KR20150124393A - Fluid filter and method for producing the fluid filter - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluid filter (10) for fuel (12) or oil including a filter housing (14) having a base portion component (16) and a cover component (18) which are inseparably joined to each other along a joint (30) of a side wall (26, 28). The base portion component (16) includes a connector for supplying and discharging fluid. A filter element (36), including a filter medium (42) arranged between a first connector-close disk (38) and a second end portion connector-remote disk (40), is inserted into the filter housing (14). The filter medium can be perfused in the direction of a radius with respect to a vertical shaft (20) of the fluid filter by fluid to be filtered. According to the present invention, the second end portion disk (40) of the filter element (36) has a free rim section (62), which is attached or fused in a circumferential direction to the filter housing (14) in an area of the joint (30) of the base portion component and the cover component.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a fluid filter,

The present invention relates to a fluid filter for filtering fluid, in particular fuel or oil, and a method for manufacturing a fluid filter.

Fluid filters used to filter fuel or oil can be used in conjunction with their filter housing configuration, for example, that the housing can be opened to enable exchange of filter elements disposed therein, Can be distinguished as being exchanged. The last-mentioned filter categories include in particular so-called in-line filters. The filter housings of these fluid filters typically include a base part with a fluid connector and a cover part permanently and non-removably connected to the base part. A filter element is disposed within the filter housing, the filter element comprising a filter medium held between two end disks according to one configuration type. During operation, the filter element is perfused in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fluid filter. The raw fluid side of the filter media, upstream of the filter element, is in fluid communication with the flow direction in order to guide the fluid to be filtered through the filter medium and prevent contamination of the clean fluid side. Sealed to the filtration fluid side located downstream of the filter element. To this end, a radial sealing element is employed, which is generally disposed in the connector-remote end disc of the filter element and radially seals in contact with the inner wall of the filter housing and the end disc in a pre-tensioned manner. Such radial sealing elements constitute a significant cost factor in manufacturing filter elements or fluid filters, and may become vulnerable over time and lose their ability to seal. In addition, the radial sealing element generally has to be attached to the end disc by a further assembly step.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a filter element which can be manufactured in an inexpensive manner, with a simple construction in construction, and in the region of the connector-remote end disk, the raw fluid side of the filter element, In particular a fuel or an oil, which ensures that a permanent reliable sealing action between the clean fluid side is ensured. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method by which a fluid filter can be manufactured in a simple and inexpensive manner.

The above object of the fluid filter is solved by a fluid filter having the features disclosed in claim 1. The method according to the invention for manufacturing a fluid filter comprises the features disclosed in claims 9 or 10.

Another embodiment of the present invention is the subject matter of the claims.

The fluid filter according to the invention is characterized by a simplified structural configuration due to the connector-remote second end disc of the filter element inserted into the filter housing and fused or adhesively bonded to the filter housing in the circumferential direction It is built. Thus, a separate radial sealing element for sealing the clean side from the raw side in the region of the second end disc of the filter element becomes completely useless. This provides advantages and cost advantages associated with manufacturing techniques. Furthermore, the adhesive or fusion connection between the connector-remote end disc and the base part and / or the cover part of the filter housing does not undergo aging at all or substantially at all, and the risk of leakage of such a sealing position is entirely reduced . When assembling the fluid filter according to the present invention, the connector of the ready-made filter element available on the market - in principle, these filter elements can be installed as far as the remote end disc can be adhesively bonded or fused to the filter housing have. In this way, the fluid filter can be manufactured particularly cheaply.

Also, during operation, the end disk can absorb tension and pressure in a radial direction in the longitudinal axis of the filter housing, and in this way, the filter housing can be further reinforced against pressure occurring during operation. Thus, the filter housing can be realized with a higher rupture pressure or with the same rupture pressure, with a reduced wall thickness, and thus with a reduced material cost.

For the simplified assembly of the fluid filter, when the free rim section of the connector-remote second end disc of the filter element is arranged at least section-wise between the base part and the side wall of the cover part in the axial direction It was found to be advantageous. In this way, the filter element can be arranged in a simplified manner in a predetermined position and alignment with respect to the base part or the cover part of the filter housing during assembly of the fluid filter. Also in this way, an increased contact surface area of the free rim section of the end disc relative to the cover part or base part, and thus the connecting surface area, can be provided, whereby the second end disc is fused to the base part or cover part, . ≪ / RTI >

In that the base part and / or the cover part form a receiving groove and the circumferential rim section of the connector-remote end disk of the filter element in this receiving groove preferably engages in a form fit, A mechanical, particularly load-resistant, fused or adhesive connection of the connector-remote end disk of the filter element to the side wall of the filter element can be realized in accordance with the invention.

