Funnel with magnetic filter retainer

Claim 2

A funnel with a filter releasably retained therein comprising a reservoir member for receiving a liquid and allowing the liquid received therein to pass through a filter, said reservoir member having a generally circular recess adjacent one end thereof for receiving the filter therein, a first surface in said recess engaging a peripheral portion of the filter when received in assembly in the funnel, a spout member having a head and a tube depending from the head for receiving and discharging a liquid from said reservoir member which has passed through the filter, said head having a generally circular portion receiving in assembly in said recess of said reservoir member, a second surface on said head engaging a peripheral portion of the filter when said head is received in assembly in said recess of said reservoir member, said spout member being manually releasable from said reservoir member, a permanent magnet in the form of a continuous ring carried by one of said members, and a continuous ring of a ferromagnetic material carried by the other of said members, one of said rings carried by said reservoir member adjacent said recess and the other of said rings carried by said spout member adjacent said head to urge said first and second surfaces of said reservoir member and said spout member into firm engagement with the filter to retain the filter in the funnel by the magnetic attraction of said permanent magnet for said ring of ferromagnetic material, whereby liquid received in said reservoir can pass through the filter and be discharged from said spout.

Claim 3

The funnel of claim 1 wherein said head has a counterbore therein adjacent said second surface thereof and also comprises a support screen received in said counterbore to provide support for the filter received in said funnel.

Claim 4

The funnel of claim 1 wherein said reservoir member terminates in a generally radially outwardly extending flange having a generally flat lower face with said first surface thereon for engaging the filter, one of said rings is received on said flange with a portion extending beyond said lower face thereof to provide at least in part said recess of said reservoir member, and said head has a cylindrical portion dimensionEd such that it can be freely received within the portion of said one ring fixedly carried by said flange and extending below the lower face of said flange.

Claim 5

The funnel of claim 3 wherein one of said rings is frictionally received on said flange of said reservoir member and the other of said rings is frictionally received on said head of said spout member.

Claim 6

The funnel of claim 1 wherein said reservoir member comprises an open ended container of a sterilizable plastic material.

Claim 7

The funnel of claim 1 wherein said reservoir member has a generally circular wall portion encircling and extending beyond said recess thereof in the direction in which said recess opens to receive the filter and one of said rings is received adjacent said recess in frictional retaining engagement with said wall portion of said reservoir member.

Claim 8

The funnel of claim 6 wherein said spout member also comprises a retainer element frictionally received on said tube to retain the other of said rings on said spout member.

Claim 9

The funnel of claim 6 wherein said permanent magnet is carried by said spout member and said third means is carried by said reservoir member.

Claim 10

A funnel with a filter releasably retained therein comprising a reservoir member for receiving a liquid and allowing the liquid to pass through a filter, said reservoir member being an open-ended container having a recess adjacent one end thereof for receiving the filter therein, a first surface in said recess engaging a peripheral portion of the filter when received in assembly in the funnel, a spout member having a head and a tube depending from the head for receiving and discharging a liquid from said reservoir member which has passed through the filter, said head having a portion receivable in assembly in said recess of said reservoir member in a plurality of angular orientations of said reservoir and spout members to each other in aligned assembly, a second surface on said head engaging a peripheral portion of the filter when said head is received in assembly in said recess of said reservoir member, said spout member being manually releasable from said reservoir member, at least one permanent magnet carried by one of said members in a generally circular configuration adjacent the filter in assembly, and a ring of a ferromagnetic material carried by the other of said members such that said permanent magnet and said ring cooperate to urge said first and second surfaces into sealing engagement with the filter with a substantially uniform distribution of force on all points of engagement of said first and second surfaces with the filter with said permanent magnet and said ring producing a magnetic force of substantially the same magnitude regardless of the angular orientation of said reservoir and spout members to each other in aligned assembly to retain the filter in said funnel by the magnetic attraction of said permanent magnet and said ring, whereby liquid received in said reservoir member can pass through the filter and be discharged from said spout member without leaking between said reservoir and spout members.

Claim 11

A funnel with a filter releasably retained therein comprising a reservoir member for receiving a liquid and allowing the liquid to pass through a filter, said reservoir member being an open-ended container having a recess adjacent one end thereof for receiving the filter therein, a first surface in said recess engaging a peripheral portion of the filter when received in assembly in the funnel, a spout member having a head and a tube depending from the head for receiving and discharging a liquid from said reservoir member which has passed through the filter, said head having a portion receivable in assembly in said recess of said reservoir member in a plurality of angular orientations of said reservoir and spout members to each other in aligned assembly, a second surface on said head engaging a peripheral portion of the filter when said head is received in assembly in said recess of said reservoir member, said spout member being manually releasable from said reservoir member, at least one permanent magnet carried by one of said members in a generally circular configuration adjacent the filter in assembly, and a ring of a ferromagnetic material carried by the other of said members such that said permanent magnet and said ring cooperate to urge said first and second surfaces into sealing engagement with the filter with a substantially uniform distribution of force on all points of engagement of said first and second surfaces with the filter with said permanent magnet and said ring producing a magnetic force of substantially the same magnitude regardless of the angular orientation of said reservoir and spout members to each other in aligned assembly to retain the filter in said funnel by the magnetic attraction of said permanent magnet and said ring, whereby liquid received in said reservoir member can pass through the filter and be discharged from said spout member without leaking between said reservoir and spout members.

Claim 12

The filter of claim 9 wherein said permanent magnet is in the form of a continuous ring.

Claim 13

The funnel of claim 10 wherein said reservoir member terminates in a generally radially outwardly extending flange having a generally flat lower face with said first surface thereon for engaging the filter, one of said rings is received on said flange with a portion extending beyond said lower face thereof to provide at least in part said recess of said reservoir member, and said head has a cylindrical portion dimensioned such that it can be freely received within the portion of said one ring fixedly carried by said flange and extending below the lower face of said flange.

Claim 14

The funnel of claim 10 wherein said reservoir member has a generally circular wall portion encircling and extending beyond said recess thereof in the direction in which said recess opens to receive the filter and oNe of said rings is received adjacent said recess in frictional retaining engagement with said wall portion of said reservoir member.