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US 6,558,444 B1Granted
Fluid filters having a concealed machine-readable identification
AssigneePSI Global Ltd.
InventorSusanne Phyllis Hunter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intake filter (1) or a coalescing filter (4) of a compressor or vacuum pump, or an in-line filter has its identity recorded in a transponder (50, 54), memory chip or other device such as a magnetic or magnetostrictive strip. Interrogation e.g. by means of antennae (52, 56) enables a control unit (55) to verify the identity of the filter and to store the result in memory (57). A record can therefore be maintained of whether approved filters are being used and whether they are exchanged at approved intervals.
Claims3
A compressor or vacuum pump including:
- an air intake or coalescing filter for conditioning the flow of gas to maintain the correct functioning of the compressor or pump and which requires to be replaced periodically;
- means applied to said filter for providing concealed tamper-proof machine-readable identification for said filter;
- a filter head or housing forming part of said compressor or vacuum pump and having means for detecting said identification;
- means for measuring the pressure drop across the air intake or coalescing filter and for generating a signal when the pressure drop has reached a predetermined value signifying that the filter has reached the end of its useful life;
- and
- control means operable to interrogate a new cartridge whenever the filter is changed to recover the identification, store in memory whether an authentic replacement filter has been fitted and provide an indication whether a useful life less than a service interval recommended by the manufacturer is associated with non-use of an authentic replacement filter.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.