Filter device

Abstract

The present invention provides a filter device that prevents the filter element from being forgotten during installation and ensures the sanitary condition of the fluid flowing inside the housing. [Solution] The filter device 1 comprises a housing 2, a filter element 3 that is removably housed inside the housing 2 through an opening 23 of the housing 2, and a detection device 4 capable of detecting the filter element 3. The filter element 3 is integrally provided with a lid portion 33 that seals the opening 23 of the housing 2, and the detection device 4 has a detectable portion 41 provided on the filter element 3 and a detection portion 42 capable of detecting the detectable portion 41, with the detectable portion 41 and the detection portion 42 being provided on the outside of the housing 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filter device provided with a filter element for removing impurities from a fluid that has passed through.

Background Art

[0002] A filter device provided with a filter element for removing impurities from a fluid that has passed through is known. The filter element is provided inside a housing so as to be replaceable. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a filter assembly in which a filter element is provided inside a housing so as to be replaceable.

[0003] The filter assembly of Patent Document 1 is provided with an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag. The RFID tag is provided on an end cap of the filter element, and information such as, for example, the part number of the filter element is written therein.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In a filter device, when the housing is covered with the filter element forgotten to be attached, it is not noticed from the appearance that the filter element has been forgotten to be attached, so there is a risk of flowing fluid through the housing with the filter element not attached.

[0006] Furthermore, as described in Patent Document 1, when a detection device for detecting the filter element is provided in the filter device, the entire filter element is housed in a housing, so the detection device and its wiring are located inside the housing through which the fluid flows. When a fluid requiring sanitary properties flows through the filter device, there was a risk that the detection device and other components would come into contact with the fluid, making it impossible to adequately ensure the sanitary properties of the fluid.

[0007] The present invention provides a filter device that prevents the filter element from being forgotten during installation and ensures the sanitary condition of the fluid flowing inside the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention A housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an opening, A filter element is housed inside the housing so as to be insertable and removable from the opening, A filter device comprising a detection device capable of detecting the filter element, The filter element is integrally provided with a lid that seals the opening of the housing. The detection device comprises a part to be detected provided on the filter element and a detection unit capable of detecting the part to be detected, and the part to be detected and the detection unit are provided on the outside of the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent forgetting to install the filter element and to improve the sanitary properties of the fluid flowing inside the housing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of a filter device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] These are cross-sectional (top) and side (bottom) views of the comparative filter device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The following describes a filter device, which is one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the attached drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the filter device 1. The filter device 1 is installed in the middle of a pipe through which a fluid flows and separates impurities from the fluid that passes through it. The fluid that passes through the filter device 1 includes fluids that require high sanitary conditions (i.e., a highly hygienic state), such as beverages and liquid foods.

[0013] The filter device 1 comprises a housing 2 having an inlet 21, an outlet 22, and an opening 23; a filter element 3 housed inside the housing 2 so as to be insertable and removable from the opening 23; and a detection device 4 capable of detecting the filter element 3.

[0014] The housing 2 has an axially elongated cylindrical shape. Fluid flows through the inner space 2s of the housing 2 from an inlet 21 located at one axial end of the housing 2 to an outlet 22 located at the other end. The inlet 21 opens axially. The outlet 22 is located on the outer circumferential surface of the housing 2 and opens radially. In the following description, one axial end will be referred to as the -X side and the other end as the +X side.

[0015] The opening 23 of the housing 2 is located on the +X side in the axial direction and opens in the axial direction. The opening 23 is sized to allow the filter element 3 to be inserted and removed. The opening 23 is formed to have a larger diameter than the inlet 21.

[0016] Furthermore, a stepped portion 24 is provided around the inlet 21 on the inner circumferential surface of the housing 2. When the filter element 3 is inserted into the inside of the housing 2 through the opening 23 and housed there, the filter element 3 comes into contact with the stepped portion 24, and the filter element 3 is positioned inside the housing 2.

[0017] The filter element 3 is provided in an exchangeable manner. The filter element 3 has an axially elongated cylindrical shape, and the end on the -X side in the axial direction abuts against the stepped portion 24 of the housing 2 and communicates with the inlet 21 of the housing 2. The filter element 3 has a cylindrical filter portion 31 formed of a metal mesh or a porous material, which separates impurities from the fluid that has passed through. The fluid flowing in from the inlet 21 passes through the filter portion 31, flows between the inner peripheral surface of the housing 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the filter portion 31, and then flows out of the filter device 1 from the outlet 22 of the housing 2.

