Air-powered filter arrangement

• US 7,316,775 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Pet Group Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tetra Holding US Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carley, Joseph C., Agresta, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRINCE JR, FREDDIE GARY
• Application Number:
  US11/000,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20060113230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 210/169, 210/150, 210/151, 210/220, 210/221.1, 210/416.1, 210/416.2, 210/167.21, 210/167.22, 210/167.25, 210/167.27, 119259-261
• US Class Current: 210/167.21
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/045 Filters for aquaria

Abstract

A filter including a filter housing having a spillway and a pneumatic intake assembly that draws water from an aquarium into the filter housing. The filter housing being configured to internally mount to the aquarium. The filter housing having first and second chamber oriented in a side-by-side arrangement such that water flows in a generally horizontal direction through a filter cartridge positioned between the first and second chambers.

Claims

1. A filter, comprising:

a filter housing configured to mount internally to an aquarium;

a removable filter cartridge positioned within the filter housing, the filter cartridge defining first and second chambers within the filter housing, the first and second chambers being oriented in a side-by-side arrangement; and

a pneumatic intake assembly arranged to fill the first chamber of the filter housing with unfiltered water, the unfiltered water reaching a first water level during operation of the filter;

wherein during operation water flows from the first chamber, through the filter cartridge, and into the second chamber only by gravity feed and without use of a water pump.

2. The filter of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic intake assembly includes a lift tube extending from the filter housing, the lift tube being in fluid communication with the first chamber to provide fluid flow from the aquarium to the first chamber.

3. The filter of claim 2, wherein the lift tube extends from an aperture formed in the bottom of the filter housing.

4. The filter of claim 1, wherein the filter housing includes a spillway, the spillway providing fluid communication between the second chamber and the aquanum.

5. The filter of claim 4, wherein the spillway defines a second water level provided in the second chamber during operation of the filter.

6. The filter of claim 5, wherein the first water level of the first chamber is greater than the second water level of the second chamber during operation of the filter.

7. The filter of claim 5, wherein water flows through the filter cartridge by gravity feed attributed to a differential of water levels in the first and second chambers.

8. The filter of claim 1, wherein a portion of the filter cartridge extends above the first water level in the first chamber.

9. A filter, comprising:

a filter housing configured to mount internally to an aquarium;

a removable filter cartridge positioned within the filter housing, the filter cartridge defining first and second chambers within the filter housing; and

a pneumatic intake assembly arranged to create fluid flow from the aquarium to the first chamber to fill the first chamber with unfiltered water, the unfiltered water reaching a first water level during operation of the filter;

wherein only head pressure from the unfiltered water is utilized to generate fluid flow through the filter cartridge, the head pressure urging the unfiltered water through the filter cartridge in a generally horizontal direction.

10. The filter of claim 9, wherein the filter cartridge has a longitudinal dimension that is vertically oriented when the filter cartridge is operably positioned within the filter housing.

11. The filter of claim 9, wherein the pneumatic intake assembly includes a lift tube extending from an aperture formed in the bottom of the filter housing.

12. The filter of claim 9, wherein the filter housing includes a spillway, the spillway providing fluid communication between the second chamber and the aquarium.

13. The filter of claim 12, wherein the spillway defines a second water level provided in the second chamber during operation of the filter.

14. The filter of claim 9, wherein a portion of the filter cartridge extends above, the first water level in the first chamber.

15. The aquarium of claim 9, wherein the first and second chambers are oriented in a side-by-side arrangement.

16. A filter, comprising:

a filter housing configured to mount inside an aquarium such that a bottom region of the filter housing is located below a waterline of the aquarium and a top region of the filter housing is located above the waterline of the aquarium;

a removable filter cartridge positioned within an interior of the filter housing; and

a pneumatic intake assembly interconnected to the filter housing, the pneumatic intake assembly being arranged to create fluid flow from the aquarium to the filter housing, the pneumatic intake assembly including a lift tube that extends from an aperture formed in the bottom of the filter housing;

wherein aquarium water enters the filter housing at the bottom region and exits the filter housing at the top region.

17. The filter of claim 16, wherein the filter cartridge defines first and second filter housing chambers when positioned within the filter housing.

18. The filter of claim 16, wherein the filter housing includes a spillway, the spillway providing fluid communication between the second filter housing chamber and the aquarium.

19. The filter of claim 16, wherein during operation, a first water level is provided in the first filter housing chamber and a second water level is provided in the second filter housing chamber, the first water level being greater than the second water level such that water flows through the filter cartridge from the first filter housing chamber to the second filter housing chamber.

20. The filter of claim 16, wherein water is urged through the filter cartridge by head pressure created in the first filter housing chamber.

21. The filter of claim 16, wherein a portion of the filter cartridge extends above the first water level in the first filter housing chamber.

22. The filter of claim 16, wherein the filter cartridge has a longitudinal dimension that is vertically oriented when the filter cartridge is operably positioned within the filter housing.

23. An aquarium arrangement, comprising:

an aquarium configured to hold water;

a filter mounted to the aquarium, the filter including;

a filter housing having a lower region located below a waterline of the aquarium and an upper region located above the waterline of the aquarium;

a removable filter cartridge positioned within the filter housing, the filter cartridge defining first and second chambers within the filter housing, the first and second chambers being oriented in a side-by-side arrangement; and

a pneumatic intake assembly arranged to create fluid flow from the aquarium to the first chamber to fill the first chamber with unfiltered water, the unfiltered water reaching a first water level during operation of the filter, the first water level of the first chamber being located above the waterline of the aquarium;

wherein a portion of the filter cartridge is located above the first water level; and

wherein water flows through the filter cartridge only by gravity feed attributed to a differential of water levels in the first and second chambers.

24. The aquarium of claim 23, wherein the filter includes a spillway that provides fluid communication between the second chamber and the aquarium, the spillway being positioned at or above the waterline of the aquarium.

25. The aquarium of claim 23, wherein the spillway defines a second water level provided in the second chamber during operation of the filter.