Abstract:
A filter includes a housing with multiple flow passages and filter elements, including at least first and second flow passages therethrough including respective first and second filter elements in parallel. Respective internal dividing walls separate flow passages in space saving relation.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
   The invention relates to filters, including air cleaners. 
   The invention arose during continuing development efforts directed toward filter assemblies providing more efficient use of space and better performance, including smaller package size and more flexibility in package geometry. The present system provides more filter media area in a given volume. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is perspective cut-away view of a filter constructed in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the housing of the assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is like  FIG. 1  and shows a further embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1-3  show a filter  10  including a housing  12  having an inlet  14  and an outlet  16 . A first flow passage  18  is provided through the housing from inlet  14  to outlet  16 , and includes a first filter element  20  filtering fluid flowing along first flow passage  18 . A second flow passage  22  is provided through the housing from inlet  14  to outlet  16 , and includes a second filter element  24  filtering fluid flowing along second flow passage  22 . First and second flow passages  18  and  22  are in parallel with each other such that incoming fluid flow at inlet  14  is split into first and second parallel flow paths in first and second flow passages  18  and  22 , respectively, and flows through first and second filter elements  20  and  24 , respectively, and re-joins at outlet  16 . First and second flow passages  18  and  22  through respective first and second filter elements  20  and  24  are independent of each other. 
   Housing  12  includes an internal dividing wall  26  separating first and second flow passages  18  and  22  such that fluid in first flow passage  18  flows through first filter element  20  to the exclusion of and bypassing second filter element  24 , and such that fluid in second flow passage  22  flows through second filter element  24  to the exclusion of and bypassing first filter element  20 . First filter element  20  has an upstream face  28  receiving incoming fluid along first flow passage  18  from inlet  14 . First filter element  20  has a downstream face  30  delivering filtered fluid along first flow passage  18  to outlet  16 . Second filter element  24  has an upstream face  32  receiving incoming fluid along second flow passage  22  from inlet  14 . Second filter element  24  has a downstream face  34  delivering filtered fluid along second flow passage  22  to outlet  16 . Internal dividing wall  26  has a first surface  36  facing downstream face  30  of first filter element  20 . Internal dividing wall  26  has a second surface  38  facing oppositely to first surface  36  and facing upstream face  32  of second filter element. Housing  12  has a first sidewall  40  defining a first plenum  42  between first sidewall  40  and upstream face  28  of first filter element  20 . Internal dividing wall  26  has the noted first surface  36  defining a second plenum  44  between surface  36  of internal dividing wall  26  and downstream face  30  of first filter element  20 . Internal dividing wall  26  has the noted second surface  38  defining a third plenum  46  between surface  38  of internal dividing wall  26  and upstream face  32  of second filter element  24 . Housing  12  has a second sidewall  48  defining a fourth plenum  50  between housing sidewall  48  and downstream face  34  of second filter element  24 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, first and second sidewalls  40  and  48  of the housing are spaced by first filter element  20 , internal dividing wall  26 , and second filter element  24  respectively in serial spatial alignment therewith. Further in the preferred embodiment, housing sidewalls  40  and  48  are spaced by first plenum  42 , first filter element  20 , second plenum  44 , internal dividing wall  26 , third plenum  46 , second filter element  24 , and fourth plenum  50  respectively in serial spatial alignment therewith. First and third plenums  42  and  46  communicate with each other at inlet  14 . Second and fourth plenums  44  and  50  communicate with each other at outlet  16 . 
   First and second filter elements  20  and  24  are spaced from each other by a gap  52 . Internal dividing wall  26  is a diagonal wall which diagonally spans gap  52  and defines an upstream triangular shaped plenum  46  having a closed corner end  54  at upstream face  32  of second filter element  24 , and having an open end  56  communicating with inlet  14 . Diagonal wall  26  also defines a downstream triangular shaped plenum  44  having a closed corner end  58  at downstream face  30  of first filter element  20 , and having an open end  60  communicating with outlet  16 . In the preferred embodiment, diagonal wall  26  has a non-rectilinear wave shape providing increased entrance area at upstream open end  56  of triangular shaped plenum  46  and reduced area at closed corner end  54  of triangular shaped plenum  46 , and providing increased exit area at downstream open end  60  of triangular shaped plenum  44  and reduced area at closed corner end  58  of triangular shaped plenum  44 . 
   A spacer  62  supports first and second filter elements  20  and  24  and maintains gap  52  therebetween. Spacer  62  has first and second spacer walls  64  and  66  extending transversely (up-down in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) across gap  52 , and extending longitudinally (left-right in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) between open ends  56  and  60  of upstream and downstream triangular shaped plenums  46  and  44 . Spacer walls  64  and  66  are laterally spaced from each other by diagonal wall  26  therebetween. The spacer walls have upstream ends communicating with inlet  14 , and have downstream ends communicating with outlet  16 . Spacer walls  64  and  66  extend longitudinally (left-right in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ) between such upstream and downstream ends. The upstream ends of spacer walls  64  and  66  are laterally spaced by open end  56  of upstream triangular shaped plenum  46  therebetween. The downstream ends of spacer walls  64  and  66  are laterally spaced by open end  60  of downstream triangular shaped plenum  44  therebetween. Diagonal wall  26  has an upstream end  68  spanning laterally between the upstream ends of spacer walls  64  and  66 . Diagonal wall  26  has a downstream end  70  spanning laterally between the downstream ends of spacer walls  64  and  66 . Spacer  62  has an upstream bridging portion  72  extending laterally between the upstream ends of spacer walls  64  and  66  and transversely spaced from upstream end  68  of diagonal wall  26  by open end  56  of upstream triangular shaped plenum  46  therebetween. Spacer  62  has a downstream bridging portion  74  extending laterally between the downstream ends of spacer walls  64  and  66  and spaced transversely from downstream end  70  of diagonal wall  26  by open end  60  of downstream triangular shaped plenum  44  therebetween. The spacer walls may be solid, or may be provided by a plurality of transversely extending ribs  65 ,  67 , respectively, as shown. 
