Gas filtration apparatus

1. A filter apparatus for filtering a stream of gas, the apparatus comprising:

a head having an inlet and an outlet, the head including a first flow conduit connected to one of said inlet and said outlet and a second flow conduit connected to the other of said inlet and said outlet, wherein the first fluid conduit is defined, at least in part, by a chimney, wherein the chimney has an outer surface, wherein an annular recess is provided on the outer surface to retain an O-ring seal therein, wherein the O-ring seal is provided in the annular recess on the outer surface of the chimney;

a filter for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus, the filter comprising:

a bowl connectable to and sealable relative to said head for containing said filter, said bowl having an opening defined by a rim;

a filter cartridge for supporting said filter, the filter cartridge comprising:

an upper part and a lower part;

a filter element, for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus; wherein the upper part is joined to the lower part by a connection so as to support the filter element; and

wherein the upper part has an inner rim which defines an annular surface,

wherein the upper part has an outer rim which is connected to the inner rim by a plurality of radially extending vanes,

wherein the outer rim has a plurality of clips, two of the plurality of clips including a flange which resiliently engages the rim of the bowl, with a snap-fit so as to prevent the filter cartridge from being retained by the filter head via the stiction between the O-ring seal on the chimney and the cartridge during disassembly of the bowl from the head,

wherein the filter apparatus is a filter-regulator,

wherein the head further includes a regulator assembly, and

where the regulator assembly includes a valve pin which is retained in the head when the bowl is disassembled from the head.

2. A filter apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clips are equally distributed about the circumference of the outer rim.

3. A filter apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said bowl includes a plurality of attachment lugs at an upper end thereof.

4. A filter apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of attachment lugs are equally distributed about the circumference of the upper end of the bowl.

5. A filter apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the plurality of attachment lugs has an axial extension to provide orientation control when attaching the bowl to the head.

6. A filter apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an O-ring seal is provided on the bowl, adjacent said rim.

7. A filter apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the O-ring seal is provided in an annular recess on an outer surface of the bowl.

8. An air preparation kit comprising:

at least one filter apparatus and at least one regulator assembly, wherein the at least one filter apparatus and the at least one regulator assembly each comprise:

a head having an inlet and an outlet, the head including a first flow conduit connected to one of said inlet and said outlet and a second flow conduit connected to the other of said inlet and said outlet, wherein the first fluid conduit is defined, at least in part, by a chimney, wherein the chimney has an outer surface, wherein an annular recess is provided on the outer surface to retain an O-ring seal therein, wherein the O-ring seal is provided in the annular recess on the outer surface of the chimney;

a filter for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus;

a bowl connectable to and sealable relative to said head for containing said filter, said bowl having an opening defined by a rim;

a filter cartridge for supporting said filter, the filter cartridge comprising:

an upper part and a lower part;

a filter element, for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus; wherein the upper part is joined to the lower part by a connection so as to support the filter element;

wherein the upper part has an inner rim which defines an annular surface, the upper part has an outer rim which is connected to the inner rim by a plurality of radially extending vanes, the outer rim has a plurality of clips, wherein two of the plurality of clips includes a flange which resiliently engages the rim of the bowl, with a snap-fit so as to prevent the filter cartridge from being retained by the filter head via the stiction between the O-ring seal on the chimney and the cartridge during disassembly of the bowl from the head;

wherein the head of the at least one filter apparatus and the head of the at least one regulator assembly both have an identical interface dimension such that a generic bowl and generic filter cartridge may be used with either apparatus,

wherein the filter apparatus is a filter-regulator,

wherein the head further includes a regulator assembly, and

where the regulator assembly includes a valve pin which is retained in the head when the bowl is disassembled from the head.

9. An air preparation kit according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of clips are equally distributed about the circumference of the outer rim.

10. An air preparation kit according to claim 8 , wherein said bowl includes a plurality of attachment lugs at an upper end thereof.

11. An air preparation kit according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of attachment lugs are equally distributed about the circumference of the upper end of the bowl.

12. An air preparation kit according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of attachment lugs has an axial extension to provide orientation control when attaching the bowl to the head.

13. An air preparation kit according to claim 8 , wherein an O-ring seal is provided on the bowl, adjacent said rim, and wherein the O-ring seal is provided in an annular recess on an outer surface of the bowl.

