Connection-free filter capsule apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10653980-B2
Application number	US-201815944742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2018
Priority date	Mar 21, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed are capsule/tube connector/tube assemblies that eliminate a connection point in a filter capsule apparatus. A relatively soft tube is thermally or sonically bonded to a relatively hard tube connector that may have a tube receiving bore, a frustoconical tube receiving channel or a straight tube receiving channel. The tube connector is bonded to a filter capsule port. The manufacturing process can be either a one-step process bonding the tube and capsule during formation of the tube connector in one step, or a two-step process that binds the tube to the tube connector in one step and binds the tube connector to a filter capsule port in a second step. Single and dual-walled tubes may be used as well as single and dual-walled tubes having reinforcing material superposed about or embedded in the tube wall(s). A tube support collar is also disclosed. Also disclosed are capsule port/tube connector/tube combinations in which capsule port tips and tube connectors are combined to create tube-receiving gaps or channels to secure a tube to a capsule assembly. Multiple capsule/tube connector/tube assemblies may be connected to form a filter train.

First claim

What we claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A filter capsule-tube assembly comprising:
a capsule shell having a housing wall defining a filter chamber with a port extending from the shell that defines a port channel in fluid communication with the filter chamber, wherein the port has a distal end segment with a smooth, continuous conical, tube-receiving outer wall that ends in a port tip, wherein the port tip has a smaller cross-sectional diameter than an end of the distal end segment proximal to the capsule shell;
a tube connector having a connector inner wall defining a connector through-bore, wherein the tube connector is superposed about the port, wherein a tube-receiving channel is formed between the connector inner wall and the port outer wall; and,
a flexible tube having a tube wall with a defined thickness and defining a tube lumen, wherein the tube is secured over the port distal end segment and within the tube-receiving channel in a friction fit, wherein the tube lumen, port channel and filter chamber are in fluid communication.

2. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the port channel has a cross-sectional diameter substantially the same as the cross-sectional diameter of the tube lumen at a relaxed, or unstressed portion of the tube.

3. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector inner wall is cylindrical in cross-section and dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

4. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the port has a first annual flange extending radially outwardly from the port proximal to the capsule shell and a second annular flange extending radially outwardly from the port distal from the first annular flange, wherein the first and second annular flanges are spaced to form an annular port channel, and wherein a bottom end of the tube connector is formed with an annular tube connector wall extending radially inwardly from the connector inner wall and dimensioned to fit within, and register against, the annular port channel.

5. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 4 wherein an annular tube connector channel is formed on the connector inner wall adjacent the tube connector wall and dimensioned to envelope the second annular flange of the port.

6. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector inner wall is conical, tapered in cross-section, with the cross-sectional diameter of a top end of the connector inner wall larger than the cross-sectional diameter of a bottom end of the connector inner wall, and wherein the connector inner wall is dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

7. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector inner wall is conical, tapered in cross-section, with the cross-sectional diameter of a top end of the connector inner wall smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of a bottom end of the connector inner wall, and wherein the connector inner wall is dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

8. A filter capsule-tube assembly comprising:
a capsule shell having a housing wall defining a filter chamber with a port extending from the shell that defines a port channel in fluid communication with the filter chamber, wherein the port has a conical outer wall that ends in a port tip with a distal end of the port having a larger cross-sectional diameter than an end proximal to the capsule shell;
a tube connector having a connector inner wall defining a connector through-bore, wherein the tube connector is superposed about the port, wherein a tube receiving channel is formed between the connector inner wall and the port outer wall; and,
a flexible tube having a tube wall with a defined thickness and defining a tube lumen, wherein the tube is secured over the port and within the tube-receiving channel, wherein the tube lumen, port channel and filter chamber are in fluid communication.

9. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 8 , wherein the port channel has a cross-sectional diameter substantially the same as the cross-sectional diameter of the tube lumen at a relaxed, or unstressed portion of the tube.

10. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 8 , wherein the connector inner wall is cylindrical in cross-section and dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

11. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 8 , wherein the port has a first annual flange extending radially outwardly from the port proximal to the capsule shell and a second annular flange extending radially outwardly from the port distal from the first annular flange, wherein the first and second annular flanges are spaced to form an annular port channel, and wherein a bottom end of the tube connector is formed with an annular tube connector wall extending radially inwardly from the connector inner wall and dimensioned to fit within, and register against, the annular port channel.

12. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 11 wherein an annular tube connector channel is formed on the connector inner wall adjacent the tube connector wall and dimensioned to envelope the second annular flange of the first port.

13. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 8 , wherein the connector inner wall is conical, tapered in cross-section, with the cross-sectional diameter of a top end of the connector inner wall larger than the cross-sectional diameter of a bottom end of the connector inner wall, and wherein the connector inner wall is dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

14. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 8 , wherein the connector inner wall is conical, tapered in cross-section, with the cross-sectional diameter of a top end of the connector inner wall smaller than the cross-sectional diameter of a bottom end of the connector inner wall, and wherein the connector inner wall is dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

15. A filter capsule-tube assembly comprising:
a capsule shell having a housing wall defining a filter chamber with a port extending from the shell that defines a channel in fluid communication with the filter chamber, wherein the port has a distal end segment with a smooth, continuous, tube-receiving cylindrical outer wall that ends in a port tip;
a tube connector having a connector inner wall defining a connector through-bore, wherein the tube connector is superposed about the port, wherein a tube-receiving channel is formed between the connector inner wall and the port outer wall; and,
a flexible tube having a tube wall with a defined thickness and defining a tube lumen, wherein the tube is secured over the port distal end segment and within the tube-receiving channel in a friction fit, wherein the tube lumen, port channel and filter chamber are in fluid communication.

16. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 15 , wherein the connector inner wall is cylindrical in cross-section and dimensioned to be superposed about, and to secure the flexible tube to, the port outer wall.

17. The filter capsule-tube assembly of claim 15 , wherein the port has a first annual flange extending radially outwardly from the port proximal to the capsule shell and a second annular flange extending radially outwardly from the port distal from the first annular flange, wherein the first and second annular flanges are spaced to form an annular por

Assignees

• Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp

Inventors

• Lin Zhenwu
• Shen Hong

Classifications

• B01D35/153

  Anti-leakage or anti-return valves · CPC title

• B01D46/0005

  Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames (B01D46/2422 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D35/30

  Filter housing constructions · CPC title

• B01D46/0012

  In-line filters · CPC title

• B01D46/0006

  Filter elements or cartridges installed in a drawer-like manner · CPC title