Filter assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305375-A1
Application number	US-201514687222-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 15, 2015
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pre-cleaner for a filter assembly having a main filter housing is provided. The pre-cleaner includes a pre-cleaner housing that includes a first wall and a second wall opposite to the first wall. The pre-cleaner is being configured to be detachably coupled to the main filter housing in each of a first configuration and a second configuration. The pre-cleaner also includes a plurality of flow conduits extending between the first wall and the second wall. The plurality of flow conduits is configured to receive a fluid therein in each of the first configuration and the second configuration. The second wall is disposed within the main filter housing in the first configuration and disposed outside the main filter housing in the second configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pre-cleaner for a filter assembly having a main filter housing, the pre-cleaner comprising:
a pre-cleaner housing comprising a first wall and a second wall opposite to the first wall, the pre-cleaner being configured to be detachably coupled to the main filter housing in each of a first configuration and a second configuration; and a plurality of flow conduits extending between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the plurality of flow conduits is configured to receive a fluid therein in each of the first configuration and the second configuration; wherein the second wall is disposed within the main filter housing in the first configuration, and wherein the second wall is disposed outside the main filter housing in the second configuration.

2 . The pre-cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first wall defines a first plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein, in the first configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive a first end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein, and wherein, in the second configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive a second end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein, the second end of each of the plurality of flow conduits being distal to the first end.

3 . The pre-cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the second wall defines a second plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein, in the first configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive the second end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein, and wherein, in the second configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive the first end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein.

4 . The pre-cleaner of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of flow conduits comprises:
a first tube member configured to be detachably coupled with a corresponding first aperture of the first plurality of apertures in the first configuration, and wherein the first tube member is further configured to be detachably coupled with a corresponding second aperture of the second plurality of apertures in the second configuration; and a second tube member configured to be at least partly received within the second tube member, wherein the second tube member is further configured to be detachably coupled with the corresponding second aperture of the second plurality of apertures in the first configuration, and wherein the second tube member is further configured to be detachably coupled with the corresponding first aperture of the first plurality of apertures in the second configuration.

5 . The pre-cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pre-cleaner housing comprises:
a first housing part comprising the first wall; and a second housing part configured to be detachably coupled with the first housing part, the second housing part comprising the second wall.

6 . The pre-cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the first housing part further comprising a pair of attachment portions configured to be detachably coupled with the main filter housing.

7 . The pre-cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first wall further comprises a projecting portion configured to be detachably received in a lip portion of the main filter housing in each of the first configuration and the second configuration.

8 . The pre-cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pre-cleaner housing further comprises a discharge tube in fluid communication with a volume defined between the first wall and the second wall.

9 . A filter assembly comprising:
a main filter housing having an intake end and a discharge end; a main filter element disposed within the main filter housing; and a pre-cleaner comprising:
a pre-cleaner housing comprising a first wall and a second wall opposite to the first wall, the pre-cleaner configured to be detachably coupled to the main filter housing adjacent to the intake end thereof in each of a first configuration and a second configuration; and
a plurality of flow conduits extending between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the plurality of flow conduits is configured to receive a fluid therein in each of the first configuration and the second configuration;
wherein, the second wall is proximal to the discharge end of the main filter housing in the first configuration, wherein the first wall is proximal to the discharge end of the main filter housing in the second configuration, and wherein a first distance between the second wall and the discharge end in the first configuration is less than a second distance between the first wall and the discharge end in the second configuration.

10 . The filter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first wall defines a first plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein, in the first configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive a first end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein, and wherein, in the second configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive a second end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein, the second end of each of the plurality of flow conduits being distal to the first end.

11 . The filter assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second wall defines a second plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein, in the first configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive the second end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein, and wherein, in the second configuration, each of the first plurality of apertures is configured to receive the first end of each of the plurality of flow conduits therein.

12 . The filter assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of flow conduits comprises:
a first tube member configured to be detachably coupled with a corresponding first aperture of the first plurality of apertures in the first configuration, and wherein the first tube member is further configured to be detachably coupled with a corresponding second aperture of the second plurality of apertures in the second configuration; and a second tube member configured to be at least partly received within the second tube member, wherein the second tube member is further configured to be detachably coupled with the corresponding second aperture of the second plurality of apertures in the first configuration, and wherein the second tube member is further configured to be detachably coupled with the corresponding first aperture of the first plurality of apertures in the second configuration.

13 . The filter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the pre-cleaner housing comprises:
a first housing part comprising the first wall; and a second housing part configured to be detachably coupled with the first housing part, the second housing part comprising the second wall.

14 . The filter assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first housing part further comprise a pair of attachment portions configured to be detachably coupled with the main filter housing.

15 . The filter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first wall further comprises a projecting portion configured to be detachably received in a lip portion of the main filter housing in each of the first configuration and the second configuration.

16 . The filter assembly of claim 9 , wherein the pre-cleaner housing further comprises a discharge tube in fluid communication with a volume defined between the first wall and the second wall.

17 . A method of assembling a pre-cleaner with a main filter housing of a filter assembly, the pre-cleaner having a

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Finn Timothy S

Classifications

• F02M35/02416 Primary

  Fixing, mounting, supporting or arranging filter elements; Filter element cartridges · CPC title

• B01D46/0002

  Casings; Housings; Frame constructions · CPC title

• B01D45/12 Primary

  by centrifugal forces (centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C) · CPC title

• B01D46/0023

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01D46/62

  connected in series · CPC title