U.S. patent application number 15/978703 was filed with the patent office on 2018-09-13 for spin-on filter assembly and methods.
The applicant listed for this patent is Donaldson Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Michael L. Brown, Claudio Formica, Enrico Greco, John R. Hacker, Philip E. Johnson.
Application Number | 20180257005 15/978703 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37909398 |
Filed Date | 2018-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180257005 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Johnson; Philip E. ; et
al. |
September 13, 2018 |
SPIN-ON FILTER ASSEMBLY AND METHODS
Abstract
A spin-on filter cartridge includes a housing, a filter element
operably oriented in the housing, a baffle plate, and a seal
arrangement. The baffle plate is operably oriented over the housing
open end and defines a central flow aperture. The baffle plate also
defines a continuous groove immediately adjacent to and
circumscribing the central flow aperture. The seal arrangement is
secured to the baffle plate and spaced from and circumscribing the
continuous groove. A filter assembly including the spin-on filter
cartridge and a filter head is also disclosed wherein the filter
cartridge is removably mountable on the filter head. When the
spin-on filter cartridge is oriented on the filter head, a seal
member is received within the continuous groove and the seal
arrangement forms a seal between and against the baffle plate and
the filter head. The seal can be radial or axial or have both axial
and radial components.
Inventors: |
Johnson; Philip E.; (Apple
Valley, MN) ; Formica; Claudio; (Pomponesco, IT)
; Greco; Enrico; (Villa Poma, IT) ; Brown; Michael
L.; (Mendota Heights, MN) ; Hacker; John R.;
(Edina, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Donaldson Company, Inc. |
Minneapolis |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
37909398 |
Appl. No.: |
15/978703 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13655179 |
Oct 18, 2012 |
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15978703 |
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11567447 |
Dec 6, 2006 |
8293103 |
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13655179 |
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60748941 |
Dec 8, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2201/34 20130101;
Y10T 29/49826 20150115; B01D 27/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B01D 27/08 20060101
B01D027/08 |
Claims
1. A spin-on filter cartridge comprising: (a) a single-piece
housing having a closed end, an open end, and an interior volume;
(b) a cylindrical filter element operably oriented in the housing
interior volume and defining open filter interior; (i) the filter
element including first and second end caps at opposite ends; (ii)
an extension of media being between the first and second end caps;
(c) a baffle plate secured to the housing at the housing open end;
(i) the housing being around and against an outer periphery of the
baffle plate and having a fold over an upper surface of the baffle
plate to non-removably secure the baffle plate to the housing; (ii)
the baffle plate having a central hub defining a central flow
aperture forming an outlet arrangement; (iii) the baffle plate
defining an inlet arrangement including a plurality of fluid
apertures circumscribing and being disposed radially outward of the
central flow aperture; (iv) the baffle plate defining a circular
groove immediately adjacent to and forming part of the central flow
aperture; (A) the groove defining a radial sealing surface and a
support surface; the support surface intersecting the radial
surface; the groove being seal member free and constructed to
receive a seal member from an operably placed filter head; (B) the
support surface of the groove facing a direction opposite of the
open filter interior; (d) a seal arrangement secured to the baffle
plate spaced from and circumscribing the groove, the inlet
arrangement, and the outlet arrangement; (i) the support surface of
the groove being located axially closer to the closed end of the
housing than the seal arrangement is located axially relative to
the closed end of the housing; and (ii) the seal arrangement facing
a direction opposite of the open filter interior.
2. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 1 wherein: (a) the
seal arrangement comprises an O-ring seal member.
3. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 2 wherein: (a) the
O-ring seal member is secured within a seal arrangement groove in
the baffle plate.
4. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 1 wherein: (a) the
filter media is pleated media.
5. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 1 further
comprising: (a) an outwardly projecting radial seal between and
against a portion of the outer periphery of the baffle plate and an
inner surface of the housing.
