The invention related to a filter element for a filter apparatus having at least one filter housing. The filter element has a receiving part, which, when the filter element located in the filter housing in the operational position, comes into fluid communication with a housing part of the filter housing, forming a fluid connection. In addition, the invention relates to a filter apparatus for use with such filter elements.
Filter elements of this kind are known from prior art. Widespread application can be found having different designs with respect to construction, size and/or pressure level in filter apparatuses for the filtration of a wide variety of technical fluids, such as hydraulic fluids, cooling lubricants, fuels, lubricating oils and the like. Since the malfunction or even breakdown of such filter apparatuses can damage or destroy downstream systems, which damage or destruction can have an economic impact, the operational reliability of the relevant filter apparatuses is of great importance. Consistent efforts have been made by the industry to refine the components relevant to the filtration process with respect to increased functional reliability. As a result, these efforts have led to the development of improved, novel filter elements with performance that is improved as compared to previously used filter elements. However, when utilizing these advantages, one is still faced with the problem of the compatibility of such improved, new filter elements with existing filter apparatuses, which are designed for use with previously conventional filter elements. In other words, to use the corresponding, newly developed filter elements, replacement of the filter housing in conventional filter apparatuses is necessary. Given the widespread use of the filter apparatuses being considered with a mode of construction of the filter housing that is common for conventional filter elements, which must be replaced with a filter housing of a modified mode of construction, the operational advantages of the improved, new filter elements are scarcely of economic benefit.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved filter element that is versatile and therefore of economic benefit.
According to the invention, this object is basically achieved by a filter element having, as an essential feature of the invention, a receiving part of the filter element having an inner, first guiding track for sealing contact with the housing part of the filter housing according to a first mode of construction, as well as an outer, second guiding track for sealing contact with the housing part of the filter housing according to a second mode of construction. The operational advantages that arise from the use of a correspondingly developed, improved filter element can be utilized not only in conjunction with filter housings at a new stage in development, but also with existing filter apparatuses having a filter housing, the mode of construction of which is adapted to previously conventional filter elements. The advantages of refined filter elements therefore do not need to be obtained through the replacement of existing filter housings.
Since the filter elements according to the invention can be operated with filter housings of a second mode of construction, improving refinements can also be utilized with the filter housing, so that substantial improvements can be realized in overall systems comprising a filter element and filter housing.
In especially advantageous exemplary embodiments, both guiding tracks of the filter element are provided in a part of an end cap, which forms the receiving part. The guiding tracks form a mounting for an associated filter medium enclosing an inner filter cavity. The fixing of the filter element by an end cap properly secures the position of the filter element in the operational position in a simple manner.
Especially advantageously, the receiving part has a pipe socket, which encloses an access opening to the inner filter cavity at the end cap, which forms the inner, first guiding track on the inner surface thereof, and which forms the outer, second guiding track on the outer surface thereof. The pipe socket not only forms both guiding tracks for interaction with the corresponding housing parts of the filter housings of different modes of construction, but also forms a reliable fluid communication between the inner filter cavity and the fluid connection of the respective housing.
In especially advantageous exemplary embodiments, the inner, first guiding track may be formed by an inner cylindrical surface of the pipe socket, which is provided on the housing part of the filter housing of the first mode of construction for contact with an outer cylindrical surface of a socket.
In order to achieve an especially high degree of operational reliability, the arrangement can be such that an external thread is formed on the outer, second guiding track, and an internal thread, which is provided for interaction with the external thread, is formed on a contact surface on the inner surface of a socket of the housing part of the filter housing of the second mode of construction. Because the filter element in is screwed into the operational position in the housing in this manner, the stability of the position of the filter element can be ensured.
To seal the guiding tracks at the respective socket of the filter housings of the first mode of construction or of the second mode of construction, the pipe socket on the inner, first guiding track can have a first sealing element, which is disposed at the end part of this guiding track at a spacing from the end cap, and can have a second sealing element on the outer, second guiding track, which is disposed at the initial part of the second guiding track adjacent to at the end cap.
The object of the invention is also a filter apparatus, which is provided for use with filter elements according to the invention.
The first mode of construction of the filter housing may be conventional filter apparatuses currently in use. The second mode of construction of the filter housing only allows the use of filter elements according to the invention, in which, in addition to an inner, first guiding track, provided to interact with the fluid connection of conventional filter housings, an outer, second guiding track is provided for the refined second housing design.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to the drawings that form a part of this disclosure:
The housing part, which surrounds the outflow opening 9 in the bottom 7, forms the fluid connection for releasing the filtrate and has the form of a housing socket 17 projecting in the direction of the filter element 1, i.e. projecting upward. Housing socket 17, in conjunction with a receiving part of the filter element 1, which has the form of a pipe socket 19, serves as a seat for an element, to which the filter element 1 is affixed in an operational position forming a seal.
As
For the pipe socket 19 forming the receiving part to interact with the housing 1 in the first mode of construction shown in
In the case of the operational position shown in
While one embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2011 106 909 | Jul 2011 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2012/000998 | 3/7/2012 | WO | 00 | 3/7/2014 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2013/007320 | 1/17/2013 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2134385 | Winslow | Oct 1938 | A |
4320005 | DeGraffenreid | Mar 1982 | A |
5685981 | Koslow | Nov 1997 | A |
5817234 | Dye | Oct 1998 | A |
20040149640 | Hennes | Aug 2004 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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20 2007 017614 | Apr 2009 | DE |
20 2007 018076 | May 2009 | DE |
10 2009 015094 | Oct 2010 | DE |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20140209531 A1 | Jul 2014 | US |