or to allow the surfaces or impurities to cause wear of the seal, potentially compromising the integrity of the seal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a liquid filter cartridge system for use in filtering various liquids. The system includes a housing, a valve body, a valve actuator, a filter, an inlet passage having a portion leading through the valve body, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion leading into the filter, and an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion extending through the valve body. There is an interface between the inlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the inlet passage portion in the filter and also an interface between the outlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the outlet passage portion in the filter.
In an embodiment, the inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface lie in the same plane as each other.
In an embodiment, the inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface each comprise a face seal comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter.
In an embodiment, the inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface each comprise an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter, wherein the inlet passage axial seal and the outlet passage axial seal are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact.
In an embodiment, the outlet passage interface comprises a first O-ring and the inlet passage interface comprises a second O-ring surrounding and radially spaced from the first O-ring.
In an embodiment, the valve actuator is captured between the housing and the valve body.
In an embodiment, the valve actuator is rotatable relative to the valve body, to selectively align the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously align the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to permit communication between common passage portions, and to selectively displace the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously displace the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to prevent communication between common passage portions.
In an embodiment, the valve actuator includes a bypass conduit to selectively provide communication between the inlet passage portion of the valve body with the outlet passage portion of the valve body.
In an embodiment, the filter is removably attached to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the filter relative to the housing.
In an embodiment, the filter engages and co-rotates with the valve actuator.
In an embodiment, the filter has a cylindrical porous filter body, an impermeable end cap at each end of the filter body, a surrounding impermeable cartridge and an end cover, the cartridge having a diameter sized to fit within the housing.
In an embodiment, the cartridge has an end face with a central outlet passage and a plurality of inlet passages therethrough spaced radially outwardly from the outlet passage leading to an internal chamber in which the filter body is positioned.
In an embodiment, the valve body attaches to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the valve body relative to the housing.
In an embodiment, a fluid valve is provided which includes a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage, a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing, and a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing, the valve actuator having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage arranged such that in one rotational orientation between the valve actuator and the valve body, the inlet passages are aligned with each other and the outlet passages are aligned with each other and in another rotational orientation between the valve actuator and the valve body, the inlet passages are misaligned with each other and the outlet passages are misaligned with each other such that fluids are not permitted to flow between the valve body and the valve actuator. The valve actuator inlet passage has an interface surface for engaging a fluid filter and the valve actuator outlet passage has an interface surface for engaging the fluid filter, wherein the interface surfaces are coplanar.
In an embodiment, a fluid filter is provided including a porous filter body, an impermeable cartridge surrounding the filter body, and an end cover secured to the cartridge with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet extending therethrough. The inlet and outlet are defined at an outer face of the end cover in a co-planar manner.
In an embodiment, the filter body has a first end and a second end, with a first and second impermeable end cap at each respective end of the filter body.
In an embodiment, the outer face of the end cover includes a first seal gland for a first seal surrounding the outlet and a second seal gland for a second seal surrounding the inlet.
In an embodiment, the outlet is positioned near a center of the outer face of the end cover and the inlet is positioned laterally outwardly of the outlet and the second seal is concentric with the first seal.
As schematically illustrated in
As illustrated in more detail in
The water filter cartridge system 30 also includes a valve body 72 (
The valve body 72 may have an outer flange 88 with steps 90 extending radially and circumferentially, the steps comprising a series of alternating radially extending 92 and axially extending 94 walls. The flange 88 may have a pair of opposed radially extending flanges 96 projecting radially from an endmost axially extending wall 98, each tab extending circumferentially through an arc of about 60 degrees. As best seen in
The water filter cartridge system 30 includes a filter 110 (
The filter cartridge 118 has a first end 138 that has a stepped outer surface 140 forming a shoulder 142 with a pair of opposed tabs 144 extending radially therefrom, spaced from the shoulder. The filter cartridge 118 can be inserted into the open end 58 of the housing 56 and the shoulder 142 is sized to abut against and loosely engage the internal flanges 62 of the housing 56 to prevent the cartridge 118 from passing completely through the housing (
The first end 138 of the filter cartridge 118 has a central outlet passage 148 which includes a cylindrical wall 150 sized to receive a tubular projection 152 of the first end cap 114 which has the passage 136 formed therein. The tubular projection 152 is sealingly joined to the cylindrical wall 150, such as by an O-ring seal 153, or other sealing arrangements.
