Modular aquarium filter
View Patent ↗A modular aquarium filter includes one or more cartridges connected in series. The cartridges may contain filter media for chemical, biological and/or mechanical filtration. In addition, the cartridges are designed such that they provide a unique internal helical geometry to increase the contact area and flow rate of the water with the filter media. The helix may be optionally adjusted to provide different thickness filter layers for aquarium filtration. The pitch of the flights of the helix may be varied to provide enhanced centrifugal flow of the water within the cartridge. The present invention also provides self-sealing valve assemblies at the filter inlet and outlet, which when disconnected shut off the flow of water through the filter to expedite exchange of the cartridges.
1. A modular aquarium filter comprising:
one or more cartridges, wherein said one or more cartridges each have a top end and a bottom end, wherein one or more cartridges includes an inlet at said top end and an endplate including an outlet;
wherein one or more of said cartridges has a bottom end closed off by said endplate;
wherein said one or more cartridges contains a helical flow director; and
wherein said filter includes a self-sealing valve assembly which prevents substantial leakage of the filter when the filter is not connected to a water supply.
2. The filter of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of cartridges.
3. The filter of claim 2 , wherein said plurality of cartridges includes one cartridge with an inlet and an outlet.
4. The filter of claim 1 including a perforated platform for supporting filter media.
5. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cartridges and said endplate are frictionally engaged.
6. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cartridges provide biological, chemical and/or mechanical treatment of aquarium water.
7. The filter of claim 1 , wherein any of said one or more cartridges contain biological, chemical or mechanical filtering media.
8. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cartridges, endplate, helical flow director and perforated support are molded of plastic.
9. The filter of claim 1 , further including a first inlet connector and a second outlet connector for supplying aquarium water to and returning water from said filter, wherein said connectors are self-sealing.
10. The filter of claim 9 wherein said first and second connectors each include a spring, a gasket and a flow controller which provide a self-sealing connector.
11. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the pitch of said helical flow director varies between the top and the bottom of any of said one or more cartridges.
12. The filter of claim 1 , wherein the helical flow director comprises a helix having a pitch, wherein the pitch is constant in each of said one or more cartridges.
13. The filter of claim 12 , wherein the pitch is different in any of said one or more cartridges in said filter.
14. A device for directing the flow of water through a filter, the filter including one or more housings, each housing including a first end and a second end, the filter further including an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, the device comprising:
a helical flow director disposed in any one of said housings, wherein the helical flow director comprises a coil of material disposed axially in spiral fashion from said first end of said housing to said second end of said housing to impart centrifugal force upon fluid passing from said filter inlet to said filter outlet;
wherein the helical flow director comprises a helix having a pitch and said pitch is constant in each of said one or more housings wherein said constant pitch is different as between any of said one or more housings in said filter.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more housings provide biological, chemical and/or mechanical treatment of aquarium water.
16. The device of claim 14 , wherein any of said one or more housings contain biological, chemical or mechanical filtering media.
17. The device of claim 14 , further including a first inlet connector connected to said inlet and a second outlet connector connected to said outlet for supplying aquarium water to and returning water from said filter, wherein said connectors are self-sealing.
18. A modular aquarium filter comprising:
one or more cartridges wherein said one or more cartridges each have a top end and a bottom end, wherein one or more cartridges includes an inlet at said top end and an endplate including an outlet;
wherein one or more of said cartridges has a bottom end closed off by said endplate;
wherein said one or more cartridges contains a helical flow director;
further including a first inlet connector and a second outlet connector for supplying aquarium water to and returning water from said filter, wherein said connectors are self-sealing;
wherein said first and second connectors each include a spring, a gasket and a flow controller which provide a self-sealing connector.
19. The filter of claim 18 , comprising a plurality of cartridges.
20. The filter of claim 18 , wherein said plurality of cartridges includes one cartridge with an inlet and an outlet.
21. The filter of claim 18 including a perforated platform for supporting filter media.
22. The filter of claim 18 , wherein the one or more cartridges and said endplate are frictionally engaged.
23. The filter of claim 18 , wherein the one or more cartridges provide biological, chemical and/or mechanical treatment of aquarium water.
24. The filter of claim 18 , wherein any of said one or more cartridges contain biological, chemical or mechanical filtering media.
25. The filter of claim 18 , wherein the one or more cartridges, endplate, helical flow director and perforated support are molded of plastic.
26. A modular aquarium filter comprising:
one or more cartridges wherein said one or more cartridges each have a top end and a bottom end, wherein one or more cartridges includes an inlet at said top end and an endplate including an outlet;
wherein one or more of said cartridges has a bottom end closed off by said endplate;
wherein said one or more cartridges contains a helical flow director; and
wherein the helical flow director comprises a helix having a pitch and said pitch is constant in each of said one or more housings and wherein said constant pitch is different as between any of said one or more housings in said filter.
27. A modular aquarium filter comprising:
one or more cartridges wherein said one or more cartridges each have a top end and a bottom end, wherein one or more cartridges includes an inlet at said top end and an endplate including an outlet;
wherein one or more of said cartridges has a bottom end closed off by said endplate;
wherein said one or more cartridges contains a helical flow director
wherein the pitch of said helical flow director varies between the top and the bottom of any of said one or more cartridges.