Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02304271 2000-03-31
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ABOVE DECK MOUNTABLE FILTER
CARTRIDGE FOR A FILTER ASSEMBLY
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application No.
60/ 130, 576, filed April 21, 1999
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The invention relates to an above deck mountable filter cartridge for a filter
assembly and particularly relates to an above deck mountable filter cartridge
for a
filter assembly that is top loaded for installation or replacement of the
filter
cartridge disposed in a filter cartridge housing mounted in a sink hole or an
opening
in the deck or the deckplate. A top member or cap is affixed to the filter
cartridge
housing from above the deck or deckplate to secure the filter cartridge in the
housing or upon removal of the cap provides quick and easy access to or
to replacement of the filter cartridge. The filter cartridge housing is
provided with
inlet and outlet lines for water that are connected to the housing below the
deck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prior art filtering devices used filters or filter cartridges that were
mounted
from below the deck or mounted in the spout or mounted in the spray head of
the
spout. Each of the prior art devices had disadvantages such as: the below deck
devices were inconvenient and lacked ready access to or replacement of the
filter
devices; the filter devices mounted in the spout provided limited access and
required
a larger diameter spout; and the filter devices mounted in the spray head made
the
2o spray head large, heavy and difficult and awkward to change the filter
devices.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a filter assembly to
include
a top mounted filter cartridge that provides access thereto and is removable
therefrom from above the deck; which is simple to assemble, economical to
produce
and highly reliable in operation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a filter assembly
that
can be utilized with faucet assemblies that are of conventional size and
design; that
eliminate the bulky faucet assemblies of prior art filter devices; that
provides top or
above the deck access to the filter device for removable, replacement or
inspection
to in a convenient manner by simply removing a top cap that is also mounted
above the
deck; that eliminates the under the deck inconvenience of working in tight,
inaccessible spaces and/or with special tools and hard to reach fittings.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become
more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the present
invention,
is the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevational view of the filter assembly according
to
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the present invention of a
2s filter assembly 8 that has a filter cartridge 10 which is formed with an
inlet end 12
having a plurality of inlet openings (not shown) therein and an outlet end 14
which
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terminates in a cylindrical nozzle 16 formed about a central axis 18. A
cylindrical
impervious cover 20 encloses the filter cartridge 10 by extending axially from
the
inlet end 12 to the outlet end 14. The filter cartridge 10 is formed with a
uniform
diameter along the full length of the cover 20 thereof.
The filter cartridge 10 will be filled with a suitable filter media such as,
for
example, granular activated carbon (GAC) which is useful for filtering the
undesirable elements in the unfiltered water which are associated with
chlorine, taste
and odor. Other known water filtering media could be added to the GAC for
effectively reducing various metals and minimizing any bacteria or other
organisms
to which may be in the water to be filtered. Also, iron exchange resins could
be added
to treat the water being filtered for color and taste. A pre-filter porous
mesh could
be used within the filter cartridge 10 adjacent to and inwardly of the inlet
end I2 to
preclude sediment and suspended particulate from interfering with the
filtering
action. Further, a post-filter porous material such as, for example, foam
could be
inserted into the filter cartridge 10 above the filter media adjacent the
nozzle 16 at
the outlet end I4 of the filter media within the filter cartridge 10 during
processing
and handling of the filter cartridge .10 prior to installing the filter
cartridge 10 in the
filter assembly 8.
The filter assembly 8 has a filter cartridge housing 22 with a cylindrical
2o shape of a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the filter
cartridge 10. An
annular chamber 24 is formed in the space between the exterior of the cover 20
of
the filter cartridge 10 and the interior of the housing 22. The annular
chamber 24
extends substantially the full axial length of the housing 22. The upper
section 26 of
the housing 22 is externally threaded to threadedly receive a nut 28 that is
shifted
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into engagement with the under side 30 of a deck 32 having an opening 34
through
which the housing 22 extends. A lock nut 36 is raised to engage and lock the
position of the nut 28. The upper section 26 of the housing 28 extends through
an
opening 38 in a deckplate 40 and nut 42 threadedly engages the housing 22
above
the deckplate 40 at its opening 38 to force the deckplate 40, to which the
filter
cartridge housing 22 is now connected, into engagement with the upper surface
44
of the deck 32. Of course, if the deckplate 40 were not to be used, the filter
cartridge housing 22 could be directly connected to the deck 32 at the deck
opening 34 thereof. A union block 46 is connected to the lower end 56 of the
to housing 22. The union block 46 includes an inlet chamber 48 with an inlet
nipple
50 and an outlet chamber 52 with an outlet nipple 54 to which is connected an
outlet
connector 55. An inlet connector 58 is mounted in the inlet nipple SO to
deliver
inlet water therein as is shown by the directional arrow.
The filter cartridge 10 will be installed from above the top of the deck 32
into the filter cartridge housing 22 so that the inlet end 12 is disposed in
the union
block 46. The inlet end 12 of the filter cartridge 10 is suitably sealed from
the f
outlet chamber 52 and in communication with the inlet chamber 48 through an
opening 60 at the bottom of the housing 22. Installation of the filter
cartridge 10 in
the housing 22 will place the cartridge nozzle 16 in an area surrounded by the
opening 34 in the deck 32 and at about the same elevation thereof.
A cap 62 having a down-turned outer cover 64 extending over the nut 42 and
an inner cylindrical portion 66 that is threadedly engaged in a leak-proof
manner to
internal threads formed at the top of the upper section 26 of the housing 22.
The
cap 62 is closed by a horizontal member 68 to define a cap chamber 70 that has
a
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plurality of openings 72 formed at its lower end and a central projection 74
which
has a central opening 76. The central projection 74 is engaged in and aligns
with
the cartridge nozzle 16 so that filtered water being discharged from -the
filter
cartridge 10 will enter the cap chamber 70. From the cap chamber 70, water is
delivered through openings 72 into a filtered water chamber 76. From filtered
water chamber 76, the water enters the annular chamber 24 for discharge into
the
outlet chamber 52 and the outlet nipple 54 and the outlet connector 55
connected
thereto to be discharged therefrom in the direction shown by the generally
horizontal
arrow.
to Removal of the cap 62 will provide access from above the deck 32 to permit
the filter cartridge 10 to be installed, inspected or replaced from above the
deck 32.
The various components of the filter assembly 8 will be interconnected to each
other
in a leak-proof manner or, when necessary, suitable seals are disposed at the
location of the various components to prevent leakage therebelween. See, for
is example, bottom seal 51 and O-ring seal 53. Also, a spring member 78 may be
disposed in the inlet chamber 48 to engage the bottom of the filter cartridge
10 and
be compressed upon insertion thereof and connection of the cap 62 to complete
the
installation thereof. Once the cap 62 is removed, the spring 78 will expand to
force
the filter cartridge upwardly, expose the cartridge nozzle 16 or make it
easier to
2o grasp to remove the filter cartridge 10 from the housing 22.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be
varied in many ways. Such variations are not to ~e regarded as a departure
from
the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be
obvious
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to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following
claims .
