Patent Description:
Fluid filtration systems are used to provide clean fluid to a device. For example, internal combustion engines may have multiple filtration systems to provide clean fuel, clean oil, and clean fluid (e.g., liquid, air, hydraulic, etc.) to the various components of the internal combustion engines. Each filtration system generally includes a filter element having a filter media that filters the fluid. Some filtration systems, such as fuel and oil filtration systems, often use replaceable filter elements that require periodic filter element replacement services to ensure proper filtration of the fluids. In some filtration systems, the filter element can remain immersed in the fluid to be filtered even when not in use. For example, after operation of an internal combustion engine has ceased, residual fuel to be filtered by a fuel filter element may remain in the filter element housing. In such situations, the residual fuel may spill from the filtration system during removal of the housing (e.g., removal of a housing that contains the filter element) or removal of the filter element from the housing during a service operation to change the filter element.

Filter elements (e.g., filter cartridges) often include a seal member that is compressed against a component of the filtration system housing or another portion of the filtration system. The seal member forms a seal between the filtration system housing and the filter element, thereby preventing fluid from bypassing the filter elements (e.g., for air to bypass an air filter element or liquid to bypass a liquid filter element). If an improper filter element (i.e., a non-authorized or non-genuine filter element) is installed in a filtration system, or if the proper filter element is installed incorrectly, the seal member of the filter element may not form a proper seal, and fluid may bypass the filter element, causing damage to downstream components or a drop in operating pressure. Accordingly, the installation of an improper filter element can harm critical components in the filtration system, cause improper sealing, diminish emission compliance mechanisms, cause subpar performance, and the like.

<CIT> discloses an apparatus, system, and method for a quick-drain filter that includes a filter housing, a clean fluid passage disposed axially in the housing, and a service drain passage disposed at an axial end of the housing and spaced radially away from the clean fluid passage. A protrusion extending radially from a stand pipe defining the clean fluid passage, disposed axially in the housing, defines the inner radius of the drain passage, and a housing member defines the outer radius. A plug extends axially from a filter cartridge to plug the drain passage when the cartridge is installed in the housing.

Documents <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a filter element with a dual lip seal member disposed on an inner radially -facing surface of the bottom endplate.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a filter element as specified in claim <NUM>.

One example relates to a filtration system. The filtration system includes a housing having a drain. A filter element is positioned within the housing. The filter element includes a first endplate and a second endplate. Filter media is positioned between the first endplate and second endplate. A dual lip seal member is coupled to the second endplate. The dual lip seal member comprises a first protrusion that extends radially outward around an outer surface of the dual lip seal member. A second protrusion extends radially outward around the outer surface of the dual lip seal member. The dual lip seal member is configured to prevent fluid to be filtered from exiting the housing through the drain when the filter element is in an installed position. The dual lip seal member permits residual fluid to exit the housing through the drain when the filter element is displaced from the installed position.

These and other features, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the several drawings described below.

Referring to the figures generally, various embodiments disclosed herein relate to a filtration system with a filter element that includes a dual lip seal (e.g., a dual lip seal member) that functions as an anti-drain seal. The dual lip seal member prevents fluid (e.g., fuel) being filtered from flowing back to a fluid storage tank (e.g., a fuel tank) through a drain in the filter housing when the filter element is in an installed position within the filter housing. Stated differently, the dual lip seal member prevents the dirty (e.g., yet to be filtered) fluid traveling through the inlet from flowing into the fluid storage tank. Further, the configuration of the dual lip seal member with the filter housing allows fluid to flow back to the fluid storage tank when the filter element is being removed from the filter housing (e.g., during a filter change service). Additionally, the dual lip seal member prevents fuel on the dirty side (e.g., inlet) of the filter element from entering a water sump of the filtration system, thereby eliminating the need for a separate seal member. Non-compatible filter elements without the dual lip seal member will permit fluid to return to the fluid tank when the non-compatible filter element is installed in the filtration system. Since the fuel returns to the tank when the engine is off, the lack of fuel will cause a hard engine start when the engine is being restarted. Accordingly, the dual lip seal member also functions as an engine integrity protection mechanism, helping to ensure that an installed filter element is genuine (i.e., authorized, Original Equipment Manufacturer ("OEM") approved, etc.). Thus, the dual lip seal member performs multiple functions (anti-drain back to tank functions, draining functions, and engine integrity protection functions), thereby reducing the cost over traditional filter elements that require three separate components for each of the functions.

