U.S. patent application number 17/722510 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-29 for filter system and filter element.
The applicant listed for this patent is MANN+HUMMEL GmbH. Invention is credited to Herbert Jainek.
Application Number | 20220305415 17/722510 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006394861 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220305415 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jainek; Herbert |
September 29, 2022 |
Filter System and Filter Element
Abstract
A filter system for liquid media has a filter housing with
housing pot and housing cover. The housing pot has a drainage
channel with bottom-side drainage opening. A bottom end disk of a
filter element has a closure element arranged off-center to a
longitudinal filter element axis. The closure element, in
predetermined installation position of the filter element, extends
seal-tightly across or into the drainage opening. The bottom end
disk has a positioning aid corresponding with a cutout of an
annular socket of the housing pot. By screwing on the housing
cover, the filter element moves with the housing cover axially
toward the drainage opening and rotates until positioning aid and
cutout engage and lock the filter element relative to the housing
pot in a predetermined rotational position where the closure
element is axially aligned with the drainage opening. The filter
element moves with the housing cover axially into the predetermined
installation position.
Inventors: |
Jainek; Herbert; (Heilbronn,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MANN+HUMMEL GmbH |
Ludwigsburg |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000006394861 |
Appl. No.: |
17/722510 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16409045 |
May 10, 2019 |
11305219 |
|
|
17722510 |
|
|
|
|
PCT/EP2017/078896 |
Nov 10, 2017 |
|
|
|
16409045 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2201/52 20130101;
B01D 35/30 20130101; B01D 35/153 20130101; B01D 2201/4092 20130101;
B01D 2201/291 20130101; B01D 2201/4007 20130101; B01D 35/16
20130101; B01D 2201/4046 20130101; B01D 2201/316 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B01D 35/16 20060101
B01D035/16; B01D 35/30 20060101 B01D035/30; B01D 35/153 20060101
B01D035/153 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 11, 2016 |
DE |
102016013388.0 |
Claims
1. A filter system for a liquid medium to be filtered, the filter
system comprising: a filter housing comprising: a housing pot and a
housing cover, wherein the housing cover is configured to be
screwed by a screwing movement onto the housing pot or into the
housing pot to close off the housing pot, wherein the housing pot
comprises an annular socket having an annular outer wall having a
first axial end secured onto the bottom of the housing pot, the
annular socket projecting axially outwardly from the bottom of the
housing pot to an axially outer end face forming a free rim of the
annular socket; wherein the annular socket has a cutout extending
radially through the annular outer wall, the cutout extending
axially from the free rim in a direction towards the bottom of the
housing pot; a drainage channel with a drainage opening arranged at
a bottom of the housing pot for draining the liquid medium, the
drainage change arranged at a radially outer side of the annular
socket; a filter element comprising: a bottom end disk, wherein the
bottom end disk comprises a closure element formed as a closure
plug on the bottom end disk and projecting axially outwardly, the
closure plug arranged off-center at the bottom end disk relative to
a longitudinal axis of the filter element, wherein the closure
element, in a predetermined installation position of the filter
element in the filter housing, extends seal-tightly across the
drainage opening of the drainage channel or extends seal-tightly
into the drainage opening of the drainage channel; wherein the
bottom end disk further comprises a pin-shaped positioning aid
projecting axially outwardly towards the bottom of the housing pot,
the pin-shaped positioning aid sized and aligned radially with the
cutout of the annular socket to be engageably receivable into the
cutout; wherein the filter element is configured to move by a
screwing movement of the housing cover in an axial direction toward
the drainage opening and to rotate together with the housing cover
about the longitudinal axis of the filter element until the
pin-shaped positioning aid engages the cutout of the annular socket
and locks the filter element relative to the housing pot in a
predetermined rotational position, wherein in the predetermined
rotational position the closure element is axially aligned relative
to the drainage opening; wherein the filter element is configured
to move by the screwing movement of the housing cover in the axial
direction into the predetermined installation position of the
filter element in the filter housing.
2. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein a configuration
of the cutout and a configuration of the pin-shaped positioning aid
correspond with each other such that an engagement of a thread of
the housing cover and of a thread of the housing pot is possible
only when the cutout registers with the positioning aid.
3. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the drainage
opening of the drainage channel is surrounded by a planar contact
surface.
4. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein a spatial
arrangement of the drainage opening of the drainage channel
relative to the cutout of the annular socket corresponds with a
spatial arrangement of the closure element relative to the
pin-shaped positioning aid of the filter element.
6. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the annular
socket and the housing pot are formed together as one piece.
7. A filter element for a filter system for a liquid medium to be
filtered, wherein the filter system comprises a filter housing
comprising a housing pot and a housing cover, wherein the housing
cover is configured to be screwed by a screwing movement onto the
housing pot or into the housing pot to close off the housing pot,
wherein the housing pot comprises a drainage channel with a
drainage opening arranged at a bottom of the housing pot for
draining the liquid medium, wherein the housing pot further
comprises a positioning aid; the filter element comprising: a
bottom end disk comprising: a closure element formed as a closure
plug on the bottom end disk and projecting axially outwardly, the
closure plug arranged off-center at the bottom end disk relative to
a longitudinal axis of the filter element, wherein the closure
element is arranged off-center relative to a longitudinal axis of
the filter element, wherein the closure element, in a predetermined
installation position of the filter element in the filter housing,
extends seal-tightly across a drainage opening of the drainage
channel or extends seal-tightly into the drainage opening of the
drainage channel; wherein the bottom end disk further comprises a
pin-shaped positioning aid projecting axially outwardly towards a
bottom of the housing pot, the pin-shaped positioning aid sized and
aligned radially with a cutout of an annular socket of the housing
pot to be engageably receivable into the cutout; wherein the
closure element, in a predetermined installation position of the
filter element in the filter housing, extends seal-tightly across
the drainage opening of the drainage channel or extends
seal-tightly into the drainage opening of the drainage channel;
wherein the filter element is configured to move by a screwing
movement of the housing cover in the axial direction toward the
drainage opening and to rotate together with the housing cover
about the longitudinal axis of the filter element until the
positioning aid engages the cutout and locks the filter element
relative to the housing pot in a predetermined rotational position,
wherein in the predetermined rotational position the closure
element is axially aligned relative to the drainage opening;
wherein the filter element is configured to move by the screwing
movement of the housing cover in the axial direction into the
predetermined installation position of the filter element in the
filter housing.
