Water Filter Cartridge and Valve with Autobypass Feature

Abstract

A liquid filter cartridge system includes a housing, a valve body, a valve actuator, a filter, an inlet passage having a portion extending through each of the valve body and the valve actuator and into the filter, and an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, and extending through each of the valve actuator and the valve body. An interface is located between the inlet passage portions in the valve actuator and the filter and an interface is located between the outlet passage portions in the valve actuator and the filter. The inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface may lie in the same plane as each other. They may each comprise a face seal comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter. They may each comprise a seal between the valve actuator and the filter, wherein the two seals are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact.

1 . A liquid filter cartridge system comprising:
 a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage,   a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing,   a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing,   a filter,   an inlet passage having a portion extending through the valve body, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion leading into the filter,   an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion extending through the valve body,   an interface between the inlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the inlet passage portion in the filter lying in the same plane as an interface between the outlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the outlet passage portion in the filter.   
     
     
         2 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet passage interface and the outlet passage interface comprise seals which are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact. 
     
     
         3 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet portion interface comprises a first O-ring and the inlet portion interface comprises a second O-ring surrounding and radially spaced from the first O-ring. 
     
     
         4 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve actuator is rotatable relative to the valve body, to selectively align the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously align the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to permit communication between common passage portions, and to selectively displace the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously displace the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to prevent communication between common passage portions. 
     
     
         5 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 4 , wherein the valve actuator includes a bypass conduit to selectively provide communication between the inlet passage portion of the valve body with the outlet passage portion of the valve body. 
     
     
         6 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter is removably attached to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the filter relative to the housing. 
     
     
         7 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 6 , wherein the filter engages and co-rotates with the valve actuator. 
     
     
         8 . A liquid filter cartridge system comprising:
 a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage,   a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing,   a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing,   a filter,   an inlet passage having a portion extending through the valve body, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion leading into the filter,   an outlet passage having a portion leading out of the filter, a portion extending through the valve actuator and a portion extending through the valve body,   an interface between the inlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the inlet passage portion in the filter comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter, and   an interface between the outlet passage portion in the valve actuator and the outlet passage portion in the filter comprising an axial seal between the valve actuator and the filter, wherein the inlet passage axial seal and the outlet passage axial seal are sealed via compression and not via sliding contact.   
     
     
         9 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 8 , wherein the inlet passage axial seal and the outlet passage axial seal lie in the same plane. 
     
     
         10 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 9 , wherein the filter has a cylindrical porous filter body, an impermeable end cap at each end of the filter body, a surrounding impermeable cartridge and an end cover, the cartridge having a diameter sized to fit within the housing. 
     
     
         11 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 10 , wherein the cartridge has an end face with a central outlet passage and a plurality of inlet passages therethrough spaced radially outwardly from the outlet passage leading to an internal chamber in which the filter body is positioned. 
     
     
         12 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 8 , wherein the valve body attaches to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the valve body relative to the housing. 
     
     
         13 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 8 , wherein the outlet passage axial seal comprises a first O-ring and the inlet passage axial seal comprises a second O-ring surrounding and spaced from the first O-ring. 
     
     
         14 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 8 , wherein the valve actuator is rotatable relative to the valve body, to selectively align the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously align the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to permit communication between common passage portions, and to selectively displace the inlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator and simultaneously displace the outlet passage portions of the valve body and valve actuator to prevent communication between common passage portions. 
     
     
         15 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 14 , wherein the valve actuator includes a bypass conduit to selectively provide communication between the inlet passage portion of the valve body with the outlet passage portion of the valve body. 
     
     
         16 . A liquid filter cartridge system according to  claim 15 , wherein the filter is removably attached to the housing via overlying tabs and flanges engaged via rotation of the filter relative to the housing. 
     
     
         17 . A fluid valve comprising:
 a valve body having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage,   a housing having a portion for receiving the valve body and retaining the valve body relative to the housing,   a valve actuator rotatably captured between the valve body and the housing, the valve actuator having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage arranged such that in one rotational orientation between the valve actuator and the valve body, the inlet passages are aligned with each other and the outlet passages are aligned with each other and in another rotational orientation between the valve actuator and the valve body, the inlet passages are misaligned with each other and the outlet passages are misaligned with each other such that fluids are not permitted to flow between the valve body and the valve actuator,   the valve actuator inlet passage having an interface surface for engaging a fluid filter and the valve actuator outlet passage having an interface surface for engaging the fluid filter, wherein the interface surfaces are coplanar.   
     
     
         18 . A fluid filter comprising:
 a porous filter body,   an impermeable cartridge surrounding the filter body,   an end cover secured to the cartridge with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet extending therethrough, the inlet and outlet being defined at an outer face of the end cover in a co-planar manner.   
     
     
         19 . The fluid filter according to  claim 18 , wherein the filter body has a first end and a second end, with a first and second impermeable end cap at each respective end of the filter body. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid filter according to  claim 18 , wherein the outer face of the end cover includes a first seal gland for a first seal surrounding the outlet and a second seal gland for a second seal surrounding the inlet. 
     
     
         21 . The fluid filter according to  claim 20 , wherein the outlet is positioned near a center of the outer face of the end cover and the inlet is positioned laterally outwardly of the outlet and the second seal is concentric with the first seal.