Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6712870
-
Patent Number
6,712,870
-
Date Filed
Friday, November 30, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 30, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Smith; Duane
- Greene; Jason M.
Agents
- Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 055 3853
- 055 498
- 055 499
- 055 501
- 055 502
- 055 510
- 055 DIG 28
- 055 357
- 123 198 E
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
An annular air filter utilizes an end gasket which is snap fitted to a metal end cap. The gasket has a sealing lip with a radially extending, axially facing sealing face for sealing with a filter housing; and an annular, axially extending body portion. The annular, axially extending body portion has an axially extending, radially facing sealing surface for sealing with an air outlet pipe projecting into the housing. The gasket is made of foam rubber, rubber or polyurethane material and is optionally fixed on the air filter element with adhesive.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to seals for air filters.
More particularly, the present invention is directed to air filters for internal combustion engines having a lip seal which fits around an air outlet pipe.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Heavy duty air filters used with internal combustion engines for trucks and relatively large earth moving equipment and construction equipment currently use lip seals to seal around air outlet pipes through which filtered engine air is conveyed for combustion. In accordance with the current design, an encapsulated rubber end cap has a radial seal portion thereon engaging the outlet pipe. Material costs for current designs are relatively high and manufacturing complications are introduced because the seal and end caps are unitary, made entirely of polyurethane and are both rather soft. Additional manufacturing complications are introduced because the seal area must be cleaned to remove plastisol and other debris, and because silicone grease is applied so that the soft seal will slide over an outlet pipe of the housing in which the filter is mounted. Since both the seal and end cap are made of polyurethane, both are soft. It is desirable to reduce manufacturing costs and complications and to have a seal and end cap configuration which is more robust.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an air filter comprising an annular filter element having an annular filter media with first and second ends closed by first and second annular end caps. A gasket is seated within the first end of the filter media in an initial snap fit with the first end cap. The gasket comprises a unitary body of resilient material having a radially extending flange portion for overlying a radially extending portion of the end cap and has an axially extending body portion. An annular outwardly facing groove in the axially extending body portion of the unitary body receives the axially extending portion of the end cap therein to thereby provide mechanical locking of the gasket on the end cap. An internally facing sealing surface is provided on the axially extending body portion for engaging an air inlet pipe and a tapered portion on the unitary body extends from the groove in a direction away from the radial flange for facilitating insertion of the gasket within the first end of the filter media.
In a further aspect of the invention, the gasket is made of rubber, foam rubber or polyurethane, and in still another aspect of the invention, the gasket is secured by adhesive after it is snap-fitted within the first end of the filter element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side elevation of an air filter configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a side elevation of an annular gasket positioned for insertion into an end cap of a filter in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a side elevation showing the gasket snap-fitted to the end cap;
FIG. 4
is an end view of the end cap shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, and
FIG. 5
is an end view of the closed end of the filter of FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, there is shown air filter
10
configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The air filter includes filter element
12
that is comprised of annular pleated filter media
14
with a hollow core
15
that is disposed between an inner perforated liner
16
made of expanded metal and an outer perforated liner
18
also made of expanded metal. A first metal end cap
20
is fixed over the first end
22
filter media
14
while a second metal end cap
24
is fixed over a second end
26
of the filter media in order to seal the ends of the filter media so that air does not flow an axial direction through the filter media. A preferred material for the metal end plates
20
and
24
is a galvanized steel such as GALVANELĀ®, however any metal or hard plastic may be used. The first and second ends
22
and
26
, the filter media
14
also correspond to the first and second ends of the filter element
12
itself.
Filter element
12
has a gasket
30
configured in accordance the present invention disposed its first end
22
for receiving an air outlet pipe
32
through an opening
34
defined by inwardly facing surface
36
of the gasket
30
. The air outlet pipe
32
communicates with the hollow core
15
of the filter media
14
and projects from an end wall
38
of a filter housing
40
(shown in dotted lines) which surrounds the air filter
10
and provides an annular space
41
which receives input combustion air in accordance with standard practice.
The second end
26
, the filter element
12
is closed by circular end plate
50
(see also FIG.
