AQUARIUM FILTER ARRANGEMENT WITH CONTROL VALVE

• US 20190150411A1
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Published: 05/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc. (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc. (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brunner, William Nathan, Shumate, John Lewis, Himes, William D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,638,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/045 Filters for aquaria
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/301 Details of removable closures, lids, caps, filter heads
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/1573 Flow control valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/26 Filters with built-in pumps filters provided with a pump mounted in or on the casing aquarium pumps or filters A01K63/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/30 Filter housing constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/07 Arrangement or mounting of devices, e.g. valves, for venting or aerating or draining apparatus for draining F16T

Abstract

A filter arrangement for an aquarium is disclosed. The filter arrangement can include a housing assembly, a pump assembly, a transfer tube assembly, and a valve assembly for controlling water flow through the transfer tube assembly. The transfer tube assembly can include a tube structure within which a valve body of the valve assembly is rotatably disposed. The tube structure can be formed from a first tube half mated to a second tube half to permanently secure the valve body within the tube structure. A valve operator can be connected to the valve body to advantageously allow a user to manipulate the flow of water through the transfer tube assembly. Control of water flow through the filter arrangement is beneficial for obtaining a desired water flow for a certain aquarium size and application and for reducing flow during certain periods, such as during feeding.

Claims

1. A filter arrangement for an aquarium, the filter arrangement comprising:

a) a housing assembly including a housing and a removable cover, the housing and cover defining an interior volume within which a filter cartridge is disposed;

b) a pump assembly including a pump having an inlet and an outlet;

c) a transfer tube assembly having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the transfer tube assembly inlet is operably connected to the pump outlet and the transfer tube outlet is in fluid communication with the interior volume upstream of the filter cartridge; and

d) a valve assembly for controlling flow through the transfer tube assembly, wherein the transfer tube assembly includes a tube structure within which a valve body of the valve assembly is rotatably disposed and wherein a rotational axis of the valve assembly is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tube structure.

2. The filter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly can be rotated between a closed position and an open position in 90 degrees or less of rotation.

3. The filter arrangement of claim 2, wherein the tube structure is formed from a first tube half and a second tube half mated to the first tube half.

4. The filter arrangement of claim 3, wherein the first and second tube halves are bonded to each other.

5. The filter arrangement of claim 4, wherein the valve body is non-removable from the tube structure after the first and second tube halves are bonded to each other.

6. The filter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly includes a rotatable valve body and a valve operator connected to the valve body.

7. The filter arrangement of claim 6, wherein a portion of the valve operator extends through an aperture of the removable cover of the housing assembly.

8. The filter arrangement of claim 6, wherein the valve operator includes an indicator for providing a visual indication of the position of the valve operator.

9. The filter arrangement of claim 6, wherein the transfer tube assembly includes a first stop surface against which the valve operator abuts when the valve operator is rotated to a position corresponding to the valve body being in a fully open position.

10. The filter arrangement of claim 9, wherein the first stop surface is located on a tube structure of the transfer tube assembly.

11. The filter arrangement of claim 9, wherein the transfer tube assembly includes a second stop surface against which the valve operator abuts when the valve operator is rotated to a position corresponding to the valve body being in a relatively closed position.

12. The filter arrangement of claim 10, wherein the second stop surface is located on a tube structure of the transfer tube assembly.

13. The filter arrangement of claim 6, wherein the valve assembly further includes a seal member mounted to the valve operator, wherein the seal member forms a seal between the valve operator and a tube structure of the transfer tube assembly.

14. A transfer tube assembly of an aquarium filter arrangement for an aquarium, the transfer tube assembly comprising:

a) a tube structure including a first tube half and a second tube half mated to the first tube half, the tube structure defining a valve cavity between an inlet end of the tube structure and an outlet end of the tube structure;

b) a valve body rotatably disposed within the valve cavity of the tube structure, the valve body being rotatable to limit water flow through the tube structure and having a rotational axis that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tube structure;

c) a valve operator connected to the valve body, the valve operator being for manipulating the rotational position of the valve body, wherein the valve body can be rotated between a closed position and an open position in 90 degrees or less of rotation of the valve operator; and

d) a seal member providing a seal between the valve operator and the tube structure.

15. The transfer tube assembly of claim 14, wherein tube structure includes a first stop surface against which the valve operator abuts when the valve operator is rotated to a position corresponding to the valve body being in a fully open position.

16. The transfer tube assembly of claim 15, wherein the tube structure includes a second stop surface against which the valve operator abuts when the valve operator is rotated to a position corresponding to the valve body being in a relatively closed position.

17. The transfer tube assembly of claim 14, wherein the tube structure defines a recessed portion within which a valve member of the valve body resides when the valve body is in a fully open position.

18. A method for constructing a transfer tube assembly for of an aquarium filter arrangement for an aquarium, the method comprising:

a) inserting a valve body into a first cavity portion of a first tube half;

b) joining a second tube half to the first tube half such that the valve body is received into a second cavity portion of the second tube half;

c) bonding the first tube half to the second tube half to secure the valve body between the first and second tube halves; and

d) mounting a valve operator to the valve body.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the bonding step includes sonic welding.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of mounting the valve operator includes mounting the valve operator such that a seal member forms a seal between the valve operator and the first tube half.