Water filter system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247156-B2
Application number	US-202016843936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2020
Priority date	Sep 15, 2011
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A water filter system includes a removable filter unit having a body portion including a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is adapted to be inserted into a filter head assembly. A laterally extending key member is disposed on the body portion and adapted to engage a key slot in the filter head assembly. An engagement protrusion extends from the proximal end. The engagement protrusion includes a first portion that has a first radius of curvature and a second portion opposing the first portion that includes a second radius of curvature that is larger than the first radius of curvature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filter unit comprising:
a filter member;
a body portion;
an engagement protrusion extending from the body portion and comprising a containment seal, wherein at least one cross section of the engagement protrusion at a location of the containment seal, taken perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the body portion, includes an outer perimeter having a single axis of symmetry, and wherein the containment seal acts as a barrier that prevents filtered water from leaking around the body portion during use, the engagement protrusion being in an offset position on the body portion with respect to the central longitudinal axis;
at least one engagement surface traversing around at least part of the body portion, the at least one engagement surface having a linear movement section for linear movement of the body portion, wherein the linear movement section transitions to a rotational movement section for rotational movement of the body portion, wherein the rotational movement section is angled from the linear movement section; and
a water inlet path and a water outlet path extending through a portion of the engagement protrusion defined by the at least one cross section.

2. The filter unit of claim 1 , wherein the engagement protrusion is configured to engage a filter head sleeve of a filter head assembly, wherein at least one cross section of the filter head sleeve taken perpendicular to a rotational axis of the filter head sleeve, includes an egg-shaped inner perimeter having only one axis of symmetry.

3. The filter unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cross-contamination seal configured to keep incoming unfiltered water entering the water inlet path from cross-contaminating with filtered water leaving the water outlet path.

4. The filter unit of claim 3 , wherein the containment seal and the cross-contamination seal are spaced apart.

5. The filter unit of claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement section of the at least one engagement surface extends along a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the linear movement section of the at least one engagement surface.

6. The filter unit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one engagement surface further comprises a transition section between the linear movement section and the rotational movement section.

7. The filter unit of claim 6 , wherein the transition section is positioned at an angle with respect to the linear movement section and the rotational movement section.

8. The filter unit of claim 1 , wherein the water outlet path at the at least one cross section is positioned in alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the body portion.

9. The filter unit of claim 1 , wherein the water inlet path and the water outlet path at the at least one cross section are in alignment with the single axis of symmetry of the outer perimeter.

10. The filter unit of claim 1 , wherein the filter member is a filter media.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Kruckenberg Christopher A
• Morrison John W
• Spindler Jeffrey A

Classifications

• B01D35/30 Primary

  Filter housing constructions · CPC title

• B01D2201/302

  having inlet or outlet ports · CPC title

• B01D2201/4015

  Bayonet connecting means · CPC title

• B01D2201/296

  Other than having a circular shape · CPC title

• C02F1/003

  using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence) · CPC title