Patent Application
20200182207
The present disclosure relates generally to fluid filters, and more particularly, to a sleeve for a fluid filter assembly.
Fluid filters are often used in earth moving equipment, construction equipment, mining equipment, and the like to remove contaminants from various fluids used to power, lubricate, drive, and control the mechanisms and engines of the equipment. Over time, contaminants collect in the fluids that may be detrimental to the components of the mechanisms and engines, necessitating repair, but fluid filters help to remove the contaminants in the fluids to prolong the useful life of the associated components. In one aspect, various types of machines use hydraulic systems to drive and control various implements or systems. The hydraulic systems often require clean hydraulic fluid in order for the systems to operate efficiently over long periods of time without malfunction or wear. For example, hydraulic fluid tanks may be difficult to clean and may contain dirt, residue, or particulate material, or the hydraulic fluid may come in contact with other particulate material during operation. The hydraulic fluid may be pressurized by a pump, and the particulate material in the hydraulic fluid may damage such hydraulic pumps. In another example, fuel may come into contact with particulate matter, which may be filtered out before the fuel is pumped or consumed by an engine. As such, hydraulic and fuel systems commonly include one or more filters upstream and/or downstream of the hydraulic or fuel pumps, and the flow rate parameters of the one or more filters are often important considerations in the manufacture and assembly of the hydraulic and fuel systems.
An exemplary hydraulic fluid filter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,368 (“the '368 patent”) to Hopkins et al. The '368 patent discloses a hydraulic fluid filter apparatus that includes a housing with a porous element separating an inner channel and an outer channel to filter hydraulic fluid flowing from one channel to the other. The porous element includes a plurality of fluid flow grooves. The hydraulic fluid filter of the '368 patent may include one or more sleeves around the porous member to vary the compression of the filter and thus vary the cross-sectional area of fluid flow grooves in the porous member. As such, the one or more sleeves may vary the filtering conditions of the porous member. While the fluid filter of the '368 patent may be suitable for some applications, it may not be suitable for other applications. One or more features of the disclosed fluid filter assembly may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.
In one aspect, a filter assembly may include a housing with an inlet and an outlet. The filter assembly may also include a tubular filter element located downstream of the inlet and upstream of the outlet and a sleeve element surrounding and blocking at least a portion of the filter element.
In another aspect, a filter assembly may include a tubular filter element defining an unfiltered area and a filtered area, and a sleeve element surrounding and blocking at least a portion of the tubular filter element. The sleeve element may include at least one or more openings providing greater flow of a fluid to the filter element at one end of the tubular filter element than at another end of the tubular filter element.
In a further aspect, a filter assembly may include a tubular filter element and a sleeve element surrounding and blocking at least a portion of the filter element. The sleeve element may include a plurality of through-holes arranged in groups, and the through-holes of each group of through-holes may increase in size from a first end of the sleeve to a second end of the sleeve.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the features, as claimed. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “having,” “including,” or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “fluid” is broadly used to refer to all types of fluids, including liquids or gases that may be filtered in a machine or equipment (e.g., hydraulic fluid, oil, gasoline, air, etc.). Moreover, in this disclosure, relative terms, such as, for example, “about,” “generally,” “substantially,” and “approximately” are used to indicate a possible variation of ±10% in the stated value.
Although sleeve 16 is shown as surrounding a portion of filter 14 on an outer face of filter 14, sleeve 16 may alternatively or additionally be positioned on an inner face of filter 14 or within a portion of filter 14. Similarly, while this disclosure discusses fluid flowing from one or more inlets 26 through outer cavity 22, filter 14, and inner cavity 24 to outlet 28, this disclosure is not so limited. For example, the flow through filter 14 may be reversed, with fluid being delivered via outlet 28 and flowing through inner cavity 24, filter 14, and outer cavity 22 to one or more inlets 26. The flow direction may depend on the type of fluid being filtered, the type of fluid system, or other aspects of the machine.
Housing 12 may include a substantially cylindrical shape with a top surface 30 and a bottom surface 32, and outer wall 18 and inner wall 20 may each include a substantially cylindrical shape. The one or more inlets 26 and outlet 28 may extend from top surface 30 to outer cavity 22 and inner cavity 22 within housing 12. Housing 12 may include a top portion 34 and an outer shell or sheath 37. Top portion 34 may be configured to be coupled to a machine or fluid system. Outer sheath 37 may be formed of a metal and may be sealed around at least a portion of top portion 34, for example, via crimping, an adhesive, etc. Outer sheath 37 may be fixedly coupled to top portion 34. Top surface 30 may include a groove 40 surrounding the one or more inlets 26. Moreover, outlet 28 may include a threading 38 or other coupling interface in an inner wall of the opening in top surface 30 of housing 12 that forms outlet 28. Groove 40 and/or threading 38 may help couple or seal filter assembly 10 to a fluid system. Groove 40 may include a gasket 41 to help couple or seal filter assembly 10 to the fluid system.
Although housing 12 is shown as substantially cylindrical, this disclosure is not so limited. Housing 12 may be any shape or configuration to surround or enclose filter 14 and sleeve 16 to form filter assembly 10.
