Patent Application
20230407658
This invention relates to filter cartridges, and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to filter cartridges for use in connection with a swimming pool or spa.
Filter units may be used to remove contaminants from a fluid such as pool water of a swimming pool or spa. Common filter units for swimming pools or spas may be sand filters or filter cartridges. Sand filters typically include a housing (e.g., filter tank) filled with sand, and pool water is filtered by passing into an entry port of the housing, through the sand, and then out an exit port of the filter. Filter cartridges filters include a housing with a cartridge having a filtering member. The cartridge is provided inside of the housing, and pool water is filtered by passing into an entry of the housing, through the cartridge and cartridge membrane, and out an exit port of the housing. To produce a cyclonic flow within the housing, the entry ports of filter cartridges have been provided as tangential entry ports that are fixed (and often integral) with the housing as illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 10,005,011 to Marciano et al., thereby providing a single flow pattern and angular direction within the housing.
Embodiments covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim.
According to certain embodiments, a filter cartridge includes an internal diverter changing a direction of fluid flow into the filter cartridge.
According to some embodiments, a filter cartridge for a pool or spa includes a fluid flow path into the housing, and the fluid flow path has an adjustable orientation.
According to various embodiments, a filter cartridge for a pool or spa includes a housing and an adjustable diverter within the housing for controlling a fluid flow into the housing.
According to certain embodiments, a diverter for a filter cartridge may adjust an orientation of a fluid flow path into the filter cartridge for a pool or spa.
According to various embodiments, a diverter in a filter cartridge may allow for multiple angular settings directing flow.
According to some embodiments, a filter cartridge includes a housing with internal vertical ribs for directing debris caught by the filter cartridge.
According to certain embodiments, a method of filtering pool water includes controlling an orientation of a fluid flow path of pool water into a housing of a filter cartridge using an internal diverter.
Various implementations described herein can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.
The specification makes reference to the following appended figures, in which use of like reference numerals in different figures is intended to illustrate like or analogous components.
Described herein filter cartridges with improved flow control and associated methods. In some embodiments, an angle and/or direction of a flow of fluid into a housing of the filter cartridge is adjustable. According to certain embodiments, a diverter device may be within the housing, and the diverter device may be rotatable relative to the housing, thereby allowing for multiple angular settings directing flow. In some embodiments, the diverter device may be a detachable device within the housing, and the diverter device may use various devices or mechanisms to detachably engage the filter cartridge while being positioned to control the flow of fluid entering the entry port of the filter cartridge and into the housing. The diverter device may be controlled to produce various flow patterns as desired. In one non-limiting example, the diverter device may be controlled to create a predominantly radial flow inside the housing. Additionally, or alternatively, filter cartridges described herein may include internal ribs within the housing. The internal ribs may be provided on an inner surface of the housing. In such embodiments, the internal ribs may promote the direction of debris caught in the filter cartridge. A filter cartridge with both the diverter and the internal ribs may promote debris to be caught and directed downwards within the filter cartridge.
Filter cartridges described herein with the adjustable entry flow therefore may allow for improved customization and ability to provide a desired fluid flow through the filter cartridge. Filter cartridges described herein further allow for improved customization and design of the housing of the filter cartridge as the entry port need not be a tangential entry port to generate cyclonic flow within the housing. As an example, filter cartridges according to embodiments of the invention may be more compact by not requiring the entry port to be tangential. Various other benefits and advantages may be realized with the devices and methods provided herein, and the aforementioned advantages should not be considered limiting.
Optionally, and as illustrated in
In some embodiments, and as best illustrated in
Referring to
The diverter 120 may be a detachable device that may be coupled with the filter cartridge 100 using various techniques or mechanisms as desired. In some embodiments, and as best illustrated in
As represented by the arrows in
In yet other embodiments, the filter cartridge 100 need not include predefined positions for the diverter 120. In such embodiments, the diverter 120 and/or the housing 102 may include a stopper for maintaining an orientation of the diverter 120 relative to the housing 102 when the diverter 120 is at the desired angular orientation. Stoppers may be various devices or mechanisms including but not limited to clamping devices, friction devices, ribs, and/or other devices or mechanisms as desired.
The diverter 120 may be controlled to be at various angular orientations as desired, thereby providing various flow patterns and/or flow paths in different directions as desired. As a non-limiting example and as represented by the arrows in
Additionally, or alternatively to the diverter(s) 120, the filter cartridge 100 may include internal ribs 126 on the housing 102 as illustrated in
Exemplary concepts or combinations of features of the invention may include:
These examples are not intended to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive in any way, and the invention is not limited to these example embodiments but rather encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of any claims ultimately drafted and issued in connection with the invention (and their equivalents). For avoidance of doubt, any combination of features not physically impossible or expressly identified as non-combinable herein may be within the scope of the invention. Further, although applicant has described devices and techniques for use principally with pools and spas, persons skilled in the relevant field will recognize that the present invention conceivably could be employed in connection with other objects and in other manners. Finally, references to “pools” and “swimming pools” herein may also refer to spas or other water containing vessels used for recreation or therapy and for which cleaning of debris is needed or desired.
The subject matter of embodiments is described herein with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. Directional references such as “up,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “front,” and “back,” among others, are intended to refer to the orientation as illustrated and described in the figure (or figures) to which the components and directions are referencing. In the figures and the description, like numerals are intended to represent like elements. As used herein, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes singular and plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The above-described aspects are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as well as in the claims that follow, they are used only in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the described embodiments, nor the claims that follow.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/353,808, filed on Jun. 20, 2022, and entitled FILTER CARTRIDGE FOR SWIMMING POOLS AND SPAS, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63353808 | Jun 2022 | US |