8. The filter element according to claim 7, wherein the cutout is
embodied, at least in sections, as a slot.
10. The filter element according to claim 7, wherein the cutout
comprises beveled lateral flanks.
11. The filter element according to claim 7, wherein the closure
element and the bottom end disk are formed together as one
piece.
12. The filter element according to claim 7, wherein the closure
element is bell-shaped.
13. The filter element according to claim 7, wherein the closure
element is form-fitted to the bottom end disk.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S.
application Ser. No. 16/409,045 filed 10 May 2019 with is a
continuation of international application No. PCT/EP2017/078896
having an international filing date of 10 Nov. 2017 and designating
the United States, the international application claiming a
priority date of 11 Nov. 2016 based on prior filed German patent
application No. 10 2016 013 388.0, the entire contents of the
aforesaid international application and the aforesaid German patent
application being incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention concerns a filter system for a liquid medium
to be filtered, in particular fuel or oil, in particular for an
internal combustion engine. The filter system comprises a filter
housing with a housing pot and with a housing cover that can be
screwed onto the housing pot or can be screwed into the housing pot
by a screwing movement in order to close off the housing pot. The
housing pot comprises a drainage channel with a bottom-side
drainage opening for the liquid medium. In the filter housing, a
filter element can be arranged that, at its bottom end disk,
comprises a closure element that is arranged off-center relative to
the longitudinal axis of the filter element and which, in a
predetermined installation position of the filter element in the
filter housing, extends seal-tightly across the bottom-side
drainage opening of the drainage channel of the housing pot or
extends seal-tightly into the bottom-side drainage opening of the
drainage channel. Moreover, the invention concerns a filter
element.
[0003] DE 10 2011 088 742 A1 discloses a filter element with an end
disk which comprises a rim-side positioning contour. In order to
mount the filter element in the filter housing, the filter element
must first be aligned properly at the filter housing before the
filter element can be inserted into the filter housing. Assembly of
the filter system is therefore comparatively uncomfortable and
difficult.
[0004] DE 10 2009 049 868 A1 discloses a further filter system in
which the filter pot is provided with a sleeve. The sleeve
comprises a groove. A filter element to be arranged in the filter
pot comprises at the inner side a guide element that must be
manually aligned relative to the groove of the filter housing
sleeve in a complicated way in order to insert the filter element
into the filter housing. The sleeve arranged fixedly at the housing
causes moreover a cross-sectional constriction of the filter pot
and thus an undesirable pressure loss of the fluid flowing through
the filter system. The filter element comprises at its bottom end
disk an eccentrically arranged closure plug for closing off a
filter housing-associated drainage channel for the fluid.
[0005] As disposable parts, the filter elements employed in filter
systems must be exchangeable as needed in a simple, quick, and
reliable way. At the same time, considering the plurality of types
of filter elements in the automotive field, a use of an unsuitable
filter element must be reliably prevented in order to avoid
malfunction as well as damage to downstream devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention has therefore the object to provide a filter
system of the aforementioned kind that enables a particularly
quick, simple, and reliable mounting of the filter element in the
filter housing and that, at the same time, prevents the use of an
unsuitable filter element. Moreover, a filter element for such a
filter system is to be provided.
[0007] The object concerning the filter system is solved by a
filter system of the afore mentioned kind comprising:
[0008] a filter housing with a housing pot and with a housing cover
that can be screwed by means of a screwing movement onto the
housing pot or can be screwed into the housing pot in order to
close off the housing pot, wherein the housing pot comprises a
drainage channel with a bottom-side drainage opening for the liquid
medium;
[0009] a filter element that, at its bottom end disk, comprises a
closure element that is arranged off-center relative to the
longitudinal axis of the filter element and which, in a
predetermined installation position of the filter element in the
filter housing, extends seal-tightly across a bottom-side drainage
opening of the drainage channel of the housing pot or extends
seal-tightly into the bottom-side drainage opening of the drainage
channel of the housing pot;
[0010] wherein the bottom end disk of the filter element comprises
a cutout and the housing pot comprises a positioning aid
corresponding with the cutout;
[0011] wherein the filter element by means of the screwing movement
of the housing cover is movable axially in the direction toward the
drainage opening and can be rotated, together with the housing
cover, about its longitudinal axis until the positioning aid
engages the cutout of the bottom end disk and locks the filter
element relative to the housing pot in a predetermined rotational
position in which the closure element is axially aligned relative
to the drainage opening; and
[0012] wherein the filter element by means of the screwing movement
of the housing cover is movable in axial direction into its
predetermined installation position in the filter housing.
[0013] The filter element according to the invention for the filter
system according to the invention is characterized in that a
closure element is arranged at a bottom end disk of the filter
element, wherein the closure element is arranged off-center
relative to the longitudinal axis of the filter element, wherein
the bottom end disk of the filter element comprises a socket which
extends in axial direction away from the bottom end disk and which
is provided with a cutout.
[0014] Further embodiments of the invention are indicated in the
dependent claims as well as in the description.
