U.S. patent number RE38,917 [Application Number 09/561,787] was granted by the patent office on 2005-12-13 for fluid filter with filter bypass valve and sealing surface on filter element side.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Firma Ing. Walter Hengst GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Wilhelm Ardes.
United States Patent |
RE38,917 |
Ardes |
December 13, 2005 |
Fluid filter with filter bypass valve and sealing surface on filter
element side
Abstract
In a fluid filter with a housing and a filter element
replaceably located in said housing, and with a filter by pads
valve having a valve body held in the housing that is movable
against the action of a spring from the closed position in which it
cooperates with a sealing surface, into an open position in which
it permits a fluid flow to bypass the filter element. The invention
proposes that the sealing surface associated with the valve body be
formed by the replaceable filter element.
Inventors: |
Ardes; Wilhelm (Ascheberg,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Firma Ing. Walter Hengst GmbH &
Co. KG (Munster, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
7756859 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/561,787 |
Filed: |
April 28, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
617472 |
Mar 15, 1996 |
05770054 |
Jun 23, 1998 |
|
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 16, 1995 [DE] |
|
|
195 09 566 |
Feb 14, 1996 [DE] |
|
|
196 05 425 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
210/130; 210/457;
29/428; 210/497.01; 210/454; 210/440; 210/441; 210/430 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D
29/21 (20130101); B01D 35/147 (20130101); B01D
35/153 (20130101); B01D 35/16 (20130101); B01D
29/96 (20130101); B01D 2201/162 (20130101); B01D
2201/305 (20130101); Y10T 29/49826 (20150115); B01D
2201/4084 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01D
035/147 () |
Field of
Search: |
;210/130-132,137,430,431,440,441,443,444,454,457,493.1,493.2,497.01,767 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3904701 |
|
Aug 1990 |
|
DE |
|
4214500 |
|
Nov 1993 |
|
DE |
|
4310234 |
|
Aug 1994 |
|
DE |
|
0254776 |
|
Mar 1991 |
|
EP |
|
526736 |
|
Sep 1940 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Savage; Matthew O.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP
Laurentano, Esq.; Anthony A.
Claims
I claim:
1. A fluid filter, comprising a housing, a replaceable filter
element positioned within said housing, said filter element
including first and second ends and a filtering surface positioned
therebetween, and a filter bypass valve including a valve body,
mounting means for integrally mounting said valve body within said
housing so as to remain mounted within said housing when the
replaceable filter is replaced, said valve body being movable
between a closed position, in which said valve body sealingly
engages a sealing surface, and an open position in which said valve
body permits fluid flow to bypass said filter element, wherein said
first end of said filter element forms said sealing surface for
said valve body.
2. The fluid filter of claim 1, further comprising a support dome
fixed within said housing and extending along a longitudinal axis,
said valve body being positioned within said support dome for
movement along the longitudinal axis of said support dome between
said closed position and said open position.
3. The fluid filter of claim 2, wherein said filter element has an
annular shape and is positioned to surround said support dome.
4. The fluid filter of claim 3 wherein said first end of said
filter element is an annular disk which forms said sealing surface
for said valve body.
5. The fluid filter of claim 2, wherein said support dome includes
guide means for guiding said valve body along the longitudinal axis
of said support dome between said closed position and said open
position.
6. The fluid filter of claim 5, wherein said valve body further
comprises an elongated shaft which is guided by said guide means
along the longitudinal axis of the support dome, and wherein said
first end includes an end portion which is sealingly engagable with
said sealing surface when said valve body is disposed in said
closed position.
7. The fluid filter of claim 6, wherein said end portion is a flat
plate.
8. The fluid filter of claim 6, wherein said end portion is
convexly round in shape.
9. The fluid filter of claim 6, wherein said filter bypass valve
further comprises means for biasing said valve body into said
closed position.
10. The fluid filter of claim 9, wherein said guide means comprises
an annular guide plate through which said elongated shaft is
guided, said biasing means being positioned between said guide
plate and said end portion of said valve body.
11. The fluid filter of claim 9, wherein said shaft of said valve
body comprises one or more resilient tongues having retaining claws
for engaging said guide means.