Filter 14 may be a separate component removably positioned within housing 12, or may be integrally formed with housing 12. Filter 14 may be formed by weaving, injection molding, three-dimensional printing, or another appropriate formation process. Filter 14 includes a filtering material in a tubular shape. The filtering material may be a permeable material, such as a fabric, a plastic, a woven material, a non-woven material, or a combination of any of these materials or other filtering materials. As such, filter 14 may define a plurality of pores (not shown) that allow for the fluid (e.g., hydraulic fluid or fuel) to pass through filter 14. The plurality of pores may be any suitable size such that contaminants are not able to pass through filter 14, while allowing for a fluid flow rate through filter 14. Although not shown, filter 14 may also include a plurality of different filters provided in a concentric manner to provide multi-staged filtering. Moreover, filter 14 may include a core on an inner circumference that may help to support or add structure to filter 14.
Sleeve 16 may be a cylindrical sleeve that surrounds and blocks a portion of an exterior of filter 14. Sleeve 16 may be formed by injection molding, three-dimensional printing, or another appropriate formation process. Sleeve 16 may be made of a material that is less permeable than the material that comprises filter 14. For example, sleeve 16 may be made of a polymer or impermeable plastic. An inner circumference of sleeve 16 may substantially match or be slightly larger than an outer circumference of filter 14.
Inner support 17 may be positioned radially within filter 14. Inner support 17 may be formed of a substantially impermeable material, with a plurality of evenly sized and spaced holes or openings to help block or separate particulate matter from the filtered fluid. Inner support 17 may help to support or position filter 14 within housing 12, and inner support 17 may be coupled to filter 14 and portions of housing 12 via an adhesive, friction fit, or other coupling.
Although filter 14, sleeve 16, and inner support 17 are shown as being substantially cylindrical, this disclosure is not so limited. For example, filter 14, sleeve 16, and inner support 17 may be substantially oval or elliptical, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. Filter 14 and inner support 17 may be coupled between (e.g., potted within, adhered to, etc.) portions of top portion 34 (e.g., inner wall 20 or top cap 19) and end cap 36. Sleeve 16 may then be positioned around filter 14. Sleeve 16 may be sized to be friction fit around filter 14. For example, an inner diameter of sleeve 16 may be approximately the same size or slightly greater than an outer diameter of filter 14. Alternatively or additionally, filter assembly 10 may include an adhesive between a portion of sleeve 16 and filter 14 to secure sleeve 16 around filter 14. Alternatively, filter 14, sleeve 16, and inner support 17 may be manufactured together and installed as one unitary element (e.g., potted within a portion of top cap 19 and/or end cap 36) and/or one or more of filter 14, sleeve 16, and inner support 17 may be manufactured together with one or more portions of housing 12.
As shown in
In one aspect, successive through-holes 152 of each group 154 of through-holes 152 may be approximately 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, etc. larger than the preceding through-holes 152. For example, through-hole 152B may be approximately 30% larger than through-hole 152A, and through-hole 152C may be approximately 30% larger than through-hole 152B. The change in size may be consistent between successive through-holes 152, or may be varied between different pairs of successive through-holes 152. Moreover, the groups 154 of through-holes 152 may be evenly spaced around the circumference of sleeve 150. As shown in
Sleeve 150 may fit on or around filter 114 as discussed with respect to
The disclosed aspects of filter assemblies 10 and 110 may be used in any machine that includes a fluid system that includes one or more filters. Filter assemblies 10 and 110 described herein may provide for a more efficient distribution of fluid flow through filtering elements, with a reduced number of components and lower likelihood of requiring maintenance or replacement. Therefore, the disclosed filter assemblies 10 and 110 may be reliable and low cost, without sacrificing performance.
Sleeves 16 and 150 help to direct the flow of a fluid through filter assembly 10, 110. With sleeve 16 or sleeve 150 abutting filter 14, 114, either interior or exterior to filter 14, 114, sleeve 16 or sleeve 150 may modify the flow path and/or flow rate of fluid through filter 14, 114. For example, fluid flowing from the one or more inlets 26, 126 may flow into outer cavity 22, 122. Once within outer cavity 22, 122, fluid may flow through gap 42 formed by sleeve 16 and bottom portion 36 (
Sleeves 16 and 150 may help to prolong the lifetime of filters 14, 114. For example, by distributing the flow of the fluid through the entirety of filters 14, 114, the filters may filter a larger amount of fluid without a decrease in filtering capabilities or flow rate. Additionally, sleeves 16 and 150 may help distribute fluid through filters 14, 114, which may allow for a greater volume or higher pressure of fluid to be filtered over a period of time than a filter within filter assembly 10, 110 without a sleeve, which may provide for increased performance for the implement or machine on which filter assembly 10, 110 is coupled (e.g., hydraulic mechanisms or fuel-driven engines). Sheath 37, 137 may be crimped or otherwise fixedly sealed around top portion 34 to enclose filter 114, 114, sleeve 16, 150, and other internal components of filter assembly 10, 100 and form a disposable filter assembly. Alternatively or additionally, the flow rate, distribution, or other aspects of filter assembly 10, 110 may be modified by switching the filter 14, 114 or sleeve 16, 150. For example, a sleeve 16 that forms a larger gap 42 or a sleeve 150 that includes larger or greater number of through-holes 152 may help to increase a flow rate or flow volume through filter 14, 114.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed system without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments of the system will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the sleeve for a filter assembly disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.
