Water Filter Assembly

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a water filtration assembly, more particularly relates to a water filter assembly having a base member with preformed water passageways to connect the inlet and outlet ports of each filter element.

Background of the Invention

Water filtration systems are generally well known in the art for producing a filtered water supply used for drinking, cooking, etc. Consumers have also become increasingly concerned with the quality of water. Such filtration systems commonly employ a plurality of filter elements connected to a base and the filter elements are replaceable. The removal and replacement of each filter element is required on a periodic basis to maintain the quality of the produced filtered water. Due to these systems continue to gain popularity, therefore it is important that the system maintenance be quick and easy to accomplish. In the existing water filtration systems, hoses are used to connect the filter elements at the bottom and the top of the base. The maintenance of such water filtration systems is troublesome and needs quality control.

The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the known system while maintaining its advantages.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water filtration system having a base which is constructed with water flow conduits within the base without the need of using hoses to connect the filter elements and therefore cut down the material used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a base for water filtration system having the water passageways concealed by ultrasonic plastic bonding system.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide the water filtration system additionally accommodating relatively quick and easy removal and replacement of the filter elements.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention shall be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and in combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Summary of the Invention

A water filter assembly comprising a plurality of filter elements where each filter element includes a housing for containing filtering media, and a base member releasably receiving the filter elements, the base member including a base plate having securing sockets at the top surface of the base plate, where each securing socket formed with an inlet and outlet ports and water passageway at the bottom surface of the base plate with separating webs located at each intersection between the inlet port and outlet port of the securing sockets where the

water passageway is sealed with a fixing plate to form concealed passages for water to flow through each filter element. The filter assembly may optionally include a cover fitted at the extended portion of the side wall at the top surface of the base plate.

Preferably the securing socket is in the form of raised dam in substantially circular and the internal surface of the raised dam is threaded for securing the filter element thereon.

Preferably the water passageway further comprising an additional separating web provided at the passageway which interconnects the passages to the inlet and outlet connector for separating the unfiltered and filtered water. The water passageway may also include a flowmeter housing in communication with the flow of water in the water passageway for accommodating a flowmeter assembly to determine the status of the filter elements.

Preferably the fixing plate is sealed to the base plate by using ultrasonic bonding system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

This invention will now be further described by way of non-limitative examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a water filter assembly of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a bottom perspective view of a filter element showing the inlet and outlet of the filter element.

Figure 3 shows a top perspective view of the base member with the fixing plate detached from the base plate of the base member.

Figure 4 depicts a top view of the base member of figure 3.

Figure 5 depicts a bottom view of the base member of figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a top perspective view of another base member with alternative construction for the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figure 1, a water filter assembly (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The water filter assembly (10) generally comprises a base member (11), a plurality of filter elements (12) mounted to the base member (11) and the base member (11) may also receive an optional cover (13) in order to cover the filter elements (12). Each filter element (12) comprises a housing (36) for containing filtering media (not shown). The filter element (12) having an inlet (37) at the bottom of the housing (36) through which external water flows in and an outlet (38) through which internal water flows out as shown in figure 2. Water flowing in the filter elements (12) through respective inlets passes through respective filters and then discharged through respective outlets. The filter elements (12) are detachably mounted to the base member (11). Figure 1 shows the water filter assembly (10) comprising six cylindrical filter elements (12) by way of an example.

The base member (11) comprising a base plate (21) and a side wall (22). The side wall (22) is attached at the circumference of the base plate (21) with an extended portion extending upwardly from the top surface of the base plate (21) and another extended portion extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the base plate (21). The extended portion of the side wall (22) at the top surface of the base plate (21) is for receiving the cover (13) of the water filter assembly (10). At least one side of the base member (11) is formed with a recess (23) for accommodating water connectors as shown in figures 3 and 4. The recess (23) comprises an inlet connector (24) and an outlet connector (25). The inlet connector (24) carries unfiltered water to the water filter assembly (10) and the outlet connector (25) carries filtered water away from the water filter assembly (10). Preferably a draining connector (26) is provided for draining excess water at the top area of the base member (11).

