Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A filter assembly for removing lint from water discharged through a hose from a washing machine, comprising: an elongate tubular housing having an inlet end releasably connectable with the hose, another end opposite the inlet end, and a side wall extending between the opposite ends, said side wall having a plurality of fluid passageways for discharging water along the length thereof: an elongate tubular filter element located within the body; and a filter removal element within the body, said removal element having a section underlying the filter element adjacent the other end of the body, in loose supportive engagement therewith, said section being substantially coextensive with and having a shape conforming to that of the inside of the housing to substantially close the other end for causing the discharge water to exit through the filter element along the length of the housing, and an elongate stem extending from the section through the filter element to adjacent the open end, said stem being manually accessible through the open end of the body for withdrawal of the removal element from the body, said underlying section carrying the filter element out of the body when the filter removal element is withdrawn.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
A filter assembly for removing lint from water discharged through a hose from a washing machine, comprising: an elongate tubular housing having an inlet end releasably connectable with the hose, another end opposite the inlet end, and a side wall extending between the opposite ends, said side wall having a plurality of fluid passageways for discharging water along the length thereof: an elongate tubular filter element located within the body; and a filter removal element within the body, said removal element having a section underlying the filter element adjacent the other end of the body, in loose supportive engagement therewith, said section being substantially coextensive with and having a shape conforming to that of the inside of the housing to substantially close the other end for causing the discharge water to exit through the filter element along the length of the housing, and an elongate stem extending from the section through the filter element to adjacent the open end, said stem being manually accessible through the open end of the body for withdrawal of the removal element from the body, said underlying section carrying the filter element out of the body when the filter removal element is withdrawn.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The filter assembly of claim 1 including means for releasably securing an end of the stem spaced from the section to the housing with said one end of the stem at an elongate center axis of the housing, an end of the stem opposite the one end being held at said center axis by said section whereby the stem is coaxial with the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The filter assembly of claim 2 in which said releasably securing means includes a connector having means for releasably attaching the stem to the connector and means for releasably securing the connector to the housing adjacent said inlet end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The filter assembly of claim 3 in which said connector is a plate, said plate overlying the filter element and having openings therethrough for the flow of discharge water from the hose to the interior of the filter element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The filter assembly of claim 4 in which said releasably securing means includes means for threadably securing the connector with the housing, said releasably attaching means includes means for threadably attaching the stem to the connector, and said connector includes a manually engageable projection protruding out of the open end of the body to facilitate manual detachment of the connector from the housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The filter assembly of claim 4 in which said filter element is sandwiched between the underlying section of the filter removal element and the plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The filter assembly of claim 1 in which said housing is the outermost member of the assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The filter assembly of claim 1 in which said filter element comprises a resilient sheet of filter material, said sheet being constrained into a cylindrical configuration when within the housing and resiliently returning to a noncylindrical configuration when the constraint of the housing is removed.