Abstract:
A hollow plastic filter housing which is assembled from multiple parts, in which two primary housing members are alignable along a seam, and wherein the seam is disposed in a skewed orientation with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing. The filter housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member which is attachably alienable with the first housing member. The first and second housing members are abuttingly aligned and joined together along a weld seam which is skewed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing. The weld seam may be disposed at an angle or alternatively, may be curved and may include corresponding alignment structures.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the invention 
     The present invention relates to a hollow molded plastic housing, formed from multiple parts, in which two parts intersect at, and are joined along a weld seam. More particularly, the present invention relates to a molded plastic housing of the type described and having a skewed weld seam, that is, having a weld seam which does not coincide with any plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the assembly. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     Many different types of molded plastic housings are known and in use today. Plastic is increasingly a material of choice in modem manufacturing. As an example, certain plastic filter housings have been known and made of multiple parts which are glued or welded together around a filter element. 
     For example, many commercially available disposable in-line fuel filters include a plastic housing with two generally cup-shaped sections, which are joined at the open ends thereof at a symmetrical weld seam. This known type of fuel filter also has relatively narrow inlet and outlet tubes extending outwardly away from opposite ends of the housing. 
     One example of a fuel filter with a housing according to this known design is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,920. 
     A need still exists in the art for a plastic housing made in multiple pieces in which the number of pieces is kept as low as possible. 
     A continuing need in the filter industry also exists for innovative filter designs, and for economies of manufacturing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a hollow plastic filter housing which is assembled from multiple parts, in which two primary housing members are alignable along a seam, and wherein the seam is disposed in a skewed orientation with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing. A filter housing according to the present invention, generally, includes a first housing member and a second housing member which is alignable with the first housing member, and is provided for attachment thereto. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plastic housing, formed from multiple pieces, in which two complimentary primary pieces are joined along a weld seam which is skewed from the orthogonal, to allow the housing to be made in fewer pieces than would otherwise be possible. 
    
    
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the reader is referred to the following detailed description section, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description and in the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an assembled side plan view of a fuel filter housing according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded side plan view of a fuel filter housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an end plan view of a first housing member which is a first component of the housing of FIGS. 1-2; 
     FIG. 4 is an end plan view of a second housing member which is a second component of the housing of FIGS. 1-2; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded top plan view of a fuel filter which includes the housing of FIG. 2 as a component thereof; 
     FIG. 6 is an assembled side plan view of a fuel filter housing according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded side plan view of a fuel filter housing according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a first housing member which is a first component of the housing of FIGS. 6-7; 
     FIG. 9 is an internal end plan view of a second housing member which is a second component of the housing of FIGS. 6-7, showing the interior thereof; and 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded top plan view of the housing of FIGS.  6 - 7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     First Preferred Embodiment 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-2 of the drawings, a fuel filter housing, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, is shown generally at  10 . The housing  10  is made up of two complimentary housing members  12 ,  14  joined together as an integral unit. The first and second housing members  12 ,  14  share a common longitudinal axis  16  (FIG.  5 ). As seen in the end views of FIGS. 3 and 4, the housing  10 , in the depicted embodiment, has a substantially kidney-shaped outline and cross-sectional shape. 
     The housing members are connected and sealingly joined together along a seam  15 . In the practice of the present invention, the seam  15  is skewed, away from alignment with a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis  16  of the housing  10 , to allow the first housing member  12  to be made with an external flow tube  18 , formed as an integral part thereof, in a single molding operation. 
     The first housing member  12  has a first end portion  20  and a first side wall  22  integrally formed with, and extending away from the first end portion. The first end portion  20  and the first side wall  22  cooperate to define a first hollow socket  24 , for receiving one end of a filter element  26  therein. As best seen in FIG. 5, the first housing member has a first aperture  21  formed through the first end portion  20  thereof. The first aperture  21  is in fluid communication with the first hollow socket  24 . The first aperture  21  may form an outlet for the housing  10 . 
     The first side wall  22  has an edge  25  defining a first mating surface  28 , with a first shape, opposite the first end wall  20 . The external flow tube  18  extends outwardly away from the first side wall  22 , and is also in fluid communication with the first hollow socket  24 . 
