Spool valve manifold interconnect for a filter system

Abstract

A filter cartridge and spool valve manifold assembly includes a filter cartridge and a spool valve manifold. The filter cartridge includes a filter element and inlet/outlet portion in fluid communication with the filter element. The inlet/outlet portion has a cartridge inlet port and a cartridge outlet port. The spool valve manifold includes a housing and a body. The housing has a housing inlet port and a housing outlet port adapted for fluid communication with a fluid supply system. The body is located within the housing and configured to rotate around a first axis relative to the housing. The inlet/outlet portion of the filter cartridge is fluidly coupled to the body via insertion of the inlet/outlet portion into the body in a direction perpendicular to the first axis.

1 . A spool valve manifold for use with a filter cartridge having an inlet/outlet portion that includes a cartridge inlet port and a cartridge outlet port, the spool valve manifold comprising:
 a valve housing having a housing inlet port and a housing outlet port; and   a valve body operatively positioned within the valve housing and being configured to rotate around a first axis relative to the valve housing, the valve body being configured to receive the inlet/outlet portion of the filter cartridge via insertion of the inlet/outlet portion into the valve body in a direction about perpendicular to the first axis, such that, when the valve body is at a first rotational position relative to the valve housing the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are in fluid communication via a first fluid flow path and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are in fluid communication via a second fluid flow path, and when the valve body is at a second rotational position relative to the valve housing, the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are not in fluid communication and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are not in fluid communication.   
     
     
         2 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 1 , wherein when the valve body is at the second rotational position relative to the valve housing, the housing inlet port and the housing outlet port are in fluid communication via a third fluid flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 1 , wherein when the valve body is at the second rotational position relative to the valve housing the housing inlet port and the housing outlet port are not in fluid communication. 
     
     
         4 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the valve housing further comprises:
 an insertion cam component configured to cooperate with a complementary insertion cam component on the filter cartridge.   
     
     
         5 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the valve housing further comprises:
 an ejection cam component configured to cooperate with a complementary ejection cam component on the filter cartridge.   
     
     
         6 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first seal located between the valve body and the valve housing and configured to prevent fluid leakage from the first fluid flow path;   a second seal located between the valve body and the valve housing and configured to prevent fluid leakage from the second fluid flow path; and   a third seal located between the valve body and the valve housing and configured to prevent fluid leakage from the third fluid flow path.   
     
     
         7 . A spool valve manifold for use with a filter cartridge having an inlet/outlet portion that includes a cartridge inlet port and a cartridge outlet port, the spool valve manifold comprising:
 a valve housing having a housing inlet port and a housing outlet port;   a valve body operatively positioned within the valve housing and being configured to rotate around a first axis relative to the valve housing, the valve body being configured to receive the inlet/outlet portion of the filter cartridge via insertion of the inlet/outlet portion into the valve body in a direction about perpendicular to the first axis, such that, when the valve body is at a first rotational position relative to the valve housing the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are in fluid communication via a first fluid flow path and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are in fluid communication via a second fluid flow path, and when the valve body is at a second rotational position relative to the valve housing, the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are not in fluid communication and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are not in fluid communication; and wherein the filter cartridge further comprises:
 an inlet assembly for traverse up and down due to fluid pressure fluctuations when the cartridge is installed in the manifold assembly, the inlet assembly including a poppet value for always being engaged with the filter cartridge poppet interface when the filter cartridge is installed and the poppet valve is biased in the open position, as the fluid pressure is sufficiently increased, the inlet assembly will move far enough away from the filter cartridge such that the poppet valve will close, thereby shutting off the inlet liquid pressure. 
   
     
     
         8 . A spool valve manifold for use with a fluid filter cartridge having an inlet/outlet portion that includes a cartridge inlet port and a cartridge outlet port, the spool valve manifold comprising:
 a valve housing having a housing inlet port and a housing outlet port;   a valve body located within the valve housing and configured to rotate around a first axis relative to the valve housing, the valve body configured to receive the inlet/outlet portion of the filter cartridge, such that, when the valve body is at a first rotational position relative to the valve housing the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are in fluid communication via a first fluid flow path and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are in fluid communication via a second fluid flow path, and when the valve body is at a second rotational position relative to the valve housing, the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are not in fluid communication and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are not in fluid communication; and keying structure, operatively positioned on the spool valve manifold and the fluid filter cartridge and being effective, if the keying structure on the spool valve manifold and the fluid filter cartridge are complementary, to facilitate the operative interconnection of the valve manifold and, if the keying structure on the spool valve manifold and the fluid filter cartridge are not complementary to prevent the operative interconnection of the valve manifold and the fluid filter cartridge.   
     
     
         9 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 8 , wherein the valve body is configured to receive the inlet/outlet portion of the filter cartridge via insertion of the inlet/outlet portion into the valve body in a direction about perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 8 , wherein the valve housing further comprises:
 an insertion cam component configured to cooperate with a complementary insertion cam component on the filter cartridge.   
     
     
         11 . The spool valve manifold of  claim 8 , wherein the valve housing further comprises:
 an ejection cam component configured to cooperate with a complementary ejection cam component on the filter cartridge.   
     
     
         12 . A filter cartridge and spool valve manifold assembly comprising:
 a filter cartridge including a filter element and inlet/outlet portion in fluid communication with the filter element, the inlet/outlet portion having a cartridge inlet port and a cartridge outlet port; and   a spool valve manifold including a housing and a body, the housing having a housing inlet port and a housing outlet port adapted for fluid communication with a fluid supply system, the body located within the housing and configured to rotate around a first axis relative to the housing, such that the inlet/outlet portion of the filter cartridge is fluidly coupled to the body via insertion of the inlet/outlet portion into the body in a direction about perpendicular to the first axis.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , such that when the body is at a first rotational position relative to the housing, the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are in fluid communication via a first fluid flow path and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are in fluid communication via a second fluid flow path, and when the body is at a second rotational position relative to the housing the housing inlet port and the cartridge inlet port are not in fluid communication and the housing outlet port and the cartridge outlet port are not in fluid communication. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein when the body is at the second rotational position relative to the housing, the housing inlet port and the housing outlet port are in fluid communication via a third fluid flow path. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the spool valve manifold and the filter cartridge includes an insertion cam. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the spool valve manifold and the filter cartridge includes an ejection cam. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein, when the body rotates from the first to the second rotational position, the filter cartridge is ejected from the body. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein, when the body rotates from the second to the first rotational position, the filter cartridge is moved into the body. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein, during rotation, an angle through which the filter cartridge rotates relative to a bracket is less than about 90. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a bracket rotatably mounted adjacent the spool valve manifold and configured to slidably hold the filter cartridge as the body rotates from the first to the second rotational position.