US-20260124563-A1 - FILTER SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH FILTER MOUNT AND FILTER INVENTORY

Abstract

A filter mount includes a filter base including a filter base body defining an axis extending in a direction away from the filter base body, and a mounting portion for a filter element located at a distance from the filter base body. The filter mount also includes a freely rotatable attachment ring connected to the mounting portion. The attachment ring includes an annular portion having an inner attachment ring surface extending around the axis, and an attachment portion having a plurality of keys axially extending in the direction away from the filter base body. A filter inventory, filter mount, and related methodology are also disclosed.

Inventors

• Bryan Warren RICKARDS
• Rhett Polson
• Adam Farhan
• Michael Murray
• Mitsunobu Okamoto
• Jon Tyler Immel
• Kenji Tachibana

Assignees

• CATERPILLAR INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241101

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A filter system comprising: a filter element defining a filter axis extending between a first axial end and a second axial end, the filter element having a filter medium extending circumferentially around the filter axis, and an end cap connected to the first axial end, the end cap including a plurality of notches extending radially inward, formed within the end cap; a filter base defining an axis having a mounting portion; and an attachment ring connected to the mounting portion, the attachment ring including at least one key positionable within a corresponding one of the plurality of notches, the at least one key axially extending in a direction away from the mounting portion.
2. 2 . The filter system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of notches includes a total number of 1, 2, 3, or 4 notches in the end cap, and each of the respective 1, 2, 3, or 4 notches opens at a radially outward edge of the end cap.
3. 3 . The filter system of claim 1 further including a second filter element interchangeable for service with the first filter element but having an end cap including a total number of notches that is different from a total number of notches in the end cap of the first filter element.
4. 4 . The filter system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of notches of the first filter element and the plurality of notches of the second filter element are radially distributed in the respective end caps and one of plurality of notches in the first filter element and second filter element and at least one of the plurality of notches of the each the first filter element and the second filter element are co-located at a position.
5. 5 . The filter system of claim 3 wherein the filter medium of the first filter element defines a first filter performance factor, and a second filter medium of the second filter element defines a second filter performance factor different than the first filter performance factor.
6. 6 . The filter system of claim 1 wherein the at least one key includes a total number less than a total number of keys less than the total number of notches.
7. 7 . The filter system of claim 1 wherein the at least one key includes a total number of keys equal to a total number of the plurality of notches.
8. 8 . The filter system of claim 1 wherein the attachment ring is freely rotatable about the filter axis, relative to the mounting portion.
9. 9 . The filter system of claim 1 wherein the end cap includes a disk portion, and a connector portion having a radial projection, and the plurality of notches are formed in the radial projection.
10. 10 . The filter system of claim 1 wherein the attachment ring includes an inner attachment ring surface, and a groove formed in the inner attachment ring surface, and a rib seated within the groove matingly couples the filter base to the attachment ring.
11. 11 . A filter mount comprising: a filter base including a filter base body defining an axis extending in a direction away from the filter base body, and a mounting portion for a filter element located at a distance from the filter base body; and a freely rotatable attachment ring connected to the mounting portion, the attachment ring including an annular portion having an inner attachment ring surface extending around the axis, and an attachment portion having a plurality of keys axially extending in the direction away from the filter base body.
12. 12 . The filter mount of claim 11 wherein a number of the plurality of keys is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
13. 13 . The filter mount of claim 11 further including a groove formed in the inner attachment ring surface, and a rib circumferentially extending around the mounting portion, seated within the groove, and coupling the filter base to the attachment ring.
14. 14 . The filter mount of claim 12 wherein each one of the plurality of keys is radially distributed around the axis.
15. 15 . The filter mount of claim 11 wherein each one of the plurality of keys extends from a key base coupled to the annular portion, to a key tip, and wherein each of the plurality of keys extends outwardly relative to the axis from the key base to the key tip.
16. 16 . The filter mount of claim 15 wherein a total number of the at least one key is 1.
17. 17 . An inventory of filter elements, comprising: a first filter element defining a first axis extending away from a first axial end, a first filter medium extending circumferentially around the filter axis, and a first end cap connected to the first axial end, the first end cap including a connector portion having a radial projection, and a first plurality of notches opening at a radially outward edge of the end cap; a second filter element defining a second axis extending away from a second axial end, a second filter medium extending circumferentially around the second filter axis, and a second end cap connected to the second axial end, the second end cap including a connector portion having a radial projection, and a second plurality of notches opening at a radially outward edge of the second end cap; and the first filter element defining a first filter performance factor, and the second filter element defining a second filter performance factor different from the first filter performance factor, and the first filter element and the second filter element being interchangeable for service in a fluid filter system.
