Claims
- 1. A water distribution manifold assembly being engageable with a water filter assembly, comprising a manifold, the manifold being fluidly couplable at an inlet to a source of water to be filtered and having a filtered water outlet and having mating members for removably mating to a water filter assembly and having mounting means, the mounting means providing rotational travel of the water assembly across a known arc for installation, removal and replacement of the water filter assembly.
- 2. The water distribution manifold assembly of claim 1 having opposed, molded protrusions on the exterior surface of the manifold to provide for rotational travel to the filter assembly.
- 3. The water distribution manhole assembly of claim 2, molded protrusions being rotatably insertable into a receiver, thereby allowing rotational travel of the filter assembly.
- 4. The water distribution manifold assembly of claim 2, the molded protrusion having an internal bore for receipt of an insertion mechanism of a mounting base allowing rotational travel of the filter assembly.
- 5. The water distribution manifold assembly of claim 1, the manifold including a fixedly coupled mounting bracket.
- 6. The water distribution manifold assembly of claim 5, the mounting bracket having a plurality of projecting snap fit posts, each of the snap fit posts being engageable in a respective aperture defined in the manifold for fixedly mating the mounting bracket and the manifold.
- 7. The water distribution manifold assembly of claim 5, the mounting means being disposed on the mounting bracket and comprising a pair of opposed pivot arms, the pivot arms being snap fitable in receivers, the manifold being selectively rotatable about the pivot arms to rotate the cartridge to a disposition that facilitates removal of a spent water filter assembly and replacement with a fresh water filter assembly.
- 8. The water distribution manifold assembly of claim 1, the manifold having visual keying for correctly aligning a replacement water filter assembly.
- 9. A manifold assembly for interfacing with a filter assembly and for being fluidly coupled to a source of water to be filtered, comprising:
a manifold having:
a physical interface with the filter assembly being a first portion of a ramp/tab interlock system; a filter assembly fluid interface being an insertion plug with a plurality of o-rings, the insertion plug being matable with a bore in the filter assembly, the bore being in fluid communication with a filter assembly filtered water cavity of the filter element; and a water source interface having at least one mechanically driven shut-off valves for incoming unfiltered water which are forced open when the filter assembly is mated to the manifold by means of the physical interface.
- 10. The manifold assembly of claim 9 having a plurality of molded flow channels to route incoming unfiltered water to the filter assembly and routing filtered water from the filter assembly for direction of the filtered water to a point of use.
- 11. The manifold assembly of claim 9 including a spill proof design having two mechanically driven valves located in contiguous unfiltered water supply channels.
- 12. The manifold assembly of claim 11 including the valves serving to prohibit the flow of unfiltered water prior to full disengagement-of the filter assembly from the manifold.
- 13. The manifold assembly of claim 9 including a mounting bracket couplable to the manifold, the mounting bracket serving as a base to hold the manifold and the filter assembly in a substantially horizontal orientation.
- 14. The manifold assembly of claim 13, the mounting bracket coupling with the manifold by a snap leg mechanism, the snap leg mechanism providing a quickly engageable and permanent coupling.
- 15. The manifold assembly of claim 13, the mounting bracket including a set of swing arms and an angled body.
- 16. The manifold assembly of claim 15, set of swing arms and an angled body allowing the mounting bracket and the water manifold and filter assembly, when mated to the mounting bracket, to be rotated downward a fixed amount to facilitate replacement of the filter assembly.
- 17. The manifold assembly of claim 9, the manifold having two axial protrusions by which the manifold may be mounted and held in position.
- 18. The manifold assembly of claim 17, the axial protrusions being solid rod type protrusions for insertion into a catch mechanism bore.
- 19. The manifold assembly of claim 17, the axial protrusions each having a bores to accept a catch mechanism protrusion for supporting the manifold.
- 20. The manifold assembly of claim 17, the axial protrusions being mounts for mounting a fixture cover.
- 21. A method of interfacing manifold assembly with a filter assembly and with a support component, comprising:
providing a manifold; a physically interfacing the manifold with the filter assembly by means of a ramp/tab interlock system; fluidly interfacing the manifold with a filter assembly by means of an insertion plug with a plurality of o-rings, mating the insertion plug with a bore in the filter assembly, fluid communicating the bore being with a filter assembly filtered water cavity of the filter element; and interfacing the manifold with a water source by means of at least one mechanically driven shut-off valve for incoming unfiltered water and forcing open the least one mechanically driven shut-off valve when the filter assembly is mated to the manifold by means of the physical interface.
- 22. The method of claim 21, including forming a plurality of molded flow channels to route incoming unfiltered water to the filter assembly and routing filtered water from the filter assembly for direction of the filtered water to a point of use.
- 23. The method of claim 21, including providing a spill proof design having two mechanically driven valves located in contiguous unfiltered water supply channels.
- 24. The method of claim 23, including prohibiting the flow of unfiltered water prior to full disengagement of the filter assembly from the manifold by means of the valves.
- 25. The method of claim 21, including coupling a mounting bracket to the manifold, and holding the manifold and the filter assembly in a substantially horizontal orientation by means of the mounting bracket.
- 26. The method of claim 25, including coupling the mounting bracket with the manifold by means a snap leg mechanism and providing a quickly engageable and permanent coupling by means of the snap leg mechanism.
- 27. The method of claim 25, including a set of swing arms and an angled body on the mounting bracket.
- 28. The method of claim 27, allowing the mounting bracket and the water manifold and filter assembly, when mated to the mounting bracket, to be rotated downward a fixed amount to facilitate replacement of the filter assembly by means of the set of swing arms and the angled body.
- 29. The method of claim 21, including mounting the manifold to the support component by means of two manifold axial protrusions.
- 30. The method of claim 29, including forming the axial protrusions of solid rods and selectively inserting the axial protrusions into a support component catch mechanism bore.
- 31. The method of claim 29, including forming the axial protrusions with a bore to accept a catch mechanism protrusion for supporting the manifold.
- 32. The method of claim 29, including mounting a fixture cover by means of the axial protrusions.
- 33. The method of claim 32, including rotatably mounting the fixture cover on the axial protrusions for rotating the fixture cover between a closed disposition and an open disposition, the open disposition for facilitating maintenance and installation of the manifold and the filter assembly respectively.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/918,316 filed Jul. 30, 2001.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09918316 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Child |
10406637 |
Apr 2003 |
US |