The first end 138 of the filter cartridge 118 also has a plurality of inlet passages 154 formed therein arranged in a ring surrounding and spaced radially outward of the central outlet passage 148. The inlet passages 154 lead to a chamber 156 forming the interior of the filter cartridge 118 occupied by the filter body 112. An end face 158 of the first end 138 of the filter cartridge 118 is provided with a first circular seal gland 160 surrounding the central outlet passage 148, and positioned radially inward of the ring of inlet passages 154. An O-ring seal 162 may be positioned in this gland. A second circular seal gland 164 surrounds the ring of inlet passages 154. An O-ring seal 166 may be positioned in this gland. The end face 158 may be planar such that the first 160 and second 164 seal glands, and the O-ring seals 162, 166, lie in the same plane.
The water filter cartridge system further includes a valve actuator 168 (
The valve actuator 168 has a second face 186 facing away from the valve body 72 and towards the end face 158 of the filter cartridge. The inlet passage 174 exits at the second face 186 and intersects a circular channel 188 which extends around the second face and aligns with the plurality of inlet passages 154 in the first end 138 of the filter cartridge 118. The outlet passage 180 of the valve actuator 168 extends through the actuator at an angle and exits the second face 186 at a central location, aligned with the outlet passage in the first end 138 of the filter cartridge 118. The seals 178, 184 are dynamic axial seals in that they effect a seal between the valve actuator 168 and the valve body 72 by means of a sliding motion between the two facing surfaces 154, 186.
The valve actuator 168 may have an axially extending flange 190 which closely surrounds and receives an outer peripheral edge 192 of the tabs 144 formed on the first end 138 of the filter cartridge 118. The valve actuator 168 may also have an axially extending circular wall 194 extending from the first face 170 which is received in the circular groove 108 formed in the valve body 72. The circular wall 194 includes an outwardly facing seal gland 198 formed therein for receiving an O-ring seal 200 which engages with a side wall of the groove 196, and thus comprises a radial seal.
The valve actuator 168, at an edge of the top face 170, also includes a groove 202
To assemble the system 30, the valve actuator 168 is inserted into the end 60 of the housing 56 such that its axially extending flange 190 rests on the inwardly facing flanges 62 of the housing. The valve body 72 is inserted into the end 60 of the housing 56 overlying the valve actuator 168. The valve body 72 is rotated approximately 90 degrees, so that the radially projecting flanges 96 of the valve body engage under the tabs 68 of the housing 56, thereby holding the valve body, the valve actuator 168 and the housing together as a unit and capturing the valve actuator between the valve body and the housing (
The assembled filter cartridge 118 is inserted from the first end 58 of the housing 56, sufficiently into the housing such that the radial tabs 144 of the cartridge are positioned between the inwardly facing flanges 62 of the housing. The radial tabs 144 will be received in the recesses 204 in the valve actuator 168. The filter cartridge 56 is rotated approximately 90 degrees in a first direction, such as clockwise, the sloped surfaces 146 of the cartridge tabs 144 causing the face 158 of the end 138 of the filter cartridge to move axially towards the second face 186 of the valve actuator 168, compressing the concentric O-ring seals 162, 166 between the filter cartridge and the valve actuator. Since rotation of the filter cartridge 118 also causes co-rotation of the valve actuator 168, as discussed above, the O-ring seals 162, 166, which comprise axial seals, are only compressed and no sliding between the parts or seals occurs, thereby forming a static face seal (axial seal) which enhances and preserves the seal. In this way, there is no chance for the O-ring seals 162, 166 to dislodge from the seal glands 160, 164. Rotation of the cartridge 118 and valve actuator 168 continues until the tab 106 of the valve body 72 strikes an end wall 206 of the groove 202 in the valve actuator, preventing further rotation of the valve actuator relative to the valve body.
When this rotation assembly occurs, the alignment of the parts is that as shown in
When the filter cartridge 118 is to be removed, such as for replacement with another filter cartridge, the filter cartridge is rotated approximately 90 degrees in the opposite direction, such as counter-clockwise, causing the valve actuator 168 to also rotate 90 degrees. This places the valve actuator 168 in the position shown in
In order to prevent unintentional dislodging of the O-rings 162, 166 from the end face 158 of the filter cartridge 118 as it is being removed and replaced, the O-rings may be overmolded onto the end face of the filter cartridge. Alternatively, the O-rings 162, 166 may be held onto the filter cartridge 118 by capillary action provided by silicone grease. In any event, the O-rings are to be removed and replaced each time the cartridge 118 is replaced, assuring a proper sealing of the flow paths. Since there is sliding rotational movement between the valve actuator 168 and the valve body 72, there is a slight chance that the O-rings 178, 184 will unseat from their glands 170, 182. The spiders 86 in the inlet 74 and outlet 76 passage openings will prevent the O-rings from extruding into those openings which might otherwise cause leakage.
To assist in insertion and removal of the filter cartridge 118, the end cover 120 of the filter 110 may be provided with a projecting element 208, such as a rectangular shaped element (
The present invention has been described utilizing particular embodiments. As will be evident to those skilled in the art, changes and modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments and yet fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, various components could be utilized separately or independently in some embodiments without using all of the other components in the particular described embodiment. The disclosed embodiment is provided only to illustrate aspects of the present invention and not in any way to limit the scope and coverage of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore to be limited only by the appended claims.
As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.
Claims
1. A liquid filter cartridge system comprising:
- a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage,
- a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing,
- a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing,
- a filter,
- an inlet passage having a portion extending through the valve body, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion leading into the filter,
- an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion extending through the valve body,
- an interface between the inlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the inlet passage portion in the filter lying in the same plane as an interface between the outlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the outlet passage portion in the filter.
2. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 1, wherein the inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface comprise seals which are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact.
3. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 1, wherein the outlet portion interface comprises a first O-ring and the inlet portion interface comprises a second O-ring surrounding and radially spaced from the first O-ring.
4. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 1, wherein the valve actuator is rotatable relative to the valve body, to selectively align the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously align the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to permit communication between common passage portions, and to selectively displace the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously displace the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to prevent communication between common passage portions.
5. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 4, wherein the valve actuator includes a bypass conduit to selectively provide communication between the inlet passage portion of the valve body with the outlet passage portion of the valve body.
6. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 1, wherein the filter is removably attached to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the filter relative to the housing.
7. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 6, wherein the filter engages and co-rotates with the valve actuator.
8. A liquid filter cartridge system comprising:
- a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage,
- a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing,
- a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing,
- a filter,
- an inlet passage having a portion extending through the valve body, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion leading into the filter,
- an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion extending through the valve body,
- an interface between the inlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the inlet passage portion in the filter comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter, and
- an interface between the outlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the outlet passage portion in the filter comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter, wherein the inlet passage axial seal and the outlet passage axial seal are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact.
9. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 8, wherein the inlet passage axial seal and the outlet passage axial seal lie in the same plane.
10. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 9, wherein the filter has a cylindrical porous filter body, an impermeable end cap at each end of the filter body, a surrounding impermeable cartridge and an end cover, the cartridge having a diameter sized to fit within the housing.
11. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 10, wherein the cartridge has an end face with a central outlet passage and a plurality of inlet passages therethrough spaced radially outwardly from the outlet passage leading to an internal chamber in which the filter body is positioned.
12. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 8, wherein the valve body attaches to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the valve body relative to the housing.
13. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 8, wherein the outlet passage axial seal comprises a first O-ring and the inlet passage axial seal comprises a second O-ring surrounding and spaced from the first O-ring.
14. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 8, wherein the valve actuator is rotatable relative to the valve body, to selectively align the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously align the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to permit communication between common passage portions, and to selectively displace the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously displace the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to prevent communication between common passage portions.
15. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 14, wherein the valve actuator includes a bypass conduit to selectively provide communication between the inlet passage portion of the valve body with the outlet passage portion of the valve body.
16. A liquid filter cartridge system according to claim 15, wherein the filter is removably attached to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the filter relative to the housing.
17. A fluid valve comprising:
- a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage,
- a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing,
- a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing, the valve actuator having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage arranged such that in one rotational orientation between the valve actuator and the valve body, the inlet passages are aligned with each other and the outlet passages are aligned with each other and in another rotational orientation between the valve actuator and the valve body, the inlet passages are misaligned with each other and the outlet passages are misaligned with each other such that fluids are not permitted to flow between the valve body and the valve actuator,
- the valve actuator inlet passage having an interface surface for engaging a fluid filter and the valve actuator outlet passage having an interface surface for engaging the fluid filter, wherein the interface surfaces are coplanar.
18. A fluid filter comprising:
- a porous filter body,
- an impermeable cartridge surrounding the filter body,
- an end cover secured to the cartridge with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet extending therethrough, the inlet and outlet being defined at an outer face of the end cover in a co-planar manner.
19. The fluid filter according to claim 18, wherein the filter body has a first end and a second end, with a first and second impermeable end cap at each respective end of the filter body.
20. The fluid filter according to claim 18, wherein the outer face of the end cover includes a first seal gland for a first seal surrounding the outlet and a second seal gland for a second seal surrounding the inlet.
21. The fluid filter according to claim 20, wherein the outlet is positioned near a center of the outer face of the end cover and the inlet is positioned laterally outwardly of the outlet and the second seal is concentric with the first seal.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 30, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 3, 2008
Inventor: Alan J. Mitchell (Evansville, IN)
Application Number: 11/427,795
International Classification: B01D 21/30 (20060101); B01D 63/00 (20060101); F16K 31/12 (20060101);