# US 2014/0151275 A1 · Filter assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151275 A1 - Document ID: US20140151275A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/095,157 - Filed: 2013-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: SCOTT HUGH BRADFORD; MARCO CASUCCI; DAVID P. COOPER; NIHAT O. CUR; BETH M. JACKSON; JAMES W. KENDALL; ITALO RENZO MENEGON; GINGER ELAYNE PATERA; SARA MANFREDINI-TAUBE; TORSTEN RICKARD MATHIAS-TINGSTROM; JOEL GRAHAM VANFAASEN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151275A1 ## CPC - B01D 15/10: characterised by constructional or operational features - B01D 35/30: Filter housing constructions - C02F 1/003: {using household-type filters for producing potable water, e.g. pitchers, bottles, faucet mounted devices (C02F9/20 takes precedence)} - C02F 1/281: {using inorganic sorbents} - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/68: by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water (medicinal water A61K) - C02F 1/76: with halogens or compounds of halogens {(C02F1/4674 takes precedence)} - C02F 5/10: using organic substances - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2101/306: {Pesticides} - C02F 2101/322: {Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene} - C02F 2303/185: The treatment agent being halogen or a halogenated compound - C02F 2307/04: as part of a pitcher or jug - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract A gravity-driven fluid (water) treatment device that includes a bottom portion having at least one treated fluid outlet, an upper perimeter, and a bottom portion side wall that defines an interior volume of the bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion side wall is a shaped surface that is configured to frictionally engage a plurality of differently sized fluid vessel openings and still allow treated fluid to be delivered to the interior of a fluid vessel through the at least one treated fluid outlets; a fluid treatment medium positioned within a fluid filter; and a top portion with an interior volume defined by at least one wall. The fluid filter, the bottom portion and the top portion are each configured to be removably engaged and disengaged to allow for replacement of the filter and reassembly of the overall gravity filter assembly by hand and without the use of tools. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gravity-driven fluid treatment device comprising: a bottom portion having at least one treated fluid outlet, an upper perimeter, and a bottom portion side wall that defines an interior volume of the bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion side wall is a shaped surface that is configured to frictionally engage a plurality of differently sized fluid vessel openings and still allow treated fluid to be delivered to the interior of a fluid vessel through the at least one treated fluid outlets; a fluid filter comprising a fluid treatment medium positioned within the fluid filter wherein the fluid filter is operably engaged with the bottom portion and having a fluid intake location and a fluid outgoing location that delivers treated fluid to the interior volume of the bottom portion and out of the at least one treated fluid outlet of the bottom portion; a top portion having an interior volume defined by at least one wall, at least one fluid inlet, and a bottom perimeter defining an opening and wherein the top portion is configured to received fluid from at least one fluid inlet and the bottom perimeter defines an opening that is configured to allow fluid from the at least one fluid inlet to flow into contact with an intake surface of the fluid filter; and wherein the fluid filter is configured to be removably engaged by hand without the use of tools from the bottom portion and the fluid filter, the bottom portion and the top portion are each configured to be removably engaged and disengaged to allow for replacement of the filter and reassembly of the gravity-driven fluid treatment device by hand and without the use of tools. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the fluid filter is at least partially positioned within the bottom portion and the fluid treated is water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the fluid being treated is water and the fluid treatment medium is a water treatment medium configured to treat water at a rate of at least about one to two liters per minute while removing at least chlorine odor and chlorine taste components from the water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the at least one treated fluid outlet is at least one treated water outlet and the bottom portion side wall is a conically shaped side wall that continuously slopes upwardly from a treated water outlet containing portion to the upper perimeter and the treated water outlet containing portion is narrower than the upper perimeter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 4, wherein the bottom portion side wall is a funnel shape with a funnel outlet portion having the at least one treated water outlet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 5, wherein a water intake location of the water filter is an at least substantially planar surface with apertures between structural support spokes that extend between a hub and a perimeter of the at least substantially planar surface of the water intake location and the water outgoing location is an at least substantially planar surface with apertures between structural supports that extend between a hub and a perimeter of the at least substantially planar surface of a water outgoing location. