Dual media fluid filter

Abstract

A filter apparatus has a housing, an inlet port on one side of the housing and an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing. Sheet media is disposed in the housing having a first opening through the sheet media. Also dispersed in the housing is a bag media comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag. The first opening and the second opening are connected in fluid communication with each other and the sheet media is disposed before the bag media in the direction of flow through the housing so that both media are mounted inside the housing. Some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag media and into the outlet, and other fluid entering the inlet passes through the sheet media and then to the outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A filter apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet port on one side of the housing;   an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing;   a sheet media disposed in the housing having a first opening through the sheet media;   a bag media comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag, wherein the first opening and the second opening are connected in fluid communication with each other and wherein the sheet media is disposed before the bag media in the direction of flow through the housing so that both media are mounted inside the housing so that some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag media and into the outlet, and other fluid entering the inlet passes through the sheet media and then to the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag media is relatively coarser than the sheet media. 
     
     
         3 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet media is disposed towards the inlet port, relative to the bag media which is disposed toward the outlet port in the flow direction. 
     
     
         4 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dimple which spaces the sheet media from the one side of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer that spaces part of the sheet media from the bag media. 
     
     
         6 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the spacer comprises a ring that connects the first opening in the sheet media with the second opening in the bag media. 
     
     
         7 . A filter apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet port on one side of the housing;   an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing;   a sheet media spanning at least partially across the housing with a first opening through the sheet media;   a bag media comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag; and   a spacer for spacing the bag apart from the flat media and for connecting the first opening of the sheet media to the second opening of the bag media, wherein both media are mounted inside the housing so that some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag media and then to the outlet, and other fluids entering the inlet passes through the sheet media and then to the outlet.   
     
     
         8 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the bag media is relatively coarser than the sheet media. 
     
     
         9 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the sheet media is disposed towards the inlet port, relative to the bag media which is disposed toward the outlet port in the flow direction. 
     
     
         10 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a dimple which spaces the sheet media from the one side of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a spacer that spaces part of the sheet media from the bag media. 
     
     
         12 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the spacer comprises a ring that connects the first opening in the sheet media with the second opening in the bag media. 
     
     
         13 . A filter apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet port on one side of the housing;   an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing;   sheet filter means disposed in the housing having a first opening through the sheet filter means;   bag filter means comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag, wherein the first opening and the second opening are connected in fluid communication with each other and wherein the sheet filter means is disposed before the bag filter means in the direction of flow through the housing so that both filter means are mounted inside the housing so that some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag filter means and into the outlet, and other fluid entering the inlet passes through the sheet filter means and then to the outlet.   
     
     
         14 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the bag filter means is relatively coarser than the sheet filter means. 
     
     
         15 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the sheet filter means is disposed towards the inlet port, relative to the bag filter means which is disposed toward the outlet port in the flow direction. 
     
     
         16 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a dimple which spaces the sheet filter means from the one side of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a spacer that spaces part of the sheet filter means from the bag filter means. 
     
     
         18 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the spacer comprises a ring that connects the first opening in the sheet filter means with the second opening in the bag filter means. 
     
     
         19 . A filter apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet port on one side of the housing;   an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing;   sheet filter means spanning at least partially across the housing with a first opening through the sheet filter means;   bag filter means comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag; and   spacing means for spacing the bag apart from the flat filter means and for connecting the first opening of the sheet filter means to the second opening of the bag filter means, wherein both filter means are mounted inside the housing so that some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag filter means and then to the outlet, and other fluids entering the inlet passes through the sheet filter means and then to the outlet.   
     
     
         20 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the bag filter means is relatively coarser than the sheet filter means. 
     
     
         21 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the sheet filter means is disposed towards the inlet port, relative to the bag filter means which is disposed toward the outlet port in the flow direction. 
     
     
         22 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a second spacing means for spacing the sheet filter means from the one side of the housing. 
     
     
         23 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a third spacing means for spacing part of the sheet filter means from the bag filter means. 
     
     
         24 . A filter apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the third spacing means comprises a ring that connects the first opening in the sheet filter means with the second opening in the bag filter means. 
     
     
         25 . A filter method using a filter having a housing, an inlet port on one side of the housing, and an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing, comprising:
 passing fluid through a sheet media disposed in the housing having a first opening through the sheet media; and   passing fluid through a bag media comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag, wherein the first opening and the second opening are connected in fluid communication with each other and wherein the sheet media is disposed before the bag media in the direction of flow through the housing so that both media are mounted inside the housing so that some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag media and into the outlet, and other fluid entering the inlet passes through the sheet media and then to the outlet.   
     
     
         26 . A filter method using a filter having a housing, an inlet port on one side of the housing, and an outlet port on an opposed side of the housing, comprising:
 passing fluid through a sheet media spanning at least partially across the housing with a first opening through the sheet media;   passing fluid through a bag media comprising an enclosed bag with a second opening into the bag; and   spacing the bag apart from the flat media and connecting the first opening of the sheet media to the second opening of the bag media using a spacer, wherein both media are mounted inside the housing so that some fluid entering the inlet passes through both openings and through the bag media and then to the outlet, and other fluids entering the inlet passes through the sheet media and then to the outlet.