12. A fluid filter for an engine, comprising a carrier engagable
with the engine, a removable lid matable with said carrier, a
support dome attached to said carrier and extending along a
longitudinal axis, a replaceable filter element positioned around
said support dome, said filter element including first and second
ends and a filtering surface positioned therebetween, and a filter
bypass valve including a valve body, mounting means for integrally
mounting said valve body within said support dome such that said
valve body remains mounted within the support dome when the
replaceable filter element is replaced and movable between a closed
position, in which said valve body sealingly engages a sealing
surface, and an open position in which said valve body permits
fluid flow to bypass said filter element, said valve body being
positioned within said support dome for movement along the
longitudinal axis of said support dome between said closed position
and said open position, wherein said first end of said filter
element is separable from said lid and forms said sealing surface
for said valve body, and whereby removal of said lid from said
carrier permits said filter element and thus said sealing surface
to be removed from the carrier and support dome attached
thereto.
13. The fluid filter of claim 12, wherein said filter element has
an annular shape and is configured to surround said support
dome.
14. The fluid filter of claim 13, wherein said first end of said
filter element comprises an annular disk which forms said sealing
surface for said valve body.
15. The fluid filter of claim 12, wherein said support dome
comprises guide means for guiding said valve body along the
longitudinal axis of said support dome between said closed position
and said open position.
16. The fluid filter of claim 15, wherein said valve body comprises
an elongated shaft which is guided by said guide means along the
longitudinal axis of the support dome, and an end portion which is
sealingly engagable with said sealing surface when said valve body
is disposed in said closed position.
17. The fluid filter of claim 16, wherein said end portion is
convexly round in shape.
18. The fluid filter of claim 16, wherein said filter bypass valve
further comprises means for biasing said valve body into said
closed position.
19. The fluid filter of claim 18, wherein said guide means
comprises an annular supporting plate through which said shaft is
guided, said biasing means being positioned between said guide
plate and said end portion of said valve body.
20. The fluid filter of claim 19, wherein said supporting plate is
reinforced along its inner edge.
21. The fluid filter of claim 20, wherein said supporting plate
comprises a flange formed along its inner edge.
22. The fluid filter of claim 18, wherein said shaft of said valve
body comprises one or more resilient tongues having retaining
claws, said retaining claws engaging said supporting plate to
maintain said valve body within said support dome when said filter
element is removed from the fluid filter.
23. The fluid filter of claim 12, wherein said filter element is
removably attached to said lid such that removal of said lid from
said carrier removes said filter element from the fluid
filter..Iadd.
24. A filter element suitable for use with a fluid filter of an
engine, the fluid filter having a housing, a dome coupled to the
housing for supporting the filter element, and a filter bypass
valve disposed within the housing and having a valve body secured
to the support dome, the valve body being movable against the
action of a resistance element mounted between said valve body and
said support dome wherein said valve body is disposed between a
closed position where the valve body engages a sealing surface of a
valve seat to form a fluid tight seal and an open position where
the valve body disengages the sealing surface to permit fluid to
bypass the filter element, wherein the filter element comprises a
lower end disk, an upper end disk having a tubular portion defining
an open middle area, wherein said tubular portion extends toward
the lower end disk and terminates at a free end, an annular filter
media disposed between the lower end disk and upper end disk,
wherein said free end of said tubular portion forms said valve seat
having said sealing surface positioned and adapted to engage, in
use, the valve body, and wherein the filter element is adapted to
be removably and replaceably mounted within the housing and
excludes any tubular support members non-removably positioned
within the annular filter media and between the upper and lower end
disks..Iaddend..Iadd.
25. A filter element according to claim 24, further comprising a
recess in said filter element for seating the
dome..Iaddend..Iadd.
26. A filter element according to claim 24, wherein said valve seat
has a concave shape for sealing with a convexly rounded surface of
said valve body..Iaddend..Iadd.
27. A filter element according to claim 24, wherein said valve seat
has a flat shape for sealing with a flat surface of said valve
body..Iaddend..Iadd.
28. A method of providing a fluid filter for an engine, comprising
the steps of disposing a replaceable filter element within a
housing, said filter element having first and second ends and a
filtering surface positioned therebetween, providing a filter
bypass valve having a valve body within the housing, the valve body
adapted to remain within the housing when the filter element is
removed from the housing, the valve body adapted to move between a
closed position where the valve body sealingly engages a sealing
surface, and an open position where the valve body permits fluid
flow to bypass the filter element, and providing said first end of
said filter element with said sealing surface for said valve body
and said valve body engages said sealing surface by said step of
disposing such that said sealing surface is adapted to remain with
said filter element when said filter element is removed from said
housing..Iaddend..Iadd.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of mounting
a support dome within the housing, the dome extending along a
longitudinal axis, wherein the valve body is positioned within the
support dome for movement along the longitudinal axis between the
closed and open positions..Iaddend..Iadd.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of guiding
the valve body along the longitudinal axis of the support dome
between the closed position and the open
position..Iaddend..Iadd.