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the a water intake location of the water filter is an at least substantially planar surface with apertures between structural support spokes that extend between a hub and a perimeter of the at least substantially planar surface of the water intake location and the water outgoing location is an at least substantially planar surface with apertures between structural supports that extend between a hub and a perimeter of the at least substantially planar surface of a water outgoing location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 6, wherein the apertures of the at least substantially planar surface are apertures between structural supports that extend between a hub and a perimeter of the at least substantially planar surface of a water outgoing location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 8, wherein the bottom portion side wall has a contiguously shaped exterior surface that is configured to frictionally engage a plurality of differently sized fluid vessel openings and the bottom portion has a single treated fluid outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 9, wherein the fluid filter is a water filter and the fluid treatment medium is a water treatment medium and a water intake location of the water filter is a top cap planar section that has a plurality of apertures configured to allow water flow therethrough and into contact with the fluid treatment medium and the water outgoing location is a base planar section that has a plurality of apertures configured to allow fluid flow therethrough. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 10, wherein the water treatment medium reduces chlorine taste and odor components (CTO) per NSF 42 to a minimum of 60 gallons. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the fluid treatment medium is a gravity driven water treatment medium that allows for a water flow rate of at least about two liter per minute of flow through the water treatment medium under a force of gravity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the fluid filter comprising a fluid filter housing with an interior volume containing the fluid treatment medium positioned within the fluid filter housing wherein the housing comprises a top surface with a plurality of apertures for receiving a fluid through the top surface and into contact with the fluid treatment medium, a bottom surface with a plurality of apertures for delivering treated fluid to the bottom portion, and at least one perimeter wall extending between the top surface and the bottom surface wherein the at least one perimeter wall has an exterior surface and at least one outwardly projecting lip positioned between the bottom surface of the fluid filter housing and about ⅔ of the distance up from the bottom surface toward the top surface of the fluid filter housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 13, wherein the at least one perimeter wall has at least one visible indicator thereon that is visible through a cutout portion of the bottom portion of the gravity fluid treatment device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 14, wherein the bottom portion of the gravity-driven fluid treatment device further comprises: an overmolded material that is matingly engaged with a host component of the bottom portion and the overmolded material is a separate plastic or elastomeric material, and an interior projecting shelf extending about the interior of the bottom portion and configured to engage the outwardly projecting lip of the fluid filter housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 15, wherein filter housing is cylindrical and further comprises at least one or a plurality of tabular members extending downward from the outwardly projecting lip and away from the at least one perimeter wall and wherein the bottom portion further comprises a plurality of spaced apart tabular members that extend into the interior volume of the bottom portion and define spaces therebetween that are configured to receive the tabular members of the filter housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 16, wherein the tabular members have an upper shelf that extends into the interior of the bottom portion and tapered sides extending downward toward a treated fluid outlet of the bottom portion and wherein the filter housing is removably engaged and disengaged with the bottom portion by hand and without the use of tools. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The gravity-driven fluid treatment device of claim 1, wherein the top portion has a perimeter rim section proximate the bottom perimeter wherein the perimeter rim section is indented a specific distance that defines a perimeter rim such that the top portion and the bottom portion create a substantially contiguous surface along the exterior of the gravity filter when the top portion and the bottom portion are engaged with one another; The perimeter rim section has a plurality of outwardly extending tabs that are received in tab receiving gaps on an interior surface of the bottom portion and when the top portion is rotated the tabs are moved into engagement with grooves on the interior surface and proximate the tab receiving gaps and wherein the gravity-driven fluid treatment device is drop-shaped and the bottom portion is funnel shaped. ### Claim 19 A gravity-driven water filter comprising: a bottom portion having at least one treated water outlet, an upper perimeter, and a bottom portion side wall that defines an interior volume of the bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion side wall is a shaped surface that is configured to frictionally engage a plurality of differently sized fluid vessel openings and still allow treated water to be delivered to the interior of a fluid vessel through at least one treated water outlet; a water filter comprising a water treatment medium positioned within the water filter wherein the water filter is operably engaged with the bottom portion and having a water intake location and a water outgoing location that delivers treated water to the interior volume of the bottom portion and out of the at least one treated water outlet of the bottom portion wherein the water filter is configured to reduce chlorine taste and odor components (CTO) per NSF 42 to a minimum of 60 gallons