14. A filter apparatus for filtering a stream of gas, the apparatus comprising:

a head having an inlet and an outlet, the head including a first flow conduit connected to one of said inlet and said outlet and a second flow conduit connected to the other of said inlet and said outlet, wherein the first fluid conduit is defined, at least in part, by a chimney, wherein the chimney has an outer surface, wherein an annular recess is provided on the outer surface to retain an O-ring seal therein, wherein the O-ring seal is provided in the annular recess on the outer surface of the chimney;

a filter for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus, the filter comprising:

a bowl connectable to and sealable relative to said head for containing said filter, said bowl having an opening defined by a rim;

a filter cartridge for supporting said filter, the filter cartridge comprising:

an upper part and a lower part; and

a filter element, for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus,

wherein the upper part is joined to the lower part by a connection so as to support the filter element,

wherein the upper part has an inner rim which defines an annular surface,

wherein the upper part has an outer rim which is connected to the inner rim by a plurality of radially extending vanes,

wherein the outer rim has a plurality of clips, two of the plurality of clips including a flange which resiliently engages the rim of the bowl, with a snap-fit so as to prevent the filter cartridge from being retained by the filter head via the stiction between the O-ring seal on the chimney and the cartridge during disassembly of the bowl from the head,

wherein the filter apparatus is a filter-regulator,

wherein the head further includes a regulator assembly,

wherein the regulator assembly includes a valve pin, a valve body, a valve seat, a valve spring and a valve retainer, and wherein the valve pin acts upon the valve body to seal against valve seat,

wherein a valve seal is biased closed by the valve spring, and

wherein the valve pin, valve body, valve seat, valve spring and valve retainer are fully retained within the head when the bowl is disassembled from the head.

15. A filter apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of clips are equally distributed about the circumference of the outer rim,

wherein said bowl includes a plurality of attachment lugs at an upper end thereof,

wherein the plurality of attachment lugs are equally distributed about the circumference of the upper end of the bowl,

wherein at least one of the plurality of attachment lugs has an axial extension to provide orientation control when attaching the bowl to the head,

wherein an O-ring seal is provided on the bowl, adjacent said rim, and

wherein the O-ring seal is provided in an annular recess on an outer surface of the bowl.

16. An air preparation kit comprising:

at least one filter apparatus and at least one regulator assembly, wherein the at least one filter apparatus and the at least one regulator assembly each comprise:

a head having an inlet and an outlet, the head including a first flow conduit connected to one of said inlet and said outlet and a second flow conduit connected to the other of said inlet and said outlet, wherein the first fluid conduit is defined, at least in part, by a chimney, wherein the chimney has an outer surface, wherein an annular recess is provided on the outer surface to retain an O-ring seal therein, wherein the O-ring seal is provided in the annular recess on the outer surface of the chimney;

a filter for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus;

a bowl connectable to and sealable relative to said head for containing said filter, said bowl having an opening defined by a rim;

a filter cartridge for supporting said filter, the filter cartridge comprising: an upper part and a lower part; and

a filter element, for filtering the gas flowing through the filter apparatus,

wherein the upper part is joined to the lower part by a connection so as to support the filter element,

wherein the upper part has an inner rim which defines an annular surface, the upper part has an outer rim which is connected to the inner rim by a plurality of radially extending vanes, the outer rim has a plurality of clips,

wherein two of the plurality of clips includes a flange which resiliently engages the rim of the bowl, with a snap-fit so as to prevent the filter cartridge from being retained by the filter head via the stiction between the O-ring seal on the chimney and the cartridge during disassembly of the bowl from the head,

wherein the head of the at least one filter apparatus and the head of the at least one regulator assembly both have an identical interface dimension such that a generic bowl and generic filter cartridge may be used with either apparatus,

wherein the filter apparatus is a filter-regulator,

wherein the head further includes a regulator assembly,

wherein the regulator assembly includes a valve pin, a valve body, a valve seat, a valve spring and a valve retainer,

wherein the valve pin acts upon the valve body to seal against valve seat, wherein a valve seal is biased closed by the valve spring, and

wherein the valve pin, valve body, valve seat, valve spring and valve retainer are fully retained within the head when the bowl is disassembled from the head.

17. A air preparation kit according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of clips are equally distributed about the circumference of the outer rim,

wherein said bowl includes a plurality of attachment lugs at an upper end thereof,

wherein the plurality of attachment lugs are equally distributed about the circumference of the upper end of the bowl,

wherein at least one of the plurality of attachment lugs has an axial extension to provide orientation control when attaching the bowl to the head,

wherein an O-ring seal is provided on the bowl, adjacent said rim, and

wherein the O-ring seal is provided in an annular recess on an outer surface of the bowl.