Filter systems, elements and methods with short-range wireless tracking features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427082-B2
Application number	US-201816102277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2018
Priority date	Aug 16, 2017
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

Aspects herein include filter systems including short-range wireless tracking features to detect insertion and/or removal of filter elements from filter systems. In an embodiment, a filtration system is included having a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The housing can define an internal volume. A first filter element can be removably disposed within the housing. A short-range wireless communication tag can be associated with the first filter element. A short-range wireless communication reader can be associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the tag when the reader and the tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance. Removal of the first filter element from the housing can cause the distance between the tag and the reader to exceed the maximum communication distance. Other embodiments are also included herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filtration system comprising:
a housing comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the housing defining an internal volume;
a first filter element configured to be removably disposed within the housing;
a short-range wireless communication tag associated with the first filter element;
a short-range wireless communication reader associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the short-range wireless communication tag when the short-range wireless communication reader and the short-range wireless communication tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance;
wherein removal of the first filter element from the housing causes movement of the short-range wireless communication tag away from the short-range wireless communication reader by an amount that causes the distance between the short-range wireless communication tag and the short-range wireless communication reader to exceed the maximum communication distance; and
a system controller, the system controller configured to receive electrical signals from the short-range wireless communication reader, the system controller configured to identify patterns in the electrical signals received from the short-range wireless communication reader;
the system controller configured to identify ON-OFF-ON patterns in the electrical signals received from the short-range wireless communication reader; wherein detection of an ON-OFF-ON pattern is counted as a filter element removal or a filter reinstallation event; wherein the OFF phase of the pattern corresponds to periods of no communication between the short-range wireless communication tag and the short-range wireless communication reader and the ON phase of the pattern corresponds to periods of communication between the short-range wireless communication tag and the short-range wireless communication reader.

2. The filtration system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second filter element configured to be removably disposed within the housing; and
a second short-range wireless communication tag associated with the second filter element.

3. The filtration system of claim 2 , wherein the first filter element comprises a cylindrical exterior shape and defines a central channel, wherein the second filter element is configured to be disposed within the central channel of first filter element.

4. The filtration system of claim 2 , wherein the first filter element comprises an oval exterior shape and does not define a central channel.

5. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are located adjacent a first end of the housing.

6. The filtration system of claim 5 , the housing defining a removable cover connected to a second end of the housing, the second end on the opposite side from the first end of the housing, wherein removal of the cover allows access to an aperture on the housing that is sufficiently large for the first element to pass through.

7. The filtration system of claim 5 , wherein the short-range wireless communication reader is disposed adjacent the first end of the housing.

8. The filtration system of claim 6 , further comprising a short-range wireless communication tag associated with the removable cover in order to detect cover removal events.

9. The filtration system of claim 8 , wherein the short-range wireless communication tag is disposed on or within the removable cover.

10. The filtration system of claim 8 , wherein the short-range wireless communication tag is a near-field communication (NFC) tag.

11. The filtration system of claim 8 , the system configured to increment and store a count of detected cover removal events or reinstallation events.

12. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet is located adjacent a first end of the housing, wherein the fluid outlet is located adjacent a second end of the housing, the first end being disposed on an opposite side of the housing as the second end.

13. The filtration system of claim 12 , the housing defining a removable cover connected to a first end of the housing, wherein removal of the cover allows access to an aperture on the housing that is sufficiently large for the first element to pass through.

14. The filtration system of claim 12 , wherein the reader is disposed adjacent the second end of the housing.

15. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the maximum communication distance is less than or equal to 8 inches.

16. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the OFF phase of the ON-OFF-ON pattern has a duration exceeding 0.5 seconds.

17. The filtration system of claim 1 , the system configured to increment and store a count of detected filter element removal or reinstallation events.

18. The filtration system of claim 17 , the count of detected filter element removal or reinstallation events configured to be stored in a memory circuit that is part of the short-range wireless communication tag disposed on the first filter element.

19. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein information is written to a memory circuit that is part of the short-range wireless communication tag disposed on the first filter element after the system controller identifies an OFF-ON pattern in the electrical signals received from the short-range wireless communication reader, wherein the OFF phase of the pattern corresponds to periods of no communication between the short-range wireless communication tag and the short-range wireless communication reader and the ON phase of the pattern corresponds to periods of communication between the short-range wireless communication tag and the short-range wireless communication reader.

20. The filtration system of claim 1 , the system further comprising a latch actuation sensor, the system configured to increment and store a count of latch actuation events.

21. The filtration system of claim 1 , the housing comprising a side wall and an end wall, wherein the reader is attached to the side wall.

22. The filtration system of claim 1 , the housing comprising a side wall and an end wall, wherein the reader is attached to the end wall.

23. The filtration system of claim 22 , wherein the length of the side wall exceeds the maximum communication distance.

24. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless communication tag is a near-field communication (NFC) tag.

25. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the short-range wireless communication reader is a near-field communication (NFC) reader.

26. A filtration system comprising:
a housing comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the housing defining an internal volume;
a first filter element configured to be removably disposed within the housing;
a short-range wireless communication tag associated with the first filter element;
a short-range wireless communication reader associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the short-range wireless communication tag when the short-range wireless communication reader and the short-range wireless communication tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance;
wherein removal of the first filter element from the housing causes movement of the short-range wireless communication tag away from the short-range wireless communication reader by

Assignees

• Donaldson Co Inc

Inventors

• Miller Danny William
• Adamek Daniel E

Classifications

• B01D2201/56

  Wireless systems for monitoring the filter · CPC title

• B01D46/429 Primary

  Means for wireless communication · CPC title

• H04W4/023

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title

• B01D35/143

  Filter condition indicators · CPC title

• B01D29/01

  with flat filtering elements (B01D29/39 takes precedence) · CPC title