Abstract:
A fluid filter system including a filter housing having an inlet chamber that surrounds the inner chamber that houses the filter cartridges. The filter cartridges are positioned in an involute configuration to channel rotationally inward flow of the fluid as it loses kinetic energy and velocity. The configuration provides superior filtering of fluids flowing therethrough and provides superior filter life.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/347,684, filed May 24, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed generally to fluid filters, and more particularly to fluid filters, having replaceable filter cartridges. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There exists numerous conventional fluid filters for removing contaminants from liquids, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,720,322 and 4,187,179. One particular style of fluid filter, such as those used in drinking water and swimming pool filtration systems, includes a generally cylindrical tank housing with removable cartridge filters, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,561,979 and 5,316,677. The cartridge filters are formed from a filter media positioned between bottom and top plates. Fluids are filtered by directing the fluids into the tank, passing the fluids through the filter media, and expelling the filtered fluids through an outlet tube in the cartridge filter. 
         [0004]    Tanks typically have one or more filter cartridges positioned therein. Often times, filter cartridges receive unequal usage and unequal amounts of kinetic energy and dirt loading. Typically, cartridges within a filter system are replaced at the same time. Replacing cartridges having unequal usage inevitably means that cartridges are replaced with unused cleaning capacity. Typically, the kinetic energy of the water flow is not equally distributed throughout the filter cartridge, and thus the filter cartridge receives unequal amounts of wear and tear. Thus, a more efficient filter system is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This invention relates to a fluid filter system that is configured to filter materials from a fluid passing through a filter cartridge. The fluid filter system may be formed to filter materials from a fluid, such as, but not limited to, water. The fluid filter system may be formed from an enclosed housing having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the enclosed housing may be formed from a generally cylindrical tube with a base at one end and a lid at the opposite end. The fluid flow enters one or more filter cartridges positioned in the fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid flow enters the housing tangentially, and the kinetic energy is disbursed into rotational flow. This flow rotates around the outer chamber of the housing and then cascades into the inner chamber. The configuration of the system equalizes the fluid flow path of resistance. The filter cartridges are arranged in an involute design where a smooth ever changing curve transfers the kinetic energy of the rotational flow of water at a continuously changing angle, at a continuously changing velocity, and continuously at an ever decreasing amount of kinetic energy. The fluids can flow through the central cartridge elements as easily as the perimeter cartridge elements. 
         [0006]    The fluid filter system may include the enclosed housing formed from a cylindrical tube with a base at one end and a lid at the other opposite end, at least one inlet and at least one outlet and is defined by a longitudinal axis extending from the base to the lid. The inlet may be positioned nonorthogonally in the housing so that fluid entering the housing through the inlet flows in a rotational direction in the housing. A plurality of filter cartridges may be positioned in the enclosed housing such that the cartridges separate the inlet and the outlet such that fluids must flow through at least one filter cartridge when passing from the inlet to the outlet. The plurality of filter cartridges may form at least one involute curved line of filter cartridges extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis toward an inner surface of a side wall forming the enclosed housing such that at least one channel exists between adjacent portions of the at least one involute curved line of filter cartridges. The enclosed housing may include an inner wall offset from the side wall forming the enclosed housing. The inner wall may define an inner chamber and may form an inlet chamber between the enclosed housing side wall and the inner wall for receiving fluids. The inlet chamber may be concentric with the inner chamber housing the plurality of filter cartridges. 