[0015] The filter system according to the invention serves for
filtering a liquid medium, preferably for filtering fuel or oil, in
particular for an internal combustion engine. The filter system
comprises a filter housing with a housing pot and with a housing
cover which can be screwed onto the housing pot or can be screwed
into the housing pot by means of a screwing movement in order to
close off the housing pot. A filter element can be arranged in the
filter housing. The filter pot comprises a drainage channel with a
bottom-side drainage opening for the liquid medium. Upon removal of
the filter element, the drainage opening enables drainage of the
liquid medium disposed at the raw side or even at the clean side in
the filter housing. The filter element comprises at its bottom end
disk a cutout and a closure element that is arranged off-center
relative to the longitudinal axis of the filter element. The
closure element, in a predetermined operating or installation
position of the filter element in the filter housing, extends
seal-tightly across the bottom-side drainage opening of the
drainage channel of the housing pot or extends seal-tightly into
the bottom-side drainage opening of the drainage channel of the
housing pot. The drainage channel is thus fluid-tightly closed off
by the filter element in filtering operation of the filter system.
The housing pot comprises a positioning aid for the filter element
that corresponds with the cutout of the filter element. By means of
the screwing movement of the housing cover, the filter element is
movable together with the housing cover axially in the direction
toward the drainage opening and can be rotated about its
longitudinal axis so far that the positioning aid, preferably in
axial direction, engages the cutout of the bottom end disk in order
to lock the filter element in a predetermined rotational position
with the closure element axially aligned relative to the drainage
opening. Solely by means of the screw-in movement of the housing
cover, the filter element is moveable into its predetermined
installation position in the filter housing in which the closure
element is extending seal-tightly across the bottom-side drainage
opening of the drainage channel of the housing pot or is extending
seal-tightly into the bottom-side drainage opening of the drainage
channel of the housing pot in axial direction. The sealing surface
of the closure element and the axial end of the cutout are arranged
so as to be spaced apart relative to the longitudinal axis of the
filter housing.
[0016] In the filter system according to the invention, by means of
the housing cover the filter element, upon screwing the housing
cover into/onto the housing pot, can first be exactly axially
aligned with its closure element relative to the drainage opening
without further action by an operator and, with a continued
screw-in movement, i.e., screwing on tightly the housing cover at
the housing pot, can be transferred mandatorily into its intended
installation position. For this purpose, the filter element is
preferably secured at the housing cover with friction fit and/or
form fit, in particular is locked thereat. Alternatively, the
filter element is held with friction fit and/or form fit, in
particular locked, at an additional component, for example, a valve
holder for a bypass valve, which in turn is connected to the
housing cover.
[0017] The arrangement of the drainage opening of the drainage
channel in the housing pot relative to the positioning aid at the
housing pot corresponds with the arrangement of the closure element
at the filter element relative to the cutout of the bottom end disk
of the filter element.
[0018] It is understood that the housing cover and the housing pot
have threads corresponding with each other.
[0019] The closure element can be designed in a plurality of ways.
For example, the closure element in an advantageous embodiment can
be configured in the form of a closure plug, for example,
cylinder-shaped but also of parallelepipedal shape, which in a
predetermined operating or installation position of the filter
element in the filter housing extends seal-tightly into the
drainage channel of the housing pot. At its free end, the closure
plug can have a tapered section in order to facilitate insertion of
the closure plug into the drainage opening. The closure plug can
comprise an additional sealing element, for example, a radially
acting O-ring, in order to improve the seal-tightness of the
closure.
[0020] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the closure
element, in a predetermined operating or installation position of
the filter element in the filter housing, extends seal-tightly
across the bottom-side drainage opening of the housing pot. The
closure element can have a bell shape or the shape of a bowl or of
a cone or hollow cone. Mixed forms of these contours are possible
also in order to enable an advantageous sealing action of the
drainage opening in operation. The closure element is comprised of
or comprises advantageously sealing material. As sealing material,
the rubber or elastomer materials are conceivable that are
conventional in the field of internal combustion engines. It is
understood that the sealing material may comprise additives and/or
reinforcement elements. Due to the bell-shaped configuration as
well as the flexible deformability of the closure element, even
larger dimensional tolerances of the sealing surface can be
compensated and a reliable sealing action can be ensured.
[0021] In the filter system according to the invention, a faulty
installation of a suitable filter element can be as reliably
counteracted as the installation of an unsuitable filter
element.
[0022] According to a particularly preferred further embodiment of
the invention, the bottom end disk of the filter element comprises
an annular rib or a socket which extends in axial direction away
from the bottom end disk and which is provided with a cutout. In
this way, on the one hand, a particularly long and safe
rotationally fixed locking of the filter element at the positioning
aid can be achieved. On the other hand, the bottom end disk can be
even further reinforced by such an annular rib or such a socket
without noteworthy additional material expenditure. A structural
weakening of the bottom end disk due to the cutout is therefore
avoided in this case. Moreover, with such an end disk socket or
such an annular rib it can be achieved that the screwing movement
in the case of use of an unsuitable filter element is blocked early
on during installation and a user therefore is reliably alerted in
regard to the installation of an unsuitable filter element.
[0023] The socket can be embodied with regard to
manufacture-technological aspects in particular in an annular
shape, preferably cylindrical. In a preferred embodiment, the
annular rib or the socket is embodied as a cylindrical section
about the longitudinal axis of the filter element with an end face
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, i.e., without a slanted
guiding surface such as, for example, a coil or ramp.
[0024] The bottom end disk can be embodied as one piece and can
form directly the cutout, the annular rib or the socket, and/or the
receptacle for the closure element. Alternatively, the bottom end
disk can be of a multi-part configuration, wherein the parts of the
bottom end disk are connected fixedly, in particular rotationally
fixedly, and non-detachably by means of a locking or weld
connection. In a particular embodiment, the bottom end disk of the
filter element is produced by 2K plastic injection molding
technology.
[0025] According to the invention, the cutout of the bottom end
disk of the filter element can be embodied in a slot shape at least
in sections. In this way, the filter element with its closure
element can be axially aligned particularly precisely relative to
the drainage opening. A particular advantage results when the
cutout has lateral flanks which are beveled at least at the inlet
side. In this way, for example, during the screwing movement an
undesirable catching and/or canting of the filter element at the
positioning aid can be counteracted. It is particularly
advantageous when a lateral flank is beveled such that an insertion
movement of the positioning aid into the cutout is assisted by the
bevel during the screwing movement.
