Abstract:
The invention relates to a filter cartridge for a filter for filtering liquid or gaseous media comprising two disks and a substantially hollow cylindrical filter member arranged inbetween the two disks, with the medium to be filtered flowing through the filter member, with at least one of the two disks provided with a central aperture whereby the filter cartridge is axially mountable onto a medium inlet pipe or outlet pipe with at least one seal sealingly positioned inbetween, and wherein the filter cartridge is detachable from the pipe for replacement. The filter cartridge is designed as a replacement filter cartridge for replacing common filter cartridges having metal parts, wherein the filter consists of paper and/or cotton and/or felt and/or thermally usable plastic non-woven fabric, wherein the front disks are formed of thermally consumable plastic and the seal is formed of a flexible thermally consumable material.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 08/684,324, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,729, now filed Jul. 19, 1996 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 8/289,747, now filed Aug. 12, 1994 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a filter cartridge for a filter for filtering liquid or gaseous media comprising two front disks and a substantially hollow cylindrical filter member arranged inbetween the two front disks, with the medium to be filtered flowing through the filter member, with at least one of the front disks provided with a central aperture whereby the filter cartridge is axially mountable onto a medium inlet pipe or outlet pipe with at least one seal sealingly positioned inbetween, and wherein the filter cartridge is detachable from the pipe for replacement. 
     Filter cartridges of the kind mentioned are widely used in filters for liquid or gaseous media, e.g. oil, fuel or air, and are known therefrom. With these known filter cartridges at least the front disks are made of metal, e.g. tinplate or aluminum. These metallic front disks are commonly manufactured by stamping, pressing or deep drawing. Also, a supporting body often arranged in the interior of the filter member commonly is made of metal, usually of an apertured pipe. Also, a jacket surrounding the filter member at the outside, and often present at the filter cartridge, consists of the same material, with the jacket protecting the filter member against mechanical influence from the outside and also supporting it towards the outside. 
     The described filter cartridges are worn out after a certain time of operation, which means that they are loaded with particles filtered out of the medium to be filtered, such that a further use is not possible. In most cases such filter cartridges are not cleaned and reused but are disposed into the garbage. It is a disadvantage in particular, that with the deposition of such filter cartridges a relative large volume at the dump site is used due to the bulk of the filter, even though a significant amount of that volume comprises air spaces within the filter. Also, when burning these filter cartridges with the garbage, the metal parts remain as residue after the incineration process and still consume some significant volume of the dumping area, although a smaller one. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a filter cartridge which after the end of its useful life, may be deposited such that no significant volume of residue remains which would consume volume at the dumping area or would contaminate the environment, wherein the new filter cartridge is to be used in known filters without the necessity of changes in the construction thereof. 
     This object is attained according to the invention by a filter cartridge designed as a replacement filter cartridge for replacing common filter cartridges comprising metal parts, wherein the filter member consists of paper and/or cotton and/or felt and/or thermally consumable plastic non-woven fabric, wherein the front disks consist of thermally consumable plastic and the seal consist of a flexible thermally consumable material. 
     It is advantageously attained by the embodiment of the filter cartridge according to the invention as a replacement filter cartridge and by the special selection of material and combination thereof for the various parts of the filter cartridge, that on one hand, the new filter cartridge may be used instead of the formerly used filter cartridges containing metal parts, in particular without the necessity of changes at the respective filter, and that on the other hand, the new filter cartridge may be completely incinerated to ashes at the end of its useful life when the filter cartridge, after having been used as intended, is incinerated in the garbage. Such a filter cartridge, after the incineration thereof, leaves practically no residues to be deposited, wherein advantageously such filter cartridges may be used instead of, e.g., heating oil as fuel. The use as a filter cartridge in the intermediate time is only an intermediate step for using the raw material oil. 
     For supporting the filter member against the forces which act towards the outside when the medium flows through the filter, and for protecting the filter member during storage, the filter member advantageously is surrounded at the outside thereof by an apertured or grid-shaped jacket of paper or cardboard or thermally consumable plastic foil. This jacket also may be fully incinerated to ashes such that it will not create significant residues during the incineration thereof which have to be deposited. 