31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of
configuring the first end of the filter element as an annular
disk..Iaddend..Iadd.
32. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of biasing
the valve body into the closed position..Iaddend..Iadd.
33. A method of removing and replacing a filter element suitable
for use with a fluid filter of an engine, the fluid filter having a
housing, a dome coupled to the housing for supporting the filter
element, and a filter bypass valve disposed within the housing and
having a valve body secured to the support dome, the valve body
being movable against the action of a resistance element mounted
between said valve body and said support dome wherein said valve
body is disposed between a closed position where the valve body
engages a sealing surface to form a fluid tight seal and an open
position where the valve body disengages the sealing surface to
permit fluid to bypass the filter element, the method comprising
the steps of removing said filter element from said fluid filter
such that said sealing surface is separated from said valve body,
and positioning the filter element to engage the valve body such
that an end plate of the filter element forms the sealing
surface..Iaddend..Iadd.
34. A filter element suitable for use with a fluid filter of an
engine, the fluid filter having a housing, a dome coupled to the
housing for supporting the filter element, and a filter bypass
valve disposed within the housing and having a valve body secured
to the support dome, the valve body being movable against the
action of a resistance element mounted between said valve body and
said support dome wherein said valve body is disposed between a
closed position where the valve body engages a sealing surface of a
valve seat to form a fluid tight seal and an open position where
the valve body disengages the sealing surface to permit fluid to
bypass the filter element, wherein the filter element comprises a
lower end disk, an upper end disk having a tubular portion defining
an open middle area, wherein said tubular portion extends toward
the lower end disk and terminates at a free end, a filter surface
disposed between the lower end disk and upper end disk, wherein
said free end of said tubular portion forms said valve seat having
said sealing surface positioned and adapted to engage, in use, the
valve body, said upper end disk having a housing engaging surface
co-located with said tubular portion in the form of a
circumferential, radially inwardly-facing rib arranged around said
tubular portion and wherein the filter element is adapted to be
removably and replaceably mounted within the
housing..Iaddend..Iadd.
35. A filter element suitable for use with a fluid filter of an
engine, the fluid filter having a housing, a dome coupled to the
housing for supporting the filter element, and a filter bypass
valve disposed within the housing and having a valve body secured
to the support dome, the valve body being movable against the
action of a resistance element mounted between said valve body and
said support dome wherein said valve body is disposed between a
closed position where the valve body engages a sealing surface of a
valve seat to form a fluid tight seal and an open position where
the valve body disengages the sealing surface to permit fluid to
bypass the filter element, wherein the filter element comprises a
lower end disk, an upper end disk having a tubular portion defining
an open middle area, wherein said tubular portion extends toward
the lower end disk and terminates at a free end, a filter surface
disposed between the lower end disk and upper end disk, wherein
said free end of said tubular portion forms said valve seat having
said sealing surface positioned and adapted to engage, in use, the
valve body, said upper end disk having a housing engaging surface
in the form of upwardly extending clips formed on the upper end
disk and wherein the filter element is adapted to be removably and
replaceably mounted within the housing..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fluid filter according to the
preamble of claim 1.
Filters of this type are known for example from DE 42 14 500 A1 and
U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,266. DE 42 14 500 A1 has a much more
economically manufactured filter than the older U.S. Pat. No.
2,533,266. However, installation of the filter bypass valve is
comparatively complicated since the sealing body of the valve must
be guided together with a sealing body carrier through nearly the
entire length of a supporting dome and then anchored in the
supporting dome. Both of the above patents teach valves with a
sealing body that has an elongate shaft.
A fluid filter of a different species is known from DE 43 10 234
C1, in which the entire filter bypass valve is provided inside the
replaceable filter element, with the filter bypass valve comprising
a sealing body made in the form of a circular disk.