[0026] The arrangement of the annular rib or of the socket at the
bottom end disk of the filter element and of the positioning aid at
the housing pot, in particular the height of the annular rib or of
the socket, on the one hand, and the height of the positioning aid
for the filter element at the housing pot that corresponds with the
cutout of the filter element, on the other hand, are matched in an
advantageous embodiment such that the threads at the housing cover
and at the housing pot engage each other only after positioning aid
and cutout correspond so that the housing pot and housing cover can
be screwed to each other only when the positioning aid registers
with the cutout. In this way, the filter element is movable axially
in the direction toward the housing pot bottom while the cutout at
the element and the positioning aid at the housing pot are in
engagement. The distance that the filter element can travel axially
after engagement results from the axial extension of the cutout in
the annular rib or the socket and the axial extension of the
positioning aid.
[0027] When the cover rotates in screw-in direction, the filter
element rotates about the longitudinal axis of the filter element
due to the friction-fit connection of the housing cover and filter
element when cutout and positioning aid are not yet in engagement.
In this context, the free rim of the annular rib or of the socket
is in contact with the corresponding surface of the positioning aid
and prevents a movement in axial direction. In this way, it is
ensured that the housing cover can be screwed onto the housing pot
or into the housing pot only when a suitable filter element is
arranged in the filter housing.
[0028] In regard to manufacture-technological aspects, the annular
rib or the socket and the bottom end disk of the filter element are
advantageously embodied in a one-piece configuration with each
other. In this way, the bottom end disk together with the socket
can be inexpensively and simply produced, for example, as an
injection molded part. The number of individual elements and thus
the number of working steps for mounting a filter element or filter
system according to the invention are reduced in this way.
Moreover, in this configuration it is not necessary that the socket
or the annular rib be aligned with the cutout in a specific
rotational position relative to the bottom end disk and held in a
fixed position in a cumbersome way when mounting the filter element
in the filter housing.
[0029] The positioning aid is embodied particularly preferred as a
pin-type or rib-type housing projection of the housing pot.
Preferably, the positioning aid for this purpose extends away from
the housing bottom of the housing pot. In another embodiment, the
positioning aid projects away from the inner circumferential
surface of the housing pot in radial direction inwardly.
[0030] In an alternative embodiment of the invention with identical
function, the housing pot can have an annular rib or a socket and
the filter element a positioning aid, for example, in the form of a
pin-type or rib-type projection.
[0031] The housing pot can comprise according to the invention a
(housing-fixed) housing sleeve. Due to the housing sleeve, the
filter element when being mounted can be aligned and centered in a
simple way in the filter housing. The positioning aid in this
context is preferably outwardly displaced in radial direction
relative to the housing sleeve. In this way, the positioning aid is
radially spaced apart from the housing sleeve so that the
positioning aid and the cutout of the filter element can be
arranged substantially freely, in particular independent of
position and size of the housing sleeve.
[0032] A particularly inexpensive manufacture of the filter system
results moreover when the positioning aid and the housing pot are
embodied as one piece, for example, as an injection molded part. In
regard to an inexpensive mass production, the filter housing or
filter pot can be made in particular of a plastic material.
[0033] A particular advantage results moreover when the housing pot
comprises a guide element for the closure element in order to
secure the closure element in its position axially aligned relative
to the drainage opening or to facilitate an insertion of a closure
plug into the drainage opening or lowering of a bell-shaped closure
element onto the drainage opening. In this context, the guide
element is arranged behind the drainage opening in the direction of
the screwing movement of the housing cover. The guide element
according to the invention projects preferably away from the
housing bottom of the housing pot in axial direction. It is
understood that the dimensions of the guide element, in particular
its height, can be selected in this context such that, on the one
hand, safe guiding of the closure element is ensured and, on the
other hand, the filter element however does not impact the guide
element or contact the latter in axial direction too early during
the screwing movement.
[0034] By means of the guide element, damage to the closure element
can be reliably counteracted.
[0035] The closure element can be embodied as a sealing element.
The connection of the sealing element with the filter element can
be realized in that the bottom end disk of the filter element is
embedded by injection molding in a sealing material or the sealing
material is injection molded onto the bottom end disk.
Alternatively, the closure element comprises a holding section
which extends through a through passage in the bottom end disk. For
example, the closure element can be form-fitted to the bottom end
disk, i.e., can be pulled with a thicker diameter section through a
smaller sized opening in the bottom end disk and held with form
fit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] In the following, the invention is explained with the aid of
two embodiments illustrated in the drawings. The reference
characters of the second embodiment have a numbering increased by
100 relative to the first embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a first filter system with a
filter housing as well as a filter element arranged in the filter
housing in its predetermined installation position with a closure
element embodied as a closure plug, in a section illustration.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows the filter element of FIG. 1 in an isolated
perspective view.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows the filter pot of the filter system according
to FIG. 1 in an isolated perspective view.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows the filter system according to FIG. 1 during
mounting of the filter element in the filter housing.
[0041] FIG. 5 shows the filter element and the housing pot
according to FIG. 1 during mounting of the filter element and
shortly before locking of the filter element in a predetermined
rotational position relative to the filter pot, in a partial detail
illustration.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows the filter element and the housing pot
according to FIG. 1 during mounting of the filter element and
shortly before locking of the filter element in a predetermined
rotational position relative to the filter pot, in a further
partial detail illustration.
[0043] FIG. 5A shows an alternative embodiment relative to FIG. 5.
