GB2362838A - Filter apparatus with debris collection member - Google Patents

Abstract

A filter apparatus for filtering debris from a fluid e.g. swimming - pool water, comprises a debris collection reservoir 4 with inlet and outlet means communicating with the reservoir via a multiport valve 6, and a detachably attached closure member 8 which allows access for emptying the debris collected from the fluid. Preferably, the multiport valve is threadedly engaged with an aperture 10 in the closure member and remains attached to the closure member even when the reservoir is removed. Preferably, a lever (Fig 2, 14) moves an engagement band 12, between a closed position where the band engages the closure member onto the reservoir and a second open position where the band is disengaged from at least one of the closure member and reservoir. Debris may be emptied quickly and easily from the reservoir thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the filter. The debris collection reservoir contains a filter medium.

Description

2362838 1 Filter A12paratus The invention which is the subject of this

application is a filter for use in the separation of debris from liquids, particularly water and particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, for use in the cleansing of water in swimming pools so as to remove, for example, sand and other debris from the water. Reference herein to water should be interpreted as having equal meaning with other liquids filter apparatus.

The filter typically comprises a collecting vessel through which the water passes via inlet and outlet pipes and, as the water and debris enters into the filter, the debris sinks to the bottom of the vessel removed from the water by the passage of the same through the filter with the water passing out of the filter, without the debris, and in a cleansed state, through the outlet pipe.

There are numerous designs of filters which can be used in swimming pools but all have the basic same arrangement.

The filters also typically include, at the top, a threaded aperture of C or C diameter. The aperture is provided to receive a multi-port valve for inlet/outlet and any other pipes and this valve is threaded so as to be inserted into the aperture and complete the filter assembly.

A problem with this form of conventional assembly arises when the user of the filter is required to periodically clean the same, preferably at regular intervals, to remove the debris which has collected in the collection vessel so as to ensure that the filter continues to operate efficiently. However, in order to remove the debris, the same has to be removed through the narrow aperture in which the multi-port valve is fitted and, as the aperture of the hole 1) is relatively small, it is not easy for the debris to be removed. Furthermore, in order to gain access to the aperture, the multi-port valve has to be twisted to remove the pipes connected thereto which is time consuming, can be difficult for the user considering the location of the filter and may even, on occasion, cause failure of the multi-port valve or pipework due to the manipulation required. In fact it is known that because the removal of the debris is so difficult, the filter is not cleaned as often as it should be, or even at all, which can cause failure in other components of the filter and/or inefficient operation of the filter.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a means which allows for the relatively easy removal of debris from a water filter so as to enable the same to be performed relatively easily by' a user of the filter.

According to the present invention there is provides filter apparatus for filtering debris from a fluid, said filter including a debris collection reservoir having at least inlet means via which fluid flows into the rese rN,To ir prior to filtering and outlet means via which the fluid flows from the reservoir after filtering, debris filtered from the fluid being collected in the debris collection reservoir, said inlet and outlet means communicating with the reservoir via a multi-port valve, characterised in that the reservoir is further provided with a closure member which is detachably attached thereto and access can be gained to the reservoir for emptying of the reservoir via removal and/or opening of the closure member.

Preferably the multi-port valve is attached to the closure member.

Preferably the closure member is provided with a threaded aperture in which is located a complementary threaded portion of the multiport valve.

3 This arrangement ensures that the valve, which is typically a multiport valve, can be maintained in the engaged position with the lid even during the cleaning operation so that there is no need to manipulate the multiport valve and hence the risk of failure or breakage is removed and the entire cleaning operation is simplified so that it can be more easily carried out by the user of the filter, who, it should be remembered, will not necessarily be skilled in this procedure.

It is envisaged that any suitable form of engagement means between the vessel and the lid can be used with the aim being to simplify the actions required by the user to engage and disengage the same. One form of engagement means is to provide an engagement band which can be moved between an engagement position or out of engagement position as required. It will therefore be appreciated that the multi-port valve remains in a permanent fixed position with respect to the lid.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the vessel may contain the multi-port valve in connection therewith and in which case, a blank may be provided for threaded engagement in the aperture in the lid so as to seal the same.

