Wireless receptor for communications within housings

• US 20080087588A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Grzonka, Micheal T., Burke, Aaron, Joens, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,811,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/91
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/52 Filter identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/56 Wireless systems for monitoring the filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/06 Filters making use of electricity or magnetism ultrafiltration, microfiltration B01D61/14; electrodialysis, electro-osmosis B01D61/42; devices comprising filters and magnetic separators B03C1/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/143 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/34 Indicator and controllers

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for transmitting information between a device within a housing to a second device, preferably a test or monitoring unit, outside of the housing. There are numerous issues associated with transferring information from within a sealed housing to an external device. In some cases, the use of wires inside the housing may be impractical, due to internal conditions, such as fluid flow, pressure or temperature. In one embodiment, the antenna of the external RF reading device is electrically connected to the dome of the housing. In another embodiment, the device within the housing is electrically connected to a housing component. In another embodiment, the gasket is used to pass information from within the housing to an external device.

Claims

1. A filtering system comprising

a. an electrically conductive housing dome,

b. a filtering assembly,

c. a housing base,

d. an electrical insulating gasket interposed between said dome and said base so as to keep them physically and electrically isolated;

and

e. means for pressing said dome, said gasket and said base together so as to create a liquid-tight seal wherein said means maintains said electrical isolation between said dome and said base.

2. The filtering system of claim 1, wherein said filtering element comprises electronic circuitry and said system comprises an external device adapted to communicate with said circuitry.

3. The filtering system of claim 2, said external device comprises an antenna and wherein said housing dome is in communication with one pole of said antenna.

4. The filtering system of claim 3, wherein said housing base is grounded.

5. The filtering system of claim 3, wherein said housing base is in communication with a second pole of said antenna.

6. The filtering system of claim 1, wherein said means comprises an electrically nonconductive clamp.

7. The filtering system of claim 3, wherein said gasket has an inner and outer circumference and comprises an electrical channel in communication with said housing dome and said outer circumference, and said one pole of said antenna is in communication with said channel.

8. The filtering system of claim 3, wherein said gasket further comprises a connector located on said outer circumference in communication with said electrical channel.

9. The filtering system of claim 7, wherein said electrical channel is in communication with said housing dome via contact pads located on said gasket.

10. The filtering system of claim 7, wherein said electrical channel is in communication with said housing dome via springs located on said gasket.

11. The filtering system of claim 5, wherein said gasket has an inner and outer circumference and comprises a first electrical channel in communication with said housing dome and said outer circumference, and a second electrical channel in communication with said housing base and said outer circumference, said one pole of said antenna is in communication with said first channel and said second pole of said antenna is in communication with said second channel.

12. The filtering system of claim 2, wherein said circuitry is in communication with said housing dome and said device is in communication with said housing dome.

13. A filtering system comprising

a. a housing dome,

b. a filtering element,

c. a housing base, and

d. an electrical insulating gasket interposed between said dome and said base so as to keep them physically and electrically isolated, comprising a channel adapted to pass one or more wires from within said dome to the outside of said dome.

14. The filtering system of claim 13, wherein said filtering element comprises electronic circuitry and said system further comprises an external device adapted to communicate with said circuitry, said external device comprising at least one wire adapted to pass through said channel.