Patent ID: 6214215
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: B01D,Y10S

Abstract:
An oil filter assembly, comprising:a substantially cylindrical sealed housing having a floor with a central coaxial outlet formed therethrough, said floor further having a series of inlet holes formed therein arranged in a circular pattern surrounding said outlet;a porous cylindrical filter element disposed in said housing and having a hollow bore formed centrally therein;a seal disposed in said housing at an upper end of said filter element; anda flexibly resilient sealing member interposed axially between said floor and said filter element and radially between said outlet and said series of inlet holes, said sealing member comprising:a substantially annular body formed from a flexibly resilient material, said body having a central bore formed therein for surrounding said outlet, said annular body having an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface;spacer means for spacing said filter element away from said floor;a plurality of normally closed slits extending through the flexibly resilient material of said annular body, said slits obstructing the flow of oil therethrough when fluid pressure of said oil is below a threshold value, and allowing the passage of oil therethrough when fluid pressure of said oil is at or above said threshold value;said annular body further having a plurality of flow channels formed therethrough for delivering oil under pressure from said inlet holes to said plurality of normally closed slits.