18. 18 . The inventory of claim 17 wherein a total number of the first plurality of notches is different from a total number of the second plurality of notches.
19. 19 . The inventory of claim 18 wherein the total number of the first plurality of notches is 1, 2, 3, or 4, and the total number of the second plurality of notches is 1, 2, 3, or 4.
20. 20 . The inventory of claim 18 wherein the first plurality of notches of the first filter element and the second plurality of notches of the second filter element are radially distributed in the respective end caps.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a filter system, and more particularly to a filter mount and a filter inventory. BACKGROUND Various machinery and vehicles are known throughout the world which utilize filters for various purposes. Most, if not all, machinery and vehicles equipped with a diesel engine, for example, filter the diesel fuel and other fluids to remove impurities that can interfere with operation of the engine, or the combustion process itself. These filters have a filter efficiency, which can define how effectively it removes particles or contaminants from a particular fluid. As particles are collected in the filter media the performance of the filter can degrade over time, potentially leading to fuel flow becoming impeded, degradation of filter performance, or other problems. For these reasons it is generally conventional practice to change out fuel filters on a regular service interval, or when diagnostic equipment indicates a filter change is needed. When replacing the filter, attention should be given to the replacement filter to ensure the desired requirements are met. In some applications, machinery and vehicles may be specifically engineered for certain filtration performance and efficiency. In other applications, machinery and vehicles can be engineered to utilize various filters each having a different efficiency, with the selection of a particular filter based upon the judgment of the operator, or based on various factors, including cost. Filters of the same size and differing efficiency performance can look similar. For this reason, among others, identifying and correcting the use of an inappropriate or undesired filter can be time consuming. Filters and related equipment often employ some type of mechanism for positioning components in place and/or locking or restricting installation of incorrect components, but certain drawbacks are nevertheless inherent to these designs. For example, in many designs, users cannot easily visually determine if the filter has the desired filtration performance and efficiency. One example replaceable filter configuration in a liquid filter context is known from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/331,267 to Schneidewend et al. SUMMARY In one aspect, a filter system includes a filter element defining a filter axis extending between a first axial end and a second axial end. The filter system also includes a filter medium extending circumferentially around the filter axis, and an end cap connected to the first axial end. The end cap includes a plurality of notches extending radially inward, formed within the end cap. The filter system also includes a filter base defining an axis having a mounting portion and an attachment ring connected to the mounting portion. The attachment ring includes at least one key positionable within a corresponding one of the plurality of notches, the at least one key axially extending in a direction away from the mounting portion. In another aspect, a filter mount includes a filter base including a filter base body defining an axis extending in a direction away from the filter base body, and a mounting portion for a filter element located at a distance from the filter base body. The filter mount also includes a freely rotatable attachment ring connected to the mounting portion. The attachment ring includes an annular portion having an inner attachment ring surface extending around the axis, and an attachment portion having a plurality of keys axially extending in the direction away from the filter base body. In yet another aspect, an inventory of filter elements includes a first filter element defining a first axis extending away from a first axial end and a first filter medium extending circumferentially around the filter axis. The first filter element also includes a first end cap connected to the first axial end, the first end cap including a connector portion having a radial projection, and a first plurality of notches opening at a radially outward edge of the end cap. The inventory of filter elements also includes a second filter element defining a second axis extending away from a second axial end and a second filter medium extending circumferentially around the second filter axis. The second filter element also includes a second end cap connected to the second axial end, the second end cap including a connector portion having a radial projection, and a second plurality of notches opening at a radially outward edge of the second end cap. The first filter element defines a first filter performance factor, and the second filter element defines a second filter performance factor different from the first filter performance factor, and the first filter element and the second filter element are interchangeable for service in a fluid filter system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned view, in perspective, of a filter system, according to one embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective