# US 9,517,473 B2 · Magnetic filter for a fluid port > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,473 B2 - Document ID: US9517473B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/091,886 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2014-05-29 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-27 - Assignees: Bay6 Solutions Inc. - Applicants: Bay6 Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Roger L. Marchand; Douglas J. Tschetter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517473B2 ## CPC - B03C 1/0332: {using permanent magnets} - B03C 1/286: {disposed at the inner circumference of a recipient, e.g. magnetic drain bolt} - B03C 2201/18: Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid - Y10T 29/49817: with other than ancillary treating or assembling - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A magnetic filter includes a stack of magnetic filter elements having a central flow channel comprising at least one flow opening in the magnetic filter elements and a series of flow gaps between adjacent magnetic filter elements, each magnetic filter element comprising one or more magnets enclosed within a non-magnetic housing. There is an end cap at a second end of the stack of magnetic filter elements, the end cap closing the central flow channel at the second end such that flow is redirected in parallel flows through the flow gaps between the magnetic filter elements. There is an attachment at a second end of the stack of magnetic filter elements, the attachment attaching the stack of magnetic filter elements to a fluid port of a fluid system to define a flow path between the fluid port and the outer fluid environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic filter comprising: a stack of magnetic filter elements, the stack having a first end and a second end, each magnetic filter element comprising a non-magnetic housing having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter that defines a central aperture, the non-magnetic housing enclosing one or more permanent magnets and isolating the one or more magnets from an outer fluid environment, the one or more magnets surrounding the central aperture; a series of radial flow gaps between adjacent magnetic filter elements; a central flow channel defined by the central apertures of the magnetic filter elements, an end cap at the second end of the stack of magnetic filter elements, the end cap blocking the central flow channel at the second end of the stack of magnetic filtering elements; and an attachment for attaching the first end of the stack of magnetic filter elements to a fluid port of a fluid system; wherein the stack of magnetic filter elements and the end cap define a flow path between the fluid port of a fluid system and the outer fluid environment, and the outer fluid environment comprises the central flow channel and the radial flow gaps. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the non-magnetic housing comprises a top plate, a bottom plate, and more than one internal cavity, a magnet being positioned in each internal cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The magnetic filter of claim 2, wherein the more than one internal cavity are defined by a spacer element between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the top plate, the bottom plate and the spacer element isolate the magnets in each internal cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the magnetic filter elements comprise apertures for receiving pin connectors, wherein the pin connectors are used to assemble the stack of filter elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The magnetic filter of claim 4, wherein the pin connectors comprise gap spacer elements, the flow gaps between adjacent magnetic filter elements being defined by the gap spacer elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the sizes of the flow gaps varies along the stack of magnetic filter elements to equalize the flow rate of the flows through the flow gaps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional flow area of the flow gaps is greater than the cross-sectional flow area of the fluid port. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional flow area of the central flow channel is greater than the cross-sectional flow area of the fluid port. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the attachment comprises one of a magnetic attachment, a threaded coupling and a pin connection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the fluid system comprises a filter housing, the stack of magnetic filter elements being disposed within the filter housing such that the outer perimeter of the magnetic filter elements and an inner surface of the filter housing define an outer annulus, the fluid port comprising a first fluid port in communication with the central flow channel and filter the housing comprising a second fluid port in communication with the outer annulus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the end cap is removably attached to the magnetic filter elements and the magnetic filter elements are modular and connected to each other with removable connections such that the magnetic filter may have variable numbers of layers of flow gaps. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the flow path through the flow gaps is unrestricted. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, each permanent magnet comprising a north pole and a south pole, the north and south poles of the magnets being oriented in a direction that is parallel to the central flow path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the non-magnetic housing encloses a plurality of discrete permanent magnets having a north pole and a south pole and wherein the poles of adjacent magnets alternate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein the one or more permanent magnets have a north pole and a south pole and wherein the one or more magnets in adjacent filter elements are oriented with opposite poles facing across the flow gap. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein at least one of an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter of the magnetic filter elements is polygonal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The magnetic filter of claim 1, wherein at least one of an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter of the magnetic filter elements is circular. ### Claim 18 A method for replacing an existing fluid filter attached to a flow port of a fluid system, the existing fluid filter comprising a filter media across a flow path through the flow port, the method comprising the steps of: removing the existing fluid filter from the flow port of the fluid system; attaching a magnetic filter to the fluid flow port to replace the existing fluid filter, the magnetic filter comprising: a stack of magnetic filter elements, the stack having a first end and a second end, each magnetic filter element comprising a non-magnetic housing having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter that defines a central aperture, the non-magnetic housing enclosing one or more permanent magnets and isolating the one or more magnets from an outer fluid environment, the one or more magnets surrounding the central aperture; a series of radial flow gaps between adjacent magnetic filter elements; a central flow channel defined by the central apertures of the magnetic filter elements, an end cap at the second end of the stack of magnetic filter elements, the end cap blocking the central flow channel at the second end of the stack of magnetic filtering elements; and an attachment for attaching the first end of the stack of magnetic filter elements to a fluid port of a fluid system; wherein the stack of magnetic filter elements and the end cap define a flow path between the fluid port of a fluid system and the outer fluid environment, and the outer fluid environment comprises the central flow channel and the radial flow gaps. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the non-magnetic housing comprises a top plate, a bottom plate, and more than one internal cavity, a magnet being positioned in each internal cavity. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the more than one internal cavity are defined by a spacer element between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the top plate, the bottom plate and the spacer element isolate the magnets in each internal cavity. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the magnetic filter elements comprise apertures for receiving pin connectors, wherein the pin connectors are used to assemble the stack of filter elements. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the pin connectors comprise gap spacer elements, the flow gaps between adjacent magnetic filter elements being defined by the gap spacer elements. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the sizes of the flow gaps varies along the stack of magnetic filter elements to equalize the flow rate of the flows through the flow gaps. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the cross-sectional flow area of the flow gaps is greater than the cross-sectional flow area of the fluid port. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the cross sectional flow area of the central flow channel is greater than the cross sectional flow area of the fluid port. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the attachment comprises one of a magnetic attachment, a threaded coupling and a pin connection. ### Claim 27 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid system comprises a fluid housing, the stack of magnetic filter elements being disposed within the housing such that the magnetic filter elements and the housing define an outer annulus, the fluid port comprising a first fluid port and the housing comprising a second fluid port in communication with the outer annulus. ### Claim 28 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the end cap is removably attached to the magnetic filter element and the magnetic filter elements are modular and connected to each other with removable connections such that the magnetic filter may have variable numbers of layers of flow gaps. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein each permanent magnet comprises a north pole and a south pole, the north and south poles of the magnets being oriented in a direction that is parallel to the central flow path. ### Claim 30 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the non-magnetic housing encloses a plurality of discrete permanent magnets having a north pole and a south pole and wherein the poles of adjacent magnets alternate. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more permanent magnets have a north pole and a south pole and wherein the one or more magnets in adjacent filter elements are oriented with opposite poles facing across the flow gap. ### Claim 32 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter of the magnetic filter elements is polygonal. ### Claim 33 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the outer perimeter and the inner perimeter of the magnetic filter elements is circular. ### Claim 34 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the magnetic filter is attached in series with a media filter.