Filter plate, filter plate element, and filter comprising same

Claim 2

A filter plate assembly comprising a pair of matable filter plates, each said filter plate being of generally planar shape with a substantially flat bottom surface, and a top surface with an upwardly extending wall circumscribingly bounding a flow channel with each plate of the pair being abuttingly and sealingly matable with the other plate of the pair when positioned in inverted relationship with respect thereto, such that the flow channel is enclosed by the mated plates, and a filter element comprising first registration means and resposable between the filter plates in the enclosed flow channel when the plates are abuttingly and sealingly mated with one another in said inverted relationship, whereby the flow channel contains the filter element therein, and with the flow channel bounding wall of each of said filter plates having second registration means associated therewith which is cooperatively matable with said first registration means of said filter element, whereby said filter plates and filter element are registerable with one another to effect a selected orientation and alignment therebetween.

Claim 3

A filter plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first registration means comprises a female mating structure, and the second registration means comprises a male mating structure.

Claim 4

A filter plate assembly according to claim 2, wherein the female mating structure comprises notches in the filter element, and the male mating structure comprises protrusions extending from the upwardly extending wall toward the interior of the flow channel on each of said filter plates.

Claim 5

A filter plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first registration means comprises a male mating structure, and the second registration means comprises a female mating structure.

Claim 6

A filter plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first registration means comprises mating structure of a first color, said second registration means comprises mating structure of a second color, and a proper registration of said first and second registration means provides a confirmatory third color which is different from either of said first and second colors.

Claim 7

A filter plate having a generally rectangular and generally planar shape with a substantially flat bottom surface, a top surface with a first upwardly extending wall circumscribingly bounding a flow channel of generally rectangular shape, and a second upwardly extending wall interior to and of lesser height than the first bounding wall, the second wall being in spaced relation to the first wall along diagonally opposed L-shaped peripheral sections of the flow channel, said first and second walls defining an L-shaped channel therebetween in said diagonally opposed L-shaped peripheral sections, each L-shaped channel comprising a leg extending transversely across the flow channel for a major portion of the width thereof, and a leg extending longitudinally for a portion of the length of the flow channel and each longitudinal leg communicating at its extremity with an opening extending through the plate, ridges extending between the first and second bounding walls along peripheral portions of the flow channel not comprising said L-shaped peripheral sections; a liquid inlet port at a first side of the flow channel and a liquid outlet port at a second side of the flow channel opposite the first side thereof, the liquid inlet port being joined in liquid flow communication with a liquid flow feed trough located interior of said second wall and extending transversely across the first side of the flow channel, and the liquid outlet port being joined in liquid flow communication with a liquid collection trough located interior of said second wall and extending transversely across the second side of the flow channel, with a plurality of spaced-apart partitions extending upwardly from the floor of the flow channel between the liquid feed trough and the liquid collection trough, the partitions being of substantially the same height as the second bounding wall and substantially parallel to one another to define a series of sub-channels between the partitions, extending longitudinally between the liquid feed trough and the liquid collection trough; with circumferentially spaced-apart openings about the periphery of the filter plate for mating with rod elements to form a stacked plate filter comprising a multiplicity of such filter plates, wherein the openings are of at least two different shapes or sizes.

Claim 8

A filter plate having a generally rectangular and generally planar shape with a substantially flat bottom surface, a top surface with a first upwardly extending wall circumscribingly bounding a flow channel of generally rectangular shape, and a second upwardly extending wall interior to and of lesser height than the first bounding wall, the second wall being in spaced relation to the first wall along diagonally opposed L-shaped peripheral sections of the flow channel, said first and second walls defining an L-shaped channel therebetween in said diagonally opposed L-shaped peripheral sections, each L-shaped channel comprising a leg extending transversely across the flow channel for a major portion of the width thereof, and a leg extending longitudinally for a portion of the length of the flow channel and each longitudinal leg communicating at its extremity with an opening extending through the plate, ridges extending between the first and second bounding walls along peripheral portions of the flow channel not comprising said L-shaped peripheral sections; a liquid inlet port at a first side of the flow channel and a liquid outlet port at a second side of the flow channel opposite the first side thereof, the liquid inlet port being joined in liquid flow communication with a liquid flow feed trough located interior of said second wall and extending transversely across the first side of the flow channel, and the liquid outlet port being joined in liquid flow communication with a liquid collection trough located interior of said second wall and extending transversely across the second side of the flow channel, with a plurality of spaced-apart partitions extending upwardly from the floor of the flow channel between the liquid feed trough and the liquid collection trough, the partitions being of substantially the same height as the second bounding wall and substantially parallel to one another to define a series of sub-channels between the partitions, extending longitudinally between the liquid feed trough and the liquid collection trough; with circumferentially spaced-apart openings about the periphery of the filter plate for mating with rod elements to form a stacked plate filter comprising a multiplicity of such filter plates, wherein the openings are of at least two different shapes or sizes.

Claim 9

A filter plate according to claim 6, of rectangular shape, with circular openings at three of its four corners, and with a triangular-shaped opening at the fourth corner.

Claim 10

A filter plate according to claim 6, having circular-shaped openings of a same diameter at three of its four corners, with a circular-shaped opening of a different diameter at the fourth corner.