초록 ▼

An aquarium filter assembly includes a filter assembly body, a water supply section and a filtered water section, the aquarium filter assembly being adapted for liquid connection with an aquarium, a removable filter cartridge caddy within the filter assembly body, a base with an outer peripheral wal

An aquarium filter assembly includes a filter assembly body, a water supply section and a filtered water section, the aquarium filter assembly being adapted for liquid connection with an aquarium, a removable filter cartridge caddy within the filter assembly body, a base with an outer peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base and an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base surrounding an opening in the base, a support for a filter cartridge, a lift handle, a removable cover connectable to an upper portion of the support; a multi-paneled filter cartridge of filter material with a space between the panels removably supportable on the support; and a water supply assembly to supply water from the aquarium to the filtered water section, such that water flows from the water supply section through the filter cartridge supported by the caddy, into the filtered water section of the filter assembly body and then into the aquarium.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An aquarium filter assembly comprising: a filter assembly body having a front wall, a back wall, left and right side walls and a floor, a water supply section and a filtered water section, each of the walls having an upper edge; the aquarium filter assembly being adapte

The invention claimed is: 1. An aquarium filter assembly comprising: a filter assembly body having a front wall, a back wall, left and right side walls and a floor, a water supply section and a filtered water section, each of the walls having an upper edge; the aquarium filter assembly being adapted for liquid connection with an aquarium, a removable filter cartridge caddy within the filter assembly body; the removable filter cartridge caddy having a base with an outer peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base and an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base surrounding an opening in the base, a support for a filter cartridge, a lift handle, a removable cover connectable to an upper portion of the support; the filter cartridge removably supportable on the support, the filter cartridge including a plurality of panels comprising filter material, the filter cartridge panels being connected to form a space inside the plurality of panels; a removable filter assembly cover for the filter assembly that extends over the upper edges of the walls over the filtered water section, the cover having an opening for receiving the removable filter cartridge caddy, such that the removable filter cartridge caddy can be removed from the filter assembly without removing the filter assembly cover; and a water supply assembly within the water supply section to supply water from the aquarium to the filtered water section such that water flows from the water supply section through the filter cartridge supported by the caddy, into the filtered water section of the filter assembly body and then into the aquarium. 2. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the support is a central support. 3. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 2, further comprising a lift handle interlockingly connected to the upper portion of the support. 4. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 2, wherein the support has an X-shaped horizontal cross-section with legs extending radially outwardly from the center toward corners of the base. 5. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the support is a peripheral support. 6. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 5, wherein the peripheral support is a frame with openings. 7. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein a boundary formed by outermost points of a horizontal cross-section of the support having at least three sides. 8. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the filter cartridge has at least four interconnected panels such that the filter cartridge may be folded between the panels to be relatively flat compared to an unfolded condition. 9. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the filter cartridge is disposable. 10. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 9, wherein the panels are of a fabric material. 11. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 10, wherein the fabric material is a permeable, non-woven polyester fiber material. 12. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein each panel contains filter media. 13. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 12, wherein the filter media comprises activated carbon. 14. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 12, wherein the filter media comprises an organic scavenger resin. 15. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 14, wherein the resin is selected from a group consisting of anionic, cationic, nitrate-selective, ammonia-selective, dissolved organic material-selective resin and combinations thereof. 16. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 12, wherein the filter media is a combination of activated carbon and organic scavenger resin. 17. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the filter cartridge is cleanable and reusable. 18. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 17, wherein the filter cartridge is a sponge. 19. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising an indicator assembly for filter cartridge replacement. 20. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 19, wherein the indicator assembly comprises an electronic timer indicating time to change the filter cartridge. 21. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 20, wherein the timer is resettable manually. 22. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a motor driven pump operably connected in liquid communication with aquarium water and the caddy opening. 23. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a manifold between the filter assembly body floor and the caddy base; the manifold fluidly connected to the aquarium where water from the aquarium enters the manifold through an inlet in the water supply section and exits the manifold through an outlet to the caddy opening. 24. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 23, further comprising a plurality of removable filter cartridge caddies, each removable filter cartridge caddy including a filter cartridge, and the manifold having an outlet to each removable filter cartridge caddy opening. 25. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising the filtered water section within the filter assembly body, the filtered water section containing the removable filter cartridge caddy. 26. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 25, further comprising a first chamber within the filter assembly body, the chamber fluidly connected to an aquarium, wherein the first chamber contains a receptacle for biological filter support media. 27. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 26, wherein the first chamber is adjacent to the filtered water section to receive filtered water. 28. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 27, comprising a second chamber in the aquarium filter body having an ultraviolet light. 29. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 28, further comprising a filter assembly cover on the chambers. 30. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the filter assembly cover further comprises a dosing port. 31. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet light. 32. An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising a water bypass area for water to bypass the filter cartridge if the filter cartridge is clogged. 33. A removable filter cartridge caddy for use in an aquarium filter comprising: a base with an outer peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base and an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base and a tubular member surrounding an opening in the base, a support for a filter cartridge, wherein the filter cartridge comprises a plurality of interconnected panels comprising filter media, the support being a central support having an X-shaped horizontal cross-section with legs extending upwardly and radially from the center toward corners of the base, a lift handle connected to the removable filter cartridge caddy, the lift handle formed with an upper portion of the support, and a removable cover connectable to one of an upper portion of the support and an upper portion of the filter cartridge. 34. A removable filter cartridge caddy as in claim 33, further comprising a water bypass area for water to bypass the filter if the filter cartridge is clogged. 35. A removable filter cartridge caddy for use in an aquarium filter comprising: a base with an outer peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base and an inner peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base and a tubular member surrounding an opening in the base, a support for a filter cartridge, the support being one of a central support and a peripheral support, a lift handle connected to the removable filter cartridge caddy, the lift handle formed with an upper portion of the support, wherein the lift handle is interlockingly connected to the upper portion of the support using a locking meachanism; and a removable cover connectable to one of an upper portion of the support and an upper portion of the filter cartridge. 36. A removable filter cartridge caddy as in claim 35, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a male portion and a female portion; wherein the female portion comprises the upper portion of the support and comprises two opposing lips extending inwardly from a rim of the upper portion of the support; and the male portion comprises a cylindrical tube with the lift handle at a first end and two wedge shaped cams at a second end, back of the cams partly surrounding the cylindrical tube and having bearing surfaces that contact and bear against the lips when the lift handle is rotated in a first direction and is free of the lips when the left handle is rotated in an opposite direction. 37. A foldable filter cartridge for use in an aquarium, the filter cartridge including a plurality of panels with filter material, the filter cartridge having a folded condition such that the filter cartridge is relatively flat, and the filter cartridge panels being connected together along lateral edges in a polygonal shape other than a circle to form a space between opposing panels when in an open, operative condition such that the panels have only open opposing ends. 38. A filter cartridge as in claim 37, wherein the filter cartridge comprises four panels. 39. A filter cartridge as in claim 38, wherein the filter cartridge is disposable. 40. A filter cartridge as in claim 38, wherein the panels are of a fabric material. 41. A filter cartridge as in claim 40, wherein the fabric material is a permeable, non-woven polyester fiber material. 42. A filter cartridge as in claim 37, wherein each panel contains filter media within pockets formed in the panel. 43. A filter cartridge as in claim 37, wherein the filter media is activated carbon. 44. A filter cartridge as in claim 42, wherein the filter media is an organic scavenger resin. 45. A filter cartridge as in claim 44, wherein the resin is selected from a group consisting of anionic, cationic, nitrate-selective, ammonia-selective and dissolved organic material-selective resin. 46. A filter cartridge as in claim 42, wherein the filter media is a combination of activated carbon and organic scavenger resin. 47. A filter cartridge as in claim 37, wherein the filter cartridge is cleanable and reusable. 48. A filter cartridge as in claim 47, wherein the filter cartridge is a sponge.