Abstract:
A filter cleaning apparatus is disclosed comprising a mount for a filter element having a fluid channel, the fluid channel positioned interior to the filter element; and a plurality of fluid outlets located along the fluid channel, wherein the fluid outlets are positioned to generate a fluid flow against the filter element to rotate the filter element about the mount.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the cleaning of filtration components. More specifically, the present invention is directed towards the water-pressure flushing of cartridge filters, such as those filters commonly used with swimming pool filtration systems.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    It is commonly acknowledged that the manual procedure of cleaning and flushing reusable cartridge filters, by means of hand-held high water pressure hosing, presents a laborious operation that wastes both time and water resources. Too often, this procedure proves damaging to the cartridge filter as well.  
           [0003]    The most commonly used washable filter elements are cylindrically shaped and placed inside a filter housing provided with inlet and outlet plumbing. Water containing debris is forced from the outer surface of the filter so that debris is removed and clean water exits from the inner surface to the return. To clean the filter it is necessary to extract it from the filter housing, and either walk around the vertically positioned filter as it is being flushed out with a hose, or to rotate it to the position of the user. Furthermore, these types of washable filter elements are often elongated and have a small semi-flexible footprint. The water pressure that is required for this cleaning method stresses the pliable base and the pleated polyester fabric media of an improperly supported filter element, potentially damaging the filter element.  
           [0004]    Filter elements are often damaged, and frequently ruined, if they are not securely supported against a lateral water pressure that can exceed 60 pounds per square inch. Poorly stabilized filter elements are typically not thoroughly cleaned under these conditions. Further, because water is sprayed from the outer filter surface to dislodge debris on the same side, larger debris may be flushed out, but small sized debris are often further pressured inside the filter crevices, and fine particles are pushed firmly between filter fabrics. Filter elements that are poorly cleaned have significantly shorter filtering cycles and require more frequent cleaning, increasing both the negative environmental effect of wasting water and the amount of labor and time spent by the user in this procedure.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, what is lacking is a filter assembly having an effective internal water-pressurized rinsing mechanism to eliminate the complicated and problematic filter rinsing procedures commonly used to clean water filters.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned needs for a filter assembly by providing a filter assembly having an effective internal water-pressurized rinsing mechanism to eliminate the complicated and problematic filter rinsing procedures commonly used to clean water filters and that allows for rotational movement of the filter element.  
           [0007]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a filter cleaning apparatus including a mount for a filter element having a fluid channel, the fluid channel positioned interior to the filter element, and a plurality of fluid outlets located along the fluid channel, wherein the fluid outlets are positioned to generate a fluid flow against the filter element to rotate the filter element about the mount.  
           [0008]    The present invention is additionally directed to a filter including a filter element having an inner filter surface, an outer filter surface, an upper cover member, and a lower cover member. The filter also includes a mount for the filter element having a fluid inlet channel, an upper cover member engagement, and a lower cover engagement. Additionally, the filter includes a plurality of fluid outlets located along the fluid inlet channel, wherein the fluid outlets are positioned to generate a fluid flow against the inner filter surface to rotate the filter element about the mount.  
           [0009]    The present invention is further directed to a method for cleaning a water filter, the method including the steps of providing fluid flow to an interior surface of a filter, forcing the fluid flow through the filter, from said interior surface to an outer surface of the filter, and wherein the fluid flow reduces an amount of debris on the outer surface. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a side view illustration of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a top view cross-section illustration of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a side view illustration of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 when used in a filter housing. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]    Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated as filter  10 . Filter  10  includes a filter element  20  having an inner surface  22  and an outer surface  24 , an upper cover member  26 , and a lower cover member  28 .  
         [0014]    Filter element  20  is a porous structure that allows for the passage of water, yet does not permit the passage of dirt, detritus or other debris. Filter element  20  can be constructed of any one of a number of materials for filtering that are well know in the art, including, but not limited to, microfibers, micropores, meshes, and the like.  
         [0015]    Filter element  20  includes inner surface  22  and outer surface  24 . During the water cleaning operation, water is forced through outer surface  24  and exits inner surface  22 . The forcing of water through filter element  20  from outer surface  24  to inner surface  22  filters the undesirable elements from the water. During the filter cleaning operation, the water flow is reversed so that water is forced through filter element  20  from inner surface  22  to outer surface  24  in such a manner so that debris accumulated on outer surface  24  is flushed out. Both upper cover member  26  and lower cover member  28  assist the prevention of the backflow of water and securement of filter element  20  to filter  10 .  
         [0016]    Upper cover member  26  and lower cover member  28  can be formed from a resilient material, such as a water-impermeable polymer, so as to provide a series of securement locations for filter element  20 . Furthermore, upper cover member  26  includes an annular ring projection  26   a  that is formed and protrudes from upper surface  27  of upper cover member  26 . Similarly, lower cover member  28  includes an annular ring projection  28   a  that is formed and protrudes from lower surface  29  of lower cover member  28 . Annular ring projections  26   a  and  28   a  secure filter element  20  to mount  30 .  
