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EP-3773972-B1 - CHAMBERED PARALLEL FLOW DUAL FILTER

EP3773972B1EP 3773972 B1EP3773972 B1EP 3773972B1EP-3773972-B1

Inventors

  • SOUTH, KEVIN C.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20190411

Claims (14)

  1. A filter assembly (100, 500) comprising: a nut plate (150, 550) forming an outlet (140, 540) a filter housing (102, 502) having a longitudinal axis, the filter housing divided into a first filter chamber (145,545) and a second filter chamber (155, 255), the filter housing (102, 502) and the nut plate (150, 550) forming an inlet (120, 520); a first filter element (106) comprising a first element top endplate (132), a first element bottom endplate (142), and a first filter media (126, 526) positioned between the first element top endplate and the first element bottom endplate; a second filter element (108, 508) comprising a second element top endplate (152, 552), a second element bottom endplate (162, 562), and a second filter media (128, 528) positioned between the second element top endplate and the second element bottom endplate; a first aperture formed between the first element top endplate (132) and the second element top endplate (152); a second aperture formed between the first element bottom endplate (142) and the second element bottom endplate (162, 562); a solid tube (148, 548) positioned between and coupled to the first element top endplate and the second element bottom endplate and separating the first filter chamber from the second filter chamber; a first passageway (165, 565) formed between the solid tube (148, 548) and the first filter media (126, 526), wherein the first passageway (165, 565) communicates fluidly with the second aperture; a second passageway (175, 575) formed between the solid tube (148, 548) and the second filter media (128, 528), wherein the second passageway (175, 575) communicates fluidly with the first aperture; and an axial seal member (170, 570) positioned axially between the second element top endplate (152, 552) and the nut plate (150, 550), the axial seal member and the solid tube dividing the filter housing into the first filter chamber and the second filter chamber; wherein, in use, a first portion of fluid flows through the inlet, towards the longitudinal axis into the first filter chamber (145, 545) via the first aperture, past the solid tube, through the second passageway (175, 575), radially inward through the second filter media, and exits the filter housing (102, 502) through the outlet (140, 540).
  2. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein: the inlet provides fluid communication between an engine component positioned outside the filter housing and the first filter chamber; the outlet provides fluid communication between the second filter chamber and the inlet via the first filter element and the second filter element; and a second portion of the fluid flows from the inlet into the first filter chamber through the first filter element, into the first passageway, and exits the filter housing through the outlet.
  3. The filter assembly of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first element bottom endplate extends radially across the filter housing and is positioned axially underneath the second element bottom endplate.
  4. The filter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a radial seal member (180, 580) positioned radially between the first element bottom endplate and the filter housing, the axial seal member, the radial seal member, and the solid tube dividing the filter housing into the first filter chamber and the second filter chamber.
  5. The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the first filter element and the second filter element are integrated into a single combined filter insert configured to be installed and used within the filter housing.
  6. The filter assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the first passageway is positioned further from the longitudinal axis than the second passageway.
  7. The filter assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the solid tube comprises stand-off rings (546) that protrude radially outward from the solid tube into the first passageway (565).
  8. The filter assembly of claim 7, wherein the stand-off rings protrude from the solid tube radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis.
  9. The filter assembly of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the stand-off rings extend into the first passageway.
  10. The filter assembly of any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the stand-off rings are concentric or spiral-shaped.
  11. The filter assembly of claim 10, wherein the stand-off rings are concentric, and wherein the stand-off rings are solid or slotted.
  12. The filter assembly of any of claims 7 to 11, wherein the stand-off rings are integrally formed with the solid tube.
  13. The filter assembly of any of claims 7 to 11, wherein the stand-off rings are separately formed from the solid tube.
  14. The filter assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the first element bottom endplate (142, 542) and the second element bottom endplate (162, 562) are formed as a single bottom endplate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a filter assembly. BACKGROUND Internal combustion engines generally combust a mixture of fuel (e.g., gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc.) and air. Fluids passing through the internal combustion engine are filtered to remove particulate and contaminants from the fluids prior to entering the internal combustion engine and/or from fluids exiting the internal combustion engine. For example, prior to entering the engine, fuel to be combusted is typically passed through a filter element to remove contaminants (e.g., particulates, dust, water, etc.) from the fuel prior to delivery to the engine. The filter media of the filter element captures and removes particulate from the fuel passing through the filter media. The availability of space on the engine may be very limited and, in particular, can be limited when extended service intervals are required due to the size and number of filter elements used in the engine. DE102007014813A1 discloses a filter device with a filter housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and with a filter element which can be received in the housing and which can be exchanged. The filter element has a first filter medium which surrounds a first filter cavity extending along a longitudinal axis. Fluid to be cleaned can flow from the outer side of the filter medium to the first filter cavity. The filter element also has a second filter medium which surrounds a second filter cavity which is coaxial to and lies inside the first filter cavity. The second filter cavity can make a fluid connection to the fluid outlet of the filter housing. A flow guide unit is provided which forms two separate flow paths for the fluid to be cleaned, the first of which brings the fluid which has passed through the first filter medium directly to the fluid outlet of the filter housing, and the second of which connects the fluid inlet of the filter housing to the outer side of the second filter medium. SUMMARY Aspects of the present invention are defined by appended independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are defined by the appended dependent claims. These and other features, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the several drawings described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1A shows a schematic view of a filter assembly according to an example embodiment.FIG. 1B shows a schematic view of the filter assembly of FIG. 1A according to another embodiment.FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a filter assembly according to another embodiment.FIG. 3 shows separate endplates for use with the filter assemblies of FIGS. 1A-2.FIG. 4 shows integral endplates for use with the filter assemblies of FIGS. 1A-2.FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a filter assembly according to another embodiment.FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a filter assembly according to still another embodiment.FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a filter assembly according to an example.FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a filter assembly according to another example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the figures generally, a filter assembly configured to filter fluid prior to entering into an engine is shown. Referring to FIG. 1A, a filter assembly is shown according to an example embodiment. The filter assembly 100 filters fluid such as fuel prior to use in an internal combustion engine. In another embodiment, the filter assembly 100 filters fluid such as oil exiting an internal combustion engine. The filter assembly 100 includes a filter housing 102 extending along a longitudinal axis 101 having an internal cavity 104, a first filter element 106, and a second filter element 108. The filter assembly 100 includes a nut plate 150. The nut plate 150 couples (e.g., fastens, threads) the filter assembly 100 to a mounting head on the engine. As shown in FIG. 1A, the first filter element 106 and the second filter element 108 are positioned within the internal cavity 104 of the filter housing 102. The first filter element 106 and second filter element 108 are cylindrical filter elements. The first filter element 106 is positioned radially outward from the second filter element 108 relative to the longitudinal axis 101 of the filter housing 102. In some embodiments, the first filter element 106 and the second filter element 108 are part of a single combined filter insert configured to be inserted into the filter housing 102 as a single piece during assembly. In other embodiments, the first filter element 106 and the second filter element 108 are otherwise assembled (e.g., separately assembled) into the filter housing 102. In some embodiments, more than two filter elements are included with the filter assembly 100. The first filter element 106 includes first filter media 126 confi