Fluid filters that do not belong to the foregoing species are known
from EP 0 254 776 B 1 and DE 39 04 701 A1. These filters typically
do not include any replaceable filter elements, and are themselves
replaced completely, i.e. including the entire filter housing.
The goal of the invention is to improve on a fluid filter according
to the foregoing species in such fashion that the manufacturing
costs of the filter are lowered by reducing the number of parts and
assembling them as economically as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This goal .Iadd.that .Iaddend.forms the basis of the invention is
achieved by making the filter bypass valve in two parts as
filter-integral parts that also include the valve body, while the
sealing surface associated with the valve body is not integral with
the filter, but is provided on the replaceable filter element. This
design makes it possible to reduce the number of parts required,
while the filter-integral components of the filter bypass valve are
provided in an optimally accessible location and are installed from
the valve body side, since in this simplified assembly process, the
entire filter bypass valve is not completed until the filter
element is installed.
In the fluid filter design with an annular filter element, a
supporting dome can advantageously be provided in the middle of the
filter element, with the supporting dome remaining integral with
the filter. The supporting dome prevents the filter element from
collapsing, so that it can be made of economical materials whose
mechanical strength is reduced during operation of the filter. The
supporting dome offers a simple and economical way to support the
filter body.
Advantageously, a change in cross section can be provided in the
supporting dome that forms a supporting plate which the spring
associated with the valve body abuts, with such a spring being
designed for example as a coil spring. The supporting plate can
advantageously be molded on the supporting mandrel, so that a
single part is created that can be manufactured economically.
When a supporting dome is used, an end disk of the filter element,
which is required in any event for design reasons, can be used to
form the sealing surface, so that no additional parts are required,
with the additional seal required in known fluid filters according
to the species and located between the dirty and the clean sides
being unnecessary, since it is formed by the filter bypass
valve.
The filter bypass valve can be designed in various ways. Thus for
example it is possible to design the valve body as a plate that is
pressed by the spring against an opening provided in the end disk
of a replaceable filter element. A plurality of openings arranged
in a circle may be provided in this end disk, so that the plate can
have an internal bore for example and be made as an annular plate
to save material, said plate being pressed by the spring against
the openings. In any event, the flat valve body is advantageously
fastened permanently to the spring, so that when the filter element
is replaced, assurance is provided that the valve body is in the
correct position when the new filter element is installed.
Designing the valve body as a plate or annular disk represents a
material-saving and hence economical design for the valve body.
However, the functional reliability of the filter bypass valve can
be ensured and improved by providing the valve body with an
elongated shaft to guide the valve body during its opening and
closing movements.
Basically, it is possible to design the valve body in the form of a
bolt so that its end can seal an opening provided in the end disk
of the replaceable filter element. The valve body can be centered
by virtue of the fact that its end which cooperates with the
sealing surface is made frustoconical, conical, or rounded
convexly, particularly with a round area in the form of a section
of a sphere providing a seat on the sealing element that always
remains effective even when the valve body is in a slightly
diagonal position. A large aperture cross section of the valve can
be produced by a mushroom-shaped valve body design.
Advantageously, when designing a supporting plate provided in the
supporting dome for the spring, the supporting plate can improve
the guiding function of the shaft of a mushroom-shaped valve body,
with the supporting plate being made annular and extending around
the shaft of the valve body.
Guidance of this design on a supporting plate can be reinforced by
a greater thickness of the supporting plate at its inner edge, so
that a greater guiding length is obtained for the shaft of the
valve body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will now be described in greater detail with
reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of a fluid filter in the assembled
state;
FIG. 2 is an embodiment similar to FIG. 1, with the filter element
partially removed; and
FIG. 3 is a third embodiment in a system similar to FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, the numeral 1 generally designates a fluid filter
comprising a carrier 2, which can be screwed onto an associated
assembly, for example an internal combustion engine.
Carrier 2 forms a part of the filter housing itself. A filter
element 3, a folded filter element for example, is replaceably
located in the filter housing, the element 3 being annular and
including a lower end disk 4 and an upper end disk 5. A lid 6
screwed onto carrier 2 forms the removable second part of the
filter housing and permits filter element 3 to be replaced.