FIGS. 5A and 6A correspond to FIGS. 5 and 6, but with the annular
rib or a socket moved to the housing pot and the positioning aid,
for example, in the form of a pin-type or rib-type projection moved
from the housing pot to the filter element, with no change in
functionality. Shown during mounting of the filter element and
shortly before locking of the filter element in a predetermined
rotational position relative to the filter pot, in a partial detail
illustration.
[0044] FIG. 6A shows an alternative embodiment relative to FIG. 6.
FIGS. 5A and 6A correspond to FIGS. 5 and 6, but with the annular
rib or a socket moved to the housing pot and the positioning aid,
for example, in the form of a pin-type or rib-type projection moved
from the housing pot to the filter element, with no change in
functionality. During mounting of the filter element and shortly
before locking of the filter element in a predetermined rotational
position relative to the filter pot, in a further partial detail
illustration.
[0045] FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of a filter system with a
filter housing as well as with a filter element arranged in the
filter housing in its predetermined installation position with a
bell-shaped closure element, in a section illustration.
[0046] FIG. 8 shows the filter element of FIG. 7 in an isolated
perspective view.
[0047] FIG. 9 shows the filter pot of the filter system according
to FIG. 7 in an isolated perspective view.
[0048] FIG. 10 shows the filter system according to FIG. 7 during
mounting of the filter element in the filter housing.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0049] FIG. 1 shows a filter system 10 for a liquid medium to be
filtered, in particular fuel or oil. The filter system 10 comprises
a filter housing 12 with a housing pot (filter pot) 14 and with a
housing cover 16 for closing off the housing pot 14. Here, the
housing cover 16 can be screwed into the housing pot 14 but can
also be designed to screw onto the housing pot 14. In the filter
housing 12, a filter element 18 is arranged in its predetermined
installation or operating position. The longitudinal axis 20 of the
filter housing 12 is indicated. The filter element 18 comprises a
filter medium 22 which is suitable for the respective liquid medium
to be filtered. The filter medium 22 is arranged in an annular
shape relative to the longitudinal axis 24 of the filter element
18. The filter element 18 is thus designed as a round filter
element. The filter medium 22 in filtering operation of the filter
system 10 can be flowed through by the liquid medium to be filtered
in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 24 of the
filter element 18 from the exterior to the interior. In order to
have a filter surface area as large as possible, the filter medium
22 can be designed, as is generally known, as a star-shaped folded
bellows. A grid-shaped support tube 26 serves as a radial inner
support of the filter medium 22.
[0050] The housing pot (filter pot) 14 comprises at the bottom side
a centrally arranged housing sleeve 28 with a clean-side outlet
channel 30 for the filtered liquid medium. In case of filter
element exchange, a drainage channel 32 with a drainage opening 34
serves for draining the liquid medium, disposed in the filter
housing 12 or in the filter element 18, from the filter housing 12.
By means of the housing sleeve 28, an undesirable transfer of
unfiltered (raw-side) liquid medium into the outlet channel 30 at
the clean side can be prevented in this context. The drainage
opening 34 according to FIG. 1 is arranged in radial direction at a
spacing from the centrally arranged housing sleeve 28.
[0051] The filter element 18 comprises a bottom end disk 36 which
covers the filter medium 22 in axial direction preferably
completely. The filter medium 22 can be glued to the bottom end
disk 36, welded thereto, or can be arranged so as to be held by
being embedded in the material of the bottom end disk 36. The
bottom end disk 36 can be comprised, for example, of plastic
material. A closure pin or closure plug 36 is integrally formed
off-center at the bottom end disk 36 and is extending away from the
bottom end disk 36 in axial direction. An annular sealing element
40 can be arranged at the closure plug 38. The sealing element 40
is embodied in this context preferably as a radial sealing element.
In the illustrated operational state of the filter system 10, the
closure plug extends seal-tightly through the drainage opening 34
of the drainage channel 32 into the drainage channel 32. In
operational state of the filter system 10, the drainage channel 32
is thus fluid-tightly closed by the filter element 18.
[0052] According to FIG. 1, an annular socket 42 is integrally
formed at the bottom end disk 36 of the filter element 18.
According to the isolated view of the filter element in FIG. 2, the
socket 42 is in the form of a cylindrical collar having a planar
axially outer free rim and extends in axial direction away from the
bottom end disk 36 of the filter element 18. The socket 42
comprises a cutout identified by 44. The cutout 44 according to
FIG. 2 is embodied in the form of a slot which extends away from
the free rim 46 of the socket 42 in axial direction. The cutout 44
can extend all the way up to the bottom end disk 36. The cutout 44
is laterally delimited by two lateral flanks 44a, 44b which can be
beveled at their rim.
[0053] The housing pot (filter pot) 14 comprises according to FIG.
1 a pin-shaped or plug-shaped positioning aid 48 for the filter
element 18 which can be seen well in the perspective view of the
housing pot 14 illustrated in FIG. 3. In relation to the housing
sleeve 28, the positioning aid 48 is displaced outwardly in radial
direction. The positioning aid 48 can extend in particular in axial
direction away from the bottom side of housing pot 14 and is
preferably integrally formed on the housing pot 14 for
manufacture-technological reasons. In operational state of the
filter system 10 (FIG. 1), the positioning aid 48 engages the
cutout 44 of the socket 42 of the filter element 18. It is
understood that the positioning aid 48 can comprise a conical or
wedge-shaped form in order to facilitate engagement of the
positioning aid 48 in the cutout 44.
[0054] In the drawing, the respective diametrically opposed
arrangement of the drainage opening 34 and of the positioning aid
48 of the housing pot 14 as well as of the closure plug 38 and of
the cutout 44 of the filter element 18 is to be understood purely
as an example. It is important that the closure plug 38 and the
cutout 44 of the filter element 18 comprise a spatial distribution
pattern which corresponds to the spatial distribution pattern of
the drainage opening 34 of the drainage channel 32 and of the
positioning aid 48 of the housing pot 14. In operational state of
the filter system 10, the simultaneous engagement of the closure
plug 38 of the filter element 18 in the housing-associated drainage
opening 34 of the drainage channel 32 and of the positioning aid 48
of the housing pot 14 in the cutout 44 of the filter element 18 is
thereby ensured.