         [0017]    Mount  30  can also be formed from a resilient material, such as a water-impermeable polymer or the like. Mount  30  includes a fluid inlet channel  32 , an upper cover member engagement  34 , and a lower cover member engagement  36 . Upper cover member engagement  34  includes annular groove  35  for providing a rotatable engagement to annular ring projection  26   a.  Likewise, lower cover member engagement  36  includes annular groove  37  to provide a rotatable engagement to annular ring projection  28   a.  Although upper cover member engagement  34  and lower cover member engagement  36  can be formed from mount  30 , they can be separately formed as well. In such case, upper cover member engagement  34  and lower cover member engagement  36  may be affixed to mount  30  by any one of a number of manners including, but not limited to, threaded engagements, frictional engagements, water-tight ball-bearing assembly, such as water-tight ball-bearing assembly  40 , and the like.  
         [0018]    Under the water cleaning operation, pool water containing debris is directed into the filter housing via plumbing and is forced through filter element  20  from outer surface  24  to inner surface  22  before returning to the pool via fluid channel  32 . Under the filter-cleaning operation a valve, such as valve  52  shown in FIG. 3, is provided in the water intake plumbing so that water is directed to enter fluid channel  32 .  
         [0019]    Fluid channel  32  is formed from wall  31  of mount  30  and extends at least as far as lower cover member  28 . Wall  31  includes a plurality of fluid outlets  38  located along fluid inlet channel  32  and passing through wall  31  in a manner calculated to generate a fluid flow against inner surface  22 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, fluid outlets  38  generate a fluid flow against inner surface  22  with force sufficient to rotate filter element  20  about mount  30 . Such rotation is permitted by the engagements between annular ring projections  26   a  and  28   a  and annular grooves  35  and  37 . Alternatively, if upper cover member engagement  34  and lower cover member engagement  36  are separated from mount  30 , they can be affixed by a number of manners including, but not limited to, threaded engagements, frictional engagements, water-tight ball-bearing assembly  40 , and the like. The rotation of filter element  20  creates a centrifugal-like force sufficient to dislodge dirt, debris and detritus attached to portions of filter element  20  proximate to wall  31 . The dislodging of the undesirable materials prevents untimely clogging or reduced effectiveness of filter element  20 . Such a manner of internally cleaning inner surface  22  further functions to prevent backwash of fluid into fluid inlet channel  32 . Maintaining inner surface  22  and retarding the build-up of dirt, debris or detritus achieve a clearer, undisturbed fluid flow achieved from fluid inlet channel  32  through filer element  20 . Because the filter cleaning operation occurs inside the enclosed filter housing, a plumbing equipped with a valve is provided so that water containing debris that was dislodged from outer surface  24  is pumped out of the filter housing.  
         [0020]    Additionally, filter  10  can be attached to a fluid source, such as a hose (not shown), instead of utilizing the existing water pump as the power. This manual operation may be done inside the filter housing or, alternatively, the filter may be removed from the housing for cleaning. In such case, the fluid source could be secured to filter  10  at attachment region  33 . Attachment region  33  may be threaded to mate with a house attachment or may frictionally engage a fluid source. Moreover, an additional attachment region  39  may also be provided in order to secure filter  20  to a structure, such as a rotatable mount or table (not shown). As with attachment region  33 , attachment region  39  may be threaded to mate with the rotatable mount or table or may frictionally engage the same.  
         [0021]    Referring now to FIG. 2, filter element  20  is shown in a top view cross section. As illustrated in FIG. 2, wall  31  of mount  30  passes through region  25 , a space internal to inner surface  22  of filter element  20 . In the filter-cleaning operation, fluid, such as water from a swimming pool, enters fluid inlet channel  32  and is directed out through fluid outlets  38  as a result of fluid pressure within fluid inlet channel  32 . Since fluid outlets  38  have smaller diameters than that of fluid inlet channel  32 , fluid exits fluid outlets  38  under higher pressure and with greater speed. The fluid enters region  25  upon exiting fluid outlets  38  and, due to the constant fluid flow into fluid inlet channel  32 , is forced into fluid communication with inner surface  22  of filter element  20 . Moreover, the force generated by the offset fluid outlets  38  is sufficient to cause filter element  20  to rotate about a longitudinal axis that is identical or parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of fluid inlet channel  32 . As stated above, annular ring projections, such as annular ring projection  26   a  of upper cover member  26 , permit such rotation. It should be noted, however, that bearings, grooves, or other manners and devices can also permit such rotation and are contemplated by the present invention.  
         [0022]    As illustrated in FIG. 3, in operation filter  10  is positioned within a housing  50 . During the water-cleaning operation, valve  52  is placed in a first position that permits water from the pool containing debris to be forced through filter element  20 , exiting via fluid channel  32  and valve  54  to return to the pool. Valve  54  is also placed in a first position so as to permit this fluid flow and valve  56  is closed to prevent escape of the water.  
         [0023]    During the filter-cleaning operation, however, valve  52  is placed in a second position that shunts water to valve  54 , also placed in a second position, and valve  56  is placed in an open position. Valve  54  directs the water into fluid inlet channel  32 , the water then exiting fluid channel  32  through fluid outlets  38 . Water exiting fluid outlets  38  is forced through filter element  20  from inner surface  22  to outer surface  24 . This process dislodges debris that has become affixed to outer surface  24 . Water exiting outer surface  24  exits filter housing  50  via valve  56 .  
         [0024]    Although only a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that numerous modifications are to the exemplary embodiments are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.