and allows for a water flow rate of at least about two liter per minute of flow through the water treatment medium under a force of gravity and wherein the water filter includes a water filter housing with an interior volume containing the water treatment medium positioned within the water filter housing wherein the water filter housing comprises a top surface with a plurality of apertures for receiving water through the top surface and into contact with the water treatment medium, a bottom surface with a plurality of apertures for delivering treated water to the bottom portion, and at least one perimeter wall extending between the top surface and the bottom surface wherein the at least one perimeter wall has an exterior surface and at least one outwardly projecting lip positioned between the bottom surface of the water treatment housing and about ⅔ of the distance up from the bottom surface toward the top surface of the water filter housing wherein the outwardly projecting lip rests upon a shelf on the interior of the bottom portion and extends inwardly toward the interior of the bottom portion; a top portion having an interior volume defined by at least one wall forming a curved exterior, at least one water inlet, and a bottom perimeter defining an opening and wherein the top portion is configured to received water from at least one water inlet and the bottom perimeter defines an opening that is configured to allow water from the at least one water inlet to flow into contact with an intake surface of the water filter; and wherein the water filter is configured to be removably engaged by hand without the use of tools from the bottom portion and the fluid filter, the bottom portion and the top portion are each configured to be removably engaged and disengaged to allow for replacement of the filter and reassembly of the gravity-driven water filter assembly by hand and without the use of tools. ### Claim 20 A gravity-driven water filter assembly comprising: a bottom portion having at least one treated water outlet, an upper perimeter, and a bottom portion side wall that defines an interior volume of the bottom portion and wherein the bottom portion side wall is a shaped surface that is configured to frictionally engage a plurality of differently sized water vessel openings and still allow treated water to be delivered to the interior of water vessel through the at least one treated water outlets at the bottom portion of the gravity-driven water treatment device, wherein the bottom portion further comprises: an overmolded material matingly engaged with a host component of the bottom portion and the overmolded material is a plastic or elastomeric material that is separate from the host component; a water filter comprising a water treatment medium positioned within the water filter wherein the water filter is operably engaged with the bottom portion and having a water intake location and a water outgoing location that delivers treated water to the interior volume of the bottom portion and out of the at least one treated water outlet of the bottom portion wherein the water filter is configured to reduce chlorine taste and odor components (CTO) per NSF 42 to a minimum of 60 gallons and allows for a water flow rate of at least about two liter per minute of flow through the water treatment medium under the force of gravity and wherein the water filter includes a water filter housing with an interior volume containing the water treatment medium positioned within the water filter housing wherein the water filter housing comprises a top surface with a plurality of apertures for receiving water through the top surface and into contact with the water treatment medium, a bottom surface with a plurality of apertures for delivering treated water to the bottom portion, and at least one perimeter wall extending between the top surface and the bottom surface wherein the at least one perimeter wall has an exterior surface and at least one outwardly projecting lip positioned between the bottom surface of the fluid treatment housing and about ⅔ of the distance up from the bottom surface toward the top surface of the water filter housing wherein the outwardly projecting lip rests upon a shelf on the interior of the bottom portion and extending inwardly toward the interior of the bottom portion; and a top portion having an interior volume defined by at least one wall forming a curved exterior, at least one water inlet, and a bottom perimeter defining an opening and wherein the top portion is configured to received water from at least one water inlet and the bottom perimeter defines an opening configured to allow water from the at least one water inlet to flow into contact with an intake surface of the water filter; wherein the water filter is configured to be removably engaged by hand without the use of tools from the bottom portion and the water filter, the bottom portion and the top portion are each configured to be removably engaged and disengaged to allow for replacement of the water filter and reassembly of the gravity-driven water filter assembly by hand and without the use of tools; wherein water filter housing is cylindrically shaped and further comprises at least one or a plurality of tabular members extending downward from the outwardly projecting lip and away from the at least one perimeter wall and wherein the bottom portion further comprises a plurality of spaced apart tabular members that extend into the interior volume of the bottom portion and define spaces therebetween that are configured to receive the tabular members of the filter housing and wherein the tabular members have an upper shelf extending into the interior volume of the bottom portion and tapered sides extending downward toward the treated water outlet of the bottom portion; and wherein the at least one perimeter wall has at least one visible indicator thereon that is visible through a cutout portion of the bottom portion of the gravity-driven water filter assembly.