GB2297042A

GB2297042A - Motor vehicle oil filter

Info

Publication number: GB2297042A
Application number: GB9501082A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Blount Taylor
Original assignee: Crosland Filters Ltd
Current assignee: Crosland Filters Ltd
Priority date: 1995-01-20
Filing date: 1995-01-20
Publication date: 1996-07-24
Also published as: GB9501082D0

Abstract

A motor vehicle oil filter 10 has a casing 12 on a support plate 14 which can be mounted on an engine block of the vehicle. Inlet openings 20 provide for oil to enter the casing 12 and pass through a filter block 24, before exiting the casing through a central aperture 16 in a neck 18 of the plate 14. The filter block 24 is mounted on an end plate 28 and is formed of filter material in a pleated form. The pleats 40, 42 extend transversely of the outlet aperture 16 and the opposed free edges of the filter material are closed by plates 44, 46.

Description

Filter Apparatus This invention relates to filter apparatus, particularly but not exclusively a filter for liquid such as oil, for use in a motor vehicle.

It is desired to provide an oil filter having the advantages of improved performance, the possibility of more automatic or mechanised fabrication and reduction of components used, resulting in a more cost effective design than conventional filters.

According to the present invention there is provided filter apparatus comprising a housing, inlet means at one end of the housing for entry of fluid thereto, outlet means at said one end of the housing for exit of fluid therefrom, and a filter medium located in the housing in the path of flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet means, the filter medium comprising a pleated material so folded that the respective spaced pleats extend transversely of the outlet means, opposed edges of the material between the pleats being so supported as to provide for fluid flow substantially through the pleats.

Preferably the opposed edges of the filter material between respective pleats extend at substantially right angles to the pleats. The dimension of each area of filter material between respective pleats may be substantially similar to the dimension of said area between the opposed edges. The respective opposed edges of the filter material may be supported by engagement with a member which extends over the length of the filter medium between end ones of the pleats.

Each member may be moulded onto the respective free edges, and may be formed of a moulded plastics material.

Preferably also the pleats of the filter material are supported by a screen mesh contained within the filter material. The screen mesh may be formed of a metallic material, or may be formed of a plastics material. The pleats of the filter material may be supported by rows of hot melt applied thereto. The hot melt may be formed of polyester, or may be formed of polyamide.

Further, the filter medium may be supported in the housing on an end cap which is mounted on said one end of the housing, the end cap having an outlet opening aligned with the outlet means of the housing, and the filter medium being retained in a spaced relation to a base of the end cap whereby to facilitate fluid flow between the filter medium and the outlet opening. A bypass valve assembly is preferably provided in the base of the end cap in a spaced relation to the outlet opening, and the end cap preferably has a rectangular configuration.

Said one end of the housing may be defined by a support member which is adapted to be mounted on a device requiring filtered fluid, the support member providing the inlet and outlet means and supporting the filter medium, and a casing having an open end adapted to connect with the support member whereby the filter medium is located within the casing, the inlet means providing for flow of fluid into the casing from where the fluid is substantially directed through the pleats of the filter medium back to the outlet means. A leaf spring may be supported within the casing between a closed end thereof and the filter medium remote from the outlet means. The support member may be provided with a seal on an outer face whereby, in use, to enable the filter apparatus to be sealingly mounted on the device.

Preferably the filter material is adapted to filter a liquid, and more especially oil.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of an oil filter; Fig. 2 is an underneath plan; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a filter element of the filter of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, an oil filter 10 for use in a motor vehicle engine, has an open ended casing 12 of circular cross-section adapted for mounting by its open end on a support plate 14, the latter having a central through aperture 16 defined by an internal neck 18 which has an internal thread, whereby the plate 14 can be threadably mounted on an engine block of the vehicle. The aperture 16 defines an outlet for the filtered oil as hereinafter described, and a plurality of further openings 20 provided in the plate 14, radially outwardly of the aperture 16 and arcuately spaced apart, provide inlets for the oil as hereinafter described. On an outer face, the plate 14 mounts an annular oil seal 22, whereby the filter 10 can be sealingly mounted on the engine block.

A filter block 24 is supported within the casing 12 on an annular shoulder 26 of an end cap 28, preferably formed of metal, whereby the lower end of the block 24 is spaced above a base 30 of the end cap 28.

The latter has a rectangular configuration, as this is a particularly cost effective design, minimising material waste in the fabrication thereof.

The end plate 28 has a central opening 32 defined by an extending neck 34 which projects from the base 30 away from the filter block 24. The neck 34 locates around the neck 18 of the support plate 14, with an annular seal 36 providing a sealed connection therebetween. The end of the filter block 24 remote from the end cap 28 is spaced inwardly of the closed end of the casing 12, a leaf spring 38 extending between the filter block 24 and the closed end of the casing 12 whereby to accommodate compression of the seal, 36 when the filter 10 is mounted on the engine block, and maintain the filter block 24 on the end cap 28.

The filter block 24 is formed of a length of suitable filter material folded into a pleated form. As viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the upper pleats 40 are retained in a closely spaced, parallel relation extending transversely of the end cap opening 32 and hence the support plate outlet aperture 16, with the lower pleats 42 similarly arranged at the end cap 28.

