Filter device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876507-B2
Application number	US-201816032538-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2009
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A filter device may include a ring filter element arranged in a filter housing in an upright manner. The ring filter element may have an upper end disc, a lower end disc, a filter material arranged therebetween, and a dirt pot provided on the lower end disc. The dirt pot may be provided on the lower end disc, a protruding pin, and an opening on a base side of the dirt pot. The filter device may include a functional element having a channel configured to receive the protruding pin. A portion of the functional element may be configured to penetrate the opening of the dirt pot such that the ring filter element is sealed at the opening. The portion of the functional element may have at least one water discharge opening. The filter device may be operational when the pin engages into the channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filter element, the filter element having a central axis, the filter element comprising:
an upper end disc;
a lower end disc;
a filter material arranged between the upper end disc and the lower end disc;
a dirt pot below the lower end disc and having an internal space, the dirt pot having an outer surface;
a pin protruding outwardly and away from the outer surface of the dirt pot, the pin configured to be received within a channel of a mating component in an installed orientation, the pin offset from and parallel with the central axis, the pin having a sealing element that is configured to tightly close with the channel in the installed orientation; and
an opening in the dirt pot configured to be sealed against leakage in the installed orientation, the opening centrally aligned with the central axis.

2. The filter element of claim 1 , further comprising a water separator positioned within the internal space, wherein the water separator is a coalescer that collects and diverts water from one of a fuel and oil that passes through the filter material.

3. The filter element of claim 2 , wherein the water separator is connected to the lower disc.

4. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the pin is attached to the outer surface at an attachment point, the pin protruding away from the dirt pot along an axis, the pin having a first width at the attachment point that is approximately orthogonal to the axis, the pin having a free end, and a groove defined between the attachment point and the free end for the sealing element and having a second width that defines a circumference of the groove, the second width approximately orthogonal to the axis.

5. The filter element of claim 4 , wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

6. The filter element of claim 5 , wherein the sealing element has an outer diameter, the first width being greater than the outer diameter.

7. The filter element of claim 5 , wherein the pin includes an inner shoulder and an outer shoulder that axially contain the sealing element within the groove, and the inner shoulder is located at an axial location along the axis that is between the sealing element and the attachment point.

8. The filter element of claim 7 , wherein a width of the pin includes a portion that varies in a continuous and non-narrowing fashion from the inner shoulder to the attachment point.

9. The filter element of claim 8 , wherein the width of the pin along the portion increases between the inner shoulder and the attachment point.

10. The filter element of claim 5 , wherein the pin defines a third width between the groove and the free end, the third width being greater than the second width, and wherein the free end is approximately orthogonal to the axis.

11. The filter element of claim 5 , wherein the pin includes a shaft that is a cruciform cross-section.

12. The filter element of claim 5 , wherein the pin is positioned at an offset radial location from a central axis of the filter element, such that the free end of the pin engages with a guide of a functional element prior to positioning the pin within the channel in the installed orientation.

13. The filter element of claim 12 , further comprising the functional element having the channel configured to receive the pin, a portion of the functional element being configured to penetrate the opening of the dirt pot such that the ring filter element is sealed at the opening, the portion of the functional element further having at least one water discharge opening, wherein the filter device is operational when the pin engages into the channel.

14. A method of fabricating a filter element having a central axis, comprising:
providing an upper end disc;
providing a lower end disc;
arranging a filter material between the upper end disc and the lower end disc;
providing a dirt pot below the lower end disc and having an internal space, the dirt pot having an outer surface;
attaching a pin to the dirt pot that protrudes outwardly and away from the outer surface of the dirt pot, the pin configured to be received within a channel of a mating component in an installed orientation, the pin offset from and parallel with the central axis, the pin having a sealing element that is configured to tightly close with the channel in the installed orientation; and
configuring an opening in the dirt pot to be sealed against leakage when the filter element is in the installed orientation, the opening centrally aligned with the central axis.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising positioning a water separator within the internal space, wherein the water separator is a coalescer that collects and diverts water from one of a fuel and oil that passes through the filter material.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising connecting the water separator to the lower disc.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
attaching the pin to the dirt pot at an attachment point;
configuring the pin to be received within the channel in the installed orientation, the pin protruding away from the outer surface along an axis, the pin having a base of a first width at the attachment point that is approximately orthogonal to the axis, the pin having a free end, and a groove defined between the attachment point and the free end for the sealing element and having a second width that defines a circumference of the groove, the second width approximately orthogonal to the axis.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein configuring the pin further comprises configuring the pin having the first width greater than the second width.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein attaching the sealing element further comprises attaching the sealing element having an outer diameter, the first width being greater than the outer diameter.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein configuring the pin further comprises configuring the pin having an inner shoulder and an outer shoulder that axially contain the sealing element within the groove; and
locating the inner shoulder at an axial location along the axis that is between the sealing element and the attachment point.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein configuring the pin further comprises configuring the pin having a width that includes a portion that varies in a continuous and non-narrowing fashion from the inner shoulder to the attachment point.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein configuring the pin further comprises configuring the pin having the width of the pin along the portion that increases between the inner shoulder and the attachment point.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein configuring the pin further comprises configuring the pin to define a third width between the groove and the free end, the third width being greater than the second width, and wherein the free end is approximately orthogonal to the axis.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein configuring the pin further comprises configuring the pin to include a shaft that is a cruciform cross-section.

25. The method of claim 18 , further comprising positioning the pin at an offset radial location from a central axis of the filter element, such that the free end of the pin engages with a guide of a functional element prior to positioning the pin within the channel in the installed orientation.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising configuring the functional element with the channel that

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Braunheim Michael
• Lika Torsten

Classifications

• B01D35/005

  Filters specially adapted for use in internal-combustion engine lubrication or fuel systems · CPC title

• B01D2201/4007

  Use of cam or ramp systems · CPC title

• B01D17/045

  with coalescers · CPC title

• B01D35/153

  Anti-leakage or anti-return valves · CPC title

• B01D2201/305

  Snap, latch or clip connecting means · CPC title