Abstract:
A modular filter assembly for use in a fluid filtering system comprising a housing for a filter media. The housing has an open end and a closed end. The modular filter assembly further comprises a collar for attachment to the open end of the housing. The collar defines a collar orifice. A removable locking element is configured to be received at the collar orifice. The modular filter assembly also comprises cooperating structure between the collar and the removable locking element for releasably attaching the removable locking element to the collar for selective access to the filter media within the housing. The housing can be one of a plurality of select lengths to receive a filter media that is a corresponding one of several lengths.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure is directed towards filter assemblies and more particularly toward fluid filter assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The overwhelming majority of oil filters made, sold, and used throughout the world utilize a single piece housing. In order to remove a filter element from a traditional paper/glass filter assembly one must cut the filter housing apart. If the filter assembly is reusable, one must somehow disassemble the filter housing in order to remove the filter element from the housing. The reusable filter assembly then must have the housing reassembled to make a complete functioning unit. This process is very time intensive and typically requires the use of tools and disassembling the filter housing. 
         [0003]    One type of reusable assembly uses a single piece housing having an integrally formed collar defining an orifice. A removable locking element is provided and a cooperating structure between the locking element and the integrally formed collar allows the locking element to be locked and unlocked from the integrally formed collar to provide selective access to a filter element within the housing. Manufacturing of a single piece of housing having an integrated collar is cumbersome and it is difficult to provide tolerances necessary for a long life filter assembly. It is also expensive and time intensive. Further, manufacturing a single piece housing having an integrated collar for a reusable filter assembly limits the interchangeability of sub parts across multiple filter assemblies. 
         [0004]    The present embodiment described herein is intended to overcome one or more of the problems discussed above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A first aspect is a modular filter assembly. The modular filter assembly comprises a housing for a filter media. The housing has an open end and a closed end. The modular filter assembly further comprises a collar for attachment to the open end of the housing. The collar may be attached to the housing with a threaded connection, a welded connection, a press-fit connection, an adhesive connection or combinations thereof. The collar defines a collar orifice. A removable locking element is configured to be received at the collar orifice. The modular filter assembly also comprises cooperating structure between the collar and the removable locking element for releasably attaching the removable locking element to the collar for selective access to a filter media within the housing. The housing can be one of a plurality of select lengths to receive a filter media that is a corresponding one of several lengths. The filter media may comprise natural or synthetic materials such as steel wool, metal meshes, sintered metal, cotton, other natural or synthetic materials or combinations thereof. 
         [0006]    A second aspect is a modular filter assembly comprising a cylindrical filter element with a first and a second open end. The cylindrical filter element is received in a housing which has an open end and a closed end. The housing may be one of a plurality of select lengths to receive the cylindrical filter element that is a corresponding one of several select lengths. A collar defining a collar orifice engages about the open end of the housing and the collar orifice constricts the open end of the housing. The connection between the collar and the housing could be at least one of a threaded connection, a welded connection, a pressfit connection, or an adhesive connection. The collar orifice is sized to axially receive the cylindrical filter element. The modular filter assembly further comprises a removable locking element having a central bore. The removable locking element is configured to releasably engage with the collar and mate with the first open end of the cylindrical filter element with the central bore in communication with an interior of the cylindrical filter element to releasably secure the cylindrical filter element inside the housing. A filter plate is configured to mate with the second open end of the cylindrical filter element. The filter plate may be a check valve or a solid plate and it may be configured to releasably engage with the second open end of the cylindrical filter media. The modular filter assembly further comprises a biasing element which is operatively associated between the filter plate and the bottom of the housing to bias the cylindrical filer element into contact with the removable locking element. 
         [0007]    Another aspect is a method of providing a filter for a filtering application that includes providing a plurality of filter housings, each filter housing having an open end and a closed end. Each filter housing is one of several select lengths and each filter housing has a common opening diameter. A collar is provided and configured for attachment to an open end of each of the plurality of housings. The collar defines a collar orifice which constricts the opening of each of the plurality of filter housings. A removable locking element is provided to be received in the collar orifice. A filter media is provided and the filter media length corresponds to the length of one of the filter housings. The cross-section of the filter media is configured for axial insertion into the collar orifice. A housing is then selected to correspond to the length of the filter media. The collar is attached to the open end of the selected housing. The step of attaching the collar to the open end of the selected housing may comprise at least one of threading, welding, press-fitting, or adhering using an adhesive. The filter media is axially inserted into the collar orifice. The removable locking element is placed in the collar orifice. Cooperating structure is used to releasably attach the removable locking element to the collar orifice to contain the filter media in the housing. 