In this way, the installation of the filter element in the filter housing can be further simplified. By the above-described receiving grooves, manufacturing tolerances of parts to be connected to each other can also be compensated.

In terms of manufacturing technology, the free rim section of the second end disc is connected to the filter housing by a first adhesive seam or weld seam, and the base part and the cover part are connected together along the joint by a second adhesive seam or weld seam It was found to be advantageous. In this regard, the first and second adhesive seams or weld seams are aligned in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fluid filter. In the case described above, the first and second adhesive seams or weld seams are preferably merged with each other without any step.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the joint seam or welding seam between the free-rim section of the connector-remote end disc and the base part or cover part and the joints of the two housing parts are also displaced relative to one another in the axial direction Respectively.

The heat-fusion process is generally correlated with the generation of smoke and the occurrence of hot splatter. In order to prevent the filter medium from being damaged during the fusion of the connector-remote end disc with the cover part or the base part, the free rim section of the connector-remote end disc is preferably completely removed from the area of its face towards the opposite side of the filter medium Fused to the cover section. For the same reason, the joints of the filter housing can advantageously be superimposed radially inwardly by the connector-remote end disc of the filter element.

The second end disc of the filter element may also comprise a holding section extending in the direction of the second end disc away from the first end disc and engaging around or across the outer surface of the filter medium. With such a holding section, the filter media can be much better protected from damage during the fusing or adhesive bonding process.

According to the invention, the filter housing, i.e. the base part and the cover part, and the end disk of the filter element are advantageously injection-molded parts, respectively. Injection-molded parts can be made inexpensively, and in particular can be composed of synthetic materials. It is to be understood that if desired, the composite material may comprise one or several additives to modify the mechanical load capacity and heat resistance / chemical resistance of the parts described above.

The method according to the invention for producing a fluid filter according to the invention

a) providing a base part, a cover part and a filter element;

b) inserting the filter element into the base part;

c) disposing the cover part on the base part;

d) fusing or adhesively bonding the second end disc of the filter element to the base part and / or the cover part; And

e) creating a fluid filter by fusing or adhesively joining the base part with the cover part along the joint

.

The abovementioned method steps d) and e) can be carried out simultaneously, i.e., in the same process step, for reasons of manufacturing technology. This provides a cost advantage.

Also, method steps c) and d) can also be performed in the reverse order. The process according to the invention is then carried out in steps a), b), d), c), e). Thus, preferably, the process according to the invention is carried out in steps a), b), c), d), e) or in steps a), b), d), c), e).

When the second end disc of the filter element is fused to the filter housing, the end disc includes a profiled protrusion extending in its circumferentially free rim section, axially away from the end disc axially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the filter element Optimal fusion results can be achieved. The profiled protrusion serves as a sacrificial material for forming a welding seam between the end disk and the filter housing during the fusing process. According to the present invention, at least one of the free end sections of the base part or the side wall of the cover part may also have such a profiled protrusion.

According to the present invention, it is possible to produce in a structurally simple configuration, in an inexpensive manner, and in the region of the connector-remote end disk, a permanent reliable sealing action between the filtrate side and the filtrate side of the filter element A fluid filter of the aforementioned type for filtering fluid is provided. In addition, according to the present invention, a method is provided for allowing a fluid filter to be manufactured in a simple and inexpensive manner.

In the following, the invention will be explained with the aid of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a fluid filter with a two-part filter housing and a filter element disposed in the filter housing, the filter housing comprising a base part with a conduit connector and a cover part, The filter element with the bottom end disc is fused to the filter housing.
Fig. 2 shows the fluid filter of Fig. 1 at a time when the two housing parts and the filter element are not yet detachably connected to each other.
Figure 3 is a block diagram of the individual method steps of the method for manufacturing the fluid filter illustrated in Figure 1;

1 shows a fluid filter 10 for filtering fuel 12, in particular for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The fluid filter 10 may also be used to filter other fluids, such as lubricants (oils).

The fluid filter 10 includes a filter housing 14 in a two-part configuration. The filter housing 14 includes a base part 16 and a cover part 18 which are arranged axially successively with respect to the longitudinal axis 20 of the filter housing 14. [ The base part 16 serves to connect the fluid filter 10 to a fluid conduit (not shown), and for this purpose, a first connector 22, embodied as a fluid inlet, and a second connector 24, .

