초록 ▼

A bracket system holds a filter(s) in quick-attach and quick-release fashion. Brackets are combined in modular fashion, with conduit between the brackets, to create a “bank” of filters easily changed in number, arrangement, and flow scheme. Top brackets and bottom brackets capture/support the top en

A bracket system holds a filter(s) in quick-attach and quick-release fashion. Brackets are combined in modular fashion, with conduit between the brackets, to create a “bank” of filters easily changed in number, arrangement, and flow scheme. Top brackets and bottom brackets capture/support the top end and bottom end of a filter, respectively, and filter inlet and outlet ports preferably slide onto and off of cooperating tubes/ports in the bracket modules without tools or threaded connections. A retainer may pivot on and off of its respective filter, holding the filter in place and releasing the filter, respectively. After pivoting the retainer up from the filter, the filter may be lifted up off of its respective bottom module, so that the filter is substantially vertically and pivotally removable from the bracket system. A keyed system may ensure that only the appropriate filter fits into the appropriate filter holder, wherein the keyed system includes key protrusions and cooperating key recesses on the mating surfaces that form a fluid connection between the filter and the filter holder. Sets of holders and filters may be provided wherein each set has key structure at different radial locations on the members, so that filters from a particular set cannot be used with any other set's holder. A universally-keyed filter may also be supplied that has key structure that fits with and cooperates with more than one of the differently-keyed filter holders so that the universally-keyed filter may be used with the various sets' holders.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A filter system comprising a bracket module and a filter, the filter having a top end and a bottom end, and the bracket module comprising:a top bracket holding the filter top end and a bottom bracket holding the filter bottom end, and at least one of said top bracket or said bottom bracket compri

