Combination fluid and gas filter

A combination air and water filter cartridge for a refrigerator comprising:

• an air filter media;
• a water filter media;
• and
• a housing enclosing said air and water filter media, said housing including:
• a central longitudinal axis;
• a first subassembly enclosing said air filter media, said first subassembly forming a cavity having an open end for receiving said air filter media, said open end of said first subassembly attachable to an endcap for securing said air filter media within said first subassembly or attachable to a second subassembly such that upon attachment said air filter media is secured within said first subassembly, said first subassembly including apertures spanning a periphery of a radially disposed sidewall of the first subassembly, wherein said apertures are disposed parallel to the central longitudinal axis and wherein said apertures allow gas flow to said air filter media;
• and
• said second subassembly enclosing said water filter media and having a second subassembly connector for connecting to a filter manifold on said refrigerator to establish fluid communication between the filter manifold and the housing, said second subassembly including an end opposite said first subassembly comprising ingress and egress ports insertable within said filter manifold, such that said housing is removably attachable to said filter manifold and said first subassembly and said second subassembly is secured to said refrigerator by said second subassembly connector.

A method of creating a combination air and water filter for a refrigerator system, comprising:

• providing the refrigerator system having a filter manifold for receiving a filter housing;
• providing said filter housing for supporting an air filter media and a water filter media, said filter housing including a central longitudinal axis, a first subassembly for supporting said air filter media, and a second subassembly for supporting said water filter media, said first subassembly including apertures spanning a periphery of a radially disposed sidewall of the first subassembly, wherein said apertures are disposed parallel to the central longitudinal axis and wherein said apertures allow gas flow to said air filter media, said second subassembly including ingress and egress ports and a connector for attachment to said filter manifold for permitting water to flow into and out of the filter housing through the ingress and egress ports;
• providing a removable endcap to be received by the first subassembly, the removable cap which holds said air filter media within said first subassembly;
• attaching the first subassembly to the second subassembly;
• inserting the air filter media into the first subassembly;
• attaching the removable endcap to the first subassembly to hold the air filter media within the first subassembly;
• inserting the water filter media into the second subassembly;
• installing the filter housing into the refrigerator system by inserting the second subassembly ingress port, egress port, and said connector into the filter manifold;
• and
• securing said first subassembly and said second subassembly to said filter manifold of the refrigerator system.