Patent ID: 6746600
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
A fluid filter apparatus comprisinga filter housing formed to include a filter chamber, an inlet aperture adapted to admit fluid into the filter chamber, and an outlet aperture adapted to discharge fluid from the filter chamber, a filter module positioned to lie in the filter chamber and formed to include a filtered-fluid region located to receive fluid that has passed through the filter module and to communicate with the outlet aperture to permit fluid flow from the filtered-fluid region through the outlet aperture to a destination outside the filter housing, and coolant means for conducting a liquid coolant through an unfiltered-fluid space located in the filter chamber between the filter housing and the filter module to cool unfiltered fluid flowing in a downstream direction in the unfiltered-fluid space from the inlet aperture to the filter module so that particulate matter entrained in the unfiltered fluid is precipitated in the unfiltered-fluid space and blocked by the filter module from movement into the filtered-fluid region formed in the filter module, wherein the coolant means includes a cooling element formed to include a coolant conductor passageway and arranged to lie in the unfiltered-fluid space and extend around the filter module, the filter module includes a filter media having a vertical central axis and the cooling element is wound to extend in a helical manner around the filter media and along the vertical central axis of the filter media, the filter housing includes an end wall adapted to face toward a vehicle engine and formed to include the inlet and outlet apertures and a side wall appended to the end wall, and the cooling element further includes a coolant inlet arranged to extend through an inlet aperture formed in the side wall to admit liquid coolant into the coolant conductor passageway formed in the cooling element and a coolant outlet arranged to extend through an outlet aperture formed in the side wall to discharge liquid coolant from the coolant conductor passageway.