Patent ID: 6461506
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: B01D,F02M

Abstract:
A filter for a fuel injector device, comprising:a tubular housing surrounding a longitudinal axis, the housing having an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end, wherein said inlet and outlet surround said longitudinal axis, wherein the first end of the housing includes an inner surface that extends transversely relative to said longitudinal axis and a perforated support wall disposed within said housing axially between said first end of the housing and said second end of the housing, said support wall extending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis from an inner surface of said housing; a plurality of filter elements arranged within said housing, each of said plurality of filter elements being substantially impermeable to a flow of fuel there through, each of said filter elements having a first end adjacent to the fist end of the housing and a second end proximate said support wall, each said filter element including opposite sides extending from the first end to the second end of the respective filter element, wherein the sides of each of said plurality of filter elements are disposed adjacent to and spaced a predetermined distance apart from the sides of adjacent ones of said plurality of filter elements to define a plurality of clearances between adjacent said filter elements, said plurality of clearances defining passageways for the flow of a fuel there through and preventing the passage there through of contaminant particles carried in the fuel having a size larger than said predetermined distance; first support means disposed on said inner surface of said first end of the housing for engaging a surface of the first ends of said filter elements such that the filter elements surround said longitudinal axis and such that the sides of said filter elements are spaced apart by said predetermined distance; and second support means disposed on said support wall for engaging a surface of said second ends of said filter elements such that said filter elements surround said longitudinal axis; wherein fuel flows from said inlet into an inlet space surrounded by radially inner surfaces of said filter elements, wherein fuel flows from said inlet space radially outwardly through said clearances, wherein fuel flows from said clearances radially outwardly into an outlet space between radially outer surfaces of said filter elements and a radially inner surface of said housing, and wherein fuel flows axially from said outlet space through said perforated support wall to said outlet.