At the top surface of the base plate (21) of the base member (11), there is provided a plurality of securing sockets (27) which are in the form of raised dams (27) preferably formed in substantially circular as shown in figure 3. The internal surface of each raised dam (27) is threaded for securing the filter element (12) thereon. An inner step (28) is formed at substantially middle within the raised dam (27) area. The inner step (28) includes an axial bore (29) where in the preferred embodiment is an inlet port for the water filter assembly (10). An outer bore (30) is provided adjacent the inner step (28) and within the raised dam (27) area which acts as an outlet port for the water filter assembly of the present invention.

A fixing plate (31) is mounted to the bottom of the base plate (21) as shown in figure 3. The fixing plate (31) is essentially the same configuration with the base plate (21) and is dimensioned to fit snugly within the side wall (22) of the base member (11). The bottom part of the base plate (21) includes water passageways (33) to direct water to flow from inlet port

to outlet port and flow through the filter elements (12) as shown in figure 5. The water passageway (33) linked all the ports of where the filter elements (12) are mounted thereto from the inlet connector (24) to the outlet connector (25) of the water filter assembly (10) and it is clearly illustrated in figure 5. The inlet and outlet connectors (24, 25) are provided at lower level than the draining connector (26), where the inlet and outlet connectors (24, 25) are below the level of the base plate (21) is mounted to the side wall (22) while the draining connector (26) is above the level of the base plate (21). The fixing plate (31) is attached to the base plate (21) by sealing means preferably using the ultrasonic bonding system and therefore the water passageway (33) is concealed in between the base plate (21) and fixing plate (31).

A separating web (32) extending from the bottom surface of the base plate (21) to the fixing plate (31) is provided at the intersection between the inlet port (29) and outlet port (30) of each securing socket (27) for dividing the water flow from the water passageway (33) into the inlet port (29) and out from the outlet port (30) into the water passageway (33) as shown in figure 5. An additional separating web (32') is also provided at the passageway (33) which interconnects the passages to the inlet and outlet connector (24, 25) for separating the unfiltered and filtered water. A person skilled in the art may configure the orientation of the inlet and outlet ports in accordance to the type of the filter elements used for the water filter assembly.

The water filter assembly may optionally includes a flowmeter housing (34) in communication with the flow of water in the water passageway (33) for accommodating a flowmeter assembly (not shown) to determine the status of the filter elements (12) by monitoring the number of water flow cycles through the water filter assembly (10). The flowmeter assembly includes an impeller wheel that rotates in relation to the water flowing

through the water passageway (33). The flowmeter assembly may also be placed at the inlet or outlet flow without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In an alternative embodiment, the draining (26), inlet (24) and outlet (25) connectors are provided at the back of the base member (11) as shown in figure 6. These connectors (24, 25,

26) are not directly connected to the water passageway (33). For this embodiment, the water passageway (33) is provided with downwardly extended connectors (45) at the starting edge and end of the passageway (33) for connecting with the inlet and outlet connectors (24, 25) via connecting means such as tube (not shown). The draining connector (26) has an elongate channel (46) vertically extended up to the base plate (21) to drain out the excess water thereof.

The mechanism as described above may be applied to the water filter assembly with at least two securing sockets (27).

In operating the water filter assembly (10), water flows into the base member (11) from the inlet connector (24) into a first portion of water passageway (33a). The unfiltered water flows upwardly through a first inlet port (29a) into a first filter element (12a). The water passes downwardly and radially through the walls within the filter element (12a) and out from the first filter element (12a) via a first outlet port (30a) into a second portion of water passageway (33b) of the base member (11). The second portion of water passageway (33b) will link the water into to a second filter element (12b) via a second inlet port (29b). The filtered water from the second filter element (12b) will go into the subsequent filter element in similar water flow orientation as the filtered water from the first filter element (12a) to the second filter element (12b). The filtered water from the last filter element will flow out from the base

member (11) via the outlet connector (25) of the water filter assembly (10). The water filter assembly additionally accommodating relatively quick and easy removal and replacement of the filter elements without the need to dismantling the hoses connecting the filter element as in other existing water filter assembly.

As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention may easily be produced in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The present embodiments is, therefore, to be considered as merely illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within therefore intended to be embraced therein.