Filter cartridge assemblies

Inventors

Silver, Mikiya • Kane, Michael • Augelli, Michael • Funk, Michael • Allen, Joseph • Krishnamoorthy, Mahesh

Assignees

Conmed Corp

Abstract

A filter cartridge for a surgical gas delivery system is disclosed which includes a housing having a front end and a rear end and defining a first interior flow path extending downstream from a first inlet at the rear end of the housing to a first outlet at the front end of the housing, and a second interior flow path extending upstream from a second inlet at the front end the housing to a second outlet at the rear end of the housing, a first pleated filter element operatively associated with the first interior flow path, a second pleated filter element operatively associated with the second interior flow path, and a carbon filter disc operatively associated with the second interior flow path and positioned adjacent a downstream side of the second pleated filter element.

Core Innovation

The invention describes a filter cartridge for a surgical gas delivery system. The cartridge includes a housing having a front end and a rear end and defining interior flow paths that route gas through different filtration stages. The housing defines first and second interior flow paths, each with corresponding inlets and outlets, with the first interior flow path extending from a first inlet at the rear end to a first outlet at the front end, and the second interior flow path extending from a second inlet at the front end to a second outlet at the rear end.

Within the first interior flow path, the cartridge includes a first pleated filter element operatively associated with the first interior flow path. Within the second interior flow path, the cartridge includes a second pleated filter element operatively associated with the second interior flow path. Downstream of the second pleated filter element in the direction of flow through the second interior flow path, the cartridge further includes a carbon filter disc positioned in abutment with a downstream surface of the second pleated filter element.

The cartridge configures flow within the housing so that an outer peripheral surface of the second pleated filter element and an outer peripheral surface of the carbon filter disc are in contact with and bounded by a common interior peripheral wall of the housing. The claims specify relative flow order in which the second pleated filter element is the first filter element in the second interior flow path relative to the direction of flow, and the carbon filter disc is the second filter element in the second interior flow path relative to the direction of flow.

Claims Coverage

The partial claim set includes three independent claims. Each independent claim defines a filter cartridge for a surgical gas delivery system using a housing with interior flow paths and downstream filtration using pleated filter elements and an activated carbon filter disc, with one independent claim additionally requiring a third interior flow path and a non-woven filter element for insufflation gas.

Across the independent claims, the core coverage is the arrangement of pleated filter elements in a first and a second interior flow path, with a carbon/activated carbon filter disc placed downstream of the second pleated filter element in abutting contact with its downstream surface and bounded by a common interior peripheral wall. One independent claim further expands the cartridge to a third interior flow path for delivering insufflation gas and specifies a non-woven filter element positioned adjacent the third inlet at the rear end.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications