Abstract:
The present disclosure pertains to a fluid filter having a gasket locator such as a cylindrical wall on the underside of the baseplate which positions and supports an internal gasket.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to a fluid filter, and more particularly to baseplates and/or internal sealing of baseplates for fluid filters. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many types of filters for filtering fluids are well known in the art as is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,446 to Clausen et al. entitled “Fuel Filter and Priming Pump”; or U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,883 to Jensen entitled “Fuel Filter Assembly with Priming Pump.” The cross section of  FIG. 1  illustrates another example of another known filter. The present disclosure includes improvements over the state of the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An aspect of the present invention is directed toward a gasket locator that is provided between an end cap for the filter media and the base plate of a filter cartridge. The gasket locator can position, retain and/or support an internal annular gasket in a desirable location. Preferably, the gasket locator is in the form of an annular wall that may be integrally formed and molded onto the bottom side of the base plate. A filter cartridge including this aspect includes generally cylindrical housing with a base plate secured to the housing that provides an inlet and an outlet. A ring of filter media is contained within a cavity of the housing and is arranged to filter fluid flowing between the inlet and the outlet. The gasket locator is interposed between the end cap of the internal filter element and the base plate. The gasket locator is adjacent an internal annular gasket that is also interposed between the base plate and the end cap. 
         [0004]    Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a cross section of a known fuel filter cartridge; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a fuel filter cartridge having a gasket locator, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0008]    While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a fluid filter cartridge generally indicated at  20  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The filter cartridge  20  may be used to filter out impurities from a fluid, and more particularly a liquid such as, for example without limitation, fuels, coolants, or lubricants used in or by engines. As shown, the filter cartridge  20  is in the form of a fuel filter that is adapted to filter water and impurities out of fuel along an engine fuel circuit. 
         [0010]    The filter cartridge  20 , includes a housing generally indicated at  22  and a base plate  24  attached to the housing  22 . As shown, the housing can be provided by a deep drawn metal canister having opposed first and second open ends with a cylindrical wall therebetween with several stepped regions. The baseplate  24  can be secured directly to the metal canister by wrapping the terminating end of the canister over the outer periphery of the baseplate. 
         [0011]    The housing  22  has an internal cavity and houses the filter media  26  and also shares a common longitudinal central axis with an internal filter element that includes suitable filter media  26 . The internal filter element includes a bottom closed circular end cap  28  sealingly connected to one end of the filter media  26 . The closed circular end cap  28  seals off an internal cavity  48  of the filter media  26  which causes fluid to flow through the filter media  26 . An open top annular end cap  30  is sealingly connected at the opposite end of the filter media  26 . The end caps  28 ,  30  may be stamped metal components that are sealingly connected to filter media  26  by known means such as potting, or may be integrally molded components, or alternatively plastic parts that are embedding the media into the end caps  28 ,  30  (e.g. ultrasonically). In any event, the end caps are attached to the media in a sealed manner to prevent fluid bypass between the filter media  26  and the end caps  28 ,  30 . The annular end cap  30  provides a flat smooth surface for providing a good surface with which internal gasket  34  can form a seal. 
         [0012]    The baseplate  24  can be a plastic molded and/or formed part to include a radially extending plate-like flange portion  60  connecting the central hub portion  46  with an outer rim  64 . The baseplate  24  includes an interior surface  58  and an external surface  62 . The outer rim  64  includes a threaded region to facilitate threaded attachment of the filter cartridge to a mounting adaptor of fluid circuit (not shown). The central hub portion  46  includes a plurality of outlet openings  40  for permitting fluid flow, typically clean fluid flow, from the central cavity  48  of the filter media  26  through the base plate  24 . The hub portion  46  may also include a projection  44  that can provide means for actuating a valve of a mounting circuit (not shown). To facilitate inlet flow, the baseplate  24  includes inlet openings  54 , which can be provided through the flange portion  60  due to the internal sealing system provided herein. 
         [0013]    The central hub  46  of the base plate  24  is received freely and without seal interference into aperture  32  defined by the annular end cap  30 . Sufficient clearance can be provided to afford easy assembly. 
         [0014]    Rather than providing a seal along aperture  32 , the internal annular gasket  34  can be spaced radially outward and axially interposed between the annular end cap  30  and the base plate  24 . The gasket  34  is axially compressed between the end cap  30  and base plate portion  24  to provide a seal therebetween that prevents fluid flow between the annular end cap  30  and base plate portion  24 . This prevent fluid communication between the inlet and outlet fluid streams and thereby prevents fluid from bypassing or short-circuiting the filter media  26 . A coil spring  56  supported in the stepped region of the housing acts upon the filter element to bias it axially towards the base plate portion  24  and thereby compress the gasket  34 . 
         [0015]    A gasket locator  36  is axially interposed between the annular end cap  30  and the base plate  24 . The gasket locator  36  radially positions gasket  34 . The gasket locator  36  prevents the annular gasket from shifting radially inward and can support the gasket radially relative to a pressure differential between the outside unfiltered fuel and the inside filter fuel (e.g. due to any pressure drop caused by the filter media). The gasket locator  36  may take the form of an annular wall, which is preferrably molded into a bottom side of the base plate portion  24  along the flange portion  60 . While the gasket locator  36  is preferably directly integrated into the base plate  24 , such structure may be provided on annular end cap  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the gasket locator  36  is integrally formed on the base plate portion  24  as a one-piece unitary component. The gasket locator  36  may be of, but would not be limited to, a groove, a channel, a stand-off portion or ribbed material. The gasket  34  can be axially thicker than the annular wall of the gasket locator  36  to facilitate axial compression according to a preferred sealing arrangement. Further, the annular wall may be sized to control the maximum amount of compression of the annular gasket and prevent overcompression of the annular gasket, the annular wall adapted to bottom out on the top end cap to prevent overcompression, whether it be due to spring and/or fluid forces. 
         [0016]    As to other features, the baseplate  24  carries external gaskets  42  and  43  to facilitate sealing to the engine circuit when mounted thereto. Additionally, a threaded ring  45  defining a water drain port (e.g. for a collection, bowl or other), is attached to the end of the canister opposite the baseplate  24 . The canister end can be wrapped over the ring  45  for securement. A gasket  47  can be provided for sealing at this end. 
         [0017]    When mounted to the filter head (not shown), unfiltered (“or dirty”) fuel enters the filter cartridge  20  through the inlet openings  54  in the base plate portion  24  to a gap  52  that is created between end cap  30  and base plate portion  24 , radially outward from gasket  34 . In the first fluid passage, the unfiltered fluid will flow radially outward between the annular end cap  30  and the base plate portion  24  to an outer chamber  38  formed between the filter media  26  and the housing portion  22 . The fluid will then flow through the filter media  26 . As the unfiltered fluid passes through the filter media  26 , impurities such as water or unwanted particulates may coalesce or accumulate on the outer surface of the filter media. These impurities may flow downward because of a higher density than fuel and can be collected below the filter media  26  or in a removable collection bowl (not shown) attached at the end of the housing portion  22 . 
         [0018]    Once the fuel passes through filter media  26 , the clean fuel stream then passes through a second fluid flow passage formed in part by openings  40  located in the end wall  68 , located in the center projection  44  of the base plate portion  24 . Grommet  42  forms a seal with an outlet pipe (not shown) of a filter head, sealing the unfiltered inlet fluid flow from the filtered outlet fluid flow, further preventing dirty fluid from bypassing the filter media  26 . 
         [0019]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
         [0020]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0021]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.