Claims
- 1. A filter, comprising:
a housing; an inlet port; an outlet port; a first filter element contained inside of the housing; a bypass filter element inside of the first filter element; a venturi conduit extending at least partially through the bypass filter element, the venturi conduit having a first entrance port and a second entrance port, the second entrance port being proximate a narrowed neck section of the of the venturi conduit for creating a venturi effect for drawing fluid through bypass filter to the second entrance port; a first collection chamber between the bypass filter element and the first filter element; a second collection chamber between the venturi conduit and the bypass filter element; wherein the filter defines a first flow path for fluid running from the outlet port, through the first filter element, through the first collection chamber to the entrance port, and through the venturi conduit to the outlet port; and wherein the filter defines as second flow path for fluid running from the outlet port, through the first filter element to the first collection chamber, through the bypass filter element to the second collection chamber through the second entrance port and to the outlet port.
- 2. The filter of claim 1 wherein the first filter element and the bypass filter element are tubular, generally cylindrical filter elements.
- 3. The filter of claim 2 wherein the first and second collection chambers are tubular, generally cylindrical chambers.
- 4. The filter of claim 2 wherein the bypass filter element is concentrically disposed completely inside of the first filter element.
- 5. The filter of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a closed end, a mounting end and a cylindrical sidewall therebetween, the mounting end defining the inlet port and the outlet port, further comprising:
first top and bottom end caps engaging opposed ends of the bypass filter element; second top and bottom end caps engaging opposed ends of the of the first filter element, the second top and bottom end caps also engaging the first top and bottom end caps, respectively; and a spring supported by the closed end, acting upon the second bottom end cap and urging all of the end caps and the filter elements toward the mounting end.
- 6. The filter of claim 5 wherein the first and second end caps engage opposing ends of the venturi conduit.
- 7. The filter of claim 5 wherein the first end cap defines throughport means for fluidically communicating fluid from the first collection chamber to the first entrance port.
- 8. The filter of claim 1 wherein the first and second flow paths are the only flow paths for fluid through the filter between the inlet port and the outlet port.
- 9. The filter of claim 1, wherein the first and second flow paths intersect each other inside venturi conduit upstream of the outlet port.
- 10. A filter, comprising:
a housing extending between a closed end and a mounting end, the mounting end including an inlet port and an outlet port; a first filter element contained inside of the housing; a bypass filter element inside of the first filter element; a venturi conduit extending at least partially through the bypass filter element, the venturi conduit having a first entrance port and a second entrance port, the second entrance port being proximate a narrowed neck section of the of the venturi conduit for creating a venturi effect for drawing fluid through bypass filter to the second entrance port; a first collection chamber between the bypass filter element and the first filter element; and a fluid passageway extending radially inward around an end of the of the bypass filter to fluidically connect the first collection chamber with the entrance of the venturi conduit.
- 11. The filter of claim 10 further comprising a second collection chamber between the venturi conduit and the bypass filter element;
- 12. The filter of claim 10 wherein the first filter element and the bypass filter element are tubular, generally cylindrical filter elements.
- 13. The filter of claim 12 wherein the first collection chambers is a tubular, generally cylindrical chamber.
- 14. The filter of claim 12 wherein the bypass filter element is concentrically disposed completely inside of the first filter element.
- 15. The filter of claim 12, further comprising:
first top and bottom end caps engaging opposed ends of the bypass filter element; second top and bottom end caps engaging opposed ends of the of the first filter element, the second top and bottom end caps also engaging the first top and bottom end caps, respectively; and a spring supported by the closed end, acting upon the second bottom end cap and urging all of the end caps and the filter elements toward the mounting end.
- 16. The filter of claim 15 wherein the first and second end caps engage opposing ends of the venturi conduit.
- 17. The filter of claim 15 wherein the first end cap defines throughport means for fluidically communicating fluid from the first collection chamber to the first entrance port.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/487,126, filed Jan. 19, 2000, pending.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09487126 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
10235875 |
Sep 2002 |
US |