         [0008]    The method may further comprise providing a collar defining a collar orifice that has radial notches adjacent to the collar orifice. The collar may further define radial cavities in an inner surface of the collar adjacent to the collar orifice. The radial cavities are offset along the inner diameter of the collar orifice from the radial notches of the collar orifice. In such an embodiment, a removable locking element is provided that has a plurality of circumferential teeth extending radially and each tooth is configured to be received in the corresponding radial notch adjacent to the collar orifice. The circumferential teeth of the removable locking element are then received in the radial notches of the collar orifice to extend through the collar; the removable locking element is rotated about its axis to align the circumferential teeth with the radial cavities. The circumferential teeth are then received in the radial cavities wherein upon receipt of the circumferential teeth in the radial cavities the removable locking element is locked against axial rotation and the removable locking element can only be moved axially toward the bottom of the housing until the circumferential teeth clear the radial cavities. 
         [0009]    The method may further comprise the filter media being cylindrical and having a first and a second open end. The removable locking element is configured to releasably mate with the first open end of the cylindrical filter media. The cooperating structure may consist of a filter plate configured to releasably mate with the second open end of the cylindrical filter media and a biasing element operatively associated between the filter plate and the bottom of the housing to bias the filter media into contact with the removable locking element. The removable locking element is mated with the first open end of the filter media. The filter plate is mated with the second open end of the filter media. The biasing element is operatively associated between the filter plate and the bottom of the housing and cooperates with the removable locking element to prevent axial rotation of the locking element. 
         [0010]    The housing and collar when combined allow the removal and reinstallation of a filter media without disassembling the outer filter housing or its components. The housing and collar can remain as one part during the release and removal of the filter element from the complete filter assembly. Manufacturing of the present embodiments is faster, less expensive, and enables closer tolerances. The collar may be used with housings of various lengths and corresponding filter media of various lengths. The removable locking element and filter media may be removed from the housing without the use of tools. Further, many of the subparts, such as the collar, the removable locking element, and the filter plate can be interchangeable across multiple filter assemblies 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fully assembled filter assembly in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the filter assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the filter assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the filter assembly of  FIG. 1  taken along line  1 - 1  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the collar and housing of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partially exploded perspective view of the collar, housing, removable locking element, and filter media of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the collar and removable locking element in an aligned but disassociated position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the collar and removable locking element in the aligned but disassociated position of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the collar and the removable locking element as the removable locking element is being engaged with the collar. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the collar and the removable locking element as the removable locking element is being engaged with the collar as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the collar and the removable locking element with the removable locking element in a fully locked in position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the collar and the removable locking element with the removable locking element in a fully locked in position as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    An embodiment of a fully assembled filter assembly  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The filter assembly  10  may be used to filter fluids, which include liquids and/or gases. The fully assembled filter assembly  10  has a housing  12  attached to a collar  14  and a removable locking element  16  received in an orifice  18  of the collar  14  in a fully locked position. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the filter assembly  10  of  FIG. 1 . The filter assembly  10  includes a filter element or filter media  20 . The filter element  20  may be composed of various filter media comprising natural or synthetic materials such as steel wool, metal meshes, sintered metal, cotton, other natural or synthetic materials or combinations thereof. The filter element  20  depicted herein is cylindrical and has a first opening  22  and a second opening  24 . The filter element  20  may have different cross-sections provided the orifice  18  of the collar  14  has a mating cross-section. The housing  12  for the filter element  20  has an open end  26  and a closed end  50 . The collar  14  is configured for attachment to the open end  26  of the housing  12 . The collar  14  defines the collar orifice  18  which constricts the open end  26  of the housing  12  and is configured to axially receive the filter element  20 . The removable locking element  16  has a central bore  28  and releasably engages with the collar  14 . In some embodiments the removable locking element  16  may releasably mate with and seal the first opening  22  of the filter element  20  through the use of a removable locking element o-ring  30  (see  FIG. 4 ) with the central bore  28  in communication with an interior  32  of the filter element  20 . A filter plate  34  is configured to mate with the second opening  24  of the filter element  20 . The filter plate  34  may have a filter plate o-ring  36  which allows the filter plate  34  to releasably mate with and seal the second opening  24  of the filter element  20 . A first embodiment of the filter plate  34  could comprise a solid plate. Another embodiment of the filter plate  34  could comprise a check valve, for example a ball-check valve (not shown). A biasing element  38  is operatively associated between the filter plate  34  and the bottom of the housing  12  to bias the filter element  20  and the removable locking element  16  into contact with the collar  14 . In the embodiment illustrated herein, the biasing element  38  is a conical coil spring. In other embodiments the biasing element  38  could be other configurations of a spring, a block of elastomeric material, a Belleville washer, or other devices alone or in combination for providing the desired biasing effect described in more detail below. Of course, if the filter element  20  does not have the second opening  24 , the filter plate  34  may be omitted and the biasing element  38  can contact a bottom of the filter element  20 . 
