Liquid recovery filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10751652-B2
Application number	US-201815864869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2018
Priority date	Apr 30, 2012
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A liquid recovery filter assembly for recovering filtered liquid trapped within a core or downstream side of a filter element. Multiple embodiments each include a recovery port and a recovery filter in fluid communication with the core or downstream side of the filter element. The recovery port is opened following filtration operations to permit and to facilitate filtered liquid to flow from a downstream or outlet port, thus allowing recovery of liquid remaining in the filter core or downstream side following filtering operations. The recovery filter permits the introduction of pressurized gas to force the filtered liquids from the filter assembly without compromising the sterility and/or non-contaminant condition of the liquid. Additional aspects include exchangeable filter cartridges or filter elements in single and multi-round configurations, embodiments with aspiration tubes and dip tubes and still others with hydrophilic/hydrophobic recovery filters that function as filters and as valves for the recovery port.

First claim

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

1. A liquid recovery filter assembly comprising:
a filter assembly housing having a shell wall with an upper end cap and a lower end cap, wherein the upper end cap and the lower end cap are secured to the shell wall, and wherein the combination of the shell wall and the end caps define an internal volume;
at least one processing filter defining a filter core secured in the housing and occupying a portion of the internal volume, wherein an upstream volume is defined by the filter assembly housing and an upstream designated surface of the at least one processing filter and wherein the filter core defines a downstream side of the at least one processing filter;
an aspiration tube secured to, or formed with, the filter housing, wherein the aspiration tube extends at least partially into the filter core at one end and extends out of the filter housing at a second end, wherein the aspiration tube has at least one opening positioned within the filter core to permit fluid communication between the aspiration tube and the filter core so as to permit the introduction of a sterile gas from the aspiration tube into the downstream side of the at least one processing filter to purge and recover filtered fluids retained in the downstream side of the at least one processing filter after a filtration procedure;
a recovery filter secured in-line with the aspiration tube, wherein the recovery filter is in fluid communication with the filter core;
an inlet port extending from the housing in fluid communication with the upstream volume; and,
an outlet port extending from the housing in fluid communication with the filter core.

2. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 1 further comprising an upstream vent port extending from the filter housing, wherein the vent port is in fluid communication with the upstream volume.

3. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 2 further comprising an upstream vent port valve secured in-line with the vent port.

4. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 3 further comprising an aspiration tube valve secured in-line with the aspiration tube on a side of the recovery filter distal from the filter assembly housing.

5. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 1 wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of processing filters secured in the housing, wherein each processing filter defines a filter core, and wherein the assembly further comprises a plurality of aspiration tubes, wherein each processing filter of the plurality of processing filters has a dedicated aspiration tube extending at least partially into the core of each processing filter at one end and extending outwardly from the filter housing at a second end.

6. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of recovery filters each secured in-line with one aspiration tube, whereby each aspiration tube has a single recovery filter attached thereto.

7. The liquid recovery filter of claim 6 wherein each aspiration tube has a dedicated aspiration tube valve secured thereto on a side of the attached recovery filter distal from the filter assembly housing.

8. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of aspiration tubes are joined at distal ends with an aspiration tube manifold, wherein the aspiration tubes are in fluid communication with the manifold.

9. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of recovery filters, wherein each recovery filter is secured in-line with one aspiration tube, wherein each aspiration tube has a single recovery filter secured thereto.

10. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 8 further comprising a manifold extension tube in fluid communication with the manifold and the plurality of aspiration tubes and further comprising at least one recovery filter secured to the manifold extension.

11. The liquid recovery filter assembly of claim 10 further comprising a manifold extension tube valve secured to the extension tube on a side of the recovery filter distal from the filter assembly housing.

12. The liquid recovery filter of claim 4 further comprising a recovery port secured in-line with the recovery filter and the aspiration tube, separate from the outlet port, wherein the recovery port is in fluid communication with the recovery filter, the aspiration tube and the filter core.

13. The liquid recovery filter of claim 1 further comprising a recovery port secured in-line with the recovery filter and the aspiration tube, separate from the outlet port, wherein the recovery port is in fluid communication with the recovery filter, the aspiration tube and the filter core.

Assignees

• Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp
• Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp

Inventors

• Lin Zhenwu
• Andrews Jacob
• Hertrick Hannah C

Classifications

• B01D35/30

  Filter housing constructions · CPC title

• B01D36/001

  Filters in combination with devices for the removal of gas, air purge systems · CPC title

• B01D29/58

  arranged concentrically or coaxially · CPC title

• B01D29/21

  with corrugated, folded or wound sheets · CPC title

• B01D29/52

  in parallel connection · CPC title