Patent ID: 8557115

Claim:
A hand held dual-stage filtration cartridge comprising: a cartridge including a housing having a first sterilization stage including first semi-permeable filtering elements and a second sterilization stage including second semipermeable filtering elements, the housing having a first end and a second end with the first end including a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port and a member that divides the housing into the first sterilization stage and the second sterilization stage, the first semi-permeable filtering elements surrounding the second semi-permeable filtering elements and being formed adjacent a side wall of the housing, the fluid inlet port being in fluid communication only with the first sterilization stage, while the fluid outlet port is in fluid communication only with the second sterilization stage, wherein the first and second semi-permeable filtering elements are sealed at the second end of the housing so as to cause the fluid entering the fluid inlet port to flow within lumen sections of the first semi-permeable filtering elements and then be filtered by being conducted across the first semi-permeable filtering elements and then subsequently being filtered again by being conducted across the second semi-permeable filtering elements and into the lumen sections of the second semipermeable filtering elements prior to being discharged through the fluid outlet port; and an integral shower head disposed at the first end of the housing, the integral shower head being in fluid communication with both the fluid inlet port and the fluid outlet port for discharging twice filtered fluid, wherein the integral shower head includes an integral external inlet port that is external to the housing and disposed along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing and for connection to a conduit that delivers the fluid to the fluid inlet port of the housing, the integral shower head being defined by a header cap that is disposed adjacent the housing and divides the housing into the first and second sterilization stages, header cap having an inner wall structure that defines the fluid inlet port and fluid outlet port, wherein the integral shower head is defined by a plurality of openings formed through the header cap to permit external discharge of the filtered fluid, the plurality of openings being formed along axes that are parallel to longitudinal axes of the second semi-permeable filtering elements to permit the filtered fluid to flow axially through the second semi-permeable filtering elements, out of the fluid outlet port and through the integral shower head, wherein the external inlet port is integrally formed with the header cap and depends therefrom and extends along a side wall of the housing.