Patent ID: 6595371
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A fluid filter assembly comprisinga filter housing formed to include a filter chamber, a filter element positioned to lie in the filter chamber, the filter element including an exterior portion located in the filter chamber to contact a fluid admitted into the filter chamber through an inlet conduit coupled to the housing, the filter element being formed to include an interior portion defining a filtered-fluid region located in the filter element to receive fluid in the filter element that has passed through the filter element from the exterior portion to the interior portion, an outlet conduit having an inlet end and an opposite outlet end, the outlet conduit being arranged to extend through an aperture formed in the filter housing to cause the inlet end to lie in the filtered-fluid region and the outlet end to lie outside of the filter housing, and an elongated grommet formed to include a passageway containing a central portion of the outlet conduit, the elongated grommet being positioned to lie in the filter chamber in a space between the filter element and the filter housing to cause an inner end of the elongated grommet to lie in sealing engagement with the filter element and an outer end of the elongated grommet to lie in sealing engagement with an interior surface of the filter housing wherein the filter element includes a filter media providing the interior and exterior portions and an end cap coupled to one end of the filter media, the end cap includes an interior edge formed to define a conduit-receiving aperture providing an opening into the filtered-fluid region of the filter element, the outlet conduit passes through the conduit-receiving aperture formed in the end cap to locate the inlet end of the outlet conduit in the filtered-fluid region of the filter element, the inner end of the elongated grommet engages the end cap to close any gap extant between the interior edge of the end cap and the outlet conduit, wherein the filter housing includes an internal conduit support hat positioned in the filter chamber and formed to include a conduit receiving aperture through which the outlet conduit extends, and the internal conduit support hat extends through an opening formed in the outer end of the elongated grommet into the passageway.