Filter element 3 is supported internally by a supporting dome 7
.Iadd.located in a recess 20 sufficiently sized for seating the
supporting dome 7 .Iaddend.that prevents filter element 3 from
collapsing and allows filter element 3 to have a design that
includes only the folded filter surface itself and the two end
disks 4 and 5. A filter bypass valve 8 is located in the upper part
of supporting dome 7. This valve includes a mushroom-shaped valve
body 8 with a head area and a shaft 9, said shaft forming
spring-elastic tongues in its lower part, said tongues having
gripping claws 11 directed radially outward and bent backward
barbwise.
By virtue of this design, the entire fluid filter can be
manufactured economically: a comparatively small number of parts is
used, since no separate valve body support is required. Assembly is
also facilitated and can be performed in a shorter time since the
valve body can be inserted from the readily accessible upper end of
supporting dome 7 and need not be inserted through nearly the
entire length of supporting dome 7. Since valve body 8 does not
have to be located behind a sealing surface, an easily accessible
mounting location of this kind is possible.
Shaft 9 is surrounded areawise by a coil spring 12, merely
indicated by shading, which contacts the head area of valve body 8
and presses upward against a sealing surface 14 formed by a middle
area 5a of upper end disk 5 that tapers downward.
.[.Coil.]. .Iadd.A resistance element, in the form of coil
.Iaddend.spring 12.Iadd., .Iaddend.abuts a support plate 15 having
at least one through opening 16 for the medium when the latter,
with the filter bypass valve open, flows through a central opening
of middle area 5a of downwardly tapered upper end disk 5 and flows
downward through supporting dome 7, or when this medium, with the
filter bypass valve closed, moves from the outside to the inside
through filter element 3 and flows downward after being
filtered.
In its middle edge area adjacent to the opening through which valve
body 8 extends, supporting plate 15 has a greater material
thickness. For this purpose, supporting plate 15 is bent downward
flangewise, i.e. in the direction away from sealing surface 14.
As a result of this material reinforcement, a guide is provided for
valve body 8, since its shaft 9 is guided for a comparatively
greater length. In addition, reinforcement of the material in this
area results in stabilization of supporting plate 15 at the points
where coil spring 12 abuts it. Finally, this flange-shaped material
reinforcement offers a grip for barbed retaining claws 11 that can
grip behind the flange, so that valve body 8 is securely fastened
even when filter element 3 is removed and the counterpressure for
the upper head portion of valve body 8 is removed as a result.
Valve body 8 can initially be fitted with coil spring 12 and then
inserted from above into supporting dome 7, with the conically
shaped outer surface of retaining claws 11 initially permitting
easy insertion of valve body 8 into the central opening of
supporting plate 15, thus permitting valve body 8 to be clipped to
supporting dome 7. Valve body 8 can be assembled in this fashion in
a very short time since no additional prefabricated assemblies,
possibly with a separate valve body support, need to be produced or
assembled, and since the installation location and supporting dome
7 are optimally accessible and reachable.
Depending on the installation situation, in contrast to using a
separate valve carrier, the height of the filter device can be
reduced as well so that a more compact design for the entire fluid
filter 1 is obtained overall. This means both that material can be
saved and that there are more installation possibilities, for
example under restricted space conditions like those prevailing in
the engine compartment of an automobile.
FIG. 2 shows the design of a fluid filter comparable with FIG. 1,
but with cover 6 unscrewed from support 2. Filter element 3 is
connected with lid 6 by clips formed on .Iadd.a housing engaging
surface 21 of .Iaddend.its upper end disk 5, so that when lid 6 is
unscrewed, filter element 3 is also removed from carrier 2 and
hence from supporting dome 7. In contrast to FIG. 1, lid 6 in FIG.
2 is in a raised position so that upper end disk 5 of filter
element 3 is also lifted off the upper end of supporting dome 7. As
a result of spring 12 abutting supporting plate 15, when lid 6 is
unscrewed valve body 8 is raised as well until retaining claws 11
strike supporting plate 15, so that despite removal of sealing
surface 14, valve body 8 is connected permanently and integrally
with the filter.
An annular seal is located on lower end disk 4, the seal in FIG. 2
abutting the central tube of carrier 2 in a sealing fashion and
sealing off the dirty side from the clean side of fluid filter 1.
This seal has no function in FIG. 2 because filter element 3 is
raised. A seal comparable with this seal 16 which could be provided
on the upper end disk of filter element 3 is not required in the
design of fluid filter 1 according to the invention since this
sealing effect is provided by the filter bypass valve, so that the
material and cost savings made possible by the invention are
supported.
