Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses an air cleaner assembly having improved dynamic wall stiffness includes an air filter element having a filter media for filtering an air stream in the air cleaner. The filter element includes a substantially rigid frame member that surrounds a flow aperture covered by the filter media. Having a frame member, the frame member supports the filter media and has a frame body that circumferentially surrounds the flow aperture. A flange for mounting the filter element in an air cleaner housing is secured to the frame body or otherwise secured to the filter element and extend generally outwardly relative to the flow aperture. To provide further improved dynamically stiffening of the walls of the air cleaner, the filter element is provided with one or more wall stiffening members. The stiffening members include elongated locking members secured and positioned at opposing sidewalls of the filter element. Having a frame member, the locking members are secured onto the frame member and positioned at opposing sidewalls of the filter element. The locking members extend in an axial flow direction at least partially along the depth of the sidewall of the filter element. Having at least one stiffening rib, the substantially rigid elongated stiffening rib extends laterally across the flow aperture proximate to the filter media between the two locking members at the opposing filter sides. The stiffening rib or ribs is secured at opposing ends to a respective one of the locking members.

It is an object of the invention to provide a stable filter system, in particular an air filter system, being easily to assemble or disassemble.

Another object is to provide a filter element for a filter system, in particular an air filter system, being easily to assemble or disassemble.

According to an aspect of the invention the first object is achieved by a filter system, in particular an air filter system, comprising a housing comprising a first housing part and a second housing part, a fluid inlet formed in the first housing part, a fluid outlet formed in the second housing part, and a filter element being accommodated in the housing, and comprising a filter body with a filter medium enclosed by a circumferential frame element, and structure elements protruding from a circumference of the filter element, the structure elements comprising grooves respectively in circumference walls of the structure elements. The first housing part comprises a receiving part for receiving the filter element, the receiving part comprising counter elements respectively corresponding to the structure elements, and the counter elements being breakthroughs that are arranged circumferentially on and formed through a wall of the receiving part. The grooves included in the structure elements are for receiving edges of the breakthroughs of the counter elements in a sealing manner when the filter element is arranged in the receiving part.

Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

Advantageously the counter elements are complementarily formed to the structure elements. Thus the structure elements and the counter elements are fitting tightly when the filter element is mounted to the first housing part.

By this way the filter element may easily be mounted to the first housing part and/or easily dismounted for replacement of the filter element.

A further advantage of this design of structure elements and counter elements is that these elements may stiffen the housing when the filter element is mounted to the first housing part. Therefore any stiffening ribs of the housing which may be needed otherwise may be replaced by the cooperation of the structure elements and the counter elements.

Thus according to embodiments of the invention an easy mounting of the filter element into the housing of the filter system together with a stiffened housing may be achieved. Also a weight of the filter system may advantageously be reduced by this way.

The counter elements may be realized as slots in a wall of the receiving part, where the structure elements may be inserted when the filter element is mounted to the first housing part. Advantageously the housing is sealed against the environment when the filter element is mounted into the housing as the slots are then closed by the structure elements. Thus no harmful particles or fluids from the environment may enter an inside of the housing.

By this way the counter elements and thus the housing may be sealed by the structure elements when the filter element is mounted to the housing.

The counter elements are inserted into the circumference of the filter element when the filter element is mounted to the housing. Advantageously the housing may be stiffened by the cooperation of the structure elements and the counter elements and also the filter element may be sealed against a raw fluid section of the first housing part.

According to a favorable embodiment of the filter system, the structure elements may be formed with a tapered shape in a mounting direction. Advantageously mounting of the filter element into the first housing part may be facilitated.

According to a favorable embodiment of the filter system, the second housing part may comprise a protruding edge overlapping the first housing part when mounted on top of the first housing part. By this way easy placement of the second housing part on top of the first housing part is possible as well as reliable sealing of the housing against the environment.

According to a favorable embodiment of the filter system, the first housing part may further comprise one or more snap hooks for closing the housing by respectively fitting into one or more grooves included in the second housing part. By this way easy mounting of the second housing part on top of the first housing part is possible as well as reliable connection of the first housing part and the second housing part and sealing of the housing against the environment.

According to a favorable embodiment of the filter system the structure elements may be integral with a side wall at least partially surronding the filter body, and/or may be integral with the circumferential frame element. Advantageously production of the filter system may be optimized due to reduced production cost of the single parts of the filter element and the housing.

The present invention together with the above-mentioned and other objects and advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments, but not restricted to the embodiments, wherein is shown in:.

In the drawings, like elements are referred to with equal reference numerals. The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Moreover, the drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.

<FIG> depicts a filter system <NUM>, in particular an air filter system <NUM>, with a first housing part <NUM> and a filter element <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention in an exploded view.

The filter system <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM>, where in <FIG> only the first housing part <NUM>, which is the lower part of the housing <NUM>, is shown. Further the filter system <NUM> comprises the filter element <NUM> which in an intended use is accommodated in the housing <NUM>.

The filter element <NUM> comprises a filter body <NUM> with a filter medium <NUM>, e.g. a pleated nonwoven, which is enclosed by a circumferential frame element <NUM>. The frame element <NUM> supports a gasket <NUM> between the raw side and the clean side of the filter system <NUM>.

A receiving part <NUM> is provided on the first housing part <NUM> for receiving the filter element <NUM>. The frame element <NUM> fits into a flange <NUM> of the receiving part <NUM> when the filter element <NUM> is mounted to the first housing part <NUM> so that the gasket <NUM> of the frame element <NUM> is received by a sealing surface of a second housing part <NUM> (<FIG>) when closing the first housing part <NUM>.