     In a complimentary fashion to that discussed above in connection with the first housing member  12 , the second housing member  14  has a second end portion  30  and a second side wall  32  extending away from the second end portion. The second end portion  30  and the second side wall  32  cooperate to define a second hollow socket  34  for receiving a second end of the filter element  26  therein. The second side wall has an edge  35  defining a second mating surface  38 , with a second shape, opposite the second end wall  30 . 
     Most preferably, the second housing member  14  has a second aperture  31  formed through the second end portion  30  thereof The second aperture  31  is in fluid communication with the second hollow socket  34 . The second aperture  31  may form a bypass outlet channel for the housing  10 . 
     The second mating surface  38  corresponds to, and is alignable with the first mating surface  28 , to define the seam IS between the first and second housing members. 
     As noted, the seam is disposed in a skewed orientation with respect to a plane which is transverse to the longitudinal axis  16  of the housing. 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the seam  15  is curvilinear and non-planar. The seam  15  is somewhat free-form in shape, including curved portions. Also in this embodiment, the first mating surface  28  includes a protrusion which fits into a notch  39  of the second mating surface  38 , so that there is only one correct way to align the first and second housing members  12 ,  14 . The seam  15  may be symmetrical or asymmetrical, as desired. 
     Second Preferred Embodiment 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6-10 of the drawings, a fuel filter housing, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, is shown generally at  210 . The housing  210  is made up of two complimentary housing members  212 ,  214  joined together as an integral unit. The first and second housing members  212 ,  214  share a common longitudinal axis  216  (FIG.  10 ). As seen best in the interior view of the first housing member  212  in FIG. 9, the housing  210 , in the second depicted embodiment, has a substantially kidney-shaped outline and cross-sectional shape. The housing members  212 ,  214  are connected and sealingly joined together along a seam  215 . In the practice of the present invention, the seam  215  is skewed, away from the orthogonal. In other words, the seam  215  is skewed out of alignment with a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis  216  of the housing  210 , to allow the first housing member  212  to be made with an external flow tube  218 , formed as an integral part thereof, in a single molding operation. 
     The housing  210  according to the second depicted embodiment is substantially identical to housing  10  according to the first embodiment, except for the difference in the shapes of the first and second housing members at the respective seams  15 ,  215 . 
     In the second embodiment of the housing  210 , the first housing member  212  has a first end portion  220  and a first side wall  222  integrally formed with, and extending away from the first end portion. The first end portion  220  and the first side wall  222  cooperate to define a first hollow socket  224 , for receiving one end of a filter element  26  therein. (The filter element is the same as the element  26  shown in FIG.  5 ). As best seen in FIG. 8, the first housing member  220  has a first aperture  221  formed through the first end portion  220  thereof. The first aperture  221  is in fluid communication with the first hollow socket  224 . The first aperture  221  may form an outlet for the housing  210 . 
     The first side wall  222  has an edge  225  defining a first mating surface  228 , with a first shape, opposite the first end wall  220 . The external flow tube  218  extends outwardly away from the first side wall  222 , and is also in fluid communication with the first hollow socket  224 . 
     In a complimentary fashion to that discussed above in connection with the first housing member  212 , the second housing member  214  has a second end portion  230  and a second side wall  232  extending away from the second end portion. The second end portion  230  and the second side wall  232  cooperate to define a second hollow socket  234  for receiving a second end of the filter element  26  therein. The second side wall has an edge  235  defining a second mating surface  238 , with a second shape, opposite the second end wall  230 . 
     Most preferably, the second housing member  214  has a second aperture  231  formed through the second end portion  230  thereof The second aperture  231  is in fluid communication with the second hollow socket  234 . The second aperture  231  may form a bypass outlet channel for the housing  210 . 
     The second mating surface  238  corresponds to, and is alignable with the first mating surface  228 , to define the seam  215  between the first and second housing members  212 ,  214 , respectively. 
     As noted, the seam  215  is disposed in a skewed orientation with respect to a plane which is transverse to the longitudinal axis  16  of the housing. 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 6-10, the seam  215  is disposed substantially coincident with a plane P (FIG.  6 ), which intersects the longitudinal axis  216  of the housing  210  at an angle. In the illustrated embodiment, the seam  215  is disposed along a plane P offset 30 degrees from the orthogonal, as shown. 
     As best seen in FIG. 9, the depicted filter housing  210  has a substantially kidney-shaped cross-section. 
     Although the present invention has been described herein with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art will realize that many modifications of the preferred embodiment could be made which would be operable. All such modifications which are within the scope of the claims are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention.