Rotary vessel with a spigot having axially projecting fingers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247151-B2
Application number	US-201815997800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A rotary vessel for a filter assembly has a rotor body rotatable about an axis of rotation and a spigot, integral or coupled with the rotor body, extending away from the rotary body along the axis of rotation. The spigot has an abutment surface against which, in use, a cooperating surface of the filter assembly abuts to inhibit movement of the rotary vessel relative to the cooperating surface and parallel to the axis of rotation. The filter assembly has a housing with main body and closure member separably attachable to the main body. The closure member retains the rotary vessel inside the housing and is separable from the main body to permit removal of the rotary vessel from the housing. A connector releasably couples the closure member to the rotary vessel such that the rotary vessel is removable from the housing by separating closure member and main body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary vessel for a filter assembly, the rotary vessel comprising:
a rotor body rotatable about an axis of rotation; and
a spigot, integral with or coupled to the rotor body, extending away from the rotary body along the axis of rotation;
the spigot comprising an abutment surface against which, in use of the rotary vessel in the filter assembly, a cooperating surface of the filter assembly abuts to inhibit a movement of the rotary vessel relative to the cooperating surface and parallel to the axis of rotation;
wherein the spigot comprises:
one or more axially projecting fingers;
wherein the one or more axially projecting fingers further comprise a protrusion forming the abutment surface;
wherein the one or more axially projecting fingers are spaced about the spigot intermediate the abutment surface;

wherein at least one of the one or more axially projecting fingers comprise an elastically deformable portion, the elastically deformable portion of the more axially projecting fingers is elastically deformable in a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation, such that the abutment surface is radially moveable relative to the axis of rotation by a deformation of the elastically deformable portion;
wherein the spigot further comprises one or more additional axially projecting fingers having a nondeformable portion which is rigid in the radial direction;
wherein the elastically deformable portions are spaced about the spigot intermediate the non-deformable portions.

2. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the spigot extends from the rotor body in a first direction and
wherein the abutment surface is configured such that, in use, the cooperating surface abuts against the abutment surface to inhibit a movement of the rotary vessel in a direction opposite to the first direction.

3. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the protrusion extends radially outward relative to the axis of rotation.

4. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the spigot comprises
one or more recesses or grooves extending radially inward relative to the axis of rotation,
wherein the abutment surface is at least in part provided on or coupled to the one or more recesses or grooves.

5. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the abutment surface is a discontinuous surface extending about the spigot.

6. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the one or more axially projecting fingers comprise a free end located furthest from the rotor body;
wherein the abutment surface is at least in part is provided on or coupled to the free end.

7. The rotary vessel according to claim 6 , wherein
the one or more axially projecting fingers tapers in a direction away from the rotor body.

8. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastically deformable portion of the one or more axially projecting fingers each comprise a respective cam surface and
wherein the elastically deformable portion is deformable by a force acting against the respective cam surface parallel to the axis of rotation.

9. The rotary vessel according to claim 8 , wherein
the respective cam surface is provided on or coupled to the protrusion.

10. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the spigot is circular in cross section.

11. The rotary vessel according to claim 1 , wherein
the rotor body comprises
a drive nozzle configured to emit a pressurized working fluid therefrom to cause rotation of the rotor body by a reactive force so that the rotary vessel is self-powered.

12. A filter assembly comprising:
a housing comprising
a main body and
a closure member separably attachable to the main body;

a rotary vessel according to claim 1 disposed inside the housing;
wherein the closure member includes the cooperating surface;
wherein the abutment surface of the one or more axially projecting fingers engages against the cooperating surface to form a connector configured to retain the rotary vessel inside the housing and further configured to be separable from the main body to permit removal of the rotary vessel from the housing; and
the connector is configured to releasably couple the closure member to the rotary vessel such that the rotary vessel is at least partially removable from the housing by separation of the closure member and the main body.

13. The filter assembly according to claim 12 , wherein
the closure member is separable from the main body by rotating the closure member relative to the main body.

14. The filter assembly according to claim 13 , wherein
the closure member comprises
a sleeve configured to receive the spigot to rotatably support the rotary vessel in the housing,
wherein the sleeve incorporates the cooperating surface.

15. The filter assembly according to claim 14 , wherein
the cooperating surface is located at an open end of the sleeve.

16. The filter assembly according to claim 14 , wherein
the closure member comprises
a bearing assembly and the bearing assembly incorporates the sleeve.

Assignees

• Mann & Hummel Gmbh

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B04B5/005 Primary

  Centrifugal separators or filters for fluid circulation systems, e.g. for lubricant oil circulation systems · CPC title

• B04B9/12

  Suspending rotary bowls {; Bearings; Packings for bearings} · CPC title

• B04B2001/2041

  with baffles, plates, vanes or discs attached to the conveying screw · CPC title

• 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

• B01D33/11

  arranged for outward flow filtration · CPC title