[0018] The filter element 3 is formed of perforated metal and has a protective cover 32 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the filter portion 31 to protect the filter portion 31. Although FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the filter device 1, a part of the appearance of the protective cover 32 is shown for the purpose of explanation. The plurality of holes formed in the protective cover 32 have a diameter sufficiently larger than the holes formed in the filter portion 31 and are sized not to impede the flow of the fluid that has passed through the filter portion 31. By providing the protective cover 32, it is possible to prevent the filter portion 31 from contacting the housing 2 and being damaged when the filter element 3 is inserted and removed.

[0019] The filter element 3 is integrally provided (i.e., as one member) with a lid portion 33 that seals the opening 23 of the housing 2. The lid portion 33 has a diameter larger than that of the opening 23 and covers the opening 23 via a packing 34. The lid portion 33 is fixed to the housing 2 by a clamp 5.

[0020] In addition, a handle 35 that is held by the user during insertion and removal is provided on the lid portion 33 of the filter element 3. The handle 35 has a connecting portion 35a that connects to the lid portion 33 and extends axially from the center of the lid portion 33, and a gripping portion 35b that extends in a T-shape in the radial direction from the connecting portion 35a, and these are formed in a rod shape.

[0021] In addition, the gripping portion 35b is provided with an extension portion 35c on which a detected portion 41 described later is provided. The extension portion 35c is provided on one side of the T-shaped extended gripping portion 35b, and bends from the gripping portion 35b toward the -X side (i.e., the housing 2 side) and extends in the axial direction.

[0022] The detection device 4 includes a detected portion 41 provided on the filter element 3 and a detection portion 42 capable of detecting the detected portion 41.

[0023] The detected portion 41 is constituted by, for example, a magnet. The detected portion 41 is provided on the handle 35 of the filter element 3, and more specifically, is provided at the tip of the extension portion 35c of the handle 35. Note that the detected portion 41 may be provided on the lid portion 33 of the filter element 3.

[0024] The detection portion 42 is constituted by a proximity sensor that detects the detected portion 41 constituted by, for example, a magnet. The detection portion 42 is fixed to the housing 2 via a bracket 48 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 2, and faces the detected portion 41 when the filter element 3 is housed in the housing 2. Note that the detection portion 42 may be provided detachably with respect to the housing 2, and the filter device 1 may be used with the detection portion 42 removed.

[0025] The detection portion 42 is connected to a control device (not shown) via a cable 44, and outputs the detection result (detection / non-detection) of the detected portion 41 to the control device. The control device may have, for example, a notification portion that notifies the user when the filter element 3 is not detected.

[0026] Furthermore, the detection device 4 may utilize RFID. In this case, the detected part 41 of the detection device 4 is an RFID tag capable of identifying the filter element 3, and the detection unit 42 is a reader device capable of reading the RFID tag. For example, the RFID tag contains information regarding the specifications of the filter element 3, such as the number of meshes (number of meshes per unit area) of the filter part 31, and can be distinguished from other filter elements 3 with different numbers of meshes. Note that the information contained in the RFID tag is not limited to this and can include various kinds of information.

[0027] Next, the effects and advantages of the filter device 1 of this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 2.

[0028] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view (top) and a side view (bottom) of the comparative example filter device 1A. Note that identical components in the filter device 1 of this embodiment and the comparative example filter device 1A are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the filter element 3A of the comparative example filter device 1A does not have a lid 33, unlike the filter element 3 of the filter device 1 of this embodiment. In the filter device 1A, a lid 6 that seals the opening 23 of the housing 2 is provided separately from the filter element 3A, and the opening 23 is sealed by the lid 6 after the entire filter element 3A, including the handle 35A, is housed in the housing 2. The lid 6 is provided with a handle 61.

[0030] In the filter device 1A, if the opening 23 of the housing 2 is closed with the lid 6 while the filter element 3A is not installed, it is not possible to notice the omission of the filter element 3A from the outside. Therefore, there is a risk that fluid may flow into the housing 2 without the filter element 3A installed.