Referring to <FIG>, a cross-sectional view of a filtration system <NUM> that includes a filter element <NUM> with a dual lip seal member <NUM> is shown, according to an example embodiment. The filtration system includes a filter element <NUM>, a complementary housing <NUM>, and a filter mounting head <NUM>. The filter element <NUM> is installed in an interior compartment of a housing <NUM> in an installed position (i.e., in an operational position that permits filtering of the fluid). In the installed or operational position, the filter element <NUM> is connected to a filter mounting head (e.g., as described above) and the housing <NUM> is also attached to the filter mounting head <NUM> (e.g., via a threaded connection in arrangements where the housing <NUM> is a spin-on housing). The filter element <NUM> includes a dual lip seal member <NUM> that forms a radial seal between the filtration system housing <NUM> and the filter element <NUM>, thereby preventing fluid from bypassing the filter element <NUM>. Generally, when the filter element <NUM> is received in the installed position within the housing <NUM> (i.e., the filtration system <NUM> is assembled), the dual lip seal member <NUM> forms a seal between the housing <NUM> and the filter element <NUM>. The dual lip seal member <NUM> prevents the fluid from exiting the housing <NUM> through the drain passage <NUM>. As will be appreciated, if an improper filter element (i.e., a non-authorized or non-genuine filter element) is installed in a filtration system <NUM>, or if the proper filter element is installed incorrectly, the dual lip seal member <NUM> of the filter element <NUM> may not form a proper seal, and fluid may bypass the filter element <NUM> causing damage to downstream components or improper operation of the filtration system <NUM> or other components.

The filter element <NUM> includes a first endplate <NUM>, a second endplate <NUM>, filter media <NUM>, and the dual lip seal member <NUM>. The filter element <NUM> may be a cylindrical filter element with similarly shaped components. The filter media <NUM> includes an inner clean (e.g., filtered fuel) side <NUM> and an outer dirty (e.g. unfiltered fuel) side <NUM>. Accordingly, the filter element <NUM> is an outside-in flow filter element. In an alternative arrangement, the filter element <NUM> is an inside-out flow filter element having an inner dirty side <NUM> and an outer clean side <NUM>. Fluid to be filtered passes from the dirty side <NUM> of the filter media <NUM> to the clean side of the filter media <NUM>. The filter media <NUM> may include any of paper-based filter media, fiber-based filter media, foam-based filter media, or the like. The filter media <NUM> is disposed between the first endplate <NUM> and the second endplate <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the first endplate <NUM> is coupled to a first, top end of the filter media <NUM>. The first endplate <NUM> may include a plurality of retention tabs to secure the filter element <NUM> to a filter mounting head of the filtration system <NUM> when the filter element <NUM> is installed in the filtration system <NUM>. For example, the retention tabs may form a snap-fit connection with the filter mounting head <NUM> of the filtration system <NUM> as the filter element <NUM> is installed in the filtration system <NUM>. The retention tabs removably secure the filter element <NUM> to the mounting head during removal of the housing <NUM> of the filtration system <NUM>, thereby permitting residual fluid in the housing to drain past the dual lip seal member <NUM> back into a fluid storage tank.

The filter element <NUM> further includes a second endplate <NUM> coupled to a second, bottom end of the filter media <NUM>. In some embodiments, the second endplate <NUM> includes a central opening. The central opening is sized and shaped to receive a component of a filtration system (e.g., a standpipe) when the filter element <NUM> is installed in an operating position within the filtration system. In other embodiments, the central opening is in fluid communication with a water sump. The first endplate <NUM> may also include a central opening. The central opening may route fluid and air to a component (e.g., to an internal combustion engine). The central opening may be configured to be in fluid communication with a center housing portion <NUM> of the housing <NUM>.

The filter element <NUM> includes a dual lip seal member <NUM>. The dual lip seal member <NUM> is configured as an anti-drain dual lip seal member. The dual lip seal member <NUM> includes a central opening <NUM>, a first protrusion <NUM>, and a second protrusion <NUM>. The dual lip seal member <NUM> comprises a cylindrical seal member with the first protrusion <NUM> and second protrusion <NUM> being disposed around the outer surface of the seal member <NUM>. The dual lip seal member <NUM> is disposed adjacent to the drain passage <NUM> in the housing <NUM> that is in fluid communication with the fluid storage tank (not shown). The dual seal member may be formed concentrically (e.g., having a common center) with the filtration system <NUM> or eccentrically (e.g., not having a common center) with the filtration system <NUM> (as shown below in <FIG>). The dual lip seal member <NUM> is coupled to the second endplate <NUM>. In some embodiments, the dual lip seal member <NUM> is disposed around an outer surface of the second endplate <NUM>, the outer surface extending axially away from a bottom surface of the second endplate <NUM> away from the first endplate <NUM>. In some embodiments, the dual lip seal member <NUM> and the second endplate <NUM> may be manufactured as a single, integrated piece (e.g., via an over molding or heat staking process). In other embodiments, the second endplate <NUM> includes a retaining member, such that a snap-fit connection is formed between the retaining member and central opening <NUM> of the dual lip seal member <NUM>. The snap-fit connection removably secures the dual lip seal member <NUM> to the second endplate <NUM>. The central opening <NUM> of the dual lip seal member <NUM> is aligned with a central opening that is configured to allow a component (e.g., the standpipe) to be received through the central opening <NUM> of the dual lip seal member <NUM>.

