Filter with a liquid drain valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9815004-B2
Application number	US-201414120634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 9, 2011
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A liquid filter has a hollow-cylindrical filter element is flowed through in a radial direction. The fluid after having passed through the filter element drains in axial direction from the interior of the filter element. A drain plug is disposed at an axial end of the interior of the filter element. The drain plug forms a moveable valve member. A drain passage for draining fluid is open in the open position of the drain plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid filter comprising:
a hollow-cylindrical filter element adapted to be flowed through in a radial direction from an exterior of the filter element to a hollow interior of the filter element by a fluid to be filtered,
wherein the fluid after having passed through the filter element drains in an axial direction from the interior of the filter element;
the filter element having axial end faces;
the filter element comprising an end disk on at least one of the axial end faces and having a central flow opening;
a drain plug disposed at an exterior of the filter element at an axial end of the filter element and aligned radially with the hollow interior of the filter element;
the drain plug forming a valve member and adapted to be axially adjusted between a closed position and an open position;
a drain passage for draining fluid, wherein the drain passage is open in the open position of the drain plug;
the drain plug detachably connected by a snap-on connection to the filter element, the snap-on connection arranged on the end disk at an exterior of the filter element and arranged radially aligned with the hollow interior to the filter element;
wherein a central portion of the end disk forms a support element having a first end fixed directly onto an axially outer surface of the end disk on the central flow opening and formed monolithically with the end disk and arranged radially aligned with the hollow interior of the filter element, the support element extending axially outwardly away from the filter element to an opposing second end of the support element arranged outside of the filter element;
wherein the end disk forms a plurality of elastically spreadable spring tongues on the opposing second end of the support element, the plurality of spring tongues distributed about a circumference of a receiving space, the plurality of spring tongues configured to elastically spread apart to receive a head of the drain plug into the receiving space;
wherein the plurality of elastically spreadable spring tongues and receiving space form a locking receptacle, the locking receptacle arranged at an axially outer side of the filter element;
wherein the plurality of spring tongues form an elastically spreadable locking mechanism, that closes on the head in the locking receptacle forming the snap-on connection lockably mounting the drain plug onto the end disk of the filter element.

2. The liquid filter according to claim 1 , wherein
the drain plug is fastened on the end disk.

3. The liquid filter according to claim 1 , wherein
the drain plug is form-fittingly connected to the filter element or to a component that is fixedly connected to the filter element.

4. The liquid filter according to claim 1 , further comprising
a filter housing in which the filter element is disposed,
wherein the filter housing comprises a guide component and
wherein the drain plug is guided in the guide component.

5. The liquid filter according to claim 4 , wherein
the drain plug comprises spreading ribs that, in the open position, are supported in a support section of the guide component.

6. The liquid filter according to claim 1 , wherein
the support element is arranged radially aligned with the hollow interior of the filter element, the support element having a hollow interior forming a flow passage continuation of the hollow interior of the filter element.

7. A liquid filter, comprising:
a hollow-cylindrical filter element adapted to be flowed through in a radial direction from an exterior of the filter element to a hollow interior of the filter element by a fluid to be filtered,
wherein the fluid after having passed through the filter element drains in an axial direction from the interior of the filter element;
the filter element having axial end faces;
the filter element comprising an end disk on at least one of the axial end faces and having a central flow opening;
a drain plug having a head, the drain plug disposed at an axial end of the interior of the filter element and aligned radially with the hollow interior of the filter element;
the drain plug forming a valve member and adapted to be axially adjusted between a closed position and an open position;
a drain passage for draining fluid, wherein the drain passage is open in the open position of the drain plug;
a support tube arranged in the interior of the filter element and fixedly connected to the filter element, the support tube including:
a first support cross arranged in an interior of the support tube and having a leg extending radially across the interior of the filter element, the first support cross arranged adjacent or proximate to one of the axial end faces of the filter element, the leg fixed at opposing ends onto radially opposing inner sides of the support tube;
a locking receptacle fixed onto an axially outer side of the first support cross and forming a snap-on connection, the locking receptacle including:
a plurality of elastically spreadable spring tongues formed directly on the first support cross in an interior of the support tube, the plurality of spring tongues distributed about a circumference of a receiving space, the plurality of spring tongues configured to elastically spread apart to receive a head of the drain plug into the receiving space;
wherein the plurality of spring tongues form an elastically spreadable locking mechanism, that closes on the head in the locking receptacle forming the snap-on connection lockably mounting the drain plug onto the filter element;
wherein the head, when pushed into the receiving space, elastically spreads open the plurality of spring tongues such that the head can pass into the receiving space, the elastically spreadable locking mechanism then closing onto the head to lockably mount the drain plug onto the filter element.

8. The liquid filter according to claim 7 , further comprising
a filter housing in which the filter element is disposed,
wherein the filter housing comprises a guide component and
wherein the drain plug is guided in the guide component.

9. The liquid filter according to claim 8 , wherein
the drain plug comprises spreading ribs that, in the open position, are supported in a support section of the guide component.

Assignees

• Mann & Hummel Gmbh

Inventors

• Uhl Stefan
• Jainek Herbert

Classifications

• B01D35/153 Primary

  Anti-leakage or anti-return valves · CPC title

• B01D2201/0415

  Details of supporting structures · CPC title

• B01D2201/4084

  Snap or Seeger ring connecting means · CPC title

• B01D35/16

  Cleaning-out devices {, e.g. for removing the cake from the filter casing or for evacuating the last remnants of liquid} · CPC title

• B01D2201/291

  End caps · CPC title