US 7,594,998 B2
	Aquarium filter assembly and filter element
Brad L. Mihlbauer, Mukwonago, Wis. (US); David R. Troop, II, Kenosha, Wis. (US); Lonnie Austin Ready, West Columbia, S.C. (US); Giacomo Guoli, Milan (Italy); and Fabio Bellia, Trebaseleghe (Italy)
Assigned to Newa Tecno Industria s.r.l., (Italy)
Filed on Nov. 10, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/268,096.
Application 12/268096 is a division of application No. 11/696759, filed on Apr. 05, 2007.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/791830, filed on Apr. 13, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2009/0071886 A1, Mar. 19, 2009
Int. Cl. B01D 27/02 (2006.01); A01K 63/04 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 210—167.27  [210/232; 119/259]

12 Claims

1. An aquarium filter assembly comprising a housing having a mounting structure for mounting to an aquarium tank, a replaceable filter element in said housing, said filter element having a first face and an opposite second face, said housing having a filter chamber receiving said filter element therein, said filter element dividing said filter chamber into a filter inlet plenum and a filter outlet plenum, said filter chamber and said filter element respectively having first and second coacting keyed detents mating with each other to at least one of: a) orient and permit mounting of said filter element in said filter chamber only with said first face facing said filter inlet plenum, and said second face facing said filter outlet plenum; and b) permit mounting of only an authorized filter element in said filter chamber, namely a filter element having said second coacting keyed detent to mate with said first coacting keyed detent of said filter chamber.