6. A filter assembly comprising: (a) a spin-on filter cartridge
including: (i) a single-piece housing having a closed end, an open
end, and an interior volume; (ii) a filter element operably
oriented in the housing interior volume and defining open filter
interior; (A) the filter element including first and second end
caps at opposite ends and filter media between the first and second
end caps; (iii) a baffle plate secured to the housing at the
housing open end; (A) the housing being around and against an outer
periphery of the baffle plate and having a fold over an upper
surface of the baffle plate to non-removably secure the baffle
plate to the housing; (B) the baffle plate having a central hub
defining a central flow aperture and forming an outlet; (C) the
baffle plate defining an inlet arrangement including a plurality of
fluid apertures circumscribing and being disposed radially outward
of the central flow aperture; (D) the baffle plate defining a
circular groove immediately adjacent to and forming part of the
central flow aperture; (1) the groove defining a radial sealing
surface and a support surface; the support surface intersecting the
radial surface; the groove being seal member free; (2) the support
surface of the groove facing a direction opposite of the open
filter interior; (iv) a seal arrangement secured to the baffle
plate spaced from and circumscribing the groove, the inlet
arrangement, and the outlet; (A) the support surface of the groove
being located axially closer to the closed end of the housing than
the seal arrangement is located axially relative to the closed end
of the housing; and (B) the seal arrangement facing a direction
opposite of the open filter interior; (b) a filter head; the
spin-on filter cartridge being removably attached to the filter
head; the filter head including: (i) a central spud and a seal
member operably oriented around the central spud; (c) wherein when
the spin-on filter cartridge is operably attached to the filter
head, the seal member is received within the circular groove of the
baffle plate forming a secondary seal between the cartridge and the
filter head, and the seal arrangement forms a primary seal between
and against the seal arrangement and the filter head.
7. A filter assembly according to claim 6 wherein: (a) the seal
member comprises an O-ring seal member.
8. A filter assembly according to claim 6 wherein: (a) the
secondary seal comprises a radially directed seal between and
against the filter head and the radial surface on the circular
groove.
9. A filter assembly according to claim 6 wherein: (a) the seal
arrangement comprises an O-ring seal member secured within a seal
arrangement groove in the baffle plate.
10. A filter assembly according to claim 6 wherein: (a) the filter
media comprises pleated media.
11. A filter assembly according to claim 6 wherein: (a) the spin-on
filter cartridge further includes an outwardly projecting radial
seal between and against a portion of the outer periphery of the
baffle plate and an inner surface of the housing.
12. A spin-on filter cartridge comprising: (a) a single-piece
housing having a closed end, an open end, and an interior volume;
(b) a cylindrical filter element operably oriented in the housing
interior volume and defining open filter interior; (i) the filter
element including first and second end caps at opposite ends; (ii)
an extension of media being between the first and second end caps;
(c) a baffle plate secured to the housing at the housing open end;
(i) the housing being around and against an outer periphery of the
baffle plate and having a fold over an upper surface of the baffle
plate to non-removably secure the baffle plate to the housing; (ii)
the baffle plate having a central hub with an interior wall
defining a central flow aperture forming an outlet arrangement; (A)
the interior wall having an inwardly directed threaded section; the
threaded section being within the interior volume of the housing;
(iii) the baffle plate defining an inlet arrangement including a
plurality of fluid apertures circumscribing and being disposed
radially outward of the central flow aperture; (iv) the baffle
plate defining a circular groove immediately adjacent to and
forming part of the central flow aperture; (A) the groove defining
a radial sealing surface and a support surface; the support surface
intersecting the radial surface; the groove being seal member free
and constructed to receive a seal member from an operably placed
filter head; (B) the support surface of the groove facing a
direction opposite of the open filter interior; (d) a seal
arrangement secured to the baffle plate spaced from and
circumscribing the groove, the inlet arrangement, and the outlet
arrangement; (i) the seal arrangement facing a direction opposite
of the open filter interior.
13. The spin-on filter cartridge of claim 12 wherein: (a) the
circular groove of the baffle plate being within the interior
volume of the housing.
14. The spin-on filter cartridge of claim 12 wherein: (a) the
interior wall of the baffle plate having an outer radial surface
that is against an inner radial surface of the first end cap.
15. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 12 wherein: (a)
the seal arrangement comprises an O-ring seal member.
16. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 12 wherein: (a)
the filter media is pleated media.
