Patent ID: 8034240
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: B01D,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A filter, comprising: an inner ring-shaped hydrophobic filter media circumscribing a central axis and having first and second ends, and an outer ring-shaped particle filter media, also having first and second ends, circumscribing the first ring and defining an annular gap between the first and second media rings; a housing receiving said inner and outer filter media rings, said housing including a first open end and a second end, the first end of the filter media rings being located toward the first open end of the housing, and the second end of the filter media rings being located toward the second end of the housing; an end cap assembly at the first end of the inner media ring, the end cap assembly including an annular end cap piece sealingly connected to the first end of the inner media ring and an annular plate connected to the annular end cap piece and defining a central opening, and an annular flange connected to the annular plate and extending axially outward away from the annular plate, said annular flange including a threaded portion to enable the filter element to be removeably connected to a corresponding threaded portion of a filter head, the end cap assembly of the inner media ring enclosing the open end of the housing with the open end of the housing being secured to the annular flange of the end cap assembly; a resilient annular head seal bounding the central opening in the annular plate; first flow openings in the end cap assembly to enable fluid flow through the end cap assembly, and a central support portion spanning the annular body and having second flow openings, separate from the first flow openings, to enable flow through the central opening in the plate, said central support portion supporting an axial projection, said projection extending in an axially outward direction from a base end located interiorly of the media, to a distal end; a first end cap at the first end of the outer media ring, the first end cap including an annular body portion sealingly connected to the first end of the outer media ring, and a second end cap at the second end of the outer media ring, and a resilient housing seal supported by the second end cap of the outer media ring, the housing having an inner surface with the resilient housing seal providing a seal between the second media ring and the inner surface of the housing; and a resilient annular end cap seal supported by and providing a seal between the end cap assembly of the inner media ring, and the first end cap of the outer media ring.