WATER FILTER ASSEMBLY

• US 20190201821A1
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Published: 07/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Prince, Ryan John, Chernov, Gregory Sergeevich
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/302 having inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/34 Seals or gaskets for filtering elements for removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads B01D2201/304
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/50 Means for dissipating electrostatic charges
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/02 Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks, B01D35/05 takes precedence; water pipe system filters E03B3/18, E03B7/07; dirt catchers in sewers E03F; filters or strainers for pipe-lines in general B08B, E03F; object or dirt catching devices in sinks or the like E03C1/26; suction strainers or filters for pumps F04B53/005, F04D29/70
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/306 Filter mounting adapter
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/281 using inorganic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/441 by reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/103 Arsenic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/12 Halogens or halogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/20 Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/305 Endocrine disruptive agents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/004 Seals, connections
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/14 Treatment of water in water supply networks, e.g. to prevent bacterial growth
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/074 Arrangement of water treatment devices

Abstract

A water filter assembly includes a manifold mountable to a water conduit. An end of the water conduit is receivable between a manifold body and a mounting clamp of the manifold. A fastener is configured for drawing the manifold body and the mounting clamp together in order to clamp the water conduit to the manifold. A face seal is configured to be compressed between the manifold body and the mounting clamp when the fastener draws the manifold body and the mounting clamp together. An O-ring is positionable on the water conduit such that the O-ring extends between an inner surface of the manifold body and an inner surface of the mounting clamp.

Claims

1. A water filter assembly, comprising:

a manifold mountable to a water conduit, the manifold comprising

a manifold body;

a mounting clamp selectively mounted to the manifold body, an end of the water conduit receivable between the manifold body and the mounting clamp;

a fastener for coupling the mounting clamp to the manifold body, the fastener configured for drawing the manifold body and the mounting clamp together in order to clamp the water conduit to the manifold;

a face seal that extends along an interface between the manifold body and the mounting clamp, the face seal configured to be compressed between the manifold body and the mounting clamp when the fastener draws the manifold body and the mounting clamp together; and

an O-ring positionable on the water conduit such that the O-ring extends between an inner surface of the manifold body and an inner surface of the mounting clamp; and

a casing selectively mountable to the manifold, the casing sized for receipt of a filter media that filters water flowing through the manifold.

2. The water filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a screw, and one of the mounting clamp and the manifold body define a threaded hole for engaging with the screw.

3. The water filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the manifold further comprises a pair of grounding screws and a conductor, the pair of grounding screws threaded to the manifold body at opposite ends of the manifold body, one of the pair of grounding screws configured to contact the water conduit, the other of the pair of grounding screws configured to contact another water conduit, the conductor extending between the pair of grounding screws such that the pair of grounding screws are electrically coupled to each other with the conductor.

4. The water filter assembly of claim 3, wherein the conductor is encased within the manifold body.

5. The water filter assembly of claim 3, wherein the conductor is a metal conductor and the manifold body is a plastic manifold body, the metal conductor overmolded within the plastic manifold body.

6. The water filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the interface between the manifold body and the mounting clamp comprises a surface of the manifold body and a surface of the mounting clamp that face and are shaped complementary to each other.

7. The water filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the O-ring contacts the face seal at the interface between the manifold body and the mounting clamp.

8. A water filter assembly, comprising:

a manifold mountable to a water conduit at a cutout of the water conduit, the water conduit having a pair of spaced ends at the cutout, the manifold mountable between the pair of spaced ends, the manifold comprising

a manifold body;

a first mounting clamp selectively mounted to the manifold body, one of the pair of spaced ends receivable between the manifold body and the first mounting clamp;

a second mounting clamp selectively mounted to the manifold body, the other end of the pair of spaced ends receivable between the manifold body and the second mounting clamp;

a plurality of fasteners for coupling the first and second mounting clamps to the manifold body;

a first face seal extending along an interface between the manifold body and the first mounting clamp, the first face seal configured to be compressed between the manifold body and the first mounting clamp when one or more of the plurality of fasteners draws the manifold body and the first mounting clamp together;

a second face seal extending along an interface between the manifold body and the second mounting clamp, the second face seal configured to be compressed between the manifold body and the second mounting clamp when one or more of the plurality of fasteners draws the manifold body and the second mounting clamp together; and

a first O-ring positionable on the water conduit at the one end of the pair of spaced ends such that the first O-ring extends between an inner surface of the manifold body and an inner surface of the first mounting clamp; and

a second O-ring positionable on the water conduit at the other end of the pair of spaced ends such that the second O-ring extends between the inner surface of the manifold body and an inner surface of the second mounting clamp; and

a casing selectively mountable to the manifold, the casing sized for receipt of a filter media that filters water flowing through the manifold.

9. The water filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of fasteners is a plurality of screws, and either the manifold body or the first and second mounting clamps define a plurality of threaded holes for engaging with the plurality of screws.

10. The water filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the manifold further comprises a pair of grounding screws and a conductor, the pair of grounding screws threaded to the manifold body at opposite ends of the manifold body, one of the pair of grounding screws configured to contact the water conduit at the one end of the pair of spaced ends, the other of the pair of grounding screws configured to contact the water conduit at the other end of the pair of spaced ends, the conductor extending between the pair of grounding screws such that the pair of grounding screws are electrically coupled to each other with the conductor.

11. The water filter assembly of claim 10, wherein the conductor is encased within the manifold body.

12. The water filter assembly of claim 10, wherein the conductor is a metal conductor and the manifold body is a plastic manifold body, the metal conductor overmolded within the plastic manifold body.

13. The water filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the interface between the manifold body and the first mounting clamp comprises a first surface of the manifold body and a surface of the first mounting clamp that face and are shaped complementary to each other.

14. The water filter assembly of claim 13, wherein the interface between the manifold body and the second mounting clamp comprises a second surface of the manifold body and a surface of the second mounting clamp that face and are shaped complementary to each other.

15. The water filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the first O-ring contacts the first face seal at the interface between the manifold body and the first mounting clamp.

16. The water filter assembly of claim 15, wherein the second O-ring contacts the second face seal at the interface between the manifold body and the second mounting clamp.

17. The water filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the manifold body is sized such that the manifold body is configured to hang on the pair of spaced ends when the first and second mounting clamps are detached from the manifold body.

18. A water filter assembly, comprising:

a manifold mountable to a water conduit at a cutout of the water conduit, the water conduit having a pair of spaced ends at the cutout, the manifold mountable between the pair of spaced ends, the manifold comprising

a manifold body;

a pair of grounding connectors mounted to the manifold body at opposite ends of the manifold body, one of the pair of grounding connectors configured to contact the water conduit at the one end of the pair of spaced ends, the other of the pair of grounding connectors configured to contact the water conduit at the other end of the pair of spaced ends; and

a conductor disposed within the manifold body, the conductor extending between the pair of grounding connectors within the manifold body such that the pair of grounding connectors are electrically coupled to each other with the conductor; and

a casing selectively mountable to the manifold, the casing sized for receipt of a filter media that filters water flowing through the manifold.