17. A spin-on filter cartridge according to claim 12 further
comprising: (a) an outwardly projecting radial seal between and
against a portion of the outer periphery of the baffle plate and an
inner surface of the housing.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
13/655,179, filed Oct. 18, 2012 which is a continuation of
application Ser. No. 11/567,447, filed Dec. 6, 2006, which issued
as U.S. Pat. No. 8,293,103, which claims the benefit of provisional
application Ser. No. 60/748,941, filed Dec. 8, 2005, which
applications are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This application relates to a fluid filter of the spin-on
type.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Spin-on filter assemblies include two parts--a filter head
with a threaded spud and a removable and replaceable filter
cartridge. The filter head is typically permanently mounted to
equipment, such as an engine, hydraulics, or a generator. The
filter head has inlet channels for conveying fluid to be filtered
to the filter cartridge, and outlet channels for conveying fluid
that has been filtered by the cartridge for use by the equipment.
The filter cartridge will typically include an outer can or housing
holding a filter element of filter media therewithin. The filter
cartridge is typically useable over some limited duration due to
the limited life of the filter media within. The filter cartridge
is removed from the filter head and disposed of and is then
replaced with a new filter cartridge. The filter cartridge and
filter head are removably connected to each other, typically
through a threaded connection. The spud on the filter head will
typically have threads, while the filter cartridge will have a
threaded aperture to fit on the threaded spud. The threaded
connection between the filter cartridge and filter head can
sometimes present a leak path for unfiltered fluids. That is,
sometimes fluid that has not been filtered can travel along the
threads and reach the clean side of the filter without first
passing through the filter media. This leakage can lead to
particulate material traveling to downstream equipment, which can
present problems. Improvements are desirable.
SUMMARY
[0004] A spin-on filter cartridge includes a housing, a filter
element operably oriented in the housing, a baffle plate, and a
seal arrangement. The baffle plate is operably oriented over the
housing open end. The baffle plate defines a central flow aperture.
The baffle plate defines a continuous groove immediately adjacent
to and circumscribing the central flow aperture. The seal
arrangement is secured to the baffle plate spaced from and
circumscribing the continuous groove.
[0005] In another aspect, a filter assembly includes a spin-on
filter cartridge as characterized above and a filter head. The
spin-on filter cartridge is removably mountable on the filter head.
The filter head includes a central spud defining outer threads. An
O-ring seal member is operably oriented around the central spud.
When the spin-on filter cartridge is operably oriented on the
filter head, the O-ring seal member is received within the
continuous groove and the seal arrangement forms a seal between and
against the baffle plate and the filter head.
[0006] In another aspect, a method of assembling a filter assembly
includes spinning a filter cartridge as characterized above onto a
filter head to form a primary seal between the baffle plate on the
filter cartridge and the filter head, and until a seal member fixed
to the filter head is received within the continuous groove.
[0007] In another aspect, a filter head is provided. The filter
head includes a block defining fluid flow channels; a central spud
having a threaded outer wall; and a seal member secured to and
circumscribing the central spud.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a spin-on filter
cartridge constructed according to principles of this
disclosure;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a spin-on filter cartridge
and filter head forming a filter assembly constructed according to
principles of this disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a portion of
a threaded connection between the spin-on filter cartridge of FIG.
1 and the filter head of FIG. 2, constructed according to
principles of this disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a filter assembly including
a filter head and a filter cartridge constructed according to
principles of this disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the filter assembly of FIG.
4;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the filter
assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5, the cross-section being taken along the
line 6-6 of FIG. 5;
[0014] FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmented view of the cross-section
depicted in FIG. 6 at portion 7-7;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the filter
head alone depicted in the filter assembly of FIGS. 4-7;
[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view a filter cartridge usable with
the filter heads of the preceding embodiments, constructed
according to principles of this disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the filter cartridge depicted
in FIG. 9;
[0018] FIG. 11 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the filter
cartridge depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cross-section being taken
along the line 11-11 of FIG. 10; and
[0019] FIG. 12 is an enlarged, fragmented view of the cross-section
depicted in section 12-12 of FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] In FIG. 1, a spin-on filter cartridge is depicted generally
at 10. The spin-on filter cartridge 10, with the exception of
certain details in the baffle plate, can be constructed according
to U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,113, which is incorporated herein by
