Filter assembly with a pressure actuated valve assembly that permits air flow into a rotary vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10981094-B2
Application number	US-201816214100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2018
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A filter assembly has a housing with a housing inlet and a drain. A rotary vessel is rotatably mounted within the housing and has a rotary vessel inlet and a rotary vessel outlet. Fluid exiting the rotary vessel outlet exits the housing through the drain. A valve assembly moveable between a closed and an open configuration is provided. When closed, the valve assembly fluid-tightly seals rotary vessel inlet from housing inlet. When open, the rotary vessel inlet is in fluid communication with the housing inlet such that fluid flowing into the housing inlet passes into the rotary vessel inlet. The valve assembly is moveable from closed to open configuration when a pressure of fluid flowing into the housing inlet exceeds a threshold pressure. The filter assembly has a fluid passageway permitting air flow into the rotary vessel through the rotary vessel inlet when the valve assembly is closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter assembly comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first housing part;
a second housing part forming a base on which the first housing part is arranged, the second housing part including:
a housing inlet formed as an inlet channel in the second housing part;
a valve channel fluidically connected to the inlet channel of the housing inlet; and
a drain;
a rotary vessel rotatably mounted to rotate on an axis of rotation within the housing, the rotary vessel comprising:
a rotary vessel chamber arranged in an interior of the rotary vessel; a bearing tube arranged on the axis of rotation and extending axially in the interior of the rotary vessel, from a lower axial end to an upper axial end of the rotary vessel;
a spindle having a longitudinal axis aligned with the axis of rotation, a first axial end of the spindle secured to the second housing part, the spindle having a bore at the first axial end forming a rotary vessel inlet;
wherein the spindle is arranged in an interior of the bearing tube and the rotary vessel with the bearing tube rotate about the spindle; and a rotary vessel outlet;
a valve assembly having a valve body arranged in the valve channel configured to move from a closed configuration to an open configuration in response to pressure of the fluid flowing into the housing inlet exceeding a threshold pressure,
wherein, when the valve body is moved to the closed configuration, a radial bore formed through the valve body opens to partly define a fluid passageway that fluidly connects the rotary vessel inlet of the spindle to the drain while fluid-tightly sealing the rotary vessel inlet from the housing inlet,
wherein, when the valve assembly is moved to the open configuration, the rotary vessel inlet is put in fluid communication with the housing inlet permitting a fluid flowing into the housing inlet to pass into the rotary vessel inlet, and the radial bore through the valve body to the drain is closed by the valve assembly,
wherein, when the valve assembly is in the open configuration, the fluid exiting the rotary vessel through the rotary vessel outlet exits the housing through the drain.

2. A filter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the fluid passageway fluidly connects the rotary vessel inlet to the rotary vessel outlet.

3. A filter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the valve assembly comprises
the valve body and
a biasing device configured to bias by a biasing force the valve body toward a first position,
wherein, in the first position of the valve body, the valve assembly is in the closed configuration,
wherein the valve body is configured to move against the biasing force into a second position,
wherein, in the second position of the valve body, the valve assembly is in the open configuration.

4. A filter assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the valve body comprises:
an axial bore that extends axially in the valve body through a rear end of the valve body, and
the radial bore fluidly connected to the axial bore,
wherein the fluid passageway is at least partly defined by the axial bore and the radial bore.

5. A filter assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
an outer surface of the valve body comprises
a circumferential groove and

wherein the radial bore terminates in the circumferential groove.

6. A filter assembly according to claim 3 ,
wherein the valve channel comprises
an opening configured to permit the air flow into the valve channel,
wherein the fluid passageway is at least partly defined by the valve channel and the opening of the valve channel.

7. A filter assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the biasing device comprises a spring.

8. A filter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the spindle includes at least one radial hole extending from the bore of the spindle to an outer side of the spindle to discharge at an interior of the bearing tube;
wherein a separating cone is arranged in the interior of the rotary vessel and having an opening through which the bearing tube extends, the separating cone separating the rotary vessel chamber from a lower chamber in the interior of the rotary vessel.

Assignees

• Mann & Hummel Gmbh

Inventors

• Fell Anthony W
• Marques Tiago
• Rouse Angus
• Nash Robin

Classifications

• F01M11/03 Primary

  Mounting or connecting of lubricant purifying means relative to the machine or engine; Details of lubricant purifying means (filters B01D) · CPC title

• F16K17/0473

  Multiple-way safety valves · CPC title

• B01D35/30

  Filter housing constructions · CPC title

• B01D2313/16

  Specific vents · CPC title

• B01D2313/18

  Specific valves · CPC title