Quick release filter assembly for pneumatic surgical machine

1. A quick release filter assembly for a pneumatic module of a surgical machine comprising:

a housing having first and second sides, a top, and a bottom;

an input port located on the first side of the housing, the input port configured to permit gas to enter the housing;

an output port located on the second side of the housing, the output port configured to permit gas to exit the housing;

a filter located in the housing between the input port and the output port; and

a flange rigidly connected to the housing, located along a periphery of the top of the housing, and extending outward along a plane generally parallel with the top of the housing, the flange having a mechanism for connecting the housing to a mounting portion of the pneumatic module;

wherein when the mechanism is disengaged, the filter assembly can be removed from the pneumatic module.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the filter further comprises a moisture separator.

3. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a handle located on the top of the housing, the handle adapted to be grasped by a hand.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the handle is pivotable about an axis contained in a plane generally parallel to the top of the housing.

5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the handle is adapted to be removed from the top face of the housing.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the mechanism for connecting the housing to the mounting portion of the pneumatic module comprises two holes located on a top face of the flange and extending to a bottom face of the flange, the two holes adapted to receive two screws, the two screws adapted to threadably engage with the mounting portion of the pneumatic module.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing is generally cylindrical in shape.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein gas entering the input port is filtered before exiting the output port.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the flange has a generally concave bottom surface adapted to fit with the mounting portion of the pneumatic module, and further wherein the mounting portion of the pneumatic module is in the shape of a ridge.

10. A quick release filter assembly for a pneumatic module of an ophthalmic surgical machine comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing having an outer surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface;

an input port located on the outer surface of the housing, the input port configured to permit gas to enter the housing;

an output port located on the outer surface of the housing opposite the input port, the output port configured to permit gas to exit the housing;

a filter located in the housing between the input port and the output port such that gas entering the housing through the input port is filtered before exiting the housing through the output port;

a flange rigidly connected to the housing along a periphery of the top of the housing, the flange extending outward along a plane generally parallel to the top surface of the housing, the flange having a generally concave bottom surface adapted to fit with a ridge located on the pneumatic module, the flange having two holes extending from a top surface of the flange to the bottom surface of the flange, the two holes adapted to accept two screws;

wherein when the two screws are removed from the two holes, the filter assembly can be removed from the pneumatic module.

11. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a handle located on the top of the housing, the handle adapted to be grasped by a hand.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the handle is pivotable about an axis contained in a plane generally parallel to the top of the housing.

13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the handle is adapted to be removed from the top face of the housing.