FIG. 3 shows a fluid filter 1 in which the filter bypass valve has
a valve body designed as plate 17. Plate 17 is permanently
connected with spring 12, with spring 12 likewise being connected
permanently to supporting plate 15 of supporting dome 7, since the
valve-integral arrangement of the valve body in this embodiment is
not produced by retaining claws in the form of barbs.
In a version of this embodiment with a convexly bent sealing end of
the valve body or with a flat valve body made in the form of a
plate, provision can be made, especially in the design of upper end
disk 5 with an area that is drawn inward and serves as a support as
in the three embodiments shown, to provide the valve body with a
collar-like or funnel-shaped upper end abutting sealing surface 14
and gripping the latter externally.
The idea of the invention, not to have the parts required for the
filter bypass valve always assembled, but to make one part integral
with the filter and another part on the interchangeable filter
element, can also be implemented by reversing these embodiments and
providing the valve body as a filter element and making the sealing
surface facing the valve body integral with the filter. This
results in a comparatively expensive design for the fluid filter,
however, since the sealing body must always be replaced along with
the filter element and consequently represents a part that is
subject to wear.
.Iadd.According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of
providing a fluid filter for an engine includes a step of disposing
a replaceable filter element within a housing. The filter element
has first and second ends and a filtering surface positioned
therebetween. Another step of the method provides a filter bypass
valve having a valve body within the housing. The valve body is
adapted to move between a closed position where the valve body
sealingly engages a sealing surface and an open position where the
valve body permits fluid flow to bypass the filter element. The
first end of the filter element is provided with a sealing surface
for the valve body. In this embodiment, the disposing step engages
the valve body with the sealing surface. According to this
embodiment, if the filter element were removed from the housing,
the sealing surface is adapted to remain with the filter
element.
The method may optionally include the step of mounting a support
dome within the housing. In such a case, the dome extends along a
longitudinal axis, and the valve body is positioned within the
support dome for movement along the longitudinal axis between the
closed and open positions. Optionally, a further step may include
guiding the valve body along the longitudinal axis of the support
dome between the closed position and the open position.
The method may alternatively optionally include the step of
configuring the first end of the filter element as an annular
disk.
Furthermore, the method may alternatively optionally include the
step of biasing the valve body into the closed position.
According to another embodiment of the invention a method is
provided for removing and replacing a filter element suitable for
use with a fluid filter of an engine. In this method, the fluid
filter has a housing, a dome coupled to the housing for supporting
the filter element, and a filter bypass valve. The filter bypass
valve is disposed within the housing and has a valve body secured
to the support dome. The valve body is movable against the action
of a resistance element mounted between the valve body and the
support dome. The valve body is disposed between a closed position
where the valve body engages a sealing surface to form a fluid
tight seal and an open position where the valve body disengages the
sealing surface to permit fluid to bypass the filter element. The
method includes the step of removing the filter element from the
fluid filter such that the sealing surface is separated from the
valve body. Another step of the method involves positioning the
filter element to engage the valve body such that an end plate of
the filter element forms the sealing surface.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a filter element
is provided to be suitable for use with a fluid filter of an
engine, the fluid filter having a housing, a dome coupled to the
housing for supporting the filter element, and a filter bypass
valve disposed within the housing and having a valve body secured
to the support dome. The valve body is movable against the action
of a resistance element mounted between the valve body and the
support dome, wherein the valve body is disposed between a closed
position where the valve body engages a sealing surface of a valve
seat to form a fluid tight seal and an open position where the
valve body disengages the sealing surface to permit fluid to bypass
the filter element. The filter element includes a lower end disk,
an upper end disk having a tubular portion defining an open middle
area. The tubular portion extends toward the lower end disk and
terminates at a free end. A filter surface is disposed between the
lower end disk and upper end disk, wherein the free end of the
tubular portion forms the valve seat having the sealing surface
positioned and adapted to engage, in use, the valve body. The upper
end disk 5 has a housing engaging surface co-located with the
tubular portion in the form of a circumferential, radially
inwardly-facing rib 5b arranged around the tubular portion and
wherein the filter element is adapted to be removably and
replaceably mounted within the housing.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the upper end
disk 5 has a housing engaging surface 5c in the form of upwardly
extending clips formed on the upper end disk 5 and wherein the
filter element is adapted to be removably and replaceably mounted
within the housing..Iaddend.
* * * * *