Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
A recirculating wash flow filter device comprising: a housing having a chamber therein, a fluid inlet for receiving unfiltered fluid, a first outlet conduit for carrying filtered fluid from said chamber, and a second outlet conduit for carrying unfiltered fluid from said chamber, said inlet and said outlet conduits being in respective fluid communication with said chamber; a filter assembly, including a porous filter element with an outer surface and an inner surface, mounted within said chamber, said filter assembly and said housing defining a closed loop unfiltered flow recirculation path within said chamber; valve means responsive to the pressure in said chamber to move between closed and open positions to respectively prevent and permit a flow of unfiltered fluid in said second outlet conduit, said valve means increasing the wash flow to filtered flow ratio when in the open position; a jet inducer nozzle located at the entrance to said chamber and oriented to direct unfiltered fluid emanating therefrom toward said filter assembly over one of said surfaces and into said recirculation path, filtered fluid from the other said said surfaces being directed to said first outlet conduit, said nozzle being adapted to induce a recirculating wash flow of unfiltered fluid in said recirculation path such that contaminants present in the unfiltered fluid will be entrained and stored in the wash flow when said valve means is closed; and passage means to communicate flow of unfiltered fluid from said inlet to said nozzle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
A recirculating wash flow filter device comprising: a housing having a chamber therein, a fluid inlet for receiving unfiltered fluid, a first outlet conduit for carrying filtered fluid from said chamber, and a second outlet conduit for carrying unfiltered fluid from said chamber, said inlet and said outlet conduits being in respective fluid communication with said chamber; a filter assembly, including a porous filter element with an outer surface and an inner surface, mounted within said chamber, said filter assembly and said housing defining a closed loop unfiltered flow recirculation path within said chamber; valve means responsive to the pressure in said chamber to move between closed and open positions to respectively prevent and permit a flow of unfiltered fluid in said second outlet conduit, said valve means increasing the wash flow to filtered flow ratio when in the open position; a jet inducer nozzle located at the entrance to said chamber and oriented to direct unfiltered fluid emanating therefrom toward said filter assembly over one of said surfaces and into said recirculation path, filtered fluid from the other said said surfaces being directed to said first outlet conduit, said nozzle being adapted to induce a recirculating wash flow of unfiltered fluid in said recirculation path such that contaminants present in the unfiltered fluid will be entrained and stored in the wash flow when said valve means is closed; and passage means to communicate flow of unfiltered fluid from said inlet to said nozzle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device defined in claim 1, wherein said passage means is remote from said recirculation path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The device defined in claim 1, wherein said filter element is generally cylindrical and is radially spaced from said housing such that said flow recirculation path is defined therebetween; and wherein said filter assembly further comprises: a cover sealingly secured to an axial end of said filter element around the periphery thereof; and another cover having an opening therein provided at the other axial end of said filter element to establish fluid communication with said first outlet conduit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device defined in claim 3, further including: a pair of rings, each having a plurality of apertures, mounted adjacent the axial ends of said filter element around the periphery thereof, the extreme radial extremities of said rings abutting the housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device defined in claim 1, in which said nozzle is in axial alignment with said filter assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device, defined in claim 1, in which the axis of said nozzle is canted with respect to said filter assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device, as defined in claim 1, further including: means to limit the pressure differential between said passage means and said chamber by bypassing flow from said passage means and said chamber by bypassing flow from said passage means into said recirculation path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
196 words
A recirculating wash flow filter device comprising: a housing having a chamber therein and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said inlet and said outlet being in respective fluid communication with said chamber; a filter assembly having a porous filter element, with an outer surface and an inner surface, mounted within said chamber, said filter assembly and said housing at least partially defining an unfiltered flow recirculation path within said chamber, said filter assembly comprising: an elongated body of revolution radially spaced from said filter element, said filter element being essentially cylindrical and surrounding said body so as to be concentric therewith, and a generally cylindrical filter-element-mounting structure with a circumfErential recess therein, said filter element being mounted in said recess with said inner surface genera/ly flush with said structure and said outer surface radially spaced from said structure to form an annulus therebetween, said annulus being in communication with said outlet; means to induce a recirculating flow of unfiltered fluid in said recirculation path; means to communicate a flow of filtered fluid from said assembly to said outlet; and passage means to communicate flow of unfiltered fluid from said inlet to said flow-inducing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
196 words
A recirculating wash flow filter device comprising: a housing having a chamber therein and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said inlet and said outlet being in respective fluid communication with said chamber; a filter assembly having a porous filter element, with an outer surface and an inner surface, mounted within said chamber, said filter assembly and said housing at least partially defining an unfiltered flow recirculation path within said chamber, said filter assembly comprising: an elongated body of revolution radially spaced from said filter element, said filter element being essentially cylindrical and surrounding said body so as to be concentric therewith, and a generally cylindrical filter-element-mounting structure with a circumfErential recess therein, said filter element being mounted in said recess with said inner surface genera/ly flush with said structure and said outer surface radially spaced from said structure to form an annulus therebetween, said annulus being in communication with said outlet; means to induce a recirculating flow of unfiltered fluid in said recirculation path; means to communicate a flow of filtered fluid from said assembly to said outlet; and passage means to communicate flow of unfiltered fluid from said inlet to said flow-inducing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
A recirculating wash flow filter device comprising: a housing having chamber therein and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said inlet and said outlet being in respective fluid communication with said chamber; a filter assembly having a porous filter element, with an outer surface and an inner surface, mounted within said chamber, said filter assembly and said housing at least partially defining an unfiltered flow recirculation path within said chamber; a jet inducer nozzle located at the entrance to said chamber in axial alignment with said filter assembly, to induce a recirculating flow of unfiltered fluid in said recirculation path; means to communicate a flow of filtered fluid from said assembly to said outlet; and passage means to communicate a flow of unfiltered fluid from said inlet to said flow-inducing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
A recirculating wash flow filter device comprising: a housing having chamber therein and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said inlet and said outlet being in respective fluid communication with said chamber; a filter assembly having a porous filter element, with an outer surface and an inner surface, mounted within said chamber, said filter assembly and said housing at least partially defining an unfiltered flow recirculation path within said chamber; a jet inducer nozzle located at the entrance to said chamber in axial alignment with said filter assembly, to induce a recirculating flow of unfiltered fluid in said recirculation path; means to communicate a flow of filtered fluid from said assembly to said outlet; and passage means to communicate a flow of unfiltered fluid from said inlet to said flow-inducing means.