     For receiving the forces resulting from the medium flowing through the filter member and directed from the outside thereof to the inside, substantially radially to the inside, it is provided that in the interior of the filter member a supporting body is arranged, preferably consisting of thermally consumable plastic material. Therefore a filter cartridge provided with a supporting body forming an integral member of the cartridge may be fully incinerated to ashes. As an alternative, the filter cartridge may be designed such that it will receive a supporting body provided at the side of the filter housing as soon as the filter cartridge is mounted in the filter housing. In this case the material of the supporting body provided at the side of the filter housing may be freely chosen and may consist of, e.g., metal such as aluminum, in case the filter housing also is made of aluminum. 
     The supporting body arranged in the interior of the filter member preferably has the shape of a hollow cylindrical grid since this grid provides a good relation of supporting effect on the one hand and use of material and area on the other hand. 
     Additional advantageous embodiments and further developments of the filter member are described below. 
     In an embodiment, in order to keep the manufacturing effort for mounting the filter cartridge low, the supporting body preferably is loosely arranged in the interior of the filter member between the front disks and the diameter of the supporting body is greater than the diameter of the aperture disposed in the lower disk. In this way it is assured, without further means, that the supporting body is safely positioned in the interior of the filter member without any risk of being dislodged from the filter member. 
     In order to avoid using a glue or sealing compound for connecting the two front disks and the filter member, it is proposed that the two front disks are connected with the filter member by a thermal welding connection in a sealing mode. 
     The seal or seals, respectively, provided at the filter cartridge according to the invention, may be differently designed as regards the material, shape and kind of the connection with the front disk or the front disks, respectively. 
     The weldings in the filter cartridge, in particular between the front disks and the filter member, and between the front disk or front disks, respectively, and seal or seals, respectively, are preferably attained by light beam welding or mirror welding or ultrasonic welding or microwave welding. The welding processes mentioned have been proven successful in practical operation, e.g. when manufacturing plastic window frames, and therefore are also usable for the production of filter cartridges according to the invention. 
     A contribution for reducing garbage volumes may be made by the filter cartridge according to the invention, in that the plastic material at least partially contains recycled material. 
     In order to attain the necessary strength of the parts of the filter cartridge made of plastic, in particular with high mechanical and/or thermal loads, it is provided that the plastic contains glass fibers. 
     Furthermore it is provided that the front disks, the supporting body, the plastic non-woven fabric of the filter member eventually present, the jacket eventually present, and the seal eventually consisting of plastic, consist of the same plastic and recycled material. Hereby it is attained, that a filter cartridge, after the use thereof, may be easily recycled because it consists of a plastic material of the same kind throughout such that no costly designation of the material and sorting of the individual filter cartridges is necessary. 
     A suitable plastic for the parts of the filter cartridge consisting of plastic is polyamide because this plastic is mechanically stable to the degree necessary and is resistant against most of the media to be filtered and therefore may be incinerated without damage to the environment. 
     It is preferably provided that the filter member is formed of a filter cloth path folded in zig-zag fashion. Hereby on the one hand high stability is attained and on the other hand a large filter area is provided. 
     Since the filter cartridge according to the invention is not restricted regarding the geometric design and dimensioning, such a filter cartridge may be used instead of practically all commonly used filter cartridges containing metal parts, without any changes of the components cooperating with the filter cartridge, e.g. filter housings. 
     The supporting body may also be attached to a housing member as opposed to being confined within the filter member. 
     In one such embodiment of the present invention, a filter assembly is provided with a threaded bottom cup-shaped housing half and a supporting body. The supporting body is fixedly attached to the bottom housing half by welding, gluing or another appropriate attachment means. The filter member fits over the supporting body and a lower end of the filter member engages the bottom housing half. Preferably, there is a snap-in-type engagement means to secure the filter member to the bottom housing half. The filter member and supporting body are then inserted upward into an upper housing half which is mounted onto the engine, coolant system, oil circulation system or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom housing half is threadably secured to the upper housing half. 
