The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 27, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 13, 1995
Eric Y Park, Portland, OR (US);
David Knaub, Portland, OR (US);
David Thorpe, Portland, OR (US);
Howard Barney, Portland, OR (US);
Joshua Hoyt, Portland, OR (US);
Ziba Design, Inc., Portland, OR (US);
Abstract
A readily serviceable ancillary fluid filtration system has a visual flow rate meter (10) and a quick-release fluid hose fitting (132). The flow rate meter includes a torsionally resistant element such as a bifilar wire (56) that operatively connects an impeller (24) to a housing (14) to bias the impeller to resist its angular displacement at a position that is indicative of the incoming fluid flow rate. The impeller has a surface with angularly spaced color-coded regions (72, 74, 76) that change their positions relative to a window (12) in the housing. An observer can view through the window the color of the impeller and thereby ascertain the incoming fluid flow rate. The quick-release fitting attaches to and receives fluid flowing from a manually actuatable diverter body (130) that is attachable to a faucet waterspout (104). The fitting carries a pivotally mounted lever arm (168) that functions as a manually actuatable push tab-release mechanism. A user squeezes the free end (182) of the lever arm to release a hooked end (166) thereof from a flange (158) extending from the body and either inserts tubes (174, 176) into or withdraws the tubes from the diverter conduits (152, 154). The flow rate meter and the diverter are in fluid communication with a manifold (200) that is releasably securable to a cartridge filter (198) that includes a filter element (204) enclosed in a housing (202) covered by an end cap (208) having an inlet tube (210) and an outlet tube (212) that are matable with a push-in fitting (226) in at least one of the outlet and inlet of the manifold. A lever mechanism (230) pivotally mounted to the manifold pushes against the push-in fitting in response to a force applied to the lever by a user to separate the housing from the manifold.