Patent ID: 6117312
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: B01D,F01M,Y10T

Abstract:
A filter device, comprising:a housing with an inlet, an outlet and a fluid path between said inlet and said outlet;a filter element located in said housing in said fluid path;a bypass valve in said housing controlling a bypass passage for fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet that bypasses said filter element, said bypass valve including a closing part movable between an open position allowing fluid flow through said bypass passage when said filter element becomes clogged and a closed position blocking fluid flow through said bypass passage and causing fluid flow in said housing through said filter element;at least one breech-closing spring applying an adjustable biasing force on said closing part toward said closed position and having opposite first and second spring ends;a holding cage having holding rods parallel to a cage longitudinal axis and having catches on free ends thereof; andan adjusting ring having recesses extending therethrough parallel to a ring longitudinal axis unobstructively receiving said holding rods of said holding cage and having notch cutouts releasably and selectively engageable with said catches upon rotation of said adjusting ring, said cutouts being arranged in at least first and second groups with the cutouts of each group being in a single plane and the cutouts of the different groups being in different planes, said recesses having radial slots extending adjacent said cutouts through which said holding rods can extend to permit said catches to move into engagement with said cutouts by rotation of said adjusting ring;whereby, said biasing force of said spring is adjusted in a step-by-step manner by axial movement of said adjusting ring along said holding rods toward and away from said closing part, and said adjusting ring is releasably locked in an adjusted position by engagement of said catches in a selected one of said groups of said cutouts.