Fuel Water Separator Having Filter and Sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016008749-A1
Application number	US-201414329084-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2014
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel water separator is provided. The fuel water separator includes a filter having a top end cap and a bottom end cap. A sensor is coupled to the top end cap of the filter. A probe is configured to be coupled to the sensor and to the bottom end cap. The probe is configured to be positioned outside the filter between the top end cap and the bottom end cap.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A fuel water separator, comprising:
a filter having a top end cap and a bottom end cap; a sensor coupled to the top end cap of the filter; and a probe configured to be coupled to the sensor and to the bottom end cap, said probe configured to be positioned outside the filter between the top end cap and the bottom end cap.

2 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is arranged to remain in the fuel water separator when the filter is removed.

3 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 , said probe including a pair of prongs, wherein the pair of prongs are configured to be separated by a spacing element on the bottom end cap and are configured to be coupled to the sensor at a pair of protrusions on the top end cap by a pair of connectors.

4 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 further comprising:
a housing configured to accommodate the probe, wherein when the filter is removed, the probe is arranged to remain inside the housing.

5 . The fuel water separator of claim 4 , wherein the housing includes a standpipe configured to accommodate the probe.

6 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 further comprising:
a filter base coupled to the top end cap, said filter base including an inlet and an outlet for a fuel to enter and leave the filter, respectively; and
a drain coupled to the bottom end cap and configured to drain water filtered from the fuel by the filter.

7 . A machine comprising the fuel water separator of claim 1 .

8 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 , said probe including a pair of prongs, wherein the pair of prongs have a natural spring set, a first prong being arranged to be separated from a second prong by a spacing element on the bottom end cap when the filter is present in the fuel water separator, the first prong being arranged to be in contact with the second prong when the filter is removed from the fuel water separator.

9 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 , said probe including a pair of prongs, wherein the pair of prongs are insulated when placed inside a housing of the fuel water separator, said housing being conductive.

10 . A filter, comprising:
a top end cap configured to couple to a sensor; a probe including a pair of prongs configured to be coupled to the sensor at the top end cap; a bottom end cap configured to separate an end of the pair of prongs; and a filter material between the top end cap and the bottom end cap.

11 . The filter of claim 10 , wherein the probe is configured to be positioned inside the filter or on the filter.

12 . The filter of claim 10 , wherein the pair of prongs are configured to be separated by a spacing element on the bottom end cap.

13 . A housing configured to accommodate the filter of claim 10 .

14 . The filter of claim 10 , wherein the top end cap includes a pair of protrusions where each of the pair of prongs couple to the sensor via a pair of connectors.

15 . The filter of claim 11 , wherein the filter is inside a fuel water separator and wherein the sensor is arranged to remain in the fuel water separator when the filter is removed.

16 . A fuel water separator, comprising:
a filter base; a housing coupled to the filter base; a sensor coupled to the filter base above an upper end of the housing, said upper end coupling the housing to the filter base; a probe coupled to the sensor; and a filter inside the housing, said filter having a top end cap coupled to the sensor via a pair of connectors to the probe and a bottom end cap configured to separate ends of the probe, said probe being outside the filter.

17 . The fuel water separator of claim 16 , wherein said filter base is configured to include an inlet and an outlet for a fuel to enter and leave the filter, respectively.

18 . The fuel water separator of claim 16 , wherein the sensor is configured to remain with the filter base when the filter is removed from the housing.

19 . A machine comprising the fuel water separator of claim 16 .

20 . The fuel water separator of claim 1 , wherein the probe includes a pair of prongs having a natural spring set, a first prong being arranged to be separated from a second prong by a spacing element on the bottom end cap, the first prong being arranged to be in contact with the second prong when the filter is removed from the fuel water separator.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Morris Bryant
• Morehouse Iii Darrel L
• Ries Jeffrey R

Classifications

• B01D35/005 Primary

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

• F02M37/24

  characterised by water separating means · CPC title

• B01D36/005

  Liquid level sensing means, e.g. for water in gasoil-filters · CPC title

• B01D29/11

  with bag, cage, hose, tube, sleeve or like filtering elements · CPC title

• F02M37/28

  with means activated by the presence of water, e.g. alarms or means for automatic drainage · CPC title