Filter apparatus with vented core, electrostatic discharge mitigation, or both
Described are liquid filter apparatuses that include a housing, an interior within the housing, a cartridge assembly (otherwise known as a “filter cartridge”) contained within the housing, and a vent that allows gaseous fluid from an interior of the housing to be released to an exterior of the housing, or that include an electrostatic charge mitigation feature, as well as related methods.
1 . A liquid filtering apparatus comprising:
a bowl comprising an open end, a distal end opposite of the open end, and an interior that extends between the open end and the distal end;
a manifold that is capable of sealingly engaging the open end of the bowl, the manifold comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a cartridge assembly disposed at the interior, the cartridge assembly comprising a filter membrane, a cartridge assembly proximal end, and a cartridge assembly distal end, the cartridge assembly proximal end including a surface that is adapted to contact a surface of the manifold to form a cartridge assembly-manifold seal;
a core volume at a central inner side of the cartridge assembly;
a housing volume at an outer side of the cartridge assembly between the cartridge assembly and the bowl; and
a core vent extending through the manifold to a distal portion of the core volume to fluidly connect the distal portion of the core volume with an exterior of the liquid filtering apparatus such that the core vent comprises a conduit that has a first end and a second end, the first end is located at a distal portion of the core volume and the second end is located at the exterior,
wherein the core vent is engaged with and secured as part of the cartridge assembly such that the core vent remains with the cartridge assembly upon disassembly of the cartridge assembly-manifold seal and removal of the cartridge assembly from the manifold.
2 . The liquid filtering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the cartridge assembly has a central axis extending between the cartridge assembly proximal end and the cartridge assembly distal end, within the core volume,
the cartridge assembly-manifold seal can be formed by pressing the cartridge assembly proximal end surface into contact with the surface of the manifold, with movement of the cartridge assembly along the central axis toward the manifold, and
the cartridge assembly-manifold seal can be disassembled by pulling the cartridge assembly proximal end surface from the surface of the manifold, with movement of the cartridge assembly along the central axis away from the surface of the manifold.
3 . The liquid filtering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge assembly includes a vent assembly that includes the core vent that extends from the proximal end of the cartridge assembly to the distal portion of the core volume.
4 . The liquid filtering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet communicates with the housing volume, and the fluid outlet communicates with the core volume.
5 . The liquid filtering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the core vent comprises a conductive material that electrically connects the core volume to electrical ground.
6 . The liquid filtering apparatus of claim 1 installed in combination with a semiconductor manufacturing tool, to supply filtered liquid flowing from the fluid outlet to the semiconductor manufacturing tool.
7 . A liquid filtering apparatus comprising:
a bowl comprising an open end, a distal end opposite of the open end, and an interior that extends between the open end and the distal end;
a manifold that is capable of sealingly engaging the open end of the bowl, the manifold comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a cartridge assembly disposed at the interior, the cartridge assembly comprising a filter membrane, a cartridge assembly proximal end, and a cartridge assembly distal end, the cartridge assembly proximal end including a surface that is adapted to contact a surface of the manifold to form a cartridge assembly-manifold seal;
an electrostatic discharge mitigation feature that comprises conductive polymer, that is capable of conducting electrical charge through a grounded circuit to inhibit accumulation of electrostatic charge within the apparatus;
a core volume at a central inner side of the cartridge assembly;
a housing volume at an outer side of the cartridge assembly between the cartridge assembly and the bowl; and
a core vent extending between a distal portion of the core volume and a location exterior to the housing volume such that the core vent comprises a conduit that has a first end and a second end, the first end is located at a distal portion of the core volume and the second end is located at the exterior, passing through the distal end of the bowl, wherein the core vent is engaged with and secured as part of the cartridge assembly such that the core vent remains with the cartridge assembly upon disassembly of the cartridge assembly-manifold seal and removal of the cartridge assembly from the manifold and comprises a conductive polymer that is part of the grounded circuit to inhibit accumulation of electrostatic charge within the apparatus.
8 . The liquid filtering apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the core vent extends between the distal portion of the core volume and the location exterior to the house volume, passing through the manifold.