Filter Element With Offset Fluid Passage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018200652-A1
Application number	US-201715408909-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A filter element has a ring of a first filter medium disposed between upper and lower end caps. A center tube extends between the upper and lower end caps radially inwards of the first filter medium. Holes in the center tube, adjacent the upper end cap, allow fluid to pass through the center tube towards a separator tube. The separator tube contains a second filter medium that strips water from the fluid into a fluid reservoir below the lower end cap. A radially offset duct defining a fluid passage extends from below the lower end cap to above the upper end cap.

First claim

What we claim is:

1 . A filter element comprising:
an outer filter having a first filter medium that separates particulates from a fluid surrounding a center tube, said center tube including holes spaced about said center tube; an inner filter having a separator tube containing a frame and a pin extending from a transverse surface of said separator tube radially inward of said inner filter, said frame supporting a second filter medium that separates water droplets from said fluid; and a duct defining a fluid passage disposed radially outwards of said center tube; wherein said outer filter is axially fixed at opposite ends by an upper end cap and a lower end cap, said upper end cap includes an aperture extending entirely through said upper end cap in an axial direction, said duct is disposed in said aperture and provides a fluid flow path from above the upper end cap to a fluid reservoir below said lower end cap, and said pin extends in the axial direction towards said lower end cap.

2 . The filter element of claim 1 , wherein said first medium is a pleated structure and said fluid passage is disposed between adjacent pleats, radially outside of said first filter medium.

3 . The filter element of claim 1 , wherein said inner filter is axially fixed to said upper end cap and said inner filter is axially fixed to said lower end cap.

4 . The filter element of claim 1 , wherein said fluid reservoir is disposed between said lower end cap and a bottom plate and said lower end cap and said bottom plate each contain a central opening defined by a grommet.

5 . The filter element of claim 4 , further comprising an annular cradle defined at an inner diameter by a flange extending axially from said lower end plate, at an outer diameter by said bottom plate, and extending radially along said lower end cap.

6 . The filter element of claim 5 , wherein said outer filter, said center tube, and said duct are potted within said annular cradle.

7 . The filter element of claim 4 , wherein said lower end cap further comprises a flow restrictor in said fluid passage that controls the rate of fluid flow through said fluid passage.

8 . The filter element of claim 1 , wherein said fluid reservoir is disposed between said lower end cap and a bottom plate, said lower end cap and said bottom plate each contain a central opening, and the central opening of said lower end cap and the central opening of said bottom end cap are both defined by a single grommet.

9 . The filter element of claim 8 , wherein said lower end cap further comprises a flow restrictor in said fluid passage that controls the rate of fluid flow through said fluid passage.

10 . The filter element of claim 1 , wherein said separator tube further comprises fins extending radially outwards from said separator tube to locate and support said separator tube within said center tube.

11 . The filter element of claim 3 , wherein said separator tube is potted to said upper end cap.

12 . The filter element of claim 3 , wherein said separator tube is potted to said lower end cap.

13 . The filter element of claim 3 , wherein said lower end cap further comprises a lip extending radially inwards from an upper end of said lower end cap and said separator tube further comprises a lower flange extending radially outwards from a lower end of said separator tube.

14 . The filter element of claim 13 , wherein said lower flange further comprises at least one through hole.

15 . The filter element of claim 13 , wherein said lower flange further comprises a plurality of supports and a plurality of through holes.

16 . The filter element of claim 1 , further comprising an axial spacer that is axially fixed at an upper end to said upper end cap and is axially fixed at a lower end to said separator tube.

17 . The filter element of claim 1 , further comprising an axial spacer comprising an outer lip and a lower annulus; said axial spacer extending from said outer lip adjacent said upper end cap to a disc.

18 . The filter element of claim 17 , further comprising an outer wall between said outer lip and said lower annulus and an inner wall between said lower annulus and said disc, wherein said inner wall extends further in the axial direction than said outer wall.

19 . A filter assembly comprising:
a housing having a body, a standpipe, a side wall, and a filter element space; said standpipe extending from said body along a longitudinal axis; said side wall surrounding said standpipe and extending from a lower end adjacent said body to an upper end containing mounting threads, and said filter element space extending radially from said standpipe to said side wall; a cover engaging said side wall at said mounting threads; and a filter element disposed in said filter element space; said filter element containing an outer filter, an inner filter, a duct defining a fluid passage, an upper end cap, and a lower end cap;
said outer filter has a first filter medium surrounding a center tube, said center tube including holes communicating with an annular space defined between said outer filter and said inner filter;
said inner filter has a separator tube defining a frame and a pin extending from a transverse surface of said separator tube radially inward of said inner filter, said frame supports a second filter medium that separates water droplets from said fluid, and said frame engaging said standpipe; and
said fluid passage is disposed radially outwards of said center tube; and
wherein said outer filter and said duct are axially fixed at opposite ends by an upper end cap and a lower end cap, said upper end cap includes an aperture extending entirely through said upper end cap in an axial direction, said fluid passage extends from above the upper end cap to a fluid reservoir below said lower end cap, said pin extends in the axial direction towards said lower end cap to engage a complementary structure on said standpipe, and said upper end cap engages said cover.

20 . A method for replacing a filter element of a filter assembly, comprising the steps of:
removing a filter cover containing a spent filter element from the filter housing, the filter housing having a standpipe extending from a base at a lower end of the filter assembly to a free end at the upper end of the filter assembly, the standpipe cooperates with the spent filter element to define a fluid passage from the upper end of the filter assembly to a low pressure passage through an upper opening on the free end of the standpipe and the spent filter element blocks a fluid passage through a lower opening adjacent the base of the standpipe, said spent filter element remaining with the filter cover when the filter cover is removed from the filter housing and a portion of the fluid passage remaining with the standpipe in the filter housing; detaching the spent filter element from the filter cover; inserting a filter element into the filter cover; and reattaching the filter cover containing the filter element to the filter housing, the filter element having a duct to complete a fluid passage extending from the upper end of the filter assembly to a low pressure passage through the lower opening adjacent the base of the standpipe and the filter element having a pin to block the upper opening on the free end of the standpipe such that the fluid passage through the upper opening in the standpipe is closed to fluid flow.

Assignees

• Baldwin Filters Inc

Inventors

• Merritt Steven J
• Peterson Nicholas R
• Volk Robert H

Classifications

• B01D2201/291

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• F02M37/221

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• B01D29/21 Primary

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• B01D35/005

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

• B01D36/001

  Filters in combination with devices for the removal of gas, air purge systems · CPC title