Hang on tank canister filter

• US 5,401,401 A
• Filed: 01/13/1993
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Pet Group Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aquaria, Inc. (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hickok, Roy S., Fuerst, Charles O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): POPOVICS, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US08/003,803
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 210/169, 210/440, 210/416.2, 210/249, 210/453, 210/416.1, 210/232, 210/416.3, 119/5, 119/259, 119/260, 119/261, 417/420
• US Class Current: 210/167.27
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/045 Filters for aquaria

Abstract

An improved canister-type aquarium filter design which includes, in various combinations, a motor which is contained within the canister, a discharge tube arranged approximately along the longitudinal axis of the canister, a pump section from which water exits from the top, a cover securing device which applies force to the top of the cover, a clamp arrangement for securing tubes to ports on the cover, and an adjustable mounting system for mounting the filter to an aquarium frame. The improved design provides easy access to the filter cartridge, improves efficiency, and eliminates the need for flexible hoses traditionally used to connect the filter to an aquarium.

Claims

1. An aquarium filter, comprising:

a canister defining an open top, a closed, imperforate side and a closed bottom,

a cover for sealing the open top of the canister,

a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister,

a porous filter element located within the canister,

a pump including an impeller, the pump located within the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element, and

a motor operably connected to the impeller, the motor including a rotating magnet positioned substantially within the bottom of the canister, mechanically connected to the impeller and in fluid communication with the pump.

2. An aquarium filter according to claim 1, wherein the motor includes a stator, the aquarium filter further comprising:

a canister extension, the canister extension and the closed bottom defining a sealed cavity,

wherein the stator is located substantially within the cavity and the rotating magnet is positioned within the stator.

3. An aquarium filter for an aquarium having a frame portion, comprising:

a canister, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister,

a porous, annular filter element located within the canister in communication with the fluid inlet,

a discharge tube located within the canister in communication with the fluid outlet and surrounded by the filter element,

a pump located within the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element and the discharge tube, and

adjustable mounting means mounted on an upper portion of the canister, for adjustably mounting the filter on the frame portion of the aquarium.

4. An aquarium filter according to claim 3, wherein the adjustable mounting means comprises a hanger wire, adjustably mounted on the upper portion of the canister, for hanging the filter on the aquarium.

5. An aquarium filter according to claim 3, wherein the canister defines a lower portion and the adjustable mounting means further comprises an adjustable stop, adjustably mounted on the lower portion of the canister, for adjustably spacing the lower portion of the canister from the aquarium.

6. An aquarium filter according to claim 5 wherein the adjustable stop comprises a generally C-shaped spring having a plurality of detents and the lower portion of the canister defines a slot to receive the spring and the slot has at least one projection positioned to selectively engage detents of the spring so as to releasably secure the spring in place.

7. An aquarium filter, comprising:

a canister defining a longitudinal axis, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister,

a porous, annular filter element located within the canister in communication with the fluid inlet,

a discharge tube located within the canister in communication with the fluid outlet and surrounded by the filter element and arranged approximately along the longitudinal axis of the canister, and

a pump located within the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element and the discharge tube.

8. An aquarium filter according to claim 7, wherein the pump is disposed for drawing water from the filter element and delivering water to the discharge tube.

9. An aquarium filter according to claim 7, wherein the canister defines an open top, the aquarium filter further comprising:

a cover for covering the open top of the canister, the cover carrying the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

10. An aquarium filter, comprising:

a canister, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister,

a filter element having a filter media located within the canister,

a discharge tube located within the filter element and surrounded by the filter media, and

a pump located within the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element and the discharge tube, the filter media and the discharge tube being located in the canister and the pump being operative for causing fluid to flow through the canister from the fluid inlet and through the filter media to the pump, and then through the discharge tube from the pump to the fluid outlet.

11. An aquarium filter accordingly to claim 10 wherein the filter element is a filter cartridge which defines a central longitudinal opening and the discharge tube passes through the central opening of the filter cartridge.

12. An aquarium filter according to claim 11 further having an intake flow of fluid from the central opening of the filter cartridge to the pump and a discharge flow of fluid through the discharge tube wherein the discharge tube is centrally located within the central opening.

13. An aquarium filter according to claim 12 wherein the pump is located in a lower portion of the canister so that the intake flow of fluid is directed downwardly and the discharge flow of fluid is directed upwardly.

14. An aquarium filter, comprising:

a closed canister having a top portion and a bottom portion,

a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister and providing the only paths for fluid flow into and out of the canister,

a filter element located within the canister,

a discharge tube located within the canister, and

a pump including a housing, the housing defining a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion having an inlet opening and the pump located within the bottom portion of the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element and the discharge tube,

wherein the canister is constructed to provide a flow path between the fluid inlet and the inlet opening and upwardly through the pump.

15. An aquarium filter according to claim 14, wherein the pump is located such that water enters the pump from the filter element and exits the pump to the discharge tube.