Each of the base part 16 and the cover part 18 of the filter housing 14 includes side walls 26 and 28 surrounding the longitudinal axis of the fluid filter in an annular shape. The two side walls 26 and 28 of the base part 16 and the cover part 18 are fused together along the annularly closed joint 30 in their free end sections 32 and 34, So that they are non-removable, fluid-tightly and pressure-tightly connected. A non-removable connection must be understood as a connection that can not be released without being destroyed. According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the side walls 26, 28 of the base part 16 and the cover part 18 may also be adhesively bonded to one another along their joints 30.

In the filter housing 14 of the fluid filter 10, a filter element 36 is disposed. The filter element 36 includes a connector-proximal first end disk 38 and a connector-remote second end disk 40. A filter medium 42 is positioned and held between the two end disks 38, The filter media 42 can be folded in a star shape and can be constructed from, for example, nonwoven or other fabric material.

The filter media 42 can be perfused in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 20 of the fluid filter 10 from outside to inside as illustrated by the arrow 44 by the fuel 12 to be filtered. The filter media 42 contacts the coalescing layer 46 on the inside and is supported on the support tube or center tube 48 on the inside. The (fluid) unfiltered side of the fluid filter 10 or filter element 36 disposed upstream of the filter media 42 is identified by reference numeral 50 and is disposed fluidly downstream of the filter media 42 (Fluid) filtration side of the filter element 10 or the filter element 36 is identified by the numeral 52. [

The filter element 36 includes a sieve filter 54 serving as a terminal separator for water droplets that are separated from the fuel 12. The sheave filter 54 is disposed fluidly downstream of the filter media 42 of the filter element 36, i.e., disposed on the filtration side. A water separation gap 56 is formed between the sealant layer 46 and the sheave filter 54. The water separation gap 56 is designed to open downward. The water separation gap 56 is in fluid communication with a water collection chamber 60 by a water outlet 58 that is in communication with the second end disk 40. The water collecting chamber 16 is disposed axially below the water outlet 58 so that water separated from the fluid can be deposited downward into the collecting chamber 60 in accordance with gravity. A collecting chamber (60) is formed in the cover part (18) of the filter housing (14).

1, the second end disk 40 of the filter element 36 has its free rim section 62 disposed within the annular receiving groove 64 of the filter housing 14. As shown in FIG. The annular receiving grooves 64 are defined by the free end sections 32 and 34 of the two side walls 26 and 28 of the base part 16 and the cover part 18 facing each other.

The receiving groove 64 has an upper receiving groove flank 66 and a receiving groove base 68 formed by the base part 16, respectively, in Fig. The second receiving groove flank 70 of the receiving groove 64 facing the first receiving groove flank 66 is formed by the cover part 18. [

The free rim section 62 of the second end disc 40 of the filter element 36 is fused to the cover part by only a single first weld seam 72 over the entire circumference. The welding seam 72 is positioned on the side of the second end disc 40 facing the second receiving groove flank 70 and on the side of the free end section 34 of the cover part 18. In this embodiment, 2 accommodating groove flank 70 as shown in Fig.

The free end sections 32 and 34 of the base part 16 and the cover part 18 are fused together circumferentially by a second weld seam 74 along a circumferentially extending joint 30. [ In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second weld seams 72, 74 are aligned radially with each other and are joined together without any step.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the second end disc 40 of the filter element 36 is positioned axially between the filter media 42 and the first and second weld seams 72, 74. Thereby, the filter media 42 is protected from weld splatter and other undesirable external influences during generation of the welding seams 72, 74.

Since the connector-remote second end disk 40 of the filter element 36 is permanently fused to the side wall section of the filter housing 14, the filtration side 52 and the unfiltered side 50 of the fluid filter 10, A sealing element (not shown) disposed between the second end disk 40 and the filter housing 14 is useless.

Before the fusion of the second end disc 40 to the filter housing 14 and the fusion of the two filter housing parts to each other in Figure 2, the fluid filter 10 of Figure 1 is shown as a partial exploded view of its components . In this example, it can be clearly seen that, at the free end section 32 of the base part 16, the first axially profiled protrusion 78 is integrally formed in the circumferential direction. On the free rim section 62 of the second end disc 40 of the filter element 36 a second profiled protrusion 76 formed to be annularly closed in a manner corresponding to the first profiled protrusion Respectively.

The two profiled protrusions 76 and 78 form the first or second weld seam 72 and 74 respectively during the fusion of the second end disc 40 or the base part 16 to the cover part 18. [ As a sacrificial material.

