Patent ID: 6261448
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: B01D,Y10S

Abstract:
An oil filtration apparatus, comprising:a housing having a peripheral sidewall, a first end, a second end, an internal cavity and a plurality of external vanes extending outwardly from the peripheral sidewall between the first end and the second end;a flow manifold positioned at the first end of the housing having an inlet and an outlet;a filter housing disposed within the interior cavity of the housing having a sidewall with fluid flow openings and a central flow passage in communication with the outlet of the flow manifold, the filter housing being adapted to receive a filter;a plurality of outer flow passages extending through the peripheral sidewall of the housing with each of the outer flow passages extending along one of the external vanes, the outer flow passages each having a first end at the first end of the housing and a second end at the second end of the housing;at least one inner flow passage extending between the first end and the second end of the housing beside the filter housing, the at least one inner flow passage having a first end at the first end of the housing and a second end at the second end of the housing;an end cap at the second end of the housing permitting fluid communication between the outer flow passages and the inlet of the flow manifold;the inlet of the flow manifold communicating with the second end of the outer flow passages with a heat exchange occurring between oil passing along the outer flow passages and cool air passing by the external vanes, as the oil reaches the first end of the outer flow passages it is diverted into the first end of the at least one inner flow passage, as the oil passes along the at least one inner flow passage the oil passes through the fluid flow openings in the filter housing and then through the central flow passage to the outlet of the flow manifold;a manually rotatable valve member for diverting liquids flowing through the inlet of the flow manifold is provided having a first position and a second position;when the valve member is rotated to the first position the second end of the at least one inner flow passage is blocked and liquids can only flow from the inlet of the flow manifold into the second end of the outer flow passages with a heat exchange occurring between oil passing alone the outer flow passages and cool air passing by the external vanes, as the oil reaches the first end of the outer flow passages it is diverted into the first end of the at least one inner flow passage, as the oil passes along the at least one inner flow passage the oil passes through the fluid flow openings in the filter housing and passes through the central flow passage to the outlet of the flow manifold; andwhen the valve member is rotated to the second position the second end of each of the outer flow passages is blocked and liquids can only flow from the inlet of the flow manifold into the second end of the at least one inner flow passage, as the oil passes along the at least one inner flow passage the oil passes through the fluid flow openings in the filter housing and passes through the central flow passage to the outlet of the flow manifold.