16. An aquarium filter according to claim 14, wherein the canister defines an open top, the aquarium filter further comprising:

a cover for covering the open top of the canister, the cover carrying the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

17. An aquarium filter according to claim 16 wherein the cover has a first sealing surface surrounding the fluid outlet and the discharge tube defines a second sealing surface facing the first sealing surface of the cover, the filter further comprising a clamp for clamping the cover to the canister so that the cover first sealing surface is driven toward the discharge tube second sealing surface to seal the cover to the discharge tube.

18. An aquarium filter according to claim 17 wherein the filter has a resilient sealing gasket between the first and second sealing surfaces of the cover and discharge tube, respectively.

19. An aquarium filter according to claim 17 wherein the first and second sealing surfaces of the cover and discharge tube, respectively, are aligned with the center of the cover.

20. An aquarium filter according to claim 17 wherein the discharge tube passes through the center of the filter element and has a third sealing surface and the filter element defines a fourth sealing surface facing the third sealing surface of the discharge tube, and wherein actuation of the clamp causes the cover to engage the discharge tube so that the discharge tube third sealing surface is driven toward the filter element fourth sealing surface to seal the discharge tube to the filter element.

21. An aquarium filter according to claim 20 wherein the filter has a second gasket between the third and fourth sealing surfaces of the discharge tube and the filter element, respectively.

22. An aquarium filter according to claim 14, wherein the housing includes a center diffuser, the aquarium filter further comprising:

an impeller located substantially between the center diffuser and the bottom portion of the housing so that the center diffuser is located in a path of fluid flow between the impeller and the fluid outlet,

a rotor operably connected to the impeller, the rotor including a magnet located substantially within the bottom portion of the canister, and

a stator arranged outside the bottom portion of the canister.

23. An aquarium filter according to claim 22, further comprising a rod defining a first end and a second end, the first end supported by the diffuser and the second end supported by the bottom portion of the canister,

wherein the rotor and the impeller are rotatably supported by the rod.

24. An aquarium filter according to claim 23, wherein the rotor includes a sleeve operably connected to the impeller and encapsulating the magnet and having a bearing surface in contact with the rod.

25. An aquarium filter, comprising:

a canister defining an open top and a closed bottom portion, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister,

a filter element located within the canister,

a pump located within the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element,

a cover for covering the open top of the canister, the cover defining a central portion, and

cover securing means comprising a clamp wire rotatably connected to the canister for applying a force to the central portion of the cover.

26. An aquarium filter according to claim 25, wherein the cover securing means further comprises a latch, operably connected to the cover, for holding the clamp wire in a cover closing position.

27. An aquarium filter, comprising:

a canister defining an open top and a closed bottom portion, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet each communicating with a respective region within the canister,

a filter element located within the canister,

a pump located within the canister and in fluid communication with the filter element,

a cover for covering the open top of the canister, the cover defining a port having a rib, the port being in fluid communication with one of the filter element and the pump,

a rigid tube having a projection located to be substantially adjacent to the rib when the tube is secured to the port, and

clamp means for removably securing the tube to the port.

28. An aquarium filter according to claim 27, wherein the clamp means comprises a ring portion and a hook portion, the ring portion substantially adjacent one of the projection and the rib, and the hook portion substantially adjacent to the other of the projection and the rib when the tube is secured to the port by the clamp means.

29. A aquarium filter, comprising:

a canister defining a longitudinal axis, an open top, a closed bottom portion, and an extension, the closed bottom portion and the extension defining a cavity,

a cover for covering the open top, the cover defining an inlet and an outlet, at least one of the inlet and the outlet defining a rib,

a tube in fluid communication with aquarium and the at least one of the inlet and the outlet, the tube defining a projection, the projection and the rib being substantially adjacent when the tube and the at least one of the inlet and the outlet are in an assembled orientation,

a filter element located within the canister in fluid communication with the inlet,

a discharge tube located within the canister and arranged approximately along the longitudinal axis of the canister, the discharge tube in fluid communication with the outlet,

a pump located in the closed bottom portion of the canister and including an impeller, a top discharge portion and a bottom intake portion, the bottom intake portion of the pump being in fluid communication with the filter element and the top discharge portion of the pump being in fluid communication with the discharge tube,

a motor including a stator located substantially within the cavity and a rotating magnet located substantially within the closed bottom portion and operably connected to the impeller,

a hanger wire, adjustably mounted on an upper portion of the canister, for hanging the filter on the aquarium,

an adjustable stop, adjustably mounted on the bottom portion of the aquarium, for adjustably spacing the lower portion of the canister from the aquarium,

a clamp wire rotatably coupled to the canister, the clamp wire being constructed and arranged to apply a force to a center portion of the cover, and

a latch rotatably connected to the cover, the latch being constructed and arranged to hold the clamp wire in a cover closing position.