Preferably the lid is formed of material which is transparent so as to allow the user to view the condition of the water and filter medium in the vessel and determine whether or not the same is required to be cleaned at that time of viewing. In one embodiment the whole of the vessel will be transparent. In whichever embodiment it is preferred that as large a portion of the lid is formed of transparent material as is possible.

Specific embodiment, of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Figure 1 illustrates a sectional elevation of a filter according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of the filter according to theinvention Figure 3 illustrates a plan view of the lid arrangement of the invention; and Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view of the lid and vessel part of the invention.

Referring now to the figures, there is illustrated a filter 2 for use in the operation of cleansing a body of water such as, for example, swimming pool water. The filter comprises a vessel 4, a multi-port valve 6, a lid 8 with an aperture 10 into which the multi-port valve 6 is threadedly engaged As illustrated in Figure 1.

In use, the multi-port valve includes an inlet pipe connected thereto and an outlet pipe connected thereto which allows water to enter into the filter and for debris, such as sand, to be separated from the water with the water departing the filter through the outer pipework and sand and other debris being deposited in the collection vessel 4.

It will be appreciated that over time, the vessel 4 will fill with debris and that after a while, for the efficient operation of the filter, the same will be required to be emptied of the debris.

Rather than having to remove the multi-port valve 6, which is conventionally the case, in accordance with the invention, the multi- ..

port valve 6 remains in position on the lid 8. To remove the debris, the clamp band 12 which maintains the lid and vessel in normal engagement, can be released by the user, typically by operation of a lever 14.

With the clamp band 12 released, the vessel 4 can be removed from the lid and the debris emptied from the vessel through the vessel aperture 16, thereby allowing the simple action of pouring of the debris out of the vessel to be performed quickly and easily. To reform the filter the vessel is brought into the appropriate engagement location with the lid and the clamp band placed back into position to again engage the lid with the vessel.

Thus it will be readily appreciated that the filter according to the present invention allows for improved efficiency in the cleaning of the filter and the removal of debris therefrom in that firstly, it is not required to manipulate the multi-port valve and hence risk damage to the same; secondly, the aperture 16 through which the debris can be removed from the vessel in accordance with the present invention, is significantly wider than the aperture 10 in which the multi-port valve is engaged and hence increasing the potential flow of debris out of the vessel when emptying the same and also improving the ability for the user to actually place their hand into the vessel to clean and remove any other debris that not pourable.

is In a further feature of the invention, the remainder of the lid may be made of transparent material so as to allow the interior of the same to be visually checked to ascertain the level of debris in the container and therefore ascertain whether the same needs to be cleaned.

6

Claims (11)

Claims:-

1. Filter apparatus for filtering debris from a fluid, said filter including a debris collection reservoir having at least inlet means via which fluid flows into the reservoir prior to filtering and outlet means via which the fluid flows from the reservoir after filtering, debris filtered from the fluid being collected in the debris collection reservoir, said inlet and outlet means communicating with the reservoir via a multiport valve, characterised in that the reservoir is further provided with a closure member which is detachably attached thereto and access can be gained to the reservoir for emptying of the reservoir via removal and/or opening of the closure member.

2. Filter apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the multiport valve is attached to the closure member.

3.

4.

Filter apparatus according to claim 2 characterised in that the closure member is provided with a threaded aperture 1n whlch is located a complementary threaded portion of the multi-port valve.

Filter apparatus according to claim 2 characterised in that the multiport valve is attached to the closure member even when the closure member is removed from the reservoir or opened.

5. Filter apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that when the multi-port valve is attached to the reservolt: dlrectly, a blank is provided for engagement with a multi-port valve location aperture.

7 Filter apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the closure member is detachably attached to the reservoir using an engagement band which can be moved between a first closed position where the band engages the closure member onto the reservoir and a second open position where the band is disengaged from at least one of the closure member and/or reservoir.

7. Filter apparatus according to claim 6 characterised in that a lever is provided to move the engagement band between the open and closed positions.

Filter apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that at least the closure member of the filter apparatus is formed of a material which is transparent.

9. Filter apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the closure member is a lid.

10. Filter apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the apparatus is used to clean a body of water in a swimming pool.

11.Filter apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.