# US 2014/0238920 A1 · Disposable filter cartridge for water dispenser > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0238920 A1 - Document ID: US20140238920A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/138,811 - Filed: 2013-12-23 - Published: 2014-08-28 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-23 - Assignees: apiqe inc - Applicants: apiqe inc - Inventors: Erdogan Ergican; Sann Myint Naing - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140238920A1 ## CPC - B01D 35/30: Filter housing constructions - B01D 29/15: arranged for inward flow filtration - B01D 29/23: arranged for outward flow filtration - C02F 1/001: {Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00)} - B01D 2201/302: having inlet or outlet ports - B01D 2201/4015: Bayonet connecting means - B01D 2201/4076: Anti-rotational means - C02F 2201/004: Seals, connections - C02F 2201/006: Cartridges - 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 Embodiments of the technology disclosed herein include disposable filter cartridges for use with a water dispenser that dispenses hot water, flavored water, and chilled, sparkling water. An exemplary filter cartridge may be assembled by screwing or inserting a filter into filter cap until the filter cap engages a lock, such as an agnail lock, on the filter. Once engaged, the lock permanently secures the filter to the filter cap without adhesives, heat treatment, or curing. The filter cartridge includes one or more protrusions, or partial flanges, that twist into a recess formed by an injection-molded, two-piece locking assembly affixed to the water dispenser. Twisting the filter cartridge to a predetermined angle with respect to the locking assembly locks the filter cartridge into place. In some embodiments, the locking assembly and the filter cartridge audibly “click” or “snap” to indicate that they are secured together. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disposable filter cartridge comprising: a first locking member; a second locking member; and a receiving member to hold a filter, wherein the receiving member includes at least one partial flange, which, when twisted into a recess formed by an interference fit of the first locking member and the second locking member, secures the receiving member within the recess, wherein: the first locking member comprises an inlet/outlet attachment configured to allow flow of fluid into and out of the filter cartridge; the second locking member comprises a support bracket; and the receiving member comprises a filter cap. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least one of the receiving member, first locking member, and second locking member includes an o-ring to form a water-tight seal between the filter and at least one fluid channel defined by the receiving member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a filter coupled to the receiving member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein the receiving member further includes a lock to permanently secure the receiving member to the filter. ### Claim at position 6 6-10. (canceled) ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein, when assembled together to form a locking assembly, the inlet/outlet attachment and support bracket define a recess bounded on one side by the lower edge of the inlet/outlet attachment and other side by a rim along an aperture in the support bracket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein the support bracket comprises one or more twist-and-lock features protruding from the edge of the aperture, configured such that the twist-and-lock features define a guide path for one end of the filter cap. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 12, comprising: a lock well at the end of each twist-and-lock feature that engages a complementary feature on the filter cap to secure the filter cap to the locking assemble. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 13, wherein each twist-and-lock feature also comprises a dislodge aid that facilitates removal of the filter cap from the recess. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of any one of claims 1, further comprising a filter container configured to receive a filter, and to be attached to the filter cap to form the filter cartridge. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 16, comprising cartridge positioning aids on at least one of the filter cap and the filter container configured to act to properly seat the filter in the assembled filter cartridge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 17, further comprising one or more water shut-off rims and one or more gaskets coupled together to separate and prevent incoming unfiltered water from mixing with and contaminating the filtered water exiting the filter. ### Claim 19 (canceled) ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, configured such that screwing the filter cap fully onto the filter container causes a lock on the filter container to engage the filter cap, such that once engaged, the lock permanently secures the filter container to the filter cap without adhesives, heat treatment, or any other additional materials or steps. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 20, wherein an o-ring fits into a groove in the filter cap to create a watertight seal between the filter cap and the filter container once the filter cap is locked to the filter container. ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The disposable filter of claim 16, wherein: the filter cap comprises a cylindrical shoulder that protrudes from a central region of the filter cap; a cylindrical plug extends from a central region of the cylindrical shoulder; a cylindrical inner channel and one or more cylindrical outer channels run through the plug and shoulder, respectively, to the inside of the assembled disposable filter cartridge; and an inflow and outflow separating wall prevents fluid from spilling between the inner channel and the outer channel without flowing through filtration media in a body of the filter container. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 23, wherein the filter cap comprises one or more partial flanges protruding from the shoulder, each partial flange comprising: a mount shoulder, a lodge aid, and a lock; the mount shoulder, lodge aid and lock configured to mount and nest the filter cartridge. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 24, wherein: the filter cap and filter container are configured to be installed into the locking assembly by: inserting the plug into the central aperture in the support bracket; and twisting the filter container with respect to the locking assembly to causes the partial flanges to engage the twist-and-lock features along the recess defined by the assembled inlet/outlet attachment and the support bracket. ### Claim at position 22 26-27. (canceled) ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is configured to allow circulation of fluids through a filter or filtration media in the filter container via an inlet port and an outlet port extending from the inlet/outlet attachment. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 28, wherein: the inlet port is a centrally located port connected to a central channel in the filter cap to allow fluid to flow from a fluid line along a longitudinal axis of the disposable filter cartridge; and the outlet port is offset from the centrally located port and connects to one or more other channels in the filter cap via a toroidal chamber formed between the bottom of the inlet/outlet attachment and the upper surface of the shoulder. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 29, wherein the cartridge is configured such that fluid can travel in through the inlet port, along a linear flow path along the longitudinal axis of the filter container filed with filtration media, and along a return path along an outer edge of the filtration media to the outlet port. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 28, wherein: the outlet port is a centrally located port connected to a central channel in the filter cap to allow fluid to flow to a fluid line from a direction along the longitudinal axis of the disposable filter cartridge; and the inlet port is offset from the centrally located port and connects to one or more other channels in the filter cap via a toroidal chamber formed between the bottom of the inlet/outlet attachment and the upper surface of the shoulder. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The disposable filter cartridge of claim 31, wherein the cartridge is configured such that fluid can travel in through the inlet port, along a path along an outer edge of filtration media in the filter container, through the media, and to the outlet port along a linear return flow path along the longitudinal axis of the filter container. ### Claim at position 28 33-34. (canceled)