Patent ID: 7306768

Claim:
A filter assembly for medical and laboratory use comprising a housing, the housing comprising: a plastic cover having a perimeter and comprising an inlet; a bottom part having an underside and comprising an outlet; and a plurality of plastic spring levers distributed around the perimeter of the cover and unitarily formed with the plastic cover, the spring levers rotatable at pivot points and including hook-shaped projections projecting inwardly relative to the cover perimeter on one side of the pivot points and actuation flaps on the other side of the pivot points, wherein the spring levers are resiliently pre-tensioned to direct the hook-shaped projections inwardly relative to the cover perimeter and the hook-shaped projections releasably overlapping and attaching to the bottom part underside upon actuation of the actuation flaps, wherein the filter assembly is adapted to clamp a filter membrane between the cover and the bottom part in a fluid-tight manner when the hook-shaped projections overlap and attach to the bottom part underside.