reference. The filter assembly 10 includes a can or housing 12
having a closed end 14 and an open end 16. The housing 12 defines
an interior volume 18. A filter element 20 is operably oriented in
the housing interior volume 18. The filter element 20 can be
conventionally constructed including filter media 22 extending
between first and second end caps 24, 26. In the embodiment shown,
the filter element 20 is cylindrical in shape and has pleated media
24. The filter element 20 defines an open filter interior 28.
[0021] A baffle plate is shown at 30. The baffle plate 30 is
operably oriented over the housing open end 16. The baffle plate 30
defines a central flow aperture 32. In preferred embodiments, the
central flow aperture 32 is an outlet aperture forming an outlet
arrangement.
[0022] While a variety of implementations of baffle plates 30 are
usable without departing from design principles of this disclosure,
one type of baffle plate is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 for
illustrative purposes. In the embodiment shown, the baffle plate 30
includes a central hub 34 with an interior wall 36 which defines
the central flow aperture 32. Along the interior wall 36 are
defined threads 38 for operably mating with threads on a filter
head 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3). In the particular embodiment shown, the
baffle plate 30 further includes a plurality of ribs 42 extending
from the central hub 34. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the ribs 42 are
spaced from each other to define regions or fluid openings 44. In
preferred embodiments, the fluid openings 44 are inlet apertures
forming an inlet arrangement.
[0023] The baffle plate 30 further includes a groove 50, and in the
embodiment shown, a continuous groove 50. In preferred
implementations, the continuous groove 50 is a circular groove 50.
The groove 50 is defined by a radial surface 52 and an axial
support surface 54 generally orthogonal to the radial surface 52.
In some embodiments, the radial surface 52 is a sealing surface; in
some embodiments, the support surface 54 functions as a sealing
surface. Immediately adjacent and intersecting the support surface
54 is hub interior 36 including the threaded section 38. The groove
50 is immediately adjacent to and circumscribes the central flow
aperture 32. The groove 50 operates as a seat 56 for a seal member,
such as an O-ring. In the embodiment shown, the central hub 34
terminates at the central groove 50 along an axial face 51 of the
baffle plate 30.
[0024] The baffle plate 30 further includes a seal arrangement 70
secured to the baffle plate 30 spaced from and circumscribing the
continuous groove 50. The seal arrangement 70 is seated within a
groove 72. The seal arrangement 70 can be an O-ring seal member 73.
The seal member 73 forms a primary seal 76 (FIG. 6) between the
filter cartridge 10 and the filter head 40, when the filter
cartridge 10 is operably oriented on the filter head 40. It should
be noted that FIG. 6 depicts an alternate embodiment of a filter
head, depicted as 40'. This alternate embodiment is described
further below; however, with respect to the primary seal 76, it
does not change between the filter head 40 of the embodiment of
FIGS. 1-3 and the embodiment of FIG. 6.
[0025] In reference now to FIG. 2, one embodiment of the filter
head 40 is depicted. The filter head 40 can be a conventional
filter head, other than the provision of a seal member 60. In the
embodiment shown, the seal member 60 is an O-ring 62 operably
oriented around and against a central spud 64 on the filter head
40. The central spud 64 includes a wall 65 with threads 66 that
mate with the threads 38 on the central hub 34. The seal member 60
is oriented at a proximal end 90 of the spud 64, such that the
threads 66 are located between the seal member 60 and a distal or
free end 92 of the spud 64.
[0026] The filter head 40 generally comprises a block 85 defining
fluid flow channels 68, including inlet channel 67 (FIG. 6) and
outlet channel 69 (FIG. 6). The filter head 40 can also include
bypass valves. Useful filter heads are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,104,537; 4,883,083; and 6,024,869, each of which is incorporated
by reference herein.
