Keyed system for connection of filter cartridge to filter holder

• US 6,695,891 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omnipure Filter Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Roger P. Reid
• Inventors: Reid, Roger P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M.
• Application Number:
  US09/928,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 927 Days
• Field of Search: 554/82, 554/84, 554/90, 554/98, 555/02, 555/04, 555/05, 555/08, 554/95, 210/232, 210/259, 210/435, 210/440, 210/443, 210/444, 210/DIG.17, 210/253, 210/255, 210/252
• US Class Current: 55/495
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/302 having inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/4046 Means for avoiding false mounting of different parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/30 Filter housing constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0004 Details of removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/009 Identification of filter type or position thereof, e.g. by transponders or bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2411 Filter cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2414 End caps including additional functions or special forms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/17 Twist-on

Abstract

Embodiments of a key system for filters and their connecting heads/holders are shown. The filter cartridge and its holder each have a keyed surface, one being a protruding “key” and one being a recessed “lock”. Cooperation of these keyed surfaces is required in order for the filter cartridge to be installed in the holder, so that mismatched cartridges cannot be installed into the holder, for example, to prevent a particular type of cartridge from being placed in a filtration or other process where it would be inappropriate, or undesired. The keyed surfaces are selectively locate-able preferably at different circumferential locations on a perimeter of the filter and a corresponding location on a perimeter of the head/holder. The perimeter may be, for example, on an outer shoulder surface of a filter and an inner surface of a valve head, or on outer and inner surfaces of connectors that provide a liquid seal between the filter and the head/holder.

Claims

1. A keyed system for filters and their holders, wherein the keyed system comprises:

a filter and a cooperating holder, wherein;

the filter has a filter surface with a perimeter having a first set of a plurality of key protrusions;

the cooperating holder has a holder surface with a circumferential perimeter having a first cooperating recess structure having a plurality of axial portions separated by radially-protruding ridges, and the cooperating recess structure further having one circumferentially-extending lock portion having an open end near, and in mechanical communication with, said axial portions and having a closed opposite end; and

said key protrusions slide through the axial portions during axial insertion of the filter into the holder and, upon angular rotation of the filter in the holder, said first set of a plurality of key protrusions are received in the one circumferentially-extending lock portion.

2. A keyed system for filters and their holders as in claim 1, the keyed system comprising:

a plurality of sets of said filters and said cooperating holders;

wherein the location of the key protrusion and the recess structure on said perimeters is selectively locateable to different circumferential locations on said perimeters so that each of said sets of said filters and said cooperating holders has a differently-located key protrusion and lock recess to prevent one of said filters from being installed in any but its respective holder.

3. The keyed system of claim 1, wherein the filter is an elongated filter with an longitudinal axis and a radius, and wherein said first set of key protrusions are on an upper shoulder of a top end of the filter, and the recess structure is on an inner surface of a cavity of a holder, wherein the cavity receives the filter top end.

4. The keyed system of claim 3, wherein the first set of key protrusions are all within a 90 degree arc on the upper shoulder of the top end of the filter.

5. The keyed system of claim 3, wherein said first set of key protrusions are all within less than a 70 degree arc on the upper shoulder of the top end of the filter.

9. The keyed system as in claim 1, comprising a plurality of sets of filters and cooperating holders, wherein the key protrusions and the axial portions on said perimeters for each set are selected to be different in number and size compared to other of the sets, so that each of said sets has differently-numbered and differently-sized key protrusions and recess structure to prevent one of said filters from being installed in any but its respective holder.

10. The keyed system as in claim 1, wherein:

the filter has a second set of a plurality of key protrusions; and

the holder surface perimeter has a second cooperating recess structure having a plurality of axial portions separated by radially-protruding ridges, there being one of said axial portions for each of said key protrusions, and the second cooperating recess structure further having one circumferentially-extending lock portion having an open end near, and in mechanical communication with, said axial portions of the second cooperating recess structure and having a closed opposite end; and

said second set of a plurality of key protrusions slide through the axial portions of the second recess structure during axial insertion of the filter into the holder and, upon angular rotation of the filter in the holder, said second set of a plurality of key protrusions are received in the one circumferentially-extending lock portion of the second recess structure.

11. The keyed system as in claim 10, wherein the first set of protrusions are all within less than a 70 degree arc on an upper shoulder of a top end of the filter, and wherein the second set of protrusions are all within less than a 70 degree arc on the upper shoulder generally opposite of said first set.

12. The keyed system in claim 1, wherein the first set of key protrusions has a length and the circumferentially-extending lock portion has a length, and wherein the length of said lock portion is at least as long as the length of the first set of key protrusions.

6. A keyed system for filters and their holders, the keyed system comprising:

a plurality of sets of filters and cooperation holders;

wherein the filter holder of each set has two male connector tubes each having an outer side surface and an axial length, wherein one of the two male connector tubes is a liquid-inlet tube for conveying liquid to the filter, and the other of the two male connector tubes is a liquid-outlet tube for conveying liquid away from the filter, and wherein said two male connector tubes each have a perimeter with a key protrusion extending axially along said outer side surface and protruding radially outward; and

wherein the respective filter of each set has two female connector tubes that connect with and fluidly seal to said two male connector tubes, the female connector tubes each having an inner surface having an axial length and wherein each of said female connector tubes has a perimeter having a lock recess extending axially along said inner surface for receiving the key protrusion of the two male connector tubes, so that the filter is insertable into the holder because the key protrusions of the holder slides into the lock recesses of the filter;

wherein the location of the key protrusions and the lock recesses on said perimeters is selectively locateable to different circumferential locations on said perimeters so that each of said sets has a differently-located key protrusion and lock recess to prevent one of said filters from being installed in any but its respective holder.

7. A keyed system as in claim 6, wherein said at least one male connector tube has a single key protrusion extending out its outer surface.

8. A keyed system as in claim 7, wherein the at least one of said female connector tube has a single lock recess extending toward a central axis of the female connector tube.