5
). End plate
50
is bonded to end cap
24
and includes a loop
56
for extracting the filter
10
from the housing
40
by pulling the filter
10
off the air outlet pipe
30
. A gasket
57
is disposed over the outer surface of the end plate
50
for abutment by a closure
51
of the housing
40
in order to keep the filter
10
positively retained within the housing. When it is time to withdraw the filter
10
from the housing
40
by pulling on the loop
56
, problems are encountered with the prior art because the prior art utilizes gasket that bounds with the air outlet pipe.
As is best seen in
FIGS. 2-4
, the gasket
30
configured in accordance with the present invention, is initially a separate piece from the end cap
20
and is snapped into engagement therewith. The gasket
30
is preferably made of a foamed material or sponge rubber material having a durometer in a range of 8-20. Considering
FIGS. 2-4
in combination with
FIG. 1
, the gasket
30
has a radially extending lip
60
having first surface
62
which seals with the wall
38
(see
FIG. 1
) and a second surface
64
which seals with the end cap
20
. Extending from the radially extending lip
60
is an axially extending body portion
66
which projects into the opening
67
defined by the end cap
20
. The axially projecting body portion
66
has an annular groove
68
disposed just behind the lip
60
and extending from the sealing surface
64
. The annular groove
68
is defined by a shoulder
70
from which a tapered surface portion
72
extends and tapers toward the opening
34
through the gasket
30
. The tapered surface portion
72
is preferably actuate and engages annular comer
76
of end cap
20
which deforms the axially projecting portion
66
inwardly as is the gasket
30
is pressed through the circular opening
67
defined by an inner flange
80
of the first end cap
20
. The axial length of the inner flange
80
is substantially equal to the axial length of the annular groove
68
so that concurrent with the surface
64
of lip
60
engaging the outer face
82
of the cap
20
, the inner flange
80
fits within the groove
68
as the shoulder
70
snaps over the edge of the inner flange
80
. Optionally, adhesive is disposed between the outer face
82
of the end cap
20
and the surface
64
and
68
of the gasket
30
to permanently retain the gasket after it is initially snapped into place. The interior surface
36
of the gasket
30
has ribs
84
for gearing against the air outlet pipe
32
in order to affect a long lasting seal. An initial frustoconical surface
86
facilitates easy insertion of the air outlet pipe
32
.
By having a separate gasket
30
which snaps into place, substantially greater design flexibility is achieved, enabling various production lines to manufacture the filters
10
instead of specialty manufacturing line necessary for utilization of the currently used encapsulated rubber lip seals.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.
Claims
- 1. An air filter comprising:an annular filter element disposed about an axis and having an annular filter media with first and second ends closed by first and second annular end caps; an annular gasket seated within the first end of the filter media in an initial snap fit with the first end cap, the annular gasket comprising: an annular unitary body of resilient material having a radially extending flange portion for overlying a radially extending portion of the end cap and having an axially extending body portion coaxial with the axis of the filter element; an annular outwardly facing groove in the axially extending body portion of the unitary body for receiving an axially extending portion of the end cap therein; an internally facing sealing surface for engaging an air outlet pipe, and a tapered portion on the unitary body extending from the groove in a direction away from the radial flange, the tapered portion having a surface tapering in a direction away from the flange and groove and toward the axis.
- 2. The air filter of claim 1 further including a circular end plate made of metal or plastic adhered to the second end of the filter media.
- 3. The air filter of claim 2 wherein the circular end plate has a pull tab thereon for pulling the air filter away from the air outlet pipe.
- 4. The air filter of claim 1 wherein the annular filter media is disposed between inner and outer liners of perforated metal.
- 5. The air filter of claim 1 wherein the gasket is retained on the first end of the filter element by adhesive after having been secured with an initial snap fit.
- 6. The air filter of claim 1 wherein the gasket is made of foam rubber.
- 7. The air filter of claim 1 wherein the internally facing sealing surface includes a plurality of annular ribs for engaging the outlet pipe.
- 8. The air filter of claim 1 wherein the gasket is made of rubber or polyurethane.
US Referenced Citations (15)