         [0007]    The fluid filter system may include a plurality of filter cartridges positioned to form one or more involute curved lines extending radially outward from a longitudinal axis in a spiral configuration. In one embodiment, the plurality of filter cartridges may form a single involute curved line extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis in a spiral configuration. In another embodiment, the plurality of filter cartridges may form two involute curved lines extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis in a spiral configuration such that the two involute curved lines are meshed together with at least one channel positioned between adjacent portions of the two involute curved lines. In yet another embodiment, the plurality of filter cartridges may form three involute curved lines extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis in a spiral configuration such that the three involute curved lines are meshed together with at least one channel positioned between adjacent portions of two involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the plurality of filter cartridges may form four involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis in a spiral configuration such that the four involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges are meshed together with at least one channel positioned between adjacent portions of two involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges. The fluid filter system may include at least one cartridge positioned at and aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the four involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges may terminate near the longitudinal axis such that a portion of each of the four involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges is generally tangential to the at least one cartridge positioned at and aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, the fluid filter system may also include one or more involute curved lines of secondary filter cartridges extending radially outward and positioned in a channel between two of the four involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges. One or more secondary filter cartridges may be positioned in each channel between adjacent involute curved lines of primary filter cartridges. Each of the at least one involute curved line of filter cartridges may extend radially outward from a filter cartridge positioned along the longitudinal axis of the fluid filter system. At least two adjacent filter cartridges of the plurality of filter cartridges forming an involute curved line of filter cartridges may be in contact with each other in the at least one involute curved line of filter cartridges. In another embodiment, each filter cartridge of the plurality of filter cartridges may be in contact with adjacent filter cartridges in the at least one involute curved line of filter cartridges. Each of the involute curved line of filter cartridges may comprise a curved filter cartridge axis that is curved along its entire length. 
         [0010]    The enclosed housing may include an inner wall offset from the housing that defines an inner chamber and forms ah inlet chamber between the enclosed housing and the inner wall for receiving fluids. The inlet chamber may be concentric with an inner chamber housing the plurality of filter cartridges. The fluid filter system may include an inlet into the inner chamber near an upper lid of the enclosed housing. In another embodiment, the fluid filter system may include an inlet into the inner chamber between an upper lid of the enclosed housing and the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the presently disclosed invention and, together with the description, disclose the principles of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a filter system having aspects of this invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the filter system shown in  FIG. 1  with the lid removed and displaying a singular involute of the filter cartridges. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the filter system shown in  FIG. 1  with the lid removed and displaying dual involutes of the filter cartridges. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the filter system shown in  FIG. 1  with the lid removed and displaying an octagonal involute configuration of the filter cartridges. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the filter system shown in  FIG. 1  with the lid removed and displaying a staggered involute configuration of the filter cartridges. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the filter system shown in  FIG. 1  with the lid removed and displaying a quad involute configuration of the filter cartridges. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , this invention encompasses improvements of kinetic energy distribution of the liquids being filtered. The invention is directed to a fluid filter system  10  that is configured to filter materials from a fluid passing through a filter  12 . The fluid filter system  10  may be formed to filter materials from a fluid, such as, but not limited to, water. The fluid filter system  10  may be formed from an enclosed housing  14  having an inlet  16  and an outlet  18  and a plurality of filter cartridges  20  positioned in the fluid flow between the inlet  16  and the outlet  18 . The filter cartridges  20  may have an involute configuration and may be a removable. The filter cartridges  20  may be generally elongated, cylindrical, pleated cartridges, extruded cartridges, melt blown cartridges, molded cartridges or other appropriate cartridges, and any combination thereof. The filter cartridges  20  may have any appropriate height. In at least one embodiment, the filter cartridges  20  may be, but are not limited to being, about one foot and about six feet in length. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing  14  may be formed from an outer wall  22 , a base  30  and a removable lid  32 . The housing  14  may also include an inner wall  24  offset from the outer wall  22  forming the housing  14  such that the inner wall  24  forms an inlet chamber  26  for receiving fluids. The inlet chamber  26  may be concentric with an inner chamber  28  housing the involute configuration of a plurality of filler cartridges  20 . In other embodiments, the inner chamber  28  may be offset from the inlet chamber  26 . In one embodiment, both the inlet and inner chambers  26 ,  28  may be generally cylindrical and, in at least one embodiment, may be formed from cylindrical tubes. In other embodiments, the inlet and inner chambers  26 ,  28  may have other appropriate configurations. 