A first weld seam 72 between the second end disc 40 and the filter housing 14 is also located on the outer surface of the second end disc 40 and / It should be understood that it may be formed on the surface of the disk 40. [ In addition, the annular receiving groove of the filter housing 14 for the second end disc 40 may also have different (axial) split portions. For example, the receiving groove base 68 of the receiving groove 64 can be formed half by the base part 16 and half by the cover part 18.

Hereinafter, a method 100 according to the present invention for manufacturing the fluid filter illustrated in FIG. 1 will be further described with reference to FIG. In a first step 102, a base part 16 and a cover part 18 of the filter housing 14 are provided. The two housing parts may in particular be injection-molded plastic parts.

In yet another step 104, the filter element 36 is inserted into the base part 16. In a subsequent step 106, a cover part 18 is disposed on the base part 16. In another step 108 the connector-remote second end disk 40 of the filter element 36 is fused or adhesively bonded to the base part 16 and / or the cover part 18.

In another step 110 the base part 16 and the cover part 18 are fused or adhesively bonded along the joint 30 to create a fluid filter 10. Steps 108 and 110 can be performed simultaneously, i.e., in a single process step, which is desirable with respect to manufacturing techniques.

10: Fluid filter 12: Fuel
14: filter housing 16: base part
18: cover part 26, 28: side wall
30: Joint 36: Filter element
38: connector-proximate first end disk 40: connector-remote second end disk
42: Filter medium 46: Adhesive layer
48: core tube 54: tubular sheave filter
56: water separation gap 58: water outlet
60: collecting chamber 62: free rim section
64: annular receiving groove 66: upper receiving groove flange
68: receiving groove base 70: second receiving groove flange
72: first welding seam 74: second welding seam

Claims (11)

In particular, as fuel 12 or fluid filter 10 for oil,
The filter housing 14 with the base part 16 and the cover part 18 detachably connected to each other along the joint 30 of the side walls 26 and 28 has a base part 16 which supplies or withdraws fluid And a connector for the connector; And
A filter element (36) comprising a filter medium (42) disposed between a connector-proximate first end disk and a connector-remote second end disk (38, 40) and inserted into the filter housing (14) And the second end disk 40 of the filter element 36 is positioned such that its free rim section 62 is free to move in the radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis 20 of the fluid filter 10, Bonded or fused circumferentially to the filter housing (14) in the region of the joint (30) of the part and the cover part -
Wherein the fluid filter comprises: The method according to claim 1,
The free rim section 62 of the second end disc 40 of the filter element 36 is axially spaced at least in a section manner between the base part 16 and the side wall 26, 28 of the cover part 18 section-wise. < / RTI > The method according to claim 1,
The base part 16 and / or the cover part 18 form a receiving groove 64 and the free rim section 62 of the second end disk 40 is preferably received in the receiving groove 64 And the fluid filter is engaged with a fit. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The free rim section 62 of the second end disk is connected to the filter housing 14 by a first adhesive seam or weld seam 72 and the base part and the cover part are connected to a second adhesive seam or weld seam 74 Wherein the first and second adhesive seams or weld seams are aligned with each other in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fluid filter. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the first and second adhesive seams or weld seams are preferably merged with each other without any step. 11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
The free rim section 62 of the second end disc 40 is preferably fused to the cover section 18 of the filter housing 14 in the region of its face, . 11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
Characterized in that the two end discs (38, 40) of the base part, the cover part (18) and / or the filter element (36) are each an injection-molded part of a thermoplastic synthetic material. 11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims,
Characterized in that the filter element (36) is configured for water separation and the cover part (18) of the fluid filter (10) comprises or forms a collecting chamber (60). A method (100) for manufacturing a fluid filter (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Providing a base component (16), a cover component (18) and a filter element (36);
Inserting (102) the filter element (36) into the base part (16);
Placing the cover part (18) on the base part (16);
(104) of fusing or adhesively bonding the second end disc (40) of the filter element (36) to the base part (16) and / or the cover part (16); And
(106) a fluid filter (10) by fusing or adhesively joining the base component (16) to the cover component (18) along the joint (30)
≪ / RTI > A method (100) for manufacturing a fluid filter (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Providing a base component (16), a cover component (18) and a filter element (36);
Inserting (102) the filter element (36) into the base part (16);
(104) of fusing or adhesively bonding the second end disc (40) of the filter element (36) to the base part (16) and / or the cover part (16);
Placing the cover part (18) on the base part (16); And
(106) a fluid filter (10) by fusing or adhesively joining the base component (16) to the cover component (18) along the joint (30)
≪ / RTI > 11. The method according to claim 9 or 10,
the method steps according to d) and e) are carried out simultaneously.

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