GB2107600A

GB2107600A - Filter assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2107600A
Application number: GB08222340A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard William Morgan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-10-16
Filing date: 1982-08-03
Publication date: 1983-05-05
Also published as: GB2107600B; NL8203598A; DE3225442A1; NL189337B; DE3225442C2; CA1186634A; JPH0148044B2; NL189337C; JPS5867310A; FR2514658A1; FR2514658B1

Abstract

A filter assembly 10 comprises a housing having a lid and enclosing a plurality of filter bags 30. Each of the filter bags 30 is suspended in a respective opening 22 formed in a tube plate 14 bridging the top of the housing 11. Each filter bag 30 is formed with a retaining ring 36 which has a flexible down-turned lip 38. The down- turned lips 38 are snap-fitted into V-shaped grooves 27 which surround the respective openings 22. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Filter assembly This invention relates to a filter assembly having one or more replaceable self-retaining filter elements.

Known filter assemblies incorporate filter elements, such as bags, which are seated in openings into the interior of the filter housing, and located within the liquid flow path through the filter. Such bags can be held in place by an overlying plate or cover, or by engagement with the housing.

The present invention provides a filter assembly comprising a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, and at least one filter bag mounted in the housing in the fluid flow path from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein the or each filter bag is snap-fitted in to a respective grooove formed within the upper portion of the housing.

Advantageously, the or each groove surrounds a respective opening in the upper portion of the housing, the or each opening constituting an inlet aperture for the associated filter bag. The or each filter bag may include a retaining ring which defines the mouth of the bag and snap-fits into the associated groove. Preferably, the retaining ring of the or each bag has a flexible down-turned lip which snap-fits into the associated groove.

Conveniently, the flexible down-turned lip of the or each retaining ring has an angled side wall and terminates in an end edge, and wherein the or each groove is V-shaped. Advantageously, the end edge of the or each groove lies in a plane parallel to that of the associated opening, and the side wall of the groove tapers upwardly and inwardly from its end edge relative to the associated opening.

Thus, with this filter assembly, no extra cover, plate (or other filter component) is necessary to secure the filter bag(s) in place.

This means of securing the filter bag(s) in place within the housing is expedient and efficient. It, also, allows the filter assembly to be more economically constructed than those assemblies which use the cover to retain the bags.

In a preferred embodiment, the or each bag is supported by a respective rigid reticulated basket, the or each basket surrounding the associate bag and being fitted into the associated opening. The seal formed between each bag lip and the associated groove is secure, thereby making it unnecessary to provide a separate seal between the housing and any such supporting basket.

Advantageously, the assembly further comprises a removable cover which is detachably fixed to the upper portion of the housing and spans the opening(s).

Two forms of filter assembly constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first form of filter assembly; Figure 2 is a plan view of the housing of the filter assembly of Fig. 1 with the cover removed for purposes of illustration; Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of that portion of Fig. 3 withing the broken line 4; and Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section of the second form of filter assembly.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 4 show a multiple-element filter assembly 10.

The assembly 10 includes a housing 11 and a cover 16. The housing 11 has a side wall 12, a base wall 13, an upper wall 14, an inlet port 18, and an outlet port 20. The upper wall 14 is provided with a plurality of openings 22. Each opening 22 is defined by a marginal section having an upper groove 24 and a lower shoulder 26 (see Fig. 4). The upper wall 14 also includes a central, liquidinlet opening 28 to provide for fluid communication between the inlet port 18 and the openings 22. Each groove 24 is of an irregular V-shape having a horizontal base 25 and an upwardly and inwardly tapered side wall 27 (see Fig. 4).

A respective filter bag 30 is inserted into each opening 22, and is supported therein by a rigid basket 32. Each bag 30 includes a flexible, normally cloth-like, liquid-pervious sack 31, and a shape-retaining liquid-impervious ring 36. Each ring 36 terminates in an annular, flexible, shape-retaining lip 38. Each basket 32, is attached to an upper flange 33, and is constructed of a pervious material such as mesh, and serves to support its bag 30.

Each basket 32 is fitted into its housing opening 22 by means of its flange 33 which rests upon the shoulder 26 of that opening. A bag 30 is then inserted into each basket 32 with the lip 38 of its ring 36 being fixed, or snap-fitted, into the associated groove 24 (see Fig. 4). Each lip 38 is arranged to be a complementary fit within its corresponding groove 24, with the end edge 39 of the lip resting upon the base 25, and with the outer side wall of the lip being biased by the lip flexure against the side wall 27 of that groove. This ensures a sure liquid seal between the lips 38 and the grooves 24 independently of the cover 16. In some forms of filter assembly, the baskets 32 may not be needed, in which case the filter bags 30 are used on their own.

Fig. 5 shows a second form of filter assembly 50 which incorporates a single element filter. The filter assembly 50 includes a housing 52 and a cover 59, and has an inlet 56 and an outlet 58. A rigid basket 32' is supported by the housing 52, and a filter bag 30' fits within the basket. The bag 30' has a flexible, shape-retaining lip 38' which is snapfitted into a housing groove 24' (in a manner similar to that described in the filter assembly 10 of Figs. 1-4) independently of the cover 59.

Claims

1. A filter assembly comprising a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, and at least one filter bag mounted in the housing in the fluid flow path from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein the or each filter bag is snap-fitted in to a respective groove formed within the upper portion of the housing.

2. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the or each groove surrounds a respective opening in the upper portion of the housing, the or each opening constituting an inlet aperture for the associated filter bag.

3. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each filter bag includes a retaining ring which defines the mouth of the bag and snap-fits into the associated groove.

4. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retaining ring of the or each bag has a flexible down-turned lip which snap-fits into the associated groove.

5. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flexible down-turned lip of the or each retaining ring has an angled side wall and terminates in an end edge, and wherein the or each groove is V-shaped.

6. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the end edge of the or each groove lies in a plane parallel to that of the associated opening, and the side wall of that groove tapers upwardly and inwardly from its end edge relative to the associated opening.

7. A filter assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a removable cover which is detachably fixed to the upper portion of the housing and spans the opening(s).

8. A filter assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the or each bag is supported by a respective rigid reticulated basket, the or each basket surrounding the associcated bag and being fitted into the associated opening.

9. A filter assembly substantially as herein before described with reference to, and as illustrated by, Figs. 1 to 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A liquid filter assembly including a housing having an upper part defining an opening into the interior of said housing, a removable cover spanning said housing opening, inlet and outlet ports providing fluid communication with said housing interior through said housing opening, a filter bag having a reticulated sack part supported by a ring part, said ring part including a flexible down-turned lip having an angled side wall and terminating in an end edge, said housing upper part including a channel circumscribing said housing opening, wherein said channel includes a base parallel to the plane of said housing opening and a side tapering upwardly and inwardly relative to the opening, said bag sack part extending through said housing opening and said bag ring part lip being seated in said channel with the side wall of said lip being urged against the side of said channel and the end edge of said lip contacting the base of said channel to secure and seal said bag to said housing at said housing upper part.

11. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said housing upper part is a top wall having a plurality of openings therein, a respective channel being formed in said top wall circumscribing each said opening, a respective filter bag being fitted into each opening with said lip thereof seated in said circumscribing channel.

12. A filter assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein a rigid reticulated basket is fitted into each said opening, each basket being supported by said top wall at the upper margin of the basket, each bag sack part fitting into a respective basket with said attached lip overlying the upper margin of that basket.