[0055] According to FIG. 3, the housing pot 14 can comprise at the
bottom side a guide element 50 especially for the closure plug 38
of the filter element 18. The guide element 50 is preferably formed
integrally at the housing pot 14. The guide element 50 is
projecting away from the bottom side of the housing pot 14 in axial
direction and serves for ease of insertion of the closure plug 38
into the drainage opening 34 or the drainage channel 32. By means
of the guide element 50, damage to the closure plug 38, in
particular shearing off of the sealing element 40 from the closure
plug 38, can be counteracted. The guide element 50 is located in
the screw-in direction 52 of the housing cover 16 directly behind
the drainage opening 34 and therefore can serve as an additional
stop element for the closure plug 38. The guide element 50 can
moreover be arranged so as to extend slightly at a slant relative
to the longitudinal axis 20 of the filter housing 12 in order to
serve thus functionally as an insertion ramp for the closure plug
38.
[0056] In FIG. 4, the filter system 10 is shown during screwing the
housing cover 16 into the housing pot 14, for example, after
exchange of the filter element 18. The filter element 18, for
example, by means of the support tube 26, is secured with friction
at an annular socket 54 of the housing cover 16 with axial
clearance 56. The annular socket 54 can be embodied by the housing
cover 16 or by an additional component 53, for example, a valve
holder that is connected with the housing cover 16, for example,
fastened to the housing cover 16 by means of a locking connection.
The friction fit between the support tube 26 and the annular socket
54 can be effected, for example, by elastic widening of the support
tube 26 pushed onto the annular socket 54. In this way, the support
tube 26 is arranged, secured with pre-stress in radial direction,
on the annular socket 54. Due to the friction fit, the filter
element 18 can be inserted in a simplified way into the filter pot
(housing pot) 14 and positioned therein. The filter element 18 can
also be arranged at the housing cover with axial clearance 56 so as
to be held by being locked. According to FIG. 4, the closure plug
38 does not yet engage seal-tightly the drainage channel 32. The
socket 42 of the filter element 18 is still axially spaced apart
from the positioning aid 48.
[0057] When the housing cover 16 is screwed by a screwing movement
in screw-in direction 52 farther into the housing pot 14, the
filter element 18 is entrained by the housing cover 16 and moved
together with the latter in rotation about the longitudinal axis 20
of the filter housing 12. The filter element 18 in the illustrated
embodiment variant is held by friction fit and/or form fit at a
valve holder for a bypass valve. The valve holder is connected to
the housing cover 16 by a locking connection. The filter element 18
is thus moved by means of the housing cover 16 at the same time in
axial direction translatorily farther into the housing pot 14. When
the annular rib or the socket 42 contacts the positioning aid 48 of
the housing pot 14, initially a further axial movement of the
filter element 18 into the filter pot 14 is prevented. Upon further
rotation of the housing cover 16 then a reduction, i.e., an at
least partial exhaustion, of the axial clearance 56 between the
filter element 18, i.e., here the support tube 26, and the housing
cover 16 is effected. The housing-associated positioning aid 48 and
the socket 42 of the bottom end disk 36 of the filter element 18
therefore interact like a spacer with each other until the cutout
44 of the filter element 18 and the positioning aid 48 of the
housing pot 14 are aligned with each other in axial direction. The
axial clearance of the filter element 18 arranged at the housing
cover 16 is advantageously selected such that the housing cover 16
together with the filter element 18 arranged thereat, even upon
axial contact of the socket 42 at the positioning aid 48, can
perform at least one, preferably more than one, complete turn about
the longitudinal axis 20 of the filter housing 12 in order to bring
the cutout 44 of the filter element 18 into mutual engagement with
the positioning aid 48. Due to the friction fit which is existing
between the filter element 18 and the housing cover 16, it is
ensured in this context that the socket 42 rests against the
positioning aid 48 and the positioning aid 48 engages the cutout 44
as soon as the latter is arranged in alignment with the positioning
aid 48 in axial direction. As soon as the positioning aid 48
engages the slot-shaped cutout 44 (FIG. 2) of the socket 42 of the
filter element 18, a further rotation of the filter element 18 with
the housing cover 16, which moves (farther) in screw-in direction
52, is prevented. In other words, the filter element 18 is locked
in a predetermined rotational position relative to the housing pot
14. In this predetermined rotational position, the closure plug 38
of the filter element 18 is aligned in axial direction with the
drainage opening 34 of the housing pot 14. In this way, it is
ensured that the filter element 18, upon continued screwing
movement of the housing cover 16 in the screw-in direction 52 and
the thus resulting axially oriented advancing movement of the
filter element, is moved exactly via the drainage opening 34 into
its intended sealing position within the drainage channel 32 in
order to close the latter fluid-tightly.
[0058] In the FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing pot 14 and filter element
18 are each shown in a partial detail view during mounting of the
housing cover 16 (FIG. 1) and shortly before engagement of the
positioning aid 48 in the slot-shape cutout 44 of the filter
element 18. The filter element 18 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is illustrated
in the same rotational position relative to the filter pot 14,
respectively. In axial direction, the closure plug 38 is still
clearly spaced apart from the drainage opening 34 or a housing wall
58 surrounding the drainage opening 34. On the other hand, the
positioning aid 48, in the same rotational position of the filter
element according to FIG. 6, is already contacting in axial
direction the free rim 46 of the socket 42 of the bottom end disk
36 of the filter element. Due to the afore described axial
clearance between the housing cover 16 (FIG. 1) and the filter
element 18, a further rotation of the housing cover 16 (FIG. 1)
even for the already existing mutual contact of the positioning aid
48 and of the socket 42 is enabled in order to be able to bring the
positioning aid 48 into engagement with the cutout 44 of the bottom
end disk 36. Thus, when the filter element 18 is seated with the
annular rib or the socket 42 on the positioning aid 48 in axial
direction, a relative movement in axial direction is possible for
the filter element 18 only between the annular socket 54 and the
filter cover 16, i.e., in the snap connection, upon rotational
movement of the housing cover 16.