     Dirty fluid is passed from the upper housing half downward to the outer periphery of the filter member. The fluid then passes through the walls of the filter member to the interior of the supporting body. Fluid then passes upward through the supporting body to an outlet that passes through the upper housing half. A bypass valve is provided within the supporting body, at a lower end thereof. A discharge screw or cover is secured into the lower end of the bottom half of the housing. When this screw or cover is removed, access to the bypass valve may be obtained with a pointed instrument such as a screwdriver. Upward pressure on the bypass valve will allow fluid residing within the supporting member to be drained before removal of the bottom housing half when the filter member is being replaced. 
     In yet another such embodiment, a &#34;standing&#34; filter is provided wherein the filter member is disposed over a supporting body and contained within an upper cup-shaped housing half. The upper cup-shaped housing half is threadably secured to a lower housing half which is mounted onto the engine, coolant system, oil circulation system or the like. The supporting body threadably engages the lower half of the housing. Accordingly, the supporting body and filter member are mounted onto the lower half of the housing first, and after the supporting member has been screwed into the lower half of the housing, the upper cup-shaped housing is screwed onto the lower housing half. The lower half of the housing includes a discharge valve which is automatically opened when the filter member is moved upwards. Accordingly, fluid residing in the supporting member and filter element is automatically drained when the upper housing half is unscrewed and removed and the filter member is lifted off of the discharge valve located in the lower housing half. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following embodiments of the invention are explained referring to a drawing. The figures of the drawing illustrate various aspects and embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a filter cartridge where the left half thereof is illustrated in elevation and where the right half is illustrated in a longitudinal section. 
     FIG. 2 is a supporting body of the filter cartridge of FIG. 1 in a side elevational view. 
     FIG. 3 is the supporting body of FIG. 2 in a cross-sectional view along the line III--III. 
     FIG. 4 is the lower part of a second embodiment of the filter cartridge in partial elevational and partial sectional view. 
     FIG. 5 is the right half of the filter cartridge in FIG. 4 in enlarged scale and shown in a mounted condition in a sectional view. 
     FIG. 6 is a filter cartridge in a third embodiment, also in a mounted condition in the same sectional view as in FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 7 is a complete filter with a filter cartridge in a fourth embodiment in a longitudinal sectional view. 
     FIG. 8 is a complete filter with a filter cartridge in a fifth embodiment in a longitudinal sectional view. 
     FIG. 9 is a complete filter with a filter cartridge in a sixth embodiment in a longitudinal sectional view. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, a filter cartridge 1 consists of a filter member 10 which in this case is a zig-zag shaped folded bellows, of two front disks 2 and 3 covering the filter member 10 on top and at the bottom, a grid shaped supporting body 11 arranged in the interior of the filter member 10, and an apertured or perforated jacket 12 surrounding the filter member 10 at the outside thereof. 
     The filter member 10 comprises a hollow cylindrical base shape wherein the edges of the folds extend in axial direction, i.e. in a direction in parallel with a longitudinal central axis 13 of the filter cartridge 1. The filter member 10 is sealingly connected, for example glued, with the two front disks 2 and 3 at the two front ends thereof. 
     The lower front disk 2 comprises a central aperture 20 by means of which the filter cartridge 1 may be mounted on a medium inlet or outlet pipe forming a part of the filter. For sealing this detachable connection a circumferential annular ring 4 is provided, in this case an O-ring of elastomer. This annular ring 4 is arranged with an axial and/or radial clearance in a groove 24 which is formed in the lower front disk 2. For this reason, the front disk 2 comprises a flat annular member 21 at the upper side thereof, i.e. at the side facing the filter member 10, with a web 22 extending from the underside of the annular member 21 downwards, and with the web 22 extending firstly axially and secondly radially inwards, with the web 22 forming the groove 24 at the radially inner side facing the aperture 20. Alternatively, the seal and the front disks may be joined together in a manner such as being welded, glued of jammed with each other. 
