Liquid filtration system and replaceable filter cartridge usable therewith

An assembly comprising:

• (A) a filter cartridge which is adapted for removable connection to a base of a potable water filter assembly, said filter cartridge including
• (1) a carbon block filter element having first and second opposed axial ends,
• (2) a first, imperforate end cap sealing said first end of said filter element,
• (3) a second end cap sealing said second end of said filter element, a tubular post being formed integrally with and extending axially outwardly from a body of said second end cap for mating engagement with said base, an orifice being formed axially through the body of said second end cap and into an interior of said post for the flow of water between an interior of said filter element and the interior of said post, a bore being formed in an axial end surface of said post;
• and
• (B) a magnet which is sealingly embedded in said bore of said post and which is configured to generate and transmit a magnetic field which is detectable by a magnetic field detector on said base.

A filter assembly comprising:

• (A) a base;
• (B) a detector which is mounted on said base;
• (C) a filter cartridge which is adapted for removable connection to said base;
• and
• (D) a signal transmitter which is embedded in said filter cartridge so as to be isolated from fluid flow through said filter cartridge and which transmits a signal that is detectable by said detector.

A filter assembly comprising:

• (A) a base;
• (B) a detector which is mounted on said base;
• (C) a filter cartridge which is adapted for removable connection to said base;
• and
• (D) a signal transmitter which is mounted on said filter cartridge and which transmits a signal that is detectable by said detector, wherein
• said base includes an upper surface and inner and outer concentric tubular members which extend upwardly from said upper surface to define an annular socket therebetween, wherein
• said filter cartridge is cylindrical and has an end cap and a tubular post which extends axially outwardly from said end cap and into said annular socket, wherein
• said transmitter is coupled to said post, wherein
• said detector is coupled to one of said inner and outer concentric tubular members, and wherein
• said transmitter comprises a signal generator which is embedded in said post and said detector is embedded in one of said inner and outer tubular members.

A filter assembly comprising:

• (A) a base including
• (1) an upper surface,
• (2) inner and outer concentric tubular members which extend outwardly away from said upper surface to define an annular socket therebetween, and
• (3) a detector which is coupled to one of said inner and outer concentric tubular members;
• and
• (B) a filter cartridge which is adapted to receive raw water from said base, to treat said water, and to return treated water to said base, said filter cartridge including
• (1) an end cap,
• (2) a tubular post which extends axially outwardly from said end cap and into said annular socket, and
• (3) a signal generator which is embedded in said post so as to be isolated from fluid flow through said filter cartridge and which generates and transmits a signal that is detectable by said detector, wherein said signal generator and said detector are configured such that said detector is capable of detecting whether or not said filter cartridge is properly configured for use with said base.

A filtration system comprising:

• (A) a filter assembly having a raw liquid inlet and a treated liquid outlet, said filter assembly including
• (1) a base,
• (2) a detector which is mounted on said base,
• (3) a filter cartridge which is configured for removable connection to said base and which is adapted to receive raw liquid from said base, to treat said liquid, and to return treated liquid to said base, and
• (4) a signal transmitter which is embedded in said filter cartridge so as to be isolated from fluid flow through said filter cartridge and which transmits a signal that is detectable by said detector;
• (B) a flow meter which monitors the flow of liquid through said filter assembly;
• and
• (C) a computer which receives signals from said detector and from said flow meter and which selectively generates and transmits signals indicative of 1) the presence of said filter cartridge in said filter assembly, and 2) liquid flow through said filter cartridge.

A potable water filtration system comprising:

• (A) a filter assembly having a raw water inlet and a treated water outlet, said filter assembly including
• (1) a base,
• (2) a detector mounted on said base,
• (3) a filter cartridge which is configured for removable connection to said base and which is adapted to receive raw water from said base, to treat said water, and to return treated water to said base,
• (4) a signal generator which is embedded in said filter cartridge so as to be isolated from fluid flow through said filter cartridge and which generates and transmits a signal that is detectable by said detector, wherein said signal generator and said detector are configured such that said detector is capable of detecting whether or not said filter cartridge is properly configured for use with said base;
• (B) a flow meter which monitors the flow of water through said filter assembly;
• and
• (C) a computer which receives signals from said detector and from said flow meter and which selectively generates and transmits signals indicative of 1) the presence of said filter cartridge in said filter assembly, and 2) at least one of a) aggregate volumetric flow through said flow meter and 2) volumetric flow rate through said flow meter.

A method comprising:

• (A) attaching a filter cartridge to a base of a filtration system;
• (B) transmitting a signal 1) from a transmitter which is embedded in said filter cartridge 2) to said base;
• (C) receiving said signal at said base;
• and
• (D) automatically enabling a function of said filtration system only upon receipt of said signal by said base.

A method comprising:

• (A) connecting a filter cartridge to a base of a filtration system so as to permit raw liquid to flow into said filter cartridge from said base and so as to permit treated liquid to flow into said base from said filter cartridge;
• and
• (B) establishing a communication between said filter cartridge and the remainder of said filtration system that enables a determination of whether or not said filter cartridge is properly configured for use with said base, wherein the step of establishing a communication comprises
• transmitting a signal from a signal generator, said signal generator being embedded in said filter cartridge to said base so as to be isolated from the fluid flow;
• receiving said signal at said base, and
• automatically enabling a function of said filtration system only upon receipt of said signal at said base.