Patent ID: 7955502

Claim:
A liquid filter assembly including: (a) an arrangement comprising: (i) a plate arrangement defining a central filtered liquid flow channel; (A) the central filtered liquid flow channel including a flow exit aperture; (ii) a lock arrangement comprising a moveable lock member arrangement, (b) a releasably mounted filter bowl; and, (c) a filter cartridge removably positioned within a filter bowl; the filter cartridge comprising: (i) a region of filter media defining a central, open, volume, (A) the region of filter media having first and second ends; (ii) a first end cap secured to the first end of the region of filter media; (iii) the first end cap including an axial stem thereon defining a central liquid flow conduit therethrough, in liquid flow communication with the central, open, volume defined by the filter media; (A) the axial stem including a portion projecting away from the filter media; (B) the axial stem including an outer, annular, seal arrangement thereon; and (C) an end of the axial stem remote from the filter media comprising a tip oriented to bias the moveable lock member arrangement to an unlocked orientation; and, (iv) a second, closed, end cap secured to the second end of the region of filter media; (d) a biasing arrangement configured to bias the moveable lock member arrangement to a first locked orientation, when the filter cartridge is separated from the plate arrangement; (e) the lock arrangement comprising a portion of an anti-drain back valve arrangement including a valve assembly having: a valve member; a biasing member; and, having a first, closed, orientation and a second, open, orientation; (i) the first closed orientation being an orientation in which the valve member is biased, to close the flow exit aperture of the filtered liquid flow channel, by the biasing member; and, (ii) the second, open, orientation being an orientation which results from filtered liquid flow passage, in use, biasing the valve member away from the flow exit aperture of the filtered liquid flow channel; (f) the lock member arrangement, when in the first locked orientation, securing the valve member against movement from the closed orientation; and (g) the lock member arrangement, when in a second, unlocked, orientation releasing the valve member to allow movement from the closed orientation; (h) the lock arrangement having a actuator arrangement configured for moving the lock arrangement into the unlocked orientation when the filter cartridge is properly and operably positioned in the filter assembly; and, (i) the actuator arrangement being configured to move the lock member arrangement into the locked orientation when the filter cartridge axial stem is separated from the anti-drain back valve arrangement.