     The upper front disk 3, in this embodiment of the filter cartridge 1, is designed closed and provides in the central area thereof a snap-in indentation 30 for receiving the corresponding snap-in element of a screwable lid of an associated filter housing or a tool. 
     The supporting body 11 arranged in the interior of the filter member 10 in the embodiment illustrated comprises the shape of a hollow cylindrical grid formed of grid struts 11&#39; and 11&#34;. The grid struts 11&#39; therein extend in circumferential direction, and the struts 11&#34; extend in longitudinal direction of the supporting body 11 with the struts 11&#39; radially extending beyond the struts 11&#34; to a certain extent. The supporting body 11 is loosely arranged in the interior of the filter member 10 and between the front disks 2 and 3. When the filter member 10 is provided with a fluid flow in radial direction from the outside to the inner side, the supporting body 11 will support the filter member 10 at the inner circumference thereof by means of the struts 11&#39; extending in circumferential direction of the supporting body, and a collapse of the filter member 10 resulting from pressure differentials of the medium to be filtered and flowing through the filter cartridge 1 is avoided. 
     As further illustrated in the drawing, the two front disks 2 and 3, as well as the supporting body 11, arranged in the interior of the filter cartridge 1, consist of plastic material, wherein all three members mentioned in this case are made by plastic injection molding, e.g. of polyamide, which may be mixed with recycled material and/or glass fibers. Thereby the filter cartridge 1 is also usable for recycling used plastic material. 
     Preferably the filter member 10 consists of paper and/or cotton and/or felt and/or plastic non-woven fabric wherein the latter also consists of a plastic thermally consumable without any significant residue. 
     The jacket 12 surrounding the filter member 10 at the outside thereof, along the largest extent of the axial length thereof, preferably consists of paper or cardboard in which apertures 12&#39; are provided in a pattern which is dense and at the same time provides for a sufficient flow cross-section. In the left part of the filter cartridge 1 illustrated in the drawing only a small number of these apertures 12&#39; are shown for simplifying the illustration. 
     FIG. 2 of the drawing illustrates the supporting body 11 of the filter cartridge 1 according to FIG. 1 as an individual part in a lateral view wherein the structure of the grid is illustrated in great detail. In the embodiment shown the supporting body 11 in total comprises eight grid struts 11&#39; extending in circumferential direction and four grid struts 11&#34; extending in longitudinal direction of the supporting body 11. Also here it is illustrated, that the grid struts 11&#39; radially protrude in outward direction beyond the grid struts 11&#34;. Therein the grid struts 11&#39; radially support the filter member, whereas the struts 11&#34; mainly connect the struts 11&#39; with each other. 
     The relation between a width or thickness b of the grid struts 11&#39; and a distance D between two adjacent grid struts 11&#39; in longitudinal direction of the supporting body 11 preferably is between 1:4 and 1:8. The relation between the distance D between two adjacent grid struts 11&#39; as seen in longitudinal direction of the supporting body 11 and a length L of the supporting body 11 preferably is between 1:6 and 1:12. By this means a large free flowing cross-section and low consumption of plastic, as well as a sufficient stability of the supporting body 11, are attained. 
     The arrangement of the grid struts 11&#34; extending in longitudinal direction of the supporting body 11 as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, as a cross-section along the line III--III in FIG. 2 in the embodiment illustrated, have an angle distance α of 90° between each other, thus there are four parallel grid struts 11&#34; extending in longitudinal direction of the supporting body. With smaller diameter supporting bodies two or three grid struts 11&#34; may be sufficient, and with larger diameter supporting bodies 11 advantageously up to eight grid struts 11&#34; are provided in longitudinal direction of the supporting body 11. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a filter cartridge 1 wherein the seal 4, other than with the filter cartridge according to FIG. 1, is provided by an annular disk of felt, preferably a polyamide needled felt. The seal 4 is attached at the underside of the lower front disk 2 of the filter cartridge 1 wherein the attachment is attained by a welding connection in this case. For this reason the radial inner part of the underside of the front disk 2 is warmed-up till it gets soft, e.g., by microwave or ultrasonic radiation or by a welding mirror, whereupon the seal 4 is pressed against this softened area. After the cooling and rehardening of the plastic of the front disk 2, the seal 4 is firmly and durably connected with the front disk 2. 