[0027] In operation, when the filter cartridge 10 is spun on and
operably oriented on the filter head 40, the O-ring seal member 62
is received within the continuous groove 50 and forms a seal 80
(FIG. 3). In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the seal 80 is a
radially directed seal that is formed between and against radial
surface 52 on the baffle plate 30 and a radial surface 74 on the
spud 64 of the filter head 40. As can be seen in FIG. 3, other
surfaces, including axial surfaces such as support surface 54 can
form components to the seal 80. The seal 80 will typically be a
secondary seal to help prevent migration of unfiltered fluid along
a path between the threads 66 on the filter head 40 and the threads
38 on the filter cartridge 10. The seal arrangement 70 also forms
primary seal 76 between and against the baffle plate 30 and the
filter head 40.
[0028] Once the filter cartridge 10 is operably oriented on the
filter head 40, in a forward flow system, fluid to be cleaned
enters the filter head 40, 40' through, for example, one of the
fluid flow channels 68 (FIG. 6). Next, the fluid flows through the
inlet passages 44 in the baffle plate 30. Next, the fluid flows
from the volume 18 outside of the filter element 20, through the
media 22, and into the open filter interior 28. The filter media 22
helps to remove debris and particulate material from the fluid.
From there, the fluid flows from the open filter interior 28
through the central flow aperture 32 and then into the filter head
40, 40'. The fluid then exits the filter head 40, 40' through one
of the flow passages 68, such as outlet passage 69.
[0029] In reference now to FIG. 4, a filter assembly is shown at
reference numeral 100, the filter assembly 100 includes the filter
cartridge 10' and the filter head 40, 40'. In the embodiment in
FIG. 4, the filter head is depicted as filter head 40' because of a
variation from the filter head 40 depicted in FIG. 2. The variation
is described further below but is otherwise analogous to the filter
head 40. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the filter
assembly 100, taken along the line 6-6 of the top view of the
assembly 100 in FIG. 5. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-7, the filter
cartridge is depicted as cartridge as 10' because of a variation in
the baffle plate 30. This variation is described further below.
[0030] In FIG. 8, the filter head 40' is illustrated. As with
filter head 40, the filter head 40' in FIG. 8 includes a seal
member 60' circumscribing the spud 64. In this embodiment, the seal
member 60' is embodied as an axial seal gasket 102. The gasket 102
is oriented to be against the spud 64 along a radial wall 104 of
the spud 64 and also against an axial wall 106 which is orthogonal
to the radial wall 104. It should be understood that spud 64
includes threads analogous to threads 66, but the threads are not
specifically depicted in the FIG. 8 embodiment.
[0031] Turning again to FIG. 6, the filter cartridge 10' includes a
groove 50', which is analogous to the groove 50 of the embodiment
of FIGS. 1-3. In this embodiment, the groove 50' is also
immediately adjacent to the central aperture 32 of the baffle plate
30 and it is extended to the openings 44. The groove 50' defines
sealing surface, which is also the support surface 54. When the
filter cartridge 10' is spun onto the filter head 40', primary seal
76 is formed between seal arrangement 70 and filter head 40'.
Secondary seal 80' (FIG. 7) is formed by axial compression between
the gasket 102 and the sealing surface 54 of the baffle plate 30.
Specifically, the gasket 102 is squeezed between axial wall 106 on
the filter head 40' and the support surface 54 on the baffle plate
30 of the filter cartridge 10'. It should be understood that in
other embodiments, the gasket 102 could be mounted on the filter
cartridge 10', with the corresponding groove being formed on the
filter head 40' at the intersection between axial wall 106 and
radial wall 104.
[0032] FIGS. 9-12 depict the filter cartridge 10', which is usable
with the filter head 10, 10'. The threads 38 depicted in FIG. 1 are
omitted in FIGS. 9-12 for purposes of clarity. In FIGS. 9-12, the
groove 50' can be seen, particularly in FIG. 12. It should be
understood that if the filter cartridge 10' having groove 50' is
used with the filter head 40 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the secondary seal
will not form, because there will not be a continuous radial
sealing surface on the baffle plate 30 to form the secondary seal
80. However, the filter cartridge 10' is usable with the filter
head 40, and the primary seal 76 will still be in place. If the
filter cartridge 10' is used with the filter head 40', then the
secondary seal 80' (FIG. 7) is formed between support surface or
sealing surface 54 and filter head 40'.
* * * * *