Vented liquid filter vented through media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9700818-B2
Application number	US-201113332035-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2011
Priority date	Dec 30, 2010
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A filter apparatus and filter element therefore are provided. The filter apparatus includes a filter head including an inlet port, a main flow outlet port and a drain flow outlet port. The filter element includes a ring of filter media defining an internal cavity. The filter element defines a main flow passage and a drain flow passage through the internal cavity. Each flow passage has an inlet on a clean side of the filter media directly fluidly communicating with the internal cavity. The main flow passage is fluidly coupled to the main flow outlet port. The drain flow passage (or air bleed passage) is fluidly coupled to the drain flow outlet port and includes (i) a restriction 154 sized large enough to allow air flow and small enough to prevent substantial liquid flow and (ii) a check valve 912 limiting flow to a single direction. The filter media separates the inlet port from the main flow and drain flow outlet ports.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter element for replaceable use with a filter head comprising:
a ring of filter media defining an internal cavity;
a main flow passage and a drain flow passage through the internal cavity, each flow passage having an inlet on a clean side of the filter media directly fluidly communicating with the internal cavity, wherein the drain flow passage and main flow passage are integrally attached to the ring of filter media such that the ring of filter media and the drain flow passage and the main flow passage are removed together from the filter head;
a first seal portion defining an outlet from the internal cavity, and
a second seal portion separating the main flow passage from the drain flow passage;
wherein the drain flow passage includes a restriction sized large enough to allow air flow and small enough to prevent substantial liquid flow, wherein the restriction is removed from the filter head when the ring of filter media is removed from the filter head;
further comprising a check valve arrangement in line with the drain flow passage limiting fluid flow through the drain flow passage to a single direction, wherein the check valve arrangement is removed from the filter head when the ring of filter media is removed from the filter head.

2. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the second seal portion defines a main flow passage outlet for the main flow passage; and
wherein a drain flow passage outlet is provided between the first and second seal portions.

3. The filter element of claim 1 , further comprising a central support within at least a portion of the internal cavity, the central support defining, at least in part, the drain flow passage, the check valve arrangement including a floating valve member positioned adjacent an outlet end portion of the drain flow passage.

4. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the first seal portion has an inner diameter that is larger than an inner diameter of the second seal portion, and the first and second seal portions are formed from separate discrete seal members that are axially spaced apart.

5. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the restriction is positioned between the drain flow passage inlet and a drain flow outlet.

6. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the filter element is configured such that fluid passing through both of the main flow passage and drain flow passage must also pass through the ring of filter media.

7. The filter element of claim 1 , further comprising a central support, the central support defining, at least in part, the main flow passage and the drain flow passage, the central support being positioned, at least in part, within the internal cavity.

8. The filter element of claim 7 , wherein the second seal portion is carried by the central support, the filter element further comprising a first end cap secured to a first end of the filter media, the first end cap carrying the first seal portion.

9. The filter element of claim 8 , further comprising a second end cap, the second end cap secured to a second end of the filter media, the second end opposite the first end, the second end cap being imperforate.

10. The filter element of claim 7 , wherein the second seal portion is axially positioned between a first abutment portion of the central support and a retaining member affixed to the central support.

11. The filter element of claim 10 , wherein the first seal portion is axially positioned between a second abutment portion of the central support and an end cap secured to an end of the filter media.

12. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the check valve is a duck bill valve.

13. The filter element of claim 1 , wherein the main flow passage and the drain flow passage are formed independent of the filter head.

14. A filter apparatus comprising:
a filter head including an inlet port, a main flow outlet port and a drain flow outlet port;
a filter element comprising:
a ring of filter media defining an internal cavity;
a main flow passage and a drain flow passage through the internal cavity, each flow passage having an inlet on a clean side of the filter media directly fluidly communicating with the internal cavity, wherein the drain flow passage and main flow passage are integrally attached to the ring of filter media such that the ring of filter media and the drain flow passage and the main flow passage are removed together from the filter head, the main flow passage fluidly coupled to the main flow outlet port, the drain flow passage fluidly coupled to the drain flow outlet port; and the filter media separating the inlet port from the main flow and drain flow outlet ports;
wherein the drain flow passage includes a restriction sized to permit gas flow but that is sized to substantially prohibit liquid flow, wherein the restriction is removed from the filter head when the ring of filter media is removed from the filter head; and
wherein the filter element further includes a check valve limiting fluid flow through the drain flow passage in a direction extending from the inlet thereof to the drain flow outlet port, wherein the check valve is removed from the filter head when the ring of filter media is removed from the filter head.

15. The filter apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the filter head further includes a standpipe including an inner cylindrical tube defining the main flow outlet port, an outer cylindrical tube surrounding the inner cylindrical tube, the inner and outer cylindrical tubes defining the drain flow outlet port therebetween;
wherein the filter element further includes:
a first seal member sealing with the outer cylindrical tube; and
a second seal member sealing with the inner cylindrical tube.

16. The filter apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second seal member sealing with the inner cylindrical tube separates the main flow passage from a drain flow passage.

17. The filter apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second seal member has a smaller inner diameter than the first seal member.

18. The filter apparatus of claim 17 , wherein both the inner and outer cylindrical tubes extend through the first seal member and only the inner cylindrical tube extends through the second seal member.

19. The filter apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first seal member seals the main flow outlet port to the main flow passage, the first and second seal members seal the drain flow passage outlet to the drain flow outlet port and the second seal portion prevents fluid from circumventing the filter media.

20. The filter apparatus of claim 14 , wherein no fluid exiting the filter head via either the drain flow outlet port or the main flow outlet port circumvents the filter media.

21. The filter apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the check valve is a duck bill valve.

22. The filter apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the main flow passage and the drain flow passage are formed independent of the filter head.

Assignees

• Marshall James N
• Krull Timothy L
• Baldwin Filters Inc

Inventors

• Marshall James N
• Krull Timothy L

Classifications

• B01D35/1576

  Calibrated passages · CPC title

• B01D2201/305

  Snap, latch or clip connecting means · CPC title

• B01D35/153

  Anti-leakage or anti-return valves · CPC title

• B01D2201/316

  Standpipes · CPC title

• B01D2201/0415

  Details of supporting structures · CPC title