AU599486B2

AU599486B2 - Fluid filter

Info

Publication number: AU599486B2
Application number: AU16198/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Leslie Millett
Original assignee: Millet Thelma Helene
Current assignee: Millet Thelma Helene
Priority date: 1987-05-15
Filing date: 1988-05-16
Publication date: 1990-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-16
Also published as: AU1619888A

Description

A U3 1A LIA PAIPENTS ACT 1952 4 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFF:iCEUSE: Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class aL r.JL I Complete Specification Lodged: rt Accepted: 41,4ts"?ublished: t Related, Art: Name of Applicant(s): di t of Applicant(s): Actual Invwator(s): LESLIE MILLETT 27 Buzza Street ST JAMES Western Australia

AUSTRALIEA

LTESLIE MILLETT

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Address for Service: Kelvin Lord Co., 4 Douro Placej WEST PERTH, Western Australia 6005".

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "FLUID FILTER" The following statement is a fnll description 01(tb, &1nvenion, Includip, thebes metihod of pirforming it known to me/ us

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4 2- The present iinention relates to a fluid filter.

It is known from Australian Patent No. 510812, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, to pass a medium to be filtered through a filter element in the form of a roll of absorbent material.

The filter described and claimed in Australian Patent No.

510812 is particularly envisaged for use as a bypass oil filter in an engine, particularly a motor vehicle engine.

'''itt SThe bypass filter is fitted in addition to and not instead t of the original full flow engine filter.

L C It has been discovered that the filter of Australian Patent r No. 510812 suffers from a number of disadvantages r particularly compression and compaction of the filter element when subjected to full pump pressure of the engine. This is especially a problem at cold start up.

Further, this compression and compaction negates one of the c, most advantageous features of this type of filter whereby the owner can peruse the filter after use, for example, to observe the contaminants trapped thereon and obtain an early warning of impending trouble.

The present invention provides a filter of the same general type as that described and claimed in Patent No. 510812 but Sin which the tendency of.the filter element to compress and Scompact is reduced.

The filter of the present invention is particularly envisaged for use as an oil filter but it is to be understood that the filter of the present invention is of I general applicability for filtering of fluids including compressed air.

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a a a t 4#~ a *te* 4t*a at 2a 4 a a a *4 a~ 4 'a 4* In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid filter comprising a container having a central axial tube located within the container, said tube communicating with a f luid ov'Clet, a fluid inlet being located in a wall of the container, a cartridge arranged to receive a filter element in the form of a roll of absorbent mater~ial mounted on a central tubular core, the cartridge being mounted, in use, co-axially on the central tube within the container and having one open end and the other end closed by a wall with a central opening provided with sealing means to seal on the central tube, wherein the filter element is mounted on a post member having f irst and second posts having f langed ends and arranged to be inserted snugly in the core from opposite 15 ends thereof', a clip which clears the axial tube is mounted to the first flanged post away from the flange thereof, and the first post is located adjacent the closed end ot' the cartridge, and the container comprises a pressure control valve such that when the pressure inside the container 20 reaches a certain level excess fluid is released from the container.

in accordance with aL further aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid filter compr, sin a container having a central axal tube located withi4n the 25 container, said tube communicating with a fluid outlet, a fluid inlet being provided in a wall of the container, a cartridge arranged to receive a filter element in the form of a roll of absorbent material mounted on a central tubular core, the cartridge being mounted, in use,

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-3a co-axially on the central tube within the containez an6 having one open end and the other end closed by a wall with a central opening provided with sealing means to Z~al on

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g S- I the central tube, wherein the container comprises a pressure control valve such that when the pressure inside the container reaches a certain level, excess fluid is released from the container.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in S which:r0t, S Figure 1 is a schematic, exploded, perspective view of a fluid filter in accordance with the present invention; ,to 10 Figure 2 is a plan view of the filter of Figure 1 in S* assemblied condition with an end cap removed; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the filter of Figure 3 along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an exploded view of a centrepost and filter element forming part of the filter of Figures 1 to 3.

In the drawings there is shown a fluid filter 10 comprising a. cylindrical container member 12 which has a closed end 14 ,ttr and an open end 15 which is arranged to be closed by a removable end cap 16. The curved wall of the cylindrical member 12 is provided with a fluid inlet 17.

A central tube 18 which has a lower threaded end is connected at one end to the end cap 16. Further, the Sthreaded end is, in use, threadedly engaged with a threaded aperture 25 In the closed end 14 of the cylindrical member 12. In this ,condition the tube 16- extends co-axially through the cylindrical member 12. The aperture 20 and the tube 18 form an outlet for filtered fluid in use. The tube 18 contains a fluid outlet 21 which can be seen in Figure 3.

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49 9*4 C 9944 5 The one end of the tube 18 projects through the end cap 16 and is welded to or otherwise affixed to a knurled knob 22. The knob 22 has an undersurface which is grooved to provide a receptacle for a sealing member such as an "0" ring 24 as can best be seen in Figure 3. The tube 18 is threadedly engaged with the aperture 20 by turning the knurled knob 22 and the knob is sealingly engaged with the end cap 16 b- the ring 24.

Further, the end cap 16 is a domed disc with an outer rim 10 turned down sufficiently to overlap the cylindrical member 12 and provide a wide sealing surface to hold a seal 26 firmly in place between the cap 16 and the cylindrical member 12 as can best be seen in Figure 3. This applies even where the filter is subject to heat distortion. The 15 seal 26 may be an annular member of U-shaped cross-section that fits snugly over the cylindrical member 12 as shown in Figure 3.

Further, there is located a cone shaped spiral pressure spring 28 located between the end cap 16 and a steel washer 30 mounted about and fixed to the tube 18. The use of this type of spring in place of an ordinary coil spring has the advantage that the coils collapse within each other under pressure. This enables the filter to have a smaller overall size. It is desired to make the filter of the present invention as compact as possible because of the confined spaces available in machinery housings, such as motor vehicle engine hocsings, whilst maintaining an adequate through flow of fluid in use. The spring 28 is a compression spring which maintains a sealing pressure on 4t 1, 4 111 Ii i i ii' -r- 6 seals 32 and 46 to be described.

The washer 30 protects a seal 32 which is mounted waout the tube 18, from damage as the knob 22 is rotated to engage the tube 18 into the aperture Preferably, the seal 32 is an ring. The seal 32 serves to seal off a top centre post to be described. The filter comprises a centre post in two parts, i.e. a top centre post 34 and a bottom centre post 36 both of which may be formed of spun aluminium. Each part of the centre post has a flanged outer end. The flanges may be formed by t outwardly flaring the walls of the posts 34 and 36 and then providing return portions to form annular grooves 37 which receive snugly apertured steel discs 37a as shown in Figure 3. The steel discs 37a engage loosely with the axial tube 18. Each flange forms a seal face. Extending away from their respective flanges the posts 34 and 36 have sides c which are parallel and slide snugly into a core of a T4 cylindrical filter element 38.

The bottom centre post 36 has a hinged wire finger or pliers clip 40 mounted to it at the end remote from the flange of the post 36. The flange or clip 40 is disposed so as to clear the tube 18 when the filter is assembled.

The clip 40 is connected to the bottom centre post 36 and, the top centre post 34 has an inner end extending about the 25 finger or clip 40 when the filter is assembled, as can be seaen in Figure 3.

The -ilter 10 also comprises a cylindrical cartridge 41 whicht is located within the cylindrical container member 12 in use. The cartridge 41 may have a tapered cylindrical :1c

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:i 7 wall and a flat base. The top of the cartridge 41 is open to enable a filter element 38 to be removed from and inserted into the cartridge 41. A tapered wall would assist in remove of a used filter element 38 in conjection with the clip 40 whilst retaining the engine analysis feature discussed above. Also, fitment of a new filter element 38 would be facilitated.