The opposed free edges of the filter material extending between the respective pleats 40, 42 are retained on respective support plates 44, 46, whereby the folded filter material is closed at its side edges. The latter extend substantially at right angles to the pleats, 40, 42, and the plates 44, 46 preferably are moulded together with the free edges of the filter material, being formed of a suitable plastics or epoxy based compound. This moulded design facilitates automatic or mechanised fabrication of the filter block 24.

This design of filter block 24 optimises utilisation of the filter material by allowing the height, i.e. the spacing between the pleats 40, 42 to approach the width, i.e the spacing between the side edges. The number of pleats required to achieve the necessary filter life or capacity is minimised, and can be considerably less than the number of pleats required in a corresponding annular filter element on a conventional spin-on filter or a conventional annular cartridge filter. Filter material damage is thereby minimised and the area of material available for filtration is optimised for any given area of media required to produce the necessary filter life or capacity. It will be appreciated also that the design of filter block 24 eliminates the requirement in such other conventional filters of a centre tube and an upper end cap, resulting in a more cost effective product.

The rectangular configuration of the block 24 also facilitates automatic and/or mechanised assembly, again resulting in a more cost effective design. The support of the side edges of the block 24 by the plates 44, 46 maintains the structural integrity and liquid flow path for the block 24.

In some instances, for example when the dimension of the filter block 24 between the pleats 40, 42 exceeds 50 mm, the pleats may be supported with either a metallic or plastics screen mesh. Rows of polyester or polyamide hot melt may also be continuously applied to the pleats for support.

A bypass valve 48 is provided in the end cap 28.

The latter has a through opening 50 in a recess 52 which is radially spaced from the central opening 32. In the recess 52 there is seated a valve member 54 which is baised by a compression spring 56 in the recess 52 into a closed position over the opening 50. In the event of failure of the filter block 24, increased pressure of oil entering the filter will move the valve member 54 against the spring 56 and thereby open the valve 48 to enable the oil to flow through the outlet aperture 16.

The position of the bypass valve 48 relative to the aligned aperture 16 and opening 32 ensures that any failure of any component of the valve 48 cannot block flow of oil out of the filter, which is a problem inherent in certain conventional designs of spin-on filters or round cartridge filters. The result is a cost effective and failsafe bypass valve.

In use, oil enters the casing 12 through the inlet openings 20 in the plate 14 and flows substantially to the other end of the casing 12, where the oil effectively is caused to reverse its flow path to pass through the filter material of the block 24. This reversal of the flow path causes contaminant to be inertially separated from the oil, having the result of extending the life of the filter material. The filtered oil passes from the block 24 into the end cap 28, the clearance between the block 24 and the cap 28 facilitating fluid flow. From the cap 28 the filtered oil passes through the opening 32 and the outlet aperture 16 to the vehicle engine.

There is thereby provided an oil filter which, relative to conventional designs, eliminates various metal components and facilitates automatic and/or mechanised fabrication and assembly. The result is a lighter and more cost effective design which also has an improved efficiency of operation.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, the structural integrity and liquid flow path for the filter block may be maintained by any other suitable arrangement, and the configuration of the filter block and the end cap may differ from that described and shown.

Claims

Claims:-

1. Filter apparatus comprising a housing, inlet means at one end of the housing for entry of fluid thereto, outlet means at said one end of the housing for exit of fluid therefrom, and a filter medium located in the housing in the path of flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet means, the filter medium comprising a pleated material so folded that the respective spaced pleats extend transversely of the outlet means, opposed edges of the material between the pleats being so supported as to provide for fluid flow substantially through the pleats.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the opposed edges of the filter material between respective pleats extend at substantially right angles to the pleats.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the dimension of each area of filter material between respective pleats is substantially similar to the dimension of said area between the opposed edges.

4. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the respective opposed edges of the filter material are supported by engagement with a member which extends over the length of the filter medium between end ones of the pleats.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein each member is moulded onto the respective free edges.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein each member is formed of a moulded plastics material.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the pleats of the filter material are supported by a screen mesh contained within the filter material.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the screen mesh is formed of a metallic material.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the screen mesh is formed of a plastics material.

10. Apparatus according to any Claims 1 to 9, wherein the pleats of the filter material are supported by rows of hot melt applied thereto.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein the hot melt is formed of polyester.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein the hot melt is formed of polyamide.

13. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the filter medium is supported in the housing on an end cap which is mounted on said one end of the housing, the end cap having an outlet opening aligned with the outlet means of the housing, and the filter medium being retained in a spaced relation to a base of the end cap whereby to facilitate fluid flow between the filter medium and the outlet opening.

14. Apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein a bypass valve assembly is provided in the base of the end cap in a spaced relation to the outlet opening.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the end cap has a rectangular configuration.

16. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein said one end of the housing is defined by a support member which is adapted to be mounted on a device requiring filtered fluid, the support member providing the inlet and outlet means and supporting the filter medium, and a casing having an open end adapted to connect with the support member whereby the filter medium is located within the casing, the inlet means providing for flow of fluid into the casing from where the fluid is substantially directed through the pleats of the filter medium back to the outlet means.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein a leaf spring is supported within the casing between a closed end thereof and the filter medium remote from the outlet means.

18. Apparatus according to Claim 16 or 17, wherein the support member is provided with a seal on an outer face whereby, in use, to enable the filter apparatus to be sealingly mounted on the device.

19. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the filter material is adapted to filter a liquid.

20. Apparatus according to Claim 19, wherein the filter material is adapted to filter oil.

21. Filter apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding Claims.