1. A filter system comprising a bracket module and a filter, the filter having a top end and a bottom end, and the bracket module comprising:a top bracket holding the filter top end and a bottom bracket holding the filter bottom end, and at least one of said top bracket or said bottom bracket comprising at least one fluid connection with the filter adapted to convey fluid to or from the filter; wherein the top bracket comprises a pivotal lid adapted to pivot down onto the filter top end to retain the filter top end in the top bracket and adapted to pivot up away from the filter top end to allow removal of the filter top end from the top bracket; wherein the bottom bracket comprises a pivotal connection so that the filter, when received in the bottom bracket, is pivotal away from the top bracket. 2. A filter system as in claim 1, further comprising a key system wherein said top bracket comprises a tubular member with an outer cylindrical surface and a protrusion extending outward from said outer cylindrical surface, andwherein said filter top end comprises a port adapted to receive said tubular member to form said at least one fluid connection, and wherein said port has an interior cylindrical surface having a recess adapted to receive said protrusion of said tubular member, so that only a filter having said recess can be installed in fluid connection with said top bracket. 3. A filter system as in claim 2, wherein said key system comprises said tubular member having a plurality of said protrusions at different radial positions around the tubular member and said port having a plurality of said recesses at corresponding radial positions so that only a filter having said recesses at said corresponding radial positions can be installed in fluid connection with said top bracket.4. A filter system as in claim 2, wherein said filter port is universally keyed to fluidly connect to said top bracket by means of having a plurality of recesses at different radial positions so that said filter can fluidly connect to said top bracket when said protrusion is located at any of said radial positions.5. A filter system as in claim 1, further comprising a key system wherein said at least one fluid connection is between said top bracket and said filter, and wherein said at least one fluid connection comprises an exterior cylindrical surface having a key protrusion and an interior cylindrical surface having a key recess adapted to receive said key protrusion.6. A filter system as in claim 1, further comprising a key system wherein said bottom bracket comprises a tubular member with an outer cylindrical surface and a protrusion extending outward from said outer cylindrical surface, and wherein said filter bottom end comprises a port adapted to receive said tubular member to form said at least one fluid connection, and wherein said port has an interior cylindrical surface having a recess adapted to receive said protrusion of said tubular member, so that only a filter having said recess can be installed in fluid connection with said bottom bracket.7. A filter system as in claim 6, wherein said key system comprises said tubular member having a plurality of said protrusions at different radial positions around the tubular member and said port having a plurality of said recesses at corresponding radial positions so that only a filter having said recesses at said corresponding radial positions can be installed in fluid connection with said bottom bracket.8. A filter system as in claim 6, wherein said filter port is universally keyed to fluidly connect to said bottom bracket by means of having a plurality of recesses at different radial positions so that said filter can fluidly connect to said bottom bracket when said protrusion is located at any of said radial positions.9. A filter system as in claim 1, further comprising a key system wherein said at least one fluid connection is between said bottom bracket and said filter, and wherein said at least one fluid connection comprises an exterior cylindrical surface having a key protrusion and an interior cylindrical surface having a key recess adapted to receive said key protrusion.10. The filter system as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sets of top brackets and bottom brackets and a plurality of said filters, wherein one of said plurality of filters is received in each of said top brackets and bottom brackets, and the filter system further comprising fluid conduit extending between said top brackets.11. The filter system as in claim 1, wherein said top brackets comprises an attachment plate for being attached to a vertical surface.12. The filter system as in claim 1, wherein said bottom brackets comprises an attachment plate for being attached to a vertical surface.13. A filter system comprising a bracket module and a filter, the filter having a top end and a bottom end, and the bracket module comprising:a top bracket holding the filter top end and a bottom bracket holding the filter bottom end, and at least one of said top bracket or said bottom bracket comprising at least one fluid connection with the filter adapted to convey fluid to or from the filter; wherein the top bracket comprises a pivotal lid adapted to pivot down onto the filter top end to retain the filter top end in the top bracket and adapted to pivot up away from the filter top end to allow removal of the filter top end from the top bracket; wherein the filter top end comprises an inlet port and an outlet port and said top bracket comprises an inlet fluid tubular connector adapted to seal with and convey fluid to said inlet port and said top bracket comprises an outlet fluid tubular connector adapted to seal with and convey fluid to said outlet port of the filter; wherein said filter has a longitudingl axis between the top end and the bottom end, and said inlet fluid tubular connector and said outlet fluid tubular connector are perpendicular to said longitudingl axis, and said inlet port and outlet port are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and slide onto said tubular connectors. 14. A filter system as in claim 13, wherein said bottom bracket does not comprise a fluid connection with the filter.15. A filter system as in claim 13, further comprising a key system wherein at least one of said inlet and outlet fluid tubular connectors has an outer cylindrical surface and a protrusion extending outward from said outer cylindrical surface, andwherein at least one of said inlet and outlet ports has an interior cylindrical surface having a recess adapted to receive said protrusion, so that only a filter having said recess can be installed in fluid connection with said top bracket. 16. The filter system as in claim 15, wherein said key system comprises said at least one of said inlet and outlet tubular connectors having a plurality of said protrusions at different radial positions and the at least one of said inlet and outlet ports having a plurality of said recesses at corresponding radial positions so that only a filter having said recesses at said corresponding radial positions can be installed in fluid connection with said top bracket.17. A filter system as in claim 15, wherein said filter is universally keyed to fluidly connect to said top bracket by means of having a plurality of recesses at different radial positions so that said filter can fluidly connect to said top bracket when said protrusion is located at any of said radial positions.18. The filter system as in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of sets of top brackets and bottom brackets and a plurality of said filters, wherein one of said filters is received in each of said top brackets and bottom brackets, and the filter system further comprising fluid conduit extending between said top brackets.19. A filter system comprising a bracket module and a filter, the filter having a top end and a bottom end, and the bracket modules comprising:a top bracket holding the filter top end and a bottom bracket holding the filter bottom end, and said top bracket comprising two fluid connections with the filter adapted to convey fluid to and from the filter; wherein said bottom bracket comprises a pivotal connection so that the filter, when received in the bottom bracket, is pivotal away from the top bracket, and wherein said bottom bracket receives and supports said filter bottom end by means of the bottom bracket having a central upending post that is not a fluid conduit and said filter bottom end having an indentation that is not a fluid port slidably and removably received on said upending post, wherein said bottom bracket is not in fluid communication with the filter. 20. A filter system comprising a bracket module and a filter, the filter having a top end and a bottom end, and the bracket module comprising:a top bracket holding the filter top end and a bottom bracket holding the filter bottom end, and at least one of said top bracket or said bottom bracket comprising at least one fluid connection with the filter adapted to convey fluid to or from the filter; wherein the top bracket comprises a pivotal lid adapted to pivot down onto the filter top end to retain the filter top end in the top bracket and adapted to pivot up away from the filter top end to allow removal of the filter top end from the top bracket; wherein the top bracket further comprises a biasing means for urging the pivotal lid to pivot downward toward the filter top end. 21. A filter system comprising a bracket module and a filter, the filterhaving a top end and a bottom end, and the bracket module comprising: a top bracket holding the filter top end and a bottom bracket holding the filter bottom end, and at least one of said top bracket or said bottom bracket comprising at least one fluid connection with the filter adapted to convey fluid to or from the filter; wherein the top bracket comprises a pivotal lid adapted to pivot down onto the filter top end to retain the filter top end in the top bracket and adapted to pivot up away from the filter top end to allow removal of the filter top end from the top bracket; wherein said bottom bracket further comprises a biasing means for urging the bottom bracket to pivot the filter to a vertical position. 22. A filter system comprising a bracket module and interchangeable first and second filters adapted to connect to said bracket module, the bracket module comprising:a top bracket adapted to releaseably engage a top end of each of said first and second filters and to disengage from the top end of each filter to allow removal of each of the filter from the top bracket; and the filter system further comprising a key system wherein said top bracket comprises a tubular member with an outer cylindrical surface and a protrusion extending outward from said outer cylindrical surface at one of a plurality of preselected radial locations, wherein said first filter has a top end port adapted to receive said tubular member to form a fluid connection, said port having an interior cylindrical surface having a recess at a position corresponding to said one of the plurality of preselected radial locations of said protrusion so that the recess is adapted to receive said protrusion of said tubular member, and wherein said second filter has a top end port adapted to receive said tubular member to form a fluid connection, said second filter port having an interior cylindrical surface having recesses at all of said plurality of preselected radial locations, so that said first filter is specifically keyed to connect to the one protrusion of the top bracket and said second filter is universally keyed to connect to said top bracket. 23. A filter system comprising a bracket module and interchangeable first and second filters adapted to connect to said bracket module, the bracket module comprising:a top bracket adapted to releaseably engage a top end of each of said first and second filters and to move away from the top end of each filter to allow removal of each of the filter from the top bracket; and the filter system further comprising a key system wherein said top bracket comprises a tubular member with an outer cylindrical surface and protrusions extending outward from said outer cylindrical surface at multiple, but not all, of a plurality of preselected radial locations, wherein said first filter has a top end port adapted to receive said tubular member to form a fluid connection, said port having an interior cylindrical surface having recesses at positions corresponding to said multiple of the plurality of preselected radial locations so that the recesses are adapted to receive said protrusions of said tubular member, and wherein said second filter has a top end port adapted to receive said tubular member to form a fluid connection, said port of the second filter having an interior cylindrical surface having recesses at all of said plurality of preselected radial locations, so that said first filter is specifically keyed to connect to the multiple protrusions of the top bracket and said second filter is universally keyed to connect to said top bracket.