     As furthermore is clear from FIG. 1, the free inner diameter of the seal 4 is smaller than the free inner diameter of the central aperture 20 in the front disk 2. Therefore the seal 4 at the radial inner side extends beyond the inner edge of the front disk 2. The reason for this extension is illustrated in FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the filter cartridge of FIG. 4 in an enlarged illustration of the right half in relation to the centerline 13 in the mounted condition, wherein the filter cartridge 1 with the lower front disk 2 forward is mounted on a medium outlet pipe 5. The medium outlet pipe 5 is a part of a non-illustrated filter housing receiving the filter cartridge 1. The outer diameter of the pipe 5 is dimensioned such that it is smaller than the free inner diameter of the central aperture 20 in the front disk 2, however, it is larger than the free inner diameter of the seal 4. Furthermore the dimension of the outer diameter of the pipe 5 and the free inner diameter of the front disk 2 are in such a relation, that the annular gap between these two is smaller in radial direction than the thickness of the annular seal 4. Hereby it is attained, that when mounting the filter cartridge 1 from the top onto the pipe 5, the radially inner part of the seal 4 will bend upwards and will be jammed between the outer circumference of the pipe 5 and the inner circumference of the central aperture 20 in the front disk 2. Thereby, on one hand, a sufficiently firm fit of the filter cartridge 1 on the pipe 5 is attained and, on the other hand, such a fargoing compression of the material of the seal 4 is attained, that a sealing against a penetration of the medium to be filtered through the annular gap between the pipe 5 and the front disk 2 is ensured. 
     An alternative embodiment of the seal 4a in relation to the one illustrated in FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 6. Whereas, with the filter cartridge according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the seal 4a comprises a relatively small thickness in axial direction, the thickness of the seal 4a has been chosen considerably larger in the embodiment in FIG. 6. In total, also in this case, the seal 4a comprises a rectangular cross-section and an annular disk form prior to the mounting. 
     In FIG. 6, the filter cartridge 1 is also illustrated in mounted condition wherein the filter cartridge 1 is mounted on the pipe 5 from the top. Because of the relatively large thickness of the seal 4a the seal will not bend into the gap between the pipe 5 and the front disk 2, however, it will only be compressed and condensed in the radially inner part thereof. Because of the flexibility of the material of the seal 4a also in this case, a sufficiently firm fit of the filter cartridge 1 on the pipe 5 and a sealing of the annular gap between the pipe 5 and the front disk 2 will be attained. 
     Also with the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the seal 4a is connected with the underside of the lower front disk 2 by a thermal welding which in this case is indicated by a dotted line in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     Also, the connection between the filter member 10 and the front disk 2 is attained by a welding connection in the examples according to FIGS. 4-6, with the welding connection also indicated by dotted lines. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a complete filter wherein a filter cartridge 1 is mounted in a cup-shaped filter housing 15. The cup-shaped filter housing 15 is shaped as a screwable lid and is screwed with the lower end thereof onto a filter base 50. Passages for the inlet and the outlet of the medium to be filtered, which are not designated, extend through the filter base 50 in a known way. 
     Also in this case, the filter cartridge 1 consists of a filter member 10 having the form of a zig-zag folded filter cloth path, and two front disks 2 and 3 covering the filter member 10 on top and at the bottom. Other than in the previously shown embodiments, the two front disks 2 and 3 each have a central aperture and correspondingly a seal 4, 4&#39; is provided at the two front disks 2 and 3. The lower front disk 2 in FIG. 7 is sealingly mounted on a medium outlet pipe 5 with a seal 4 inbetween. 
