Patent ID: 6328889
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: B01D,F02M

Abstract:
A filter assembly comprising a housing, a filter member located within the housing, the housing including an inlet arranged to permit dirty fuel to be supplied to a central chamber within the filter member and an outlet in communication with an outer chamber surrounding the filter member so as to permit clean fuel to be removed from the outer chamber, and a sleeve having an outer surface and an inner surface, the sleeve being connected only to an upper support plate housed within the housing and surrounding an upper part of the filter member, the outer surface of the sleeve defining, together with the housing, the outer chamber and the inner surface of the sleeve defining with the filter member an air collection chamber, the sleeve including a lower free edge being axially spaced upwardly from a lower support plate covering a lower end of the filter member to define a fluid path for clean fuel, whereby fuel can flow from the interior of the filter member to the outer chamber through the fluid path and air carried with the flow of fuel becomes separated therefrom and collects in the air collection chamber, and wherein clean fuel having flowed through the fluid path flows through the outer chamber, and is removed from the filter assembly through the outlet, wherein a major lower portion of said sleeve is substantially imperforate, and wherein a minor upper portion of said sleeve includes at least one opening such that air flows from the air collection chamber through the at least one opening in the sleeve at a controlled rate to the outer chamber to rejoin the flow of clean fuel to the outlet.