A number of structure elements <NUM> are arranged on a circumference <NUM> of the filter element <NUM>, e.g. in a side wall <NUM> of the circumference <NUM> and as part of the frame element <NUM>, respectively.

The receiving part <NUM> provides a number of corresponding counter elements <NUM> for cooperating with the structure elements <NUM>. The counter elements <NUM> are arranged circumferentially on a wall <NUM> of the receiving part <NUM>.

The structure elements <NUM> and the counter elements <NUM> form a tight connection when the filter element <NUM> is arranged in the receiving part <NUM>.

The structure elements <NUM> are protruding from the circumference <NUM> of the filter element <NUM>, whereas the counter elements <NUM> are configured as breakthroughs, e.g. slots, through the wall <NUM> of the receiving part <NUM>. So the structure elements <NUM> fit into the counter elements <NUM> when the filter element <NUM> is mounted to the first housing part <NUM>.

The structure elements <NUM> are formed with a tapered shape <NUM> in a mounting direction <NUM>. This facilitates mounting of the filter element <NUM> into the first housing part <NUM> as the structure elements <NUM> are self-centering in the counter elements <NUM> when the filter element <NUM> is moved in the mounting direction <NUM>.

The structure elements <NUM> are integral with the side walls <NUM> which at least partially surround the filter body <NUM>. On a front side <NUM> the structure elements <NUM> are integral with the frame element <NUM> because the front side <NUM> is represented as the filter body <NUM> in this embodiment. In an alternative embodiment the side walls <NUM> may be realized on the whole circumference <NUM>.

In an alternative embodiment the structure elements <NUM> could be breakthroughs through the side wall <NUM> arranged at the circumference <NUM> of the filter element <NUM>, and the counter elements <NUM> could be protruding inward from the wall <NUM> of the receiving part <NUM>. Such a configuration would also facilitate mounting of the filter element <NUM> to the first housing part <NUM> as the counter elements <NUM> would also fit into the structure elements <NUM>.

The gasket <NUM> is circumferentially arranged on a top side <NUM> of the frame element <NUM> and serves for sealing the raw fluid region inside the housing <NUM> of the filter system <NUM> against the filtered fluid region when the housing <NUM> is closed. The top region <NUM> of the filter body <NUM> directs to the filtered fluid region.

<FIG> depicts a detailed view of a structure element <NUM> of the filter element <NUM> according to <FIG>.

As is to be seen the structure elements <NUM> comprise grooves <NUM> in a circumference wall <NUM> for receiving edges of the counter elements <NUM> of the wall <NUM> of the receiving part <NUM> in a sealing manner, when the filter element <NUM> is being inserted into the receiving part <NUM>. Thus the housing <NUM> is sealed against the environment when the filter element <NUM> is inserted into the first housing part <NUM> and no harmful particles or fluid may enter the housing <NUM> when the filter element <NUM> is mounted.

<FIG> depicts the filter element <NUM> according to <FIG> during a mounting process into the first housing part <NUM>, whereas in <FIG> the filter element <NUM> is fully inserted into the first housing part <NUM>.

In <FIG> the filter element <NUM> is partly inserted into the first housing part <NUM>. The slots of the counter elements <NUM> are not yet fully closed by the structure elements <NUM> of the filter element <NUM>, whereas in <FIG> the slots of the counter elements <NUM> are fully closed by the structure elements <NUM> of the filter element <NUM>. Thus the housing <NUM> is sealed against the environment. Advantageously the housing <NUM> is also stiffened as the structure elements <NUM> of the filter element <NUM> also contribute to stiffening of the housing <NUM> by the close cooperation with the counter elements <NUM> of the first housing part <NUM>.

In <FIG> a filter system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention is depicted with a filter element <NUM> inserted and the housing <NUM> closed.

The housing <NUM> of the filter system <NUM> comprises the first housing part <NUM> and the second housing part <NUM>. A fluid inlet <NUM> is formed in the first housing part <NUM>, a fluid outlet <NUM> is formed in the second housing part <NUM>.

The second housing part <NUM> is provided with a protruding edge <NUM> overlapping the first housing part <NUM> when mounted on top of the first housing part <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A filter system (<NUM>), in particular an air filter system (<NUM>), comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) comprising a first housing part (<NUM>) and a second housing part (<NUM>);
a fluid inlet (<NUM>) formed in the first housing part (<NUM>);
a fluid outlet (<NUM>) formed in the second housing part (<NUM>); and
a filter element (<NUM>) being accommodated in the housing (<NUM>), and comprising:
a filter body (<NUM>) with a filter medium (<NUM>) enclosed by a circumferential frame element (<NUM>); and
structure elements (<NUM>) protruding from a circumference (<NUM>) of the filter element (<NUM>), the structure elements (<NUM>) comprising grooves (<NUM>) respectively in circumference walls (<NUM>) of the structure elements (<NUM>),
wherein the first housing part (<NUM>) comprises a receiving part (<NUM>) for receiving the filter element (<NUM>), the receiving part (<NUM>) comprising counter elements (<NUM>) respectively corresponding to the structure elements (<NUM>), and the counter elements (<NUM>) being breakthroughs that are arranged circumferentially on and formed through a wall (<NUM>) of the receiving part (<NUM>), and
wherein the grooves (<NUM>) included in the structure elements (<NUM>) are for receiving edges of the breakthroughs of the counter elements (<NUM>) in a sealing manner when the filter element (<NUM>) is arranged in the receiving part (<NUM>).