1. A refill unit comprising:
a container;
the container having a neck;
a foam pump secured to the neck;
the foam pump having a liquid pump chamber; a compressible air inlet chamber; and a compressed air inlet that receives compressed air having an air pressure of greater than ambient air pressure;
wherein the volume of the compressible air inlet chamber is less than the volume of air used to make a shot of foam;
a one-way air inlet valve proximate the compressed air inlet;
a piston movable within the liquid pump chamber;
the piston having a liquid seal member for sealing against a wall of the liquid pump chamber and an air seal member for sealing against a wall of the compressible air inlet chamber;
the liquid pump chamber having a liquid outlet into a center portion of the piston;
one or more openings extending through the piston wall providing a passage from the compressible air chamber to the center portion of the piston;
one or more foaming elements located within the piston; and
an outlet located at the distal end of the piston.
2. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein movement of the piston upward compresses the liquid chamber and the compressible air inlet chamber.
3. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the one or more foaming elements comprises a screen.
4. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the liquid pump chamber is located above the compressible air inlet chamber.
5. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the piston forms a portion of the compressible air inlet chamber.
6. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the piston moves up and down within the compressible air inlet chamber.
7. The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a liquid outlet valve that moves up and down with the piston.
8. The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a quick release connector on the compressed air inlet for connecting to a source of compressed air.
9. A refill unit comprising:
a container;
the container having a neck located at the bottom of the container;
a foam pump secured to the neck;
the foam pump having a liquid pump chamber; a compressed air inlet; a compressible air inlet chamber located downstream of the compressed air inlet; a mixing chamber and one or more mixing elements located downstream of the mixing chamber;
wherein when the volume of the liquid pump chamber is reduced liquid flows into the mixing chamber and compressed air flows in through the compressed air inlet, through the compressible air inlet chamber and into the mixing chamber to mix with liquid flowing out of the liquid pump chamber; and the mixture of liquid and compressed air flow through the one or more mixing elements and is dispensed as a foam; and
wherein when the volume of the liquid pump chamber is increased, the volume of the compressible air inlet chamber increases and draws residual foam andor liquid up toward the compressible air inlet chamber.
10. The refill unit of claim 9 wherein movement of the piston upward compresses the liquid chamber and the compressible air inlet chamber.
11. The refill unit of claim 9 wherein the liquid pump chamber is located above the compressible air inlet chamber.
12. The refill unit of claim 9 wherein the piston forms a portion of the compressible air inlet chamber.
13. The refill unit of claim 9 wherein the piston moves up and down within the compressible air inlet chamber.
14. The refill unit of claim 9 further comprising a liquid outlet valve that moves up and down with the piston.
15. A refill unit comprising:
a container;
the container having a neck;
a foam pump secured to the neck;
the foam pump having
a piston;
a liquid pump chamber;
a compressible air inlet chamber; and
a compressed air inlet that receives compressed air having an air pressure of greater than ambient air pressure;
a one-way air inlet valve proximate the air inlet for allowing air to flow into the compressible air inlet chamber and preventing fluid from flowing out of the compressed air inlet;
the piston movable within the liquid pump chamber and the compressible air inlet chamber;
the piston having a liquid seal member for sealing against a wall of the liquid pump chamber and an air seal member for sealing against a wall of the compressible air inlet chamber;
the liquid pump chamber having a liquid outlet into a center of the piston;
one or more openings extending through the piston wall providing a passage from the compressible air chamber to a mixing chamber in the center of the piston;
one or more foaming elements located at least partially within the piston; and
an outlet located at the distal end of the piston.
16. The refill unit of claim 15 wherein movement of the piston upward compresses the liquid chamber and the compressible air inlet chamber.
