OIL FILTER CONSTRUCTION FOR HAND SPINNING

Abstract: An improved spin-on type oil filter housing (10) having a closed top end (11) and an open bottom end (12), the improvement of which consists of a handle (40) for facilitating hand installation and removal of the filter from an automobile engine is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the handle is in the form of a bail (40) attached to the closed end (11) of the housing (10), whereby the handle can be turned to attach or remove the filter from the engine.

Description: OIL FILTER CONSTRUCTION FOR HAND SPINNING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The majority of today's oil filters is the spin-on variet which has a centrally embedded female threaded portion tha complements a male threaded portion on the engine mountin plate, in a recognized manner. Installation and removal of th oil filter unit is accomplished by rotating the filter body i the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, respectively Most present day oil filter housings are also constructed wit axially aligned grooves around the closed end of the body, fo the purpose of facilitating hand installation and removal. Ha spinning of the oil filter unit is achieved by grasping th filter body with the fingers and turning with the hand. In theory, the use of hand in all phases of oil filt change is possible. In practice, this method is virtuall impossible. A large, oil free hand with great finger and ha strength is required for hand spinning. Great strength needed, in particular, during removal when the filter housi often sticks to the engine mounting plate. Also the filter un is often too large to be easily grasped by small hands Furthermore, keeping the hands oil free during all phases filter change is difficult. These are practical reasons w present day oil filters can not easily be mounted nor dismount by hand. To circumvent the above problems in hand spinning, filt wrenches of various types have been devised. In addition wrenches, new oil filter housings with accompanying tools ha likewise been proposed to solve these problems. In reference U.S. Patent Nos. 4,364,829; 3,722,691; 3,473,666 and 3,279,60 there exist numerous inventions in filter constructions facilitate oil filter installation and removal. All of t above cited inventions however require the use of external too in conjunction to the proposed filter body construction. There are numerous limitations in the use of filt wrenches and other tools. The use of these tools recently has been complicated by the automotive industry designers installin the oil filters in either virtually inaccessible areas, or clos tolerance locations. This is particularly true in the case o most front wheel drive vehicles manufactured both here an abroad. The use of the filter wrenches and tools, under thes circumstances, is usually met with poor performance, and ofte times results in damaged filters. Eve when filters are locate in accessible locations, frequently a given tool can only b used on a selected few types of filters. Most multipl automobile owners are required to purchase multiple oil filte tools. An attempt to solve the close tolerance oil filter chang problem was devised in U.S. Patent No. 4,416,776. Thi invention proposed using two strips of material counter wrappe around the filter cylinder body. By pulling the appropriat tape, the filter body will spin on and off. This approach i only feasible provided sufficient torque can be generated an ample room exists for pulling the tapes. None of the references teach the new and novel and nove use in combination of elements in the environment set fort hereinafter and defined as turning device and construction fo oil filter. Neither do they provide the benefits and advantage associated therewith the following proposed embodiment. Wherea the previous inventions all have limited applications, as wil become obvious from the figures and detailed description below, the proposed invention will have broad applications. Th hereinafter embodiment allows hand installation and removal o oil filters in all hand accessible situations, while requirin neither great finger and hand strength nor oil free hands. SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a means of han spinning-on and spinning-off a threaded oil filter in ope tolerance situations A further object of this invention is to provide a means o hand spinning-on and spinning-off a threaded oil filter in clos tolerance situations. Another object of the prevent invention is to provide mean which can easily be incorporated into the fabrication of oi filter housing to facilitate the hand installation and remova thereof. Still another object of the present invention is to provid means which can easily be adapted to any existing oil filte housing to facilitate the hand installation and removal thereof An additional object of the present invention is to obviat the need for filter wrenches in installing and removing oi filter. A still additional object of the present invention is t provide an improvement which allows changing oil filters witho the need for separation or additional tools.. Yet another object of the present invention is to provi an oil filter construction or attachment that perform the abo said functions with minimal change in oil filter bod dimensions, thus allowing use of oil filter wrenches if desire These and other objects, advantages and novel features the invention will become apparent from the detailed descripti which follows, when considered in conjunction with t accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of one form of the preferr embodiment; Figure 2 is a top view of the preferred embodiment shown Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a second form of the preferr embodiment; Figure 4 is a top view of the preferred embodiment shown Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view of a third form of the preferr embodiment; and Figure 6 is a top view of the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 shows a standard elongated cylindrical oil filter housing, which is designated generally as 10. The typical oil filter container consists of a closed top 11 and an open bottom 12. The threaded aperture, which is dimensioned to mate with a complementing threaded member on the engine housing, in a well known manner, is located at the open bottom 12. Figure 1 and Figure 2 teach an embodiment of the device. In reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2, it can be seen that the external closed end of the oil filter