     In the interior of the filter member 10 a supporting body 11a is arranged which is grid-like shaped and comprises in the upper part thereof a bypass valve 16 as an integrated component. The medium to be filtered may directly flow through the valve 16 with no contact with the filter member 10 from the outer circumference of the filter member 10 into the interior of the supporting body 11a and from there into the medium outlet pipe 5 when the filter member 10 is not sufficiently permeable, e.g. because of a too long time of operation. The sealing necessary at the upper end of the filter cartridge 1, between the upper front disk 3 and the upper end of the central supporting body 11a, is provided by the seal 4&#39;. The function of the seal 4&#39; therein corresponds with that of the seal 4 as described in FIG. 5. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the filter includes a hollow cylindrical housing having a first cup-shaped housing half 15 and a second cup-shaped housing half 50, with the first and second housing halves being detachably connected together. A unitary tubular supporting body 11 having first and second opposing ends is provided within the housing. The second housing half 50 is connected to the medium inlet and the medium outlet and includes an outlet conduit 5 integrally connected thereto for communication with the medium outlet. The second end 11b of the tubular supporting body includes an axial bore that matably receives the outlet conduit 5 therein without any intervening parts disposed therebetween to thereby detachably attach the supporting body to the second housing half 50. A first inwardly extending attachment member 15a that is unitary with the first housing half and that extends towards the second housing half is provided. A substantially hollow cylindrical filter member 10 is provided having a first end and a second end. The filter member is mounted over the supporting body with the medium to be filtered flowing from the medium inlet and through the filter member and through the supporting 11 body to the outlet conduit 5. The filter member 10 is detachable from the supporting body for replacement. The first end of the filter member is a first disk 3 having an inside surface that is attached to the filter and an outside surface that faces the first housing half, the first disk being mounted onto the first end 11a of the supporting body 11. The first end 11a of the tubular supporting body includes an axial bore that mateably receives a free end portion of the first inwardly extending attachment member 15 therein without any intervening parts disposed therebetween, to thereby attach the supporting body to the first housing half. The second end of the filter member is connected to a second disk 2 having an inside surface that is attached to the filter and an outside surface that faces the second housing half and being mounted onto the outlet conduit 5 to thereby detachably attach the second disk and filter to the second housing half. 
     The spatial orientation of the filter and the filter cartridge 1 arranged therein has no bearing on the function and may be freely chosen. 
     FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 both illustrate embodiments that feature the supporting body 11 that is attached to the housing as opposed to being loosely confined within the filter member 10. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 8, a filter cartridge 1 may be provided within a lower cup-shaped housing half 30 which is threadably connected to an upper housing half 31 as illustrated. The supporting body 11 is attached to the lower housing half 30 by way of the flange 32 disposed at a lower end of the supporting body 11 and the upwardly protruding flange 33 disposed on the lower housing half 30. The upper annular disk 3 and annular seal member 4 fit over the discharge conduit 34 of the upper housing half 31 as does the upper end of the supporting body 11. 
     The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 also includes a bypass valve 35 which may be accessed upon removal of the discharge screw 36 and insertion of a pointed tool upwards through the exposed opening shown at 36. By pushing the discharge valve 35 upward, fluid residing within the supporting body 11 may be drained before removal of the lower housing half 30 from the upper housing half 31 during routine maintenance and replacement of the filter cartridge 1. 
     Turning to FIG. 9, the filter cartridge 1 may also be provided with an upper cup-shaped housing 40 that is snapped onto the upper disk 3a by way of the engagement between the beaded upwardly protruding wall 41 of the upper disk 3a and the downwardly extending flange 42 of the upper housing 40. The supporting body 11 is screwed into the lower cup-shaped housing or filter base 43 at the lower end of the supporting body 11. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 also includes a discharge valve 44 that is released or opened when the filter cartridge 1 is lifted upward. Fluid enters the assembly illustrated in FIG. 9 through the opening 45 and proceeds upward around the outer periphery of the filter cartridge 1. After the fluid has passed through the filter member 10, it proceeds downward through the supporting body 11 and out through the outlet shown at 46. 
     Similar to the embodiments illustrated above, the lower annular disk 2 includes a seal 4. However, the seal 4 engages the lower skirt 47 of the supporting body 11 in contrast to the embodiments described above. 
     As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.