Filter element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440172-B2
Application number	US-201314426603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2013
Priority date	Sep 7, 2012
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A filter element for a filter device may include a filter body having at least one filter material for filtering a fluid. The filter body may have a first side and a second side facing away from the first side. The filter body may include a plurality of body pores. The filter body may have a porosity that is lower on the first side than on the second side. A nano-fiber layer may be disposed at least partially on the first side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filter element for a filter device, comprising:
a filter body including at least one filter material for filtering a fluid,
the filter body having a first side and a second side facing away from the first side,
the filter body including a plurality of body pores, wherein the filter body has a porosity lower on the first side than on the second side, and
a nano-fiber layer disposed at least partially on the first side,
wherein the first side of the filter body corresponds to a dirty side to be penetrated by a fluid flow of the fluid to be filtered,
wherein the filter body includes a plurality of fibers each terminating at a free end, and wherein the free end of the plurality of fibers on the first side are at least one of softer and more rounded than the free end of the plurality of fibers on the second side.

2. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein an average size of the plurality of body pores on the first side is smaller than an average size of the plurality body pores on the second side.

3. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the filter body increases in at least one transition step from the first side towards the second side at least in one region along a flow direction.

4. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the porosity of the filter body increases continuously from the first side towards the second side at least in one region along a flow direction.

5. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter body is composed of a fiber-containing filter material.

6. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter body is composed of a cellulose-containing filter material.

7. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter body is at least one of skimmed and screened from a filter material liquid containing the filter material to define the lower porosity of the first side than on the second side.

8. The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-fiber layer disposed on the first side includes a plurality of nano-fiber pores, the nano-fiber layer having a porosity less than the first side of the filter body.

9. The filter element according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of nano-fiber pores of the nano-fiber layer are smaller than the plurality of body pores of the filter body.

10. The filter element according to claim 5 , wherein the fiber-containing filter material includes a plurality of fibers each having a fiber end disposed throughout the first side and the second side, wherein a number of fiber ends on the first side is smaller than on the second side.

11. The filter element according to claim 10 , wherein the number of fiber ends on the first side is reduced compared to the second side via a pre-treatment.

12. The filter element according to claim 10 , wherein the number of fiber ends on the first side is reduced compared to the second side via the first side being composed of a different filter material than the second side.

13. The filter element according to claim 10 , wherein the first side includes at least one of softer fibers and more rounded fibers than the second side.

14. The filter element according to claim 10 , wherein the filter material on the first side further includes a filament.

15. The filter element according to claim 14 , wherein the filament is a continuous filament.

16. The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one filter material includes a plurality of fibers.

17. The filter element according to claim 3 , wherein the nano-fiber layer includes a plurality of nano-fiber pores, the plurality of pores defining a porosity of the nano-fiber layer less than the first side of the filter body.

18. The filter element according to claim 4 , wherein the nano-fiber layer includes a plurality of nano-fiber pores, the plurality of pores defining a porosity of the nano-fiber layer less than the first side of the filter body.

19. A filter device, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity;
a filter element disposed in the cavity of the housing, the filter element separating the cavity of the housing into a dirty side and a clean side downstream the dirty side with respect to a flow direction, the filter element including:
a filter body including at least one porous filter material for filtering a fluid, the filter body defining a first side disposed at the dirty side and a second side at the clean side, wherein a porosity of the filter material is lower on the first side than the second side;
wherein the filter material includes a plurality of fibers each terminating at a free end, and wherein the free end of the plurality of fibers on the first side are at least one of softer and more rounded than the free end of the plurality of fibers on the second side; and
a nano-fiber layer including a plurality of pores disposed on the first side of the filter body;
wherein the nano-fiber layer has a porosity less than the first side of the filter body.

20. A filter element for a filter device, comprising:
a filter body including a filter material for filtering a fluid;
the filter material having a first side and a second side facing away from the first side;
the filter material including a plurality of body pores, wherein the filter body has a porosity lower on the first side than on the second side;
the filter material including a plurality of fibers each extending continuously between at least two free ends, wherein a number of free ends of the plurality of fibers on the first side is less than a number of fiber ends on the second side; and
a nano-fiber layer disposed at least partially on the first side.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Disson Ralf
• Lay Hannes
• Neubauer Bernd
• Renz Birgit
• Steppe Markus

Classifications

• B01D2239/083

  Binders between layers of the filter · CPC title

• B01D2239/065

  More than one layer present in the filtering material · CPC title

• B01D2239/025

  comprising nanofibres · CPC title

• B01D39/1623 Primary

  of synthetic origin · CPC title

• B01D2239/1208

  Porosity · CPC title