[0059] In summarizing, solely by screwing the housing cover 16 into
the housing pot 14, the filter element 18 illustrated in the
drawing can be transferred comfortably and in the required
rotational position for the axial insertion of the closure plug 38
into the drainage channel 32 relative to the housing pot 14 and
arranged in its predetermined operating position in the sealing
seat at the filter housing 12 (FIG. 1).
[0060] With a different arrangement and configuration of the
components which are corresponding with each other, i.e., on the
one hand, of the closure plug 38 and of the drainage channel 32 as
well as, on the other hand, of the cutout 44 and of the positioning
aid 48, the sole use of suitable filter elements 18 in the filter
housing 12 can be ensured. This is in particular advantageous in
regard to critical applications. When an unsuitable filter element
18 without the socket 42 or with the socket 42 but without the
cutout 44 or with a wrongly positioned cutout 44 is inserted into
the filter housing 12, the filter element 18 cannot be transferred
into its installation or operating position which seals the
discharge channel 32. In this case, it is not possible to put the
filter system 10 (FIG. 1) into service.
[0061] FIG. 7 shows a similar filter system 110 for a liquid medium
to be filtered, in particular fuel or oil. The filter system 110
comprises a filter housing 112 with a housing pot (filter pot) 114
and with a housing cover 116 for closing off the housing pot 114.
Here, the housing cover 116 can be screwed into the housing pot 114
but can also be screwed onto the housing pot 114. In the filter
housing 112, a filter element 118 is arranged in its predetermined
installation or operating position. The longitudinal axis 120 of
the filter housing 112 is indicated. The filter element 118
comprises a filter medium 112 suitable for the respective liquid
medium to be filtered. The filter medium is arranged here in an
annular shape relative to the longitudinal axis 124 of the filter
element 118. The filter element 118 is thus embodied as a round
filter element. The filter medium 122 in filtering operation of the
filter system 110 can be flowed through by the liquid medium to be
filtered in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis
124 of the filter element 118 from the exterior to the interior.
For the purpose of a filter surface area as large as possible, the
filter medium 122 can be embodied, as is generally known, as a
star-shaped folded bellows. A grid-shaped support tube 126 serves
as a radial inner support for the filter medium 122.
[0062] The housing pot 114 has at the bottom side a centrally
arranged housing sleeve 128 with a clean-side outlet channel 130
for the filtered liquid medium. A drainage channel 132 with a
drainage opening 134 serves in case of filter element exchange for
draining the liquid medium, disposed in the filter housing 112 or
in the filter element 118, from the filter housing 112. By means of
the housing sleeve, an undesirable transfer of unfiltered
(raw-side) liquid medium into the outlet channel 130 arranged at
the clean side can be prevented in this context. The drainage
opening 132 according to FIG. 7 is arranged spaced apart in radial
direction from the centrally arranged housing sleeve 128.
[0063] The filter element 118 comprises a bottom end disk 136 that
preferably completely covers the filter medium 122 in axial
direction. The filter medium 122 can be glued to the bottom end
disk 136, welded thereto, or can be arranged so as to be held by
being embedded in the material of the bottom end disk 136. The
bottom end disk 136 can be comprised, for example, of plastic
material. The closure element 138 is integrally formed off-center
at the bottom end disk 136 and extends away from the bottom end
disk 136 in axial direction. The closure element 138 can be
embodied as a substantially bell-shaped or hollow conical sealing
element 140. In the illustrated operating state of the filter
system 110, the closure element 138 extends across the drainage
opening 134 of the drainage channel 132. In this context, the
sealing element 140 is resting on a planar support surface 141
surrounding the drainage opening 134. In this context, the sealing
element 140 comprises a sealing lip which, when the sealing element
140 is arranged in sealing position, is seal-tightly contacting the
contact surface 141 with pre-stress in axial direction. This
contact surface 141 can be raised relative to the surrounding
housing bottom of the housing pot 114. The drainage channel 132 in
the operating state of the filter element 110 is thus fluid-tightly
closed off by means of the filter element 118.
[0064] According to FIG. 7, at the bottom end disk 136 of the
filter element 118 an annular socket 142 is integrally formed. The
socket 142 according to the isolated view of the filter element 118
illustrated in FIG. 8 is embodied in the form of a cylindrical
collar and extends in axial direction away from the bottom end disk
136 of the filter element 118. The socket 142 comprises a cutout
144. The cutout 144 according to FIG. 8 is embodied in the form of
slot which extends away from the free rim 146 of the socket 142 in
axial direction. The cutout 144 can extend all the way up to the
bottom end disk 136. The cutout 144 is laterally delimited by two
lateral flanks 144a, 144b which may be beveled at their rim.
[0065] The socket 142 can comprise a guide element which serves for
easier insertion of the positioning aid into the cutout. The guide
element in screw-in direction 152 of the housing cover 116 is
arranged directly behind the cutout 144 and can therefore serve as
an additional stop element for the positioning aid. Moreover, the
guide element, in the mounted state of the filter system, can be
received slightly in a recess in the housing bottom relative to the
longitudinal axis of the filter housing.