When the top centre post 34 is removed upon disassembly, the clip 40 is easily grasped to enable the entire filter 10 element 38 to be lifted out of the cartridge 41 whilst the latter is located within the cylindrical member 12 in use.

A filter element remover mesh layer 42 is mounted about the bottom centre post 36 between the flange thereof and the lower end of the filter element 38 as shown in Figure 3.

The clip 40 is lifted so pulling up the bottom centre post 36 which correspondingly lifts the filter element 38 e because of the filter element remover mesh layer 42. The fitter element remove mesh layer 42 ensures that the filter S" element 38 is not disfigured upon removal.

A cartridge mesh layer 44 is also mounted in the cartridge 41 about the tube 1,8 between the flange of the centre post 36 and the flat base of the cartridge 41. The base mesh layer 44 preferably has a downturned portion such as the ring 45 shown in Figure 3 so as to keep the mesh 44 clear of the base of the cartridge 41 to facilitate free flow of N filtered fluid to the bottom centre post 36. Below the bottom centre post 36 there is provided a cartridge bottom =l seal 46 which is mounted about the tube 18 and is preferably in the form of an ring. The seal 46 rests ::ii '4 8in a nut 48 which is grooved to receive the seal 46 as can best be seen in Figure 3 and ensure that the bottom end of the cartridge 41 is adequately sealed.

The cylindrical member 12 may be formed from tubing which is cut to length and the. top and smoothed to receive the seal 26. The closed end .4 may be in the form of a die pressing which may be welded to the curved wall to the cylindrical member 12. The member 12 has the inlet 17 0 located preferably remote from the end 14 so as to avoid "'10 drain back of oil when the engine is idle for any length of t time.

tt* The filter element 38 is typically formed of paper material which is rolled round a core in known manner. The S apparatus of the present invention preferably includes a '15 pressure control valve 50 which is typically spring located and mounted in the tube 18 adjacent the top cap 16. The r cc valve 50 is set at a predetermined pressure so that if the pressure inside of the cylindrical container member exceeds St ,tt the predetermined pressure, excess oil is bled into the I c20 tube 18 and removed via the outlet aperture 20. This control of pressure reduces the possibility of the filter element 38 being compressed or compacted in use.

Compression or compaction of the filter element 38 reduces its usefulness since the;,e is a tendency fot unfiltered oil to pass around the filter element 38 to the outlet 20 and the effective life of the filter element is a4lso reduced.

0 In use, the filter element 38 together with the bottom end i ;j' l i ipost 36 and the finger or clip 40 and the mesh layer 42 is placed in the cartridge 41 on the mesh layer 44. Prior to 9 this, the tube 18 with the end cap 16 and knob 22 attached to one end as shown in -he drawings, together with the coil spring 28, washer 30 and seal 32, has the top end post 34 passed over its end remote from the cap 16. The bottom end post 36 and the finger or clip 40 and the mesh layer 42 is placed in the cartridge 41 on the mesh layer 44. Prior to this, the tube 18 with the end cap 16 and knob 22 attached to one end as shown in the drawings, together with the coil o *9 spring 28, washer 30 and seal 32, has the top end post 34 :10 passed over its end remote from the cap 16. The bottom end post 36 with the finger or clip 40 attached is inserted into one end of the core of filter element 38 and the top end post 34 with the other elements mentioned above 1 attached is inserted into the other end of the core of the 15 filter element 38.

