Patent ID: 6554140
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B01D,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus, comprising:an externally threaded filter head; a fluid filter including an outer shell having an open end, a filter element having an end plate attached thereto, said filter element being disposed in said outer shell, a nutplate attached to the open end of said outer shell, said nutplate having a threaded mounting portion adapted to threadedly engage said threaded filter head, an inner radial seal for sealing said filter element with said filter head, a rigid inner seal retainer positioned between said nutplate and the end plate of said filter element for coupling said inner seal to the end plate of said filter element, said inner seal retainer being separable from said nutplate, said inner seal retainer defining at least one rigid standoff constructed and arranged to define a passageway for transmitting fluid between said nutplate and said filter element, and wherein said at least one rigid standoff is formed from a rigid material whereas said inner seal is formed from a resilient material different from said rigid material; and wherein said filter head has a seal retainer engaging surface contacting said inner seal to space said nutplate from said inner seal retainer.