[0066] The housing pot 114 according to FIG. 7 comprises a
pin-shaped or plug-shaped positioning aid 148 for the filter
element 118 which can be seen well in the perspective view of the
housing pot 114 illustrated in FIG. 9. The positioning aid 148 is
outwardly displaced in radial direction relative to the housing
sleeve 128. The positioning aid 148 can extend away from the
housing pot 114 in particular at the bottom side in axial direction
and is preferably integrally formed at the housing pot for
manufacture-technological reasons. In the operating state of the
filter system 110 (FIG. 7), the positioning aid 148 engages the
cutout 144 of the socket 142 of the filter element 118. It is
understood that the positioning aid 148 may have a conical or
wedge-shaped form in order to facilitate engagement of the
positioning aid 148 in the cutout 144. The diametrically opposed
arrangement illustrated in the drawing of the drainage opening 134
and of the positioning aid 148 of the housing pot 114 as well as of
the closure element 138 and of the cutout 144 of the filter element
118 is to be understood purely as an example. It is important that
the closure element 138 and the cutout 144 of the filter element
118 comprise a spatial distribution pattern which corresponds with
the spatial distribution pattern of the drainage opening 134 of the
drainage channel 132 and of the positioning aid 148 of the housing
pot 114. In the operating state of the filter system 110, the
simultaneous coverage and sealing of the drainage channel 132 by
the closure element 138 of the filter element 118 and the
engagement of the positioning aid 148 of the housing pot 114 in the
cutout 144 of the filter element 118 is ensured in this way.
[0067] In FIG. 10, the filter system 110 is illustrated during
screwing the housing cover 116 into the housing pot 114, for
example, after exchange of the filter element 118. The filter
element 118 is held with friction fit, for example, here by means
of the support tube 126, at an annular socket 154 with axial
clearance 156. The annular socket 154 can be embodied by the
housing cover or can be embodied by an additional component 153,
for example, a valve holder that is connected with the housing
cover 116, for example, fastened by a locking connection to the
housing cover 16. The friction fit between the support tube 126 and
the annular socket 154 can be effected, for example, by an elastic
widening of the support tube 126 pushed onto the annular socket
154. In this way, the support tube 126 is held with pre-stress in
radial direction on the annular socket 154. Due to the friction
fit, the filter element 118 can be inserted easier into the filter
pot 114 and positioned therein. The filter element 118 can also be
arranged at the housing cover 116 with axial clearance 156 so as to
be held by being locked. The socket 142 of the filter element 118
is still axially spaced apart relative to the positioning aid
148.
[0068] When the housing cover 116 is screwed by a screwing movement
oriented in the screw-in direction 152 farther into the housing pot
114, the filter element 118 is entrained by the housing cover 116
and moved together therewith in rotation about the longitudinal
axis 120 of the filter housing 112. The filter element 118 in the
illustrated embodiment variant is held by friction fit and/or form
fit at a valve holder for a bypass valve. The valve holder is
connected to the housing cover 116 by a locking connection. The
filter element 118 is thus moved by means of the housing cover 116
at the same time in axial direction translatorily farther into the
housing pot 114. When the annular rib or the socket 142 contacts
the positioning aid 148 of the housing pot 114, first a further
axial movement of the filter element 118 into the filter pot is
prevented. By a further rotation of the housing cover 116, a
reduction, i.e., an at least partial exhaustion, of the axial
clearance 156 between the filter element 118, i.e., here the
support tube 126, and the housing cover 116 is then effected. The
housing-associated positioning aid 148 and the socket 142 of the
bottom end disk 136 of the filter element 118 interact therefore
like a spacer with each other until the cutout 144 of the filter
element 118 and the positioning aid 148 of the housing pot 114 are
aligned with each other in axial direction. The axial clearance of
the filter element 118 arranged at the housing cover 116 is
advantageously selected such that the housing cover 116 together
with the filter element 118 arranged thereat, even for axial
contact of the socket 142 at the positioning aid 148, can still
perform at least one, preferably more than one, complete turn about
the longitudinal axis 120 of the filter housing 112 in order to
bring the cutout 144 of the filter element 118 into mutual
engagement with the positioning aid 148. Due to the friction fit
that is existing between the filter element 118 and the housing
cover 116, it is ensured in this context that the socket 142 is
resting against the positioning aid 148 and the positioning aid 148
engages the cutout 144 as soon as the latter is aligned in axial
direction relative to positioning aid 148. As soon as the
positioning aid 148 engages the slot-shaped cutout 144 (FIG. 8) of
the socket 142 of the filter element 118, a further entrained
rotation of the filter element 118 with the housing cover 116 that
is moving (farther) in the screw-in direction 152 is prevented. In
other words, the filter element 118 is locked in a predetermined
rotational position relative to the housing pot 114. In this
predetermined rotational position, the closure element 138 of the
filter element 118 is arranged in alignment in axial direction
relative to the drainage opening 134 of the housing pot 114. In
this way, it is ensured that the filter element 118, upon a
continued screwing movement of the housing cover 116 in the
screw-in direction 152 and the thus resulting axially oriented
advancing movement of the filter element, is moved exactly above
the drainage opening 134 into its intended sealing position at the
drainage channel 132 in order to close it off fluid-tightly.
[0069] In summarizing, solely by the rotation of the housing cover
116 in the screw-in direction into the housing pot 114, the filter
element 118 illustrated in the drawings can be transferred
comfortably and in the required rotational position for sealing the
drainage channel 132 by the closure element 138 relative to the
housing pot 114 for and arranged in its predetermined operating
position at the sealing seat at the filter housing 112 (FIG.
7).
[0070] By a different arrangement and configuration of the
components that are corresponding with each other, i.e., on the one
hand, of the closure element 138 and of the drainage channel 132 as
well as, on the other hand, of the cutout 144 and of the
positioning aid 148, the sole use of suitable filter elements 118
in the filter housing 112 can be ensured. This is in particular
advantageous in case of critical applications. When an unsuitable
filter element 118 without socket 142 or with the socket 142 but
without cutout 144 or with a wrongly positioned cutout 144 is
inserted into the filter housing 112, the filter element 118 cannot
be transferred into its installation or operating position sealing
the drainage channel 132. In this case, it is not possible to put
the filter system 110 (FIG. 7) into service.
* * * * *