17. The refill unit of claim 15 wherein the liquid pump chamber is located above the compressible air inlet chamber.
18. The refill unit of claim 15 wherein the piston forms a portion of the compressible air inlet chamber.
19. The refill unit of claim 15 wherein the piston moves up and down within the compressible air inlet chamber.
20. The refill unit of claim 15 further comprising a liquid outlet valve that moves up and down with the piston.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for filtering a fluid containing particulates to produce a filtrate, comprising:
(a) a housing;
(b) a first hollow core filter element positioned inside the housing, wherein the filter element has an exterior surface facing the housing and an interior surface;
(c) a perforated, hollow mandrel extending along an axis of the filter element and rotatably mounted in the housing, wherein the filter element is mounted on the mandrel and rotatable therewith;
(d) a discharge manifold in fluid communication with an end of the mandrel, for receiving the filtrate that passes from the exterior surface of the filter element through the filter element and the mandrel;
(e) an inlet manifold for introducing an unfiltered fluid into the housing and outside the exterior surface of the filter element;
(f) a motor mechanically linked to the mandrel for rotating the mandrel and filter element relative to the housing; and
(g) a means for delivering a rinsing liquid to the interior surface of the filter element while the filter element is rotating, whereby the rinsing liquid is introduced inside the mandrel.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rinsing liquid delivery means is a spray bar positioned inside the mandrel and extending the length of the filter element.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spray bar is stationary relative to the housing, when the spray bar delivers the rinsing liquid.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter element is cylindrical and the filter element and mandrel are co-axially aligned in a horizontal orientation.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least a lower half of the housing is cylindrical and the housing further comprises an inclined trough incorporated therein for draining the housing.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a second hollow core filter element mounted co-axially on the mandrel, wherein the first and second filter elements are spaced apart on the mandrel, and when the inlet manifold directs the fluid to be filtered between the first and second filter elements.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is positioned inside a lower half of housing and outside the exterior surface of the filter element.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motor is positioned outside of the housing.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning liquid reservoir and means to introduce the cleaning liquid inside the housing, whereby the filter element is at least partially submerged in the cleaning liquid, and wherein the cleaning liquid has a different composition than the fluid being filtered and the filtrate.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a rinsing liquid reservoir, wherein the reservoir is in fluid communication with the rinsing liquid delivery means, and wherein the rinsing liquid has a different composition than the filtrate and the cleaning liquid.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a seal encircling the mandrel for sealing between the mandrel and housing, wherein the seal is selected from the group consisting of hydraulic and pneumatic pressurized seals.
12. An apparatus for filtering a fluid containing particulates to produce a filtrate, comprising:
(a) a housing;
(b) a filter element positioned inside the housing, wherein the filter element has an exterior surface facing the housing, an interior surface and a perforated, hollow core;
(c) a mount to support the filter element inside the housing, whereby the filter element can be rotated relative to the housing;
(d) a discharge manifold in fluid communication with the inside of the filter element for receiving the filtrate that passes from the exterior surface of the filter element through the filter element;
(e) an inlet manifold for introducing an unfiltered fluid into the housing and outside the exterior surface of the filter element;
(f) a motor, positioned outside of the housing and mechanically linked to the filter element, for rotating the filter element relative to the housing; and
(g) a spray bar positioned inside the core of the filter element and extending substantially the length of the filter element, which is capable of delivering a rinsing liquid to the interior surface of the filter element while the filter element is rotating.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the spray bar is stationary relative to the housing, when the spray bar delivers the rinsing liquid.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the filter element is cylindrical and at least a lower half of the housing is cylindrical, and the filter element and the housing are aligned in a horizontal orientation.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the lower half of the housing comprises an inclined trough incorporated therein for draining the housing.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an ultrasonic transducer positioned inside the lower half of the housing and outside the exterior surface of the filter element.
17. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a cleaning liquid reservoir and means to introduce the cleaning liquid inside the housing, whereby the filter element is at least partially submerged in the cleaning liquid, and wherein the cleaning liquid has a different composition than the fluid being filtered and the filtrate.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a rinsing liquid reservoir, wherein the reservoir is in fluid communication with the rinsing liquid delivery means, and wherein the rinsing liquid has a different composition than the filtrate and the cleaning liquid.
19. An apparatus for filtering a fluid containing particulates to produce a filtrate, comprising:
(a) a housing;
(b) a filter element positioned inside the housing and aligned horizontally, wherein the filter element has an exterior surface facing the housing, an interior surface and a hollow core;
(c) a mount to support the filter element inside the housing, whereby the filter element can be rotated relative to the housing;
(d) a discharge manifold in fluid communication with the inside of the filter element for receiving the filtrate that passes from the exterior surface of the filter element through the filter element;
(e) an inlet manifold for introducing an unfiltered fluid into the housing and outside the exterior surface of the filter element;
(f) a motor, positioned outside of the housing and mechanically linked to the filter element, for rotating the filter element relative to the housing;
(g) a manifold for delivering a rinsing liquid to the interior surface of the filter element while the filter element is rotating, whereby the rinsing liquid is introduced inside the core of the filter element; and
(h) a cleaning liquid reservoir and manifold to introduce the cleaning liquid inside the housing, whereby the filter element is at least partially submerged in the cleaning liquid, and wherein the cleaning liquid has a different composition than the fluid being filtered and the filtrate.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cleaning liquid is present in the housing and one-half or less of the filter element is submerged in the cleaning liquid.