   A gasket  76 ,  FIG. 2 , seals first and second filter elements  20  and  24  and spacer  62  to housing  12 . Gasket  76  has an upstream segment  78  extending along upstream bridging portion  72  of spacer  62 , a downstream segment  80  extending along downstream bridging portion  74  of spacer  62 , and a pair of laterally spaced diagonal side segments  82  and  84  extending diagonally along spacer walls  64  and  66  diagonally oppositely to the diagonal extension of diagonal wall  26 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , diagonal side segments  82  and  84  of the gasket extend diagonally from upper right to lower left, whereas diagonal wall  26  extends diagonally from lower right to upper left. Housing  12  is provided by a pair of shrouds  86  and  88 ,  FIGS. 1 ,  3  removably mated to each other along an interface  90  coincident with gasket  76  including diagonal side segments  82  and  84  of the gasket. Inlet  14  is in shroud housing section  86 . Outlet  16  is in shroud housing section  88 . The shrouds are removably mounted to each other, for example, by hinges or clips such as  92  at one end, and clamps such as  94  at the other end. The shrouds preferably pinch and compress gasket  76  therebetween along the entire perimeter thereof including gasket segments  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84 . 
   The above principles may be applied to multiple flow filter systems wherein the filter housing may have multiple flow passages including the noted first and second flow passages and one or more additional flow passages therethrough.  FIG. 4  shows a further embodiment and uses like reference numerals from above where appropriate to facilitate understanding. A third flow passage  100  is provided through housing  12  from inlet  14  to outlet  16 , and includes a third filter element  102  filtering fluid flowing along third flow passage  100 . First and second and third flow passages  18  and  22  and  100  are in parallel with each other such that incoming fluid flow at inlet  14  is split into first and second and third parallel flow paths in first and second and third flow passages  18  and  22  and  100 , respectively, and flows through first and second and third filter elements  20  and  24  and  102 , respectively, and re-joins at outlet  16 . First and second and third flow passages  18  and  22  and  100  through respective first and second and third filter elements  20  and  24  and  102  are independent of each other. The housing has a second internal dividing wall  104  separating second and third flow passages  22  and  100 . Fluid in first flow passage  18  flows through first filter element  20  to the exclusion of and bypassing second and third filter elements  24  and  102 . Fluid in second flow passage  22  flows through second filter element  24  to the exclusion of and bypassing and first and third filter elements  20  and  102 . Fluid in third flow passage  100  flows through third filter element  102  to the exclusion of and bypassing first and second filter elements  20  and  24 . Third filter element  102  has an upstream face  106  receiving incoming fluid along third flow passage  100  from inlet  14 , and a downstream face  108  delivering filtered fluid along third flow passage  100  to outlet  16 . Second internal dividing wall  104  has a first surface  110  facing downstream face  34  of second filter element  24 , and a second surface  112  facing oppositely to first surface  110  and facing upstream face  106  of third filter element  102 . Internal dividing wall  104  has the noted first surface  110  defining a plenum  114  between surface  110  and downstream face  34  of second filter element  24 . Internal dividing wall  104  has the noted second surface  112  defining a plenum  116  between surface  112  and upstream face  106  of third filter element  102 . Housing sidewalls  40  and  48  in  FIG. 4  are spaced by first filter element  20 , first internal dividing wall  26 , second filter element  24 , second internal dividing wall  104 , and third filter element  102  respectively in serial spatial alignment therebetween. More specifically in  FIG. 4 , sidewalls  40  and  48  are spaced by plenum  42 , first filter element  20 , plenum  44 , first internal dividing wall  26 , plenum  46 , second filter element  24 , plenum  114 , second internal dividing wall  104 , plenum  116 , third filter element  102 , and plenum  50  respectively in serial spatial alignment therebetween. Plenums  42  and  46  and  116  communicate with each other and with inlet  14 . Plenums  44  and  114  and  50  communicate with each other and with outlet  16 . Second and third filter elements  24  and  102  are spaced from each other by a gap  118 , by a second spacer  62   a  comparable to spacer  62 . Internal dividing wall  104  is a diagonal wall which diagonally spans gap  118  and defines an upstream triangular shaped plenum  116  having a closed corner end  120  at upstream face  106  of third filter element  102 , and having an open end  122  communicating with inlet  14 . Diagonal wall  104  also defines a downstream triangular shaped plenum  114  having a closed corner end  124  at downstream face  34  of second filter element  24 , and having an open end  126  communicating with outlet  16 . Diagonal wall  104  preferably has a non-rectilinear wave shape providing increased entrance area at upstream open end  122  of triangular shaped plenum  116  and reduced area at closed corner end  120  of triangular shaped plenum  116 , and providing increased exit area at downstream open end  126  of triangular shaped plenum  114  and reduced area at closed corner end  124  of triangular shaped plenum  114 . Fourth, fifth, and so on, multiple filter elements and flow passages may be provided in accordance with the above teachings. 
   It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.