         [0020]    The housing  14  may include an inlet  34  near the lid  32  of the enclosed housing  14  to allow fluids into the inner chamber  28 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the inlet  16  in the housing  14  may be positioned so that fluid entering the housing  14  through the inlet  16  flows in a rotational direction in the housing  14 . In particular, the inlet  16  may be positioned nonorthogonally relative to the housing  14 . In at least one embodiment, the inlet  16  may be positioned tangentially relative to the housing  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, the fluid flowing in the inlet chamber  26  may flow generally rotationally about a longitudinal axis  36  extending from the base  30  of the housing  14 . The inlet  34  into the inner chamber  28  from the inlet chamber  26  may be a gap between an upper edge  40  of the inner wall  24  and the removable lid  32 . The fluids flowing from the inlet chamber  26  into the inner chamber  28  keep the rotational motion as the fluids flow into the inner chamber  28 . In another embodiment, the inlet  34  into the inner chamber  28  may be one or more holes in the inner wall  24 . The holes in the inner wall  24  may be positioned in any location between the base and the upper edge  40 . 
         [0021]    The inner chamber  28  houses a plurality of filter cartridges  20  that are configured to enable fluids to flow radially inward to the center of the housing  14  at the longitudinal axis  36 . The plurality of filter cartridges  20  may be positioned in the enclosed housing  14  such that the cartridges fluidly separate the inlet  16  and the outlet  18 . The plurality of filter cartridges  20  may form one or more involute curved lines  42  of filters cartridges  20  extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis  36  such that one or more channels  44  exists between adjacent portions of the one or more curved lines  42  of filters cartridges  20 . The filter cartridges  20  may form a single curved line  42  extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis  36  in a spiral configuration, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The plurality of filter cartridges  20 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , may form two curved lines  46 ,  48  extending radially outward from the longitudinal axis  36  in a spiral configuration such that the two curved lines  46 ,  48  are meshed together with one or more channels  44  positioned between adjacent portions of the two curved lines  46 ,  48 . The two curved lines  46 ,  48  shown in  FIG. 3  may start at the center of the inner chamber  28  and may terminate at opposite sides from each other. The fluid filter system  10  may include other numbers of curved lines  42 , such as, but not limited to, three, four and eight curved lines of cartridge filters  20 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , each of the curved lines of cartridge filters  42  extends radially outward from a cartridge filter  50  positioned along the longitudinal axis  36  of the fluid filter system  10 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the plurality of filter cartridges  20  that form four curved lines of primary filter cartridges  52  may extend radially outward from the longitudinal axis  36  in a spiral configuration such that the four curved lines of primary filter cartridges  52  are meshed together with channels  44  positioned between adjacent portions of two curved lines of primary filter cartridges  52 . One or more filter cartridges  50  may be positioned at and aligned with the longitudinal axis  36 . Each of the four curved lines of primary filter cartridges  52  may terminate near the longitudinal axis  36  such that a portion of each of the four curved lines of primary filler cartridges  52  is generally tangential to the one or more cartridges  50  positioned at and aligned with the longitudinal axis  36 . One or more curved line of secondary filter cartridges  54  may extend radially outward and be positioned in a channel  44  between two of the four curved lines of primary filter cartridges  52 . A secondary filter cartridge  54  may be positioned in each channel  44  between adjacent curved lines  52  of primary filter cartridges  52 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , at least two adjacent filter cartridges  20  of the plurality of filter cartridges may be in contact with each other in the curved line of filter cartridges  42 . In another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  6 , each filter cartridge  20  of the plurality of filter cartridges  20  may be in contact with adjacent filter cartridges  20  in the curved line of filter cartridges  42 . Each of the curved line of filter cartridges  42  may have a curved filter cartridge axis that is curved along its entire length. 
         [0024]    During use, fluid enters the housing  14  through the inlet  16  and flows in a rotational direction in the housing  14 . The fluid flowing in the inlet chamber  26  may flow generally rotationally about the longitudinal axis  36  extending from the base  30  of the housing  14 . After the inlet chamber  26  is filled, fluid may flow through the inlet  34  into the inner chamber  28  from the inlet chamber  26 . The fluids flowing from the inlet chamber  26  into the inner chamber  28  keep the rotational motion as the fluids flow into the inner chamber  28 . The fluids flow into the channels  44  between the adjacent curved lines  42 ,  46 ,  48 ,  52  and  54  of filter cartridges  20 . As a result, the usage load on the filter cartridges  20  is evenly balanced between the outermost filter cartridges  20  and the innermost filter cartridges  20 . Thus, the filter cartridges  20  may be replaced at the same time without sacrificing unused portions of the filter cartridges  20 . 
         [0025]    The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of this invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.