Laser welded fluid filter housing

A fluid filter, such as an oil filter for example, has a canister, a top plate and a sealing ring. The sealing ring overlaps portions of the top plate and canister. The sealing ring and canister are joined one to the other by laser welding about the sealing ring adjacent the canister and forming a mechanical lock between the canister and the top plate by mixing of materials.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to fluid filters and more particularly to the 
construction and the laser welding of the filter portions together. 
BACKGROUND ART 
There are a multiplicity of constructions of fluid filters, such as oil 
filters. Such filters are well known in the art and contain a filtering 
material within a canister, a top plate closing one end of the canister, 
and fluid pathways for passing fluid into the filter, through the 
filtering material and back to an associated engine. Each of the 
heretofore filters seem to have weakness and problems such as cracking, 
complexity and/or represent a waste of labor, time, materials and national 
resources. 
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems 
as set forth above. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
In one aspect of the invention, the fluid filter has a cylindrical metal 
canister, a top plate and a sealing ring. The metal canister has a first 
end and a first end portion. The first end is open. The top plate has a 
first surface, and edge portion, and a first surface portion of ring 
configuration. The top plate is inserted within the first end portion 
opening of the canister. The sealing ring extends about and covers the 
first end portion of the canister and the first surface portion of the top 
plate. The sealing ring is laser welded to the canister first end portion 
and connects the top plate edge portion, the canister first end portion 
and the sealing ring.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
For purposes of brevity, only a portion of the filter has been shown and 
described in view of the fact that their general appearance is so well 
known. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fluid filter 2 is shown which includes the 
elements of this invention. The filter has a cylindrical metal canister 4, 
a top plate 6 and a sealing ring 8. The metal canister 4 has a first end 
10 and a first end portion 14 that is open. The top plate 6 has a first 
surface 16, an edge portion 18 and a first surface portion 20 of ring 
configuration. The top plate 6 is generally cylindrical and is inserted 
within the first end portion opening of the canister 4. 
The sealing ring 8 extends about and covers the first end portion 10 of the 
canister 4 and the first surface portion 16 of the top plate 6. The 
sealing ring is laser welded to and about the canister first end portion 
14 thereby connecting the top plate edge portion 18, the canister first 
end portion 14 and the sealing ring 8. 
Referring particularly to FIG. 2, it can be seen that by laser welding on 
the canister sealing ring 8 about the periphery thereof, the metal, 
preferably steel, of the sealing ring flows into and bonds with the metal, 
preferably steel, of the canister first end portion 14. 
The process of laser welding cause the metal of at least the canister 4 to 
be forced into the metal of the top plate 6 which preferably is aluminum. 
Laser welding about the outer periphery of the sealing ring 8 therefore 
connects the sealing ring 8 to the canister first end portion 14, and 
mechanically locks the canister first end portion 14 to the top plate 6. 
The laser weld preferably is uninterrupted and extends circumferentially 
about the sealing ring 8, materials from the first end portion 14 of the 
canister 4 and the edge portion 18 of the top plate 6 are mixed, thereby 
providing an anti-rotational mechanical lock through the formed joint. 
In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a circular groove 22 extends 
about the surface 19 of the top plate 6 defining first and second surface 
portions 20,21 on the surface 19 of the top plate 6. The groove 22 has an 
outer edge 24. This outer edge 24 of groove 22 forms an inner edge of the 
top plate first surface portion. The groove 22 can be of various 
configurations without departing from this invention. 
The sealing ring has first and second end portions 26,28 and a middle 
portion 30. As set forth above, the first end portion 26 is laser welded 
to the canister first end portion 14. The middle portion 30 of the sealing 
ring 8 covers the first surface portion 20 of the top plate 6 and the 
second end portion 28 of the sealing ring 8 extends into the circular 
groove 22 of the surface 19 of the top plate 6. 
The sealing ring 8 is stamped to ensure contact with the first end portion 
14 of the canister 4 and the first surface portion 20 of the top plate 6. 
In the groove 22, a portion of the sealing ring 8 is stamped to ensure 
contact with the outer edge 24 of the groove 22. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
By so construction the filter of this invention, the parts forming the 
filter body are easily constructed, the joint connection has greater 
assurance of being fluid tight, and the assembly and welding can be 
accomplished without the waste of time, labor, equipment and natural 
resources. 
Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention can be obtained 
from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.