         [0025]    One embodiment of the housing  12  has a common open end diameter, but the length of the housing is one of a plurality is select lengths to receive filter media  20  that is a corresponding one of several lengths. This provides the advantage of using several different lengths of filter media  20  in housings  12  of various lengths but still maintaining a common open end  26  diameter for the housing  12 . Thus, the collar  14  may be manufactured to conform to a specific open end  26  diameter of the housing  12  and the same sized collar  14  can be used for various lengths of the housing and filter media. In other embodiments such collars  14  can be provided with different diameter orifices  18  to accommodate filter media  20  of varying diameters. 
         [0026]    As shown herein, the removable locking element  16  has a plurality of circumferential teeth  40  extending radially and each tooth is configured to be received in a corresponding radial notch  42  on an inner surface of the collar  14 . Here, the removable locking element  16  has five teeth and the collar  14  has five corresponding notches  42 . The collar  14  further defines a corresponding number of equally spaced radial cavities  44  in a bottom surface of the collar  14  adjacent to the collar orifice  18 , wherein the radial cavities  44  are offset along the inner diameter of the collar orifice  18  from the radial notches  42  of the collar orifice  18 . This is perhaps best viewed in  FIG. 5 . The circumferential teeth  40  of the removable locking element  16  can be received in the radial notches  42  and then extend from the bottom surface of the collar  14 . The removable locking element  16  can then be rotated on its axis to align the circumferential teeth  40  with the radial cavities  44  and moved axially to receive the circumferential teeth  40  in the radial cavities  44 . Once the circumferential teeth  40  have been received in the radial cavities  44  the removable locking element  16  can only be moved axially toward the housing bottom until the circumferential teeth  40  clear the radial cavities  44 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , in an assembled state the biasing element  38  biases the circumferential teeth  40  in the radial cavities  44  of the collar orifice  18  to lock the removable locking element  16 . 
         [0027]    The central bore  28  of the removable locking element  16  has an inner diameter configured for releasable attachment to a source of fluid to be filtered which allows the filtration assembly  10  to be used in a plurality of different applications. As illustrated in the present embodiment, the central bore  28  of the removable locking element  16  is internally threaded to mate with male threads of a source of fluid to be filtered, for example, an engine. The removable locking element  16  may alternatively comprise externally threaded extension about the central bore  28  to mate with female threads of a source of fluid to be filtered. Other connection configurations as required by a source of fluids to be filtered may be incorporated in the filter assembly  10 . 
         [0028]    The removable locking element  16  and the filter plate  34  are configured to engage with filter media  20  of a variety of lengths. The removable locking element  16  and the filter plate  34  may be press-fit into the filter media  20 . The connection between the removable locking element  16  and the filter media  20  and the filter plate  34  and the filter media  20  may also be one of a threaded connection, a welded connection, an adhesive connection or combinations thereof. A press-fit connection and seal can be achieved through the use of a removable locking element o-ring  30  and a filter plate o-ring  36 . The o-rings  30  and  36  seal the first opening  22  and second opening  24  of the filter element to prevent fluid from leaking out of the first opening  22  and the second opening  24  of the filter element  20 . Further, the o-rings  30  and  36  allow the removable locking element  16  and the filter plate  34  to releasably engage with the filter media  20 . If the filter media  20  is disposable, this allows the removable locking element  16  and the filter plate  34  to be reused with the new filter media without having to dispose of both the removable locking element  16  and the filter plate  34 . This also has the advantage that the removable locking element  16  and filter plate  34  may be removed from the filter element  20  without the use of tools making the process of removing the filter media  20  faster and less expensive. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a view of the fully assembled filter assembly  10 . The collar  14  is fully attached to the housing  12  and the removable locking element  16  is locked in place with the collar orifice  18 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3  taken along line  1 - 1 . The removable locking element  16  has been fully received in the radial cavities  44  on the inner surface of the collar  14  and the biasing element  38  is fully biased locking the removable locking element  16  and the filter media  20  into the radial cavities  44  on the inner surface of the collar orifice  18 . This prevents the locking element  16  from axial rotation and the removable locking element  16  can only be moved axially toward the bottom of the housing  12  against the action of the elastic element  38  until the circumferential teeth  40  of the removable locking element  16  clear the radial cavities  44 . 