The tube 18 projects beyond the bottom end post 36 as can be seen in Figure 3, when the filter 10 is assemblied as can be seen in Figure 3. Further, the threaded end of the tube 18 projects beyond the cartridge 41. The loaded '20 cartridge 41 is inserted in the tubular container member 12 as shown in Figure 3 until the tube 18 engages with the threaded aperture 20. Then the tube 18 is rotated by means of the knob 22 so as to engage threadedly the tube 18 with the aperture 20. The filter is then ready for use, for example, as a bypass filter in fi1tering of oil from an engine. The fluid to be filtered passes through the inlet 17 and then downwardly through the filter element 38. In passing through the filter element 38 the fluid is filtered. The filtered fluid then collects in the region r Ay.- CP 10 adjacent the base of the cartridge 41 and then passes through an annular aperture 52 between the steel disc 37 of the post 36. The filtered fluid then passes up the core of the filter element 38 to the aperture 21 in the tube 18.

The filtered fluid then enters the tube 18 and then passes out of the filter housing through the outlet As can be seen in Figure 3, the two piece centre post has two parts which overall are shorter than the length of the S, core of the filter element 38, Thus, the top post 34 10 flange can remain in snug engagement with the filter element 38 even where the latter contracts in use so retaining a full seal at this point for the entire life of the filter element 38.

Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention.

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Claims

1. A fluid filter comprising a container having a central axial tube located within the container, said tube communicating with a fluid outlet, a fluid inlet being located in a wall of the container, a cartridge arranged to receive a filter element in the form of a roll of absorbent material mounted on a central tubular core, the cartridge being mounted, in use, co-axially on the central tube within the container and having one open end and the other end closed by a wall with a central opening provided with sealing means to seal on the central tube, wherein the filter element is mounted on a post member having first and second posts having flanged ends and arranged to be .inserted snugly in the core from opposite ends thereof, a 15 clip which clears the axial tube is mounted to the first Sflaged post away from the flange thereof, and the first pcest is located adjacent the closed end of the cartridge, and the container comprises a pressure control valve such that when the pressure inside the container reaches a 20 certain level excess fluid is released from the container. Ab.4

2. A -fl d filter according to claim 1, in which the axial ri tube is hollow, the axial tube contains a fluid outlet and extends into an aperture in a wall of the container such 4V that filtered fluid passes through the fluid outlet to the 44' =25 axial tube and then out through the aperture.

3. A fluid filter according to claim 1 or 2, in which the posts are, taken together, shorter than the overall length of the filter element so as to allow the latter to be compressed in use whilst still retaining sealing contact ;9Y~q(7 I0 11a- therewith.

4. A fluid filter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is a filter element remover mesh f I 44,'. 4 4441 4 4 4 4* .4 4 I 44 24 r ~lrrras~ 1. 12 t* s f f c r i i !,i layer between the cartridge element and the flange of the first post.

A fluid filter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is a further mesh layer between the flange of the first post and the base of the cartridge.

6. A fluid filter according to claim 5, in which the further mesh layer contains a raised portion so as to space the further mesh layer from the base or' the cartridge.

7. A fluid filter according to any one of the preceding 10 claims, in which the container comprises an end cap through which the axial tube passes, a flange is affixed to the axial tube spaced from the end cap, and a spiral coil compression spring is located between the end cap and flange, and a sealing member is located about the axial tube between the flange affixed thereto and the flange of the second post.

8. A fluid filter according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a nut is threadedly engaged with the axial tube adjacent to the external face of the base of the cartridge and a sealing member is located between the nut and the base of the cartridge.

9. A fluid filter comprising a container having central axial tube located within the container, said tube communicating with a fluid outlet, a fluid inlet being provided in a wall of the container, a cartridge arranged to receive a filter element in the form of a roll of absorbent material mounted on a central tubular core, the cartridge being mounted, in use, co-axially on the central tube within the container and having one open end and the t rf i ~I !j rrrr~ 13 other end closed by a wall with a central opening provided with sealing means to seal on the central tube, wherein the container comprises a pressure control valve such that when the pressure inside the container reaches a certain level excess fluid is released from the container. A fluid filter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. tc t t C SI.. DATED MAY 13 1988 LESLIE MILLETT By his Patent Attorneys KELVIN LORD AND COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA 9 t9 A t k; I i i ii ~rt~