Hot disconnect replaceable water filter assembly

Abstract

A filter assembly for filtering water from an external source, the filter assembly having a manifold assembly and a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge includes a cartridge engagement means while the manifold includes a manifold engagement means. The cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means cooperatively interfacing for removable attachment of the filter cartridge to the manifold assembly. The cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means oriented in a retaining relation during removal of the cartridge filter from the manifold assembly such that any entrained pressure within the cartridge filter is vented while the cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means are in the retaining relation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A filter cartridge comprising
 a filter inlet;   a filter media;   a filter outlet;   a two-stage cartridge engagement mechanism comprising:
 a fully engaged configuration corresponding to full engagement of the filter cartridge with a compatible manifold assembly; and 
 a partially engaged configuration corresponding to partial engagement of the filter cartridge with the compatible manifold assembly; 
 wherein at least one of the fully engaged and partially engaged configurations comprises a horizontal portion; 
   a sealing surface configured to facilitate a first seal isolating a fluid flow from a non-wetted portion of the compatible manifold assembly when the filter cartridge is in the fully engaged configuration; and   at least one vent port positioned on the filter cartridge and providing a fluid flow passage past the first seal when the filter cartridge is in the partially engaged configuration.   
     
     
       2. The filter cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the at least one vent port comprises a notch in the sealing surface. 
     
     
       3. The filter cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the at least one vent port comprises a row of ports along an edge of the sealing surface. 
     
     
       4. The filter cartridge of  claim 3  wherein each vent port comprises a notch in the sealing surface. 
     
     
       5. The filter cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the fully engaged configuration of the two-stage cartridge engagement mechanism comprises a first horizontal portion and the partially engaged configuration of the two-stage cartridge engagement mechanism comprises a second horizontal portion. 
     
     
       6. The filter cartridge of  claim 5  wherein the two-stage cartridge engagement mechanism further comprises a second angled portion connecting the first horizontal portion to the second horizontal portion. 
     
     
       7. The filter cartridge of  claim 6  wherein the two-stage cartridge engagement mechanism further comprises a first angled portion adjacent the first horizontal portion. 
     
     
       8. The filter cartridge of  claim 7  wherein the two-stage cartridge engagement mechanism further comprises a third angled portion adjacent the second horizontal portion. 
     
     
       9. The filter cartridge of  claim 6  wherein the cartridge engagement mechanism further comprises a transition between the fully engaged configuration and the partially engaged configuration, wherein the second angled portion serves to transition the filter cartridge from the fully engaged configuration to the partially engaged configuration. 
     
     
       10. A filter cartridge configured to engage a compatible manifold assembly in a fully engaged configuration and a partially engaged configuration, the filter cartridge comprising:
 a projecting insertion wall comprising:
 an attachment end; 
 a sealing surface depending from an interior perimeter of the attachment end and configured to facilitate a first seal isolating a fluid flow from a non-wetted portion of the compatible manifold assembly when the filter cartridge is fully engaged; and 
 a margin surface depending from an exterior perimeter of the attachment end; 
   a pair of opposed multi-stage filter attachment members disposed on the margin surface, each multi-stage attachment member comprising:
 a first horizontal portion facing away from the attachment end; 
 a second horizontal portion facing away from the attachment end; and 
 a second angled portion connecting the first horizontal portion to the second horizontal portion; 
 wherein, in the fully engaged configuration, both first and second horizontal portions seat against the compatible manifold assembly and, in the partially engaged configuration, the second horizontal portion does not seat against the compatible manifold assembly; and 
   at least one vent port positioned on the sealing surface and providing a fluid flow passage past the first seal when the filter cartridge is in the partially engaged configuration.   
     
     
       11. The filter cartridge of  claim 10  wherein the at least one vent port comprises a notch in the sealing surface. 
     
     
       12. The filter cartridge of  claim 10  wherein the at least one vent port comprises a row of ports along an edge of the sealing surface. 
     
     
       13. The filter cartridge of  claim 12  wherein each vent port comprises a notch in the sealing surface. 
     
     
       14. The filter cartridge of  claim 10  wherein each multistage filter attachment member further comprises a first angled portion adjacent the first horizontal portion. 
     
     
       15. The filter cartridge of  claim 14  wherein each multistage filter attachment member further comprises a third angled portion adjacent the second horizontal portion. 
     
     
       16. The filter cartridge of  claim 15  wherein the third angled portion seats against the compatible manifold assembly when the filter cartridge is fully engaged and does not seat against the compatible manifold assembly when the filter cartridge is partially engaged. 
     
     
       17. The filter cartridge of  claim 14  wherein the first angled portion seats against the compatible manifold assembly both when the filter cartridge is fully engaged and when the filter cartridge is partially engaged. 
     
     
       18. The filter cartridge of  claim 10  wherein the second angled portion seats against the compatible manifold assembly both when the filter cartridge is fully engaged and when the filter cartridge is partially engaged. 
     
     
       19. The filter cartridge of  claim 10  wherein the filter cartridge engages the compatible manifold assembly in a transition between the fully engaged configuration and the partially engaged configuration. 
     
     
       20. The filter cartridge of  claim 19  wherein, in the transition, the second angled portion seats against the compatible manifold assembly, and the first and second horizontal portions do not seat against the compatible manifold assembly. 
     
     
       21. A filter cartridge for use with a manifold assembly, the filter cartridge comprising:
 a cartridge housing;   a filter element contained in the cartridge housing;   a cartridge top member comprising:
 a body comprising two-stage threaded cartridge engagement mechanisms that circumscribe the body less than half a circumference of the body, 
 a receiver well having one or more inlet orifices in fluid communication with the filter element, 
 an outlet bore; 
 wherein a first stage is a fully engaged configuration in which there is flow from the manifold through the filter and returning to the manifold; and a second stage is a partly engaged configuration in which the filter cartridge is stably engaged with the manifold but the filter is vented to ambient pressure. 
   
     
     
       22. The cartridge of claim 21 further comprising a ramp on the receiver well wherein during a full engagement configuration of the cartridge top member with the manifold assembly, the ramp contacts a valve of the manifold assembly to permit the fluid flow into the filter element. 
     
     
       23. The filter cartridge of claim 21, wherein the cartridge top member further comprises a row of vent ports along the edge of the receiver well. 
     
     
       24. The filter cartridge of claim 21, wherein the cartridge top member further comprises a vent port along an edge of the receiver well. 
     
     
       25. The filter cartridge of claim 21, wherein the two-stage threaded cartridge engagement mechanisms comprise one or more angled portions and one or more horizontal portions. 
     
     
       26. The filter cartridge of claim 24, wherein when the cartridge top member is no longer in the full engagement configuration, the ramp disconnects from the valve to prevent the fluid flow into the filter element and to allow the filter cartridge to attain pressure equilibrium through the vent port. 
     
     
       27. The cartridge of claim 25 comprising a first angled portion, a first horizontal portion, a second angled portion, and a second horizontal portion. 
     
     
       28. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein both an underside surface and a topside surface of a portion of each two-stage threaded cartridge engagement mechanism spiral upward at an angle greater than zero to an edge of the body. 
     
     
       29. The cartridge of claim 21, wherein when the two-stage threaded cartridge engagement mechanisms are in a second engaged configuration, the filter cartridge is stably engaged with the manifold assembly.