housing 11 is provided with a centrally fixed rib 20, or a plurality of centrally fixed ribs. The rib 20 serves as a handle. When turned, the rib 20 will impart a rotary motion to the oil filter unit. The rib 20 is formed such that afforded for the turning of the oil filte body by the twisting of the thumb in the counter direction to the fingers against such said device, by the twisting of th thumb in the counter direction to the index finger against suc said device, or locking the thumb and the index finger abou such said device and turning with the hand. To engage o disengage the oil filter body requires the clock-wise o counter-clock-wise rotation against the same said device usin either one or all of the above mentioned motions. The rib 20, in the preferred embodiment, is formed durin the oil filter housing as a pressed out portion of the close end of the cylinder. Alternatively, the rib 20 can be a rigi body attached to the closed end of completed oil filter housing. As a rigid body attachment, rib 20 is secured to the filter bod through welds, screws or the use of high temperature epox adhesives. While these methods are mentioned, it is to b understood that other attachment methods are possible. The primary considerations in the form of the rib 20 as rigid attached device are strength, dimension and attachability with the filter housing material. The rib 20 must be secured and rigid enough to be twisted without deforming and in turn impart a rotary motion to the filter body. The height of the rib 20 must provide ample surface to ensure non-slippage of the thumb and fingers when rotating. The width and length of the said device must provide ample leverage to generate the required torque for rotating the filter unit. Figure 3 and Figure 4 teach another embodiment of the device. In reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4, it can be seen that the external closed end of the oil filter container 11 is provided with a centrally fixed cam 30. The cam 30 could have a multiplicity of sides other than four. The cam 30 serves as a handle. When turned the cam 30 will impart a rotary motion to the oil filter unit. The cam 30 is formed such that afforded for the turning of the oil filter body by the twisting of the thumb in the counter direction to the fingers against such sai device, by the twisting of the thumb in the counter direction t the index finger against such said device, or locking the thum and index finger about such said device and turning with th hand. To engage or disengage the oil filter body requires th clock-wise or counter-clock-wise rotation against the same sai device using either one or all of the above-mentioned motions. The cam 30, in the preferred embodiment, is formed durin the oil filter housing as a pressed out portion of the close end of the cylinder. Alternatively, the cam 30 can be a rigi body attached to the closed end of completed oil filter body. As a rigid body attachment, cam 30 is secured to the filter bod through welds, screws or the use of high temperature epox adhesives. While these methods are mentioned, it is to b understood that other attachment methods are possible. The primary considerations in the form of the cam 30 as rigid attachment device are strength, dimension an attachability with the filter housing material. The cam 30 mus be secured and rigid enough to be twisted without deforming and in turn impart a rotary motion to the filter body. The height of the cam 30 must provide ample surface to ensure non-slippage of the thumb and fingers when rotating. The width and length of 5 the said device must provide ample leverage to generate the required torque for rotating the filter body. Figure 5 and Figure 6 teach a third embodiment of the device. In reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6, it can be seen that the external closed end of the oil filter container 11 is ° provided with a centrally fixed bail 40. The bail 40 serves as a handle. When turned the bail 40 will impart a rotary motion to the filter unit. The bail 40, an attached rigid device, is sufficiently wide and high to allow the insertion of fingers. The bail 40 is formed strong enough such that afforded for the 5 turning of the oil filter housing by the insertion of fingers into the bail 40 accompanied by the turning of the hand. To engage or disengage the oil filter body requires the clock-wise or counter-clock-wise repeat of the insertion and turning motions. 0 As a rigid body attachment, the bail 40 is secured to th filter body through welds, screws or the use of high temperatur epoxy adhesives. While these methods are mentioned, it is to be understood that other attachment methods are possible. The primary considerations in the form of the bail 40 as a 5 rigid attached device are strength, dimension and attachabilit with the filter housing material. The bail 40 must be secure and rigid enough to be twisted without deforming and in turn impart a rotary motion to the filter body. The height an length of the bail 40 must provide ample room for the insertio 0 of fingers.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. An improved construction for spin-on type oil filt housings (10) having an open end (12) , and a closed end (11 wherein the improvement comprises: an external handle fixed on the closed end (11) of t filter housing (10) that serves as a turning device whereby wh the handle is hand turned the handle imparts a rotary motion the filter body. 2. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle is a r (20) pressed out from the housing material as part of the clos end (11) . 3. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle is a r (20) attached to the closed end of the filter housing (10). 4. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle consists ribs (20) pressed out from the housing material as part of t closed end (11) . 5. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle consists ribs (20) attached to the closed end (11) of the filter housi (10). 6. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle is a c pressed out from the housing material as part of the closed e (11). 7. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle is a c (30) attached to the closed end (11) of the filter housing (10 8. The device of Claim 1; wherein the handle is a ba (40) attached to the closed end (11) of the filter housing (10

Inventors: HUANG ANDREW B, HUANG, ANDREW, B.
Applicants: HUANG ANDREW B, HUANG, ANDREW, B.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B01D27
IPC codes: B01D27, B01D35