[0031] On the other hand, in the filter device 1 of this embodiment, the filter element 3 and the lid 33 that seals the opening 23 of the housing 2 are provided integrally, so it is possible to prevent the filter device 1 from being used without the filter element 3 being installed.

[0032] Furthermore, since the filter device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a detection device 4 capable of detecting the filter element 3, even if a separate cover 6, as shown in Figure 2, blocks the opening 23 while the filter element 3 is not installed, the device can still notify the outside that the filter element 3 has been removed. Therefore, forgetting to install the filter element 3 can be prevented more reliably.

[0033] Furthermore, in the filter device 1 of this embodiment, the filter element 3 is provided integrally with the lid portion 33, so both the detected portion 41 and the detection portion 42 can be provided on the outside of the housing 2. By providing both the detected portion 41 and the detection portion 42 on the outside of the housing 2, the detected portion 41 and / or the detection portion 42 do not come into contact with the fluid, so when a fluid requiring sanitary properties flows through the filter device 1, the sanitary properties of the fluid are sufficiently ensured. In addition, if the detected portion 41 and / or the detection portion 42 were provided on the inside of the housing 2, a member or structure to waterproof the detected portion 41 and / or the detection portion 42 would be necessary, but in the filter device 1 of this embodiment, such a member or structure is unnecessary. Moreover, by providing both the detected portion 41 and the detection portion 42 on the outside of the housing 2, the maintainability of the detected portion 41, the detection portion 42, and the cable 44 can be improved.

[0034] Furthermore, if the detected part 41 and the detection part 42 of the detection device 4 are an RFID tag and a reader device, respectively, it is possible to prevent incorrect installation of the filter element 3. Also, since the RFID tag and reader device are located on the outside of the housing 2, it is possible to prevent them from being exposed to water.

[0035] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the embodiments described above may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0036] This specification contains at least the following information. The components and other elements corresponding to those in the embodiments described above are shown in parentheses as examples, but are not limited thereto.

[0037] (1) A housing (housing 2) having an inlet (inlet 21), an outlet (outlet 22), and an opening (opening 23), A filter element (filter element 3) is housed inside the housing so as to be insertable and removable from the opening, A filter device (filter device 1) comprising a detection device (detection device 4) capable of detecting the filter element, The filter element is integrally provided with a lid portion (lid portion 33) that seals the opening of the housing. The detection device comprises a detection unit (detection unit 41) provided on the filter element and a detection unit (detection unit 42) capable of detecting the detection unit, wherein the detection unit and the detection unit are provided on the outside of the housing. Filter device.

[0038] According to (1), since the filter element and the lid that seals the opening of the housing are provided integrally, it is possible to prevent the filter device from being used with the filter element forgotten. Furthermore, since a detection device capable of detecting the filter element is provided, even if the opening is sealed with a separate lid while the filter element is removed, the fact that the filter element has been removed can be notified to the outside. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent forgetting to install the filter element. Moreover, since the detected part and the detection part of the detection device are provided on the outside of the housing, the detected part and / or the detection part do not come into contact with the fluid, so the sanitary properties of the fluid are sufficiently ensured when a fluid requiring sanitary properties flows through the filter device.

[0039] (2) A filter device as described in (1), The detected part of the detection device is an RFID tag capable of identifying the filter element, The detection unit of the detection device is a reader device capable of reading the RFID tag. Filter device.

[0040] According to (2), by using RFID in the detection device, it is possible to prevent incorrect installation of the filter element. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 1. Filter device 2 Housing 21 Inlet 22 Outlet 23 Opening 3 filter elements 33 Lid 4. Detection device 41 Detected part 42 Detection unit

Claims

1. A housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an opening, A filter element is housed inside the housing so as to be insertable and removable from the opening, A filter device comprising a detection device capable of detecting the filter element, The filter element is integrally provided with a lid that seals the opening of the housing. The detection device comprises a part to be detected provided on the filter element and a detection unit capable of detecting the part to be detected, wherein the part to be detected and the detection unit are provided on the outside of the housing. Filter device.

2. A filter device according to claim 1, The detected part of the detection device is an RFID tag capable of identifying the filter element, The detection unit of the detection device is a reader device capable of reading the RFID tag. Filter device.

Images