KX Technologies LLC

An interconnection scheme between a filter cartridge and its corresponding manifold whereby a magnetic shear force is introduced to remove a blocking mechanism that would otherwise prohibit attachment. The magnetic shear force may also be employed to activate or deactivate a switch or valve, or engage or disengage an engagement mechanism relative to other components upon interconnection. The magnetic shear force is generated by complementary correlated magnet structures moved into close proximity to one another. The interconnection scheme may be a linear or rotational attachment of the filter cartridge with respect to the manifold. A valve assembly utilizing magnetic shear force may be employed to activate a bypass action between a manifold ingress port and egress port, thereby allowing water to flow when a filter cartridge is removed from the manifold and directing water to the filter cartridge when the valve assembly is activated.

A combination gas and fluid filter housing for supporting said gas and fluid filter media, having a first subassembly for supporting the gas filter media, and a second subassembly for supporting the fluid filter media, the second subassembly having ingress and egress ports at an end opposite of the first subassembly attachable to a manifold, the first and second subassemblies removably attached to one another such that the first subassembly is removable from said second subassembly to facilitate gas filter media replacement without disconnecting the second subassembly ingress and egress ports from the manifold.

A filtration system interconnection structure includes a filter manifold and a filter cartridge in magnetic communication produced by two complementary correlated magnets capable of generating a magnetic force when in close proximity to one another. The filter magnet polarity transitions are aligned with the manifold magnet polarity transitions such that a repulsion force is generated between the magnets when the filter cartridge is inserted within the manifold sump. The magnetic repulsion force may be used to move a blocking mechanism or actuate a latch structure in the manifold to secure the filter cartridge within the manifold sump upon insertion, or to provide non-contacting actuation of a downstream valve so as to permit or prevent the flow of fluid. Utilizing correlated magnetism in a filter interconnect further provides enhanced authentication and/or anti-counterfeiting means to ensure that only authorized or OEM filter cartridges can be installed.

A filter housing assembly for fluid filtration which may be attached to, and removed from, a filter base by a push-actuated release. The filter housing assembly has a top portion with an ingress port and egress port extending therefrom, and a protrusion extending from the filter housing longitudinally axial center. The ingress and egress port are formed in an hourglass shape. A filter key having a base with a groove for mating with said projection, at least one finger extending from said base, and an electronic circuit component housing attached thereto for receiving a printed circuit board, is connected to the filter housing top portion by mating said top portion protrusion with the filter key groove. Both of said ingress and egress port have at least one cavity for the passage of fluid therethrough, where each cavity is exposed in a direction facing away from the printed circuit board.

A filtration system interconnection structure having a filter manifold and a filter cartridge in magnetic communication with one another, such that a latching mechanism of the manifold secures the filter cartridge within a manifold sump when the filter cartridge is inserted therein. The magnetic communication is formed between two complementary coded polymagnets capable of producing a magnetic shear force when in close proximity to one another. The magnetic shear force removes a latch blocking structure from interfering with the latch, allowing the latch to secure the filter cartridge. Movement of the latch blocking structure coded polymagnet relative to the filter cartridge coded polymagnet may be perpendicular or parallel with respect to each other such that a shear force is generated therebetween, allowing for actuation of the latch blocking mechanism against a biasing force, and allowing the latch to move radially inwards against a separate biasing force.

An interconnection scheme between a filter cartridge and its corresponding manifold whereby a magnetic shear force is introduced to remove a blocking mechanism that would otherwise prohibit attachment. The magnetic shear force may also be employed to activate or deactivate a switch or valve, or engage or disengage an engagement mechanism relative to other components upon interconnection. The magnetic shear force is generated by complementary correlated magnet structures moved into close proximity to one another. The interconnection scheme may be a linear or rotational attachment of the filter cartridge with respect to the manifold. A valve assembly utilizing magnetic shear force may be employed to activate a bypass action between a manifold ingress port and egress port, thereby allowing water to flow when a filter cartridge is removed from the manifold and directing water to the filter cartridge when the valve assembly is activated.

A filtration system interconnection structure includes a filter manifold and a filter cartridge in magnetic communication produced by two complementary correlated magnets capable of generating a magnetic force when in close proximity to one another. The filter magnet polarity transitions are aligned with the manifold magnet polarity transitions such that a repulsion force is generated between the magnets when the filter cartridge is inserted within the manifold sump. The magnetic repulsion force may be used to move a blocking mechanism or actuate a latch structure in the manifold to secure the filter cartridge within the manifold sump upon insertion, or to provide non-contacting actuation of a downstream valve so as to permit or prevent the flow of fluid. Utilizing correlated magnetism in a filter interconnect further provides enhanced authentication and/or anti-counterfeiting means to ensure that only authorized or OEM filter cartridges can be installed.

A filter housing assembly for fluid filtration which may be attached to, and removed from, a filter base by a push-actuated release. The filter housing assembly has a top portion with an ingress port and egress port extending therefrom, and a protrusion extending from the filter housing longitudinally axial center. The ingress and egress port are formed in an hourglass shape. A filter key having a base with a groove for mating with said projection, at least one finger extending from said base, and an electronic circuit component housing attached thereto for receiving a printed circuit board, is connected to the filter housing top portion by mating said top portion protrusion with the filter key groove. Both of said ingress and egress port have at least one cavity for the passage of fluid therethrough, where each cavity is exposed in a direction facing away from the electronic circuit component housing.

A filtration system interconnection structure having a filter manifold including a sump and a coded polymagnet located on or connected to a portion of the manifold, and a filter cartridge including a filter media, first and second end caps sealed to the filter media, and a paired coded polymagnet magnet located on or connected to the filter cartridge. The polarity profiles of the paired coded polymagnets are aligned such that a magnetic attraction force, magnetic repulsion force, or combination thereof, is generated therebetween when the filter cartridge is inserted within the manifold sump housing and moved to the alignment position, thereby causing the coded polymagnet located on or connected to the manifold to translate with respect to a longitudinal axis of the sump to allowing for direct or indirect actuation of downstream system functionality.

A filtration system and method of using the same. The method comprises the steps of guiding, by alignment rail and mating boss, a filter cartridge into a manifold housing; aligning a filter magnet with a corresponding manifold magnet; rotating, by attractive magnetic forces, the manifold magnet upon rotation of the filter cartridge into an installed position; and actuating, by attractive magnetic forces, a manifold valve.