Cartridge adapter

• US 6,360,764 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Pentapure Incorporated
• Inventors: Fritze, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US09/618,912
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 210/234, 210/239, 210/240, 137/544, 137/594, 137/15.01
• US Class Current: 137/15.01
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/4046 Means for avoiding false mounting of different parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/153 Anti-leakage or anti-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/157 Flow control valves: Damping or calibrated passages
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/306 Filter mounting adapter
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/18 with actuating mechanism; Combined check valves and actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0402 Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0536 Highspeed fluid intake means [e.g., jet engine intake]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/794 With means for separating solid material from the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87153 Plural noncommunicating flow paths

Abstract

An adapter assembly for use in mating a filter cartridge to a filter manifold, includes an adapter body having a manifold coupler and a cartridge coupler. The manifold coupler is for mating with the filter manifold and has an inlet being fluidly communicable with a filter manifold fluid inlet and a fluid outlet being fluidly communicable with a filter manifold fluid outlet and having sealing means, the sealing means isolating an inlet flow of unfiltered water from an outlet flow of filtered water. The cartridge coupler is for mating with the filter cartridge and has an inlet being fluidly communicable with a filter cartridge inlet and being in fluid communication with the manifold coupler inlet and a fluid outlet being fluidly communicable with a filter cartridge outlet and being in fluid communication with the manifold coupler outlet and having sealing means, the sealing means isolating an inlet flow of unfiltered water to the filter cartridge from an outlet flow of filtered water form the filter cartridge. At least one valve is disposed in the adapter body to control the flow of water therethrough. A method for mating a filter cartridge to a filter manifold is also included.

Claims

1. An adapter assembly for use in mating a filter cartridge to a filter manifold, comprising:

an adapter body having a manifold coupler and a cartridge coupler;

the manifold coupler for mating with the filter manifold and having a manifold coupler inlet being fluidly communicable with a filter manifold fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and further being fluidly communicable with a filter manifold fluid outlet and having sealing means, the sealing means isolating an inlet flow of unfiltered water from an outlet flow of filtered water;

the cartridge coupler for mating with the filter cartridge and having a cartridge coupler fluid inlet, said inlet being fluidly communicable with a filter cartridge inlet and being in fluid communication with the manifold coupler inlet and having a cartridge coupler fluid outlet, said outlet being fluidly communicable with a filter cartridge outlet and being in fluid communication with the manifold coupler outlet and further having sealing means, the sealing means isolating an inlet flow of unfiltered water to the filter cartridge from an outlet flow of filtered water form the filter cartridge; and

at least one adapter assembly valve being disposed in the adapter body to control a flow of water therethrough.

2. The adapter assembly of claim 1 further including at least a first pair of shoulders for compressive, retaining engagement with the filter manifold.

3. The adapter assembly of claim 2 further including at least a first pair of lugs for compressive, retaining engagement with the filter cartridge.

4. The adapter assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve is biased in a closed, seated disposition.

5. The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve has a fluted shaft, a plurality of flutes defined by the fluted shaft comprising a plurality of flow passages.

6. The adapter assembly of claim 5 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve has an integral seal.

7. The adapter assembly of claim 6 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve integral seal is formed by overmolding on a valve body.

8. The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein mating the manifold coupler to the filter cartridge acts to open the at least one adapter assembly valve.

9. The adapter assembly of claim 1 wherein mating the manifold coupler to the filter manifold acts to open a valve disposed in the filter manifold.

10. The adapter assembly of claim 9 wherein the adapter body includes a margin, the margin bearing on the filter manifold valve during mating the manifold coupler to the filter manifold and thereby acting to open the filter manifold valve.

11. A method of mating a filter cartridge to a filter manifold comprising:

providing an adapter assembly;

mating an adapter assembly manifold coupler with a cooperative filter manifold coupler;

mating an adapter assembly cartridge coupler with a cooperative cartridge coupler; and

establishing fluid communication between the filter manifold to the filter cartridge via the adapter assembly.

12. The method of claim 11 including controlling a flow from the filter manifold to the adapter assembly by means of an adapter assembly actuator being in actuating engagement with a valve disposed in the filter manifold.

13. The method of claim 11 including controlling a flow from the adapter assembly to the filter cartridge by means of at least one valve being disposed in the adapter assembly actuator.

14. The method of claim 13 including actuating the at least one valve being disposed in the adapter assembly by means of mating the filter cartridge to the adapter assembly.

15. The method of claim 14 including sealing the at least one valve disposed in the adapter assembly by means of an integral seal formed on a valve body.

16. The method of claim 15 including overmolding the integral seal on the valve body.

17. An adapter assembly for use in mating a filter cartridge to a filter manifold, comprising:

adapter body means for mating the filter cartridge to the filter manifold, the adapter body means having manifold coupler means and cartridge coupler means;

the manifold coupler means for mating with the filter manifold and having a manifold coupler inlet, said inlet being fluidly communicable with a filter manifold fluid inlet and a fluid outlet being fluidly communicable with a filter manifold fluid outlet and further having sealing means, the sealing means for isolating an inlet flow of unfiltered water from an outlet flow of filtered water;

the cartridge coupler means for mating with the filter cartridge and having a cartridge coupler fluid inlet, said inlet being fluidly communicable with a filter cartridge inlet and being in fluid communication with the manifold coupler inlet and a cartridge coupler fluid outlet, said fluid outlet being fluidly communicable with a filter cartridge outlet and being in fluid communication with the manifold coupler outlet and further having sealing means, the sealing means isolating an inlet flow of unfiltered water to the filter cartridge from an outlet flow of filtered water from the filter cartridge; and

at least one adapter assembly valve means being disposed in the adapter body for controlling a flow of water therethrough.

18. The adapter assembly of claim 17 further including at least a first pair of shoulders for compressive, retaining engagement with the filter manifold.

19. The adapter assembly of claim 18 further including at least a first pair of lugs for compressive, retaining engagement with the filter cartridge.

20. The adapter assembly of claim 17 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve means is biased in a closed, sealed disposition.

21. The adapter assembly of claim 20 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve means has a fluted shaft, a plurality of flutes defined by the fluted shaft comprising a plurality of flow passages.

22. The adapter assembly of claim 21 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve means has integral seal means.

23. The adapter assembly of claim 22 wherein the at least one adapter assembly valve means integral seal means is formed by overmolding on a valve body.

24. The adapter assembly of claim 17 wherein mating the manifold coupler means to the filter cartridge acts to open the at least one adapter assembly valve means.

25. The adapter assembly of claim 17 wherein mating the manifold coupler means to the filter manifold acts to open a valve disposed in the filter manifold.

26. The adapter assembly of claim 25 wherein the adapter body means includes a margin, the margin bearing on the filter manifold valve during mating the manifold coupler means to the filter manifold and thereby acting to open the filter manifold valve.