Patent ID: 7618534
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
1. An aquarium filter assembly comprising a housing having mounting structure for mounting to an aquarium tank, said tank having an interior holding aquarium water therein, and an exterior, said tank having a sidewall with a top, a filter cartridge in said housing, said filter cartridge having an upstream face and a downstream face, said housing having an inlet receiving dirty aquarium water, and an outlet returning clean filtered water to said tank, said housing defining a flow path therethrough from upstream to downstream from said inlet to said outlet, a water pump in said housing pumping water along said flow path, said housing being an inverted U-shaped saddle having an upper bight at said toy of said sidewall of said tank, and having inner and outer legs depending downwardly from said bight, said inner leg extending into said interior of said tank, said outer leg extending along said exterior of said tank, said filter cartridge being in said outer leg, said water pump being contained in said inner leg, said inner leg further comprising an interior channel wherein said water pump is configured for pumping water upwardly through said interior channel of said inner leg and into said outer leg, wherein said housing has a filter chamber receiving said filter cartridge therein, said filter cartridge dividing said filter chamber into a filter inlet plenum receiving water from said inlet, and a filter outlet plenum delivering water to said outlet, said upstream face of said filter cartridge facing said inlet plenum, said downstream face of said filter cartridge facing said filter outlet plenum, said housing having a supply plenum supplying water to said filter inlet plenum from said water pump, said supply plenum having an overflow bypass passage supplying water from said supply plenum to said filter outlet plenum and bypassing said filter cartridge in response to clogging of said filter cartridge causing a given rise of water level in said housing.