         [0030]    A gasket  48  is also shown, in  FIG. 4 , to seal the collar  14  to a source of fluid to be filtered, which is not shown. The gasket  48  prevents fluid from leaking from the collar  14  into the area surrounding the filter assembly  10 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the collar  14  and housing  12  of  FIG. 2 . An outer diameter  46  of the collar  14  is threaded to engage with a threaded inner diameter of the open end  26  of the housing  12 . This allows the collar  14  to releasably mate with the housing  12 . The connection shown in  FIG. 5  between the housing  12  and the collar  14  is a threaded connection. However, the invention is not limited to just a threaded connection. The connection between the housing  12  and the collar  14  could be one of a threaded connection, a welded connection, a press-fit connection, an adhesive connection or combinations thereof. The use of a threaded connection may allow the collar  14  to be removed easily from the housing  12 . An adhesive could be applied to the threads to prevent removal of the collar from the housing. 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a view of the filter media  20 , housing  12 , collar  14 , and removable locking element  16  of  FIG. 2 . The collar  14  is fully attached to the housing  12  and the filter media  20  and the removable locking element  16  are being axially received through the collar orifice  18 .  FIG. 6  illustrates that the filter media  20  and the removable locking element  16  can be fully received through the collar orifice  18 . The collar orifice  18  allows the removal and reinstallation of the filter media  20  without disassembling the housing  12  from the collar  14 . Because the housing  12  does not have to be reassembled, removing or installing the filter media  20  is faster and less expensive. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 7 through 12  show the interaction between the collar  14  and the removable locking element  16 .  FIGS. 7 and 8  show the collar  14  and the removable locking element  16  in an aligned but disengaged position.  FIGS. 9 and 10  show the collar  14  and the removable locking element  16  as the removable locking element  16  is being engaged with the collar  14 . The circumferential teeth  40  of the removable locking element  16  are received in the radial notches  42  to extend from the bottom surface of the collar  14 . The removable locking element  16  can then be rotated on its axis to align the circumferential teeth  40  with the radial cavities  44  which are offset from the radial notches  42  and moved axially toward the top of the housing  12  to receive the circumferential teeth  40  in the radial cavities  44 .  FIGS. 11 and 12  show the collar  14  and the removable locking element  16  when the removable locking element  16  is fully locked in position. Once the circumferential teeth  40  have been received in the radial cavities  44  the removable locking element  16  can only be moved axially toward the bottom of the housing  12  until the circumferential teeth  40  clear the radial cavities  44 . The biasing element  38 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , secures the circumferential teeth  40  of the removable locking element  16  in the radial cavities  44  and cooperates with the removable locking element  16  to prevent axial rotation of the removable locking element  16 . An advantage of this design is that the removable locking element  16  and the filter media  20  may be removed from the collar orifice  18  without the use of tools and without disassembling the filter housing  12 . 
         [0034]    The filter assembly disclosed herein can have application to a wide variety of apparatuses utilizing filter assemblies, including, but not limited to, motor vehicle or other engines, hydraulic pumps, coolant systems, bulk liquid processing, hot tubs, and air and water purification systems. 
         [0035]    Various embodiments of the disclosure could also include permutations of the various elements recited in the claims as if each dependent claim was a multiple dependent claim incorporating the limitations of each of the preceding dependent claims as well as the independent claims. Such permutations are expressly within the scope of this disclosure. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a number of embodiments, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the form and details may be made to the various embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and that the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to act as limitations on the scope of the claims. All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety by reference.