The first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> provide a radial seal with both the top and bottom side of the second endplate <NUM>. Beneficially in a particular embodiment, the dual lip seal member <NUM> includes two different lip seal diameters, as the first protrusion <NUM> has a first diameter and the second protrusion <NUM> has a second diameter. Accordingly, the diameters of the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> may be adjusted to provide ease of installation of the filter element <NUM> into the housing <NUM>. This ensures that the assembly of the filter element <NUM> and housing <NUM> is successful only when the filter element <NUM> and housing <NUM> are properly aligned (e.g., sealed). In some embodiments, the first diameter and the second diameter may be substantially similar. In other embodiments, the first diameter and the second diameter are different diameters.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the dual lip seal member <NUM> includes a first protrusion <NUM> and a second protrusion <NUM> comprising a generally sideways 'v'-shape, with the center <NUM> of the dual lip seal (e.g., the indention of the tip of the 'v' shape) being adjacent to the drain passage <NUM>. The first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> extend around the outer surface around the dual lip seal member <NUM>. In some embodiments, the first protrusion <NUM> extends at a substantially <NUM>-degree angle above a horizontal axis and the second protrusion extends at a substantially <NUM>-degree angle below the horizontal axis, where the horizontal axis is parallel to the horizontal surface of the second endplate <NUM>. While the dual lip seal member <NUM> is shown having two protrusions in a generally sideways 'v'-shape, a wide variety of configurations may be implemented including variations in the shape of the dual lip seal member <NUM>, size of dual lip seal member <NUM>, and number of protrusions of the dual lip seal member <NUM>. The dual lip seal member <NUM> is configured to have a shape, length, width, and number of elements that is specifically tailored to interface with an inner surface of the housing <NUM>. For example, the dual lip seal member <NUM> may comprise two separate O-rings, multiple lips, or other various shapes and configurations involving one or more lips and O-rings. This ensures that the assembly of the filter element <NUM> and housing <NUM> is successful only when the filter element <NUM> and housing <NUM> are properly aligned (e.g., sealed) and ensure engine integrity (e.g., genuine filter element <NUM>).

Referring to <FIG>, a cross-sectional view of the dual lip seal member <NUM> of the filtration system <NUM> of <FIG> is shown. <FIG> shows the area of the filter element <NUM> near the second endplate <NUM>. The first protrusion <NUM> of the dual lip seal member <NUM> presses against a first portion <NUM> of an inner surface of the housing <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> of the dual lip seal member <NUM> presses against a lower, second portion <NUM> of the inner surface of the housing <NUM>. The drain passage <NUM> is located between the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> and adjacent the base formed by the first protrusion <NUM> and second protrusion <NUM>. Thus, the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> create a one-way valve, allowing the fluid to enter the housing <NUM> and preventing the fluid from returning back to the fluid storage tank. Accordingly, the dual lip seal member <NUM> prevents fluid to be filtered from exiting through a drain passage <NUM> located in the housing <NUM> while the filter element <NUM> is received in the installed position within the housing <NUM>. In such arrangements, the drain passage <NUM> connects the housing <NUM> to a fluid storage tank (e.g., the fuel tank of a vehicle powered by the internal combustion engine). Accordingly, the dual lip seal member <NUM> functions as an anti-drain back to the storage tank when the filter element <NUM> is installed in the housing <NUM> (e.g., between filter service operations).

<FIG> shows a close-up cross-sectional view of the dual lip seal member <NUM> interacting with the housing <NUM> when the filter element <NUM> is received in the installed position within the housing <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the dual lip seal member includes the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM>. The first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> may include flexing features or flanges to provide sealing between the housing <NUM> and the filter element <NUM>. The flexing features allow the first and/or second protrusions (<NUM>,<NUM>) of the dual lip seal member <NUM> to flex with respect to the main body of the dual lip seal member <NUM>. Accordingly, the flexing features can assist in creating the dual lip seal member between the first protrusion <NUM> and the housing <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> and the housing <NUM>. The flexing features may comprise grooves or cuts in the dual lip seal member <NUM> positioned at the joint between each of the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> and the main body of the dual lip seal member <NUM>. The flexing features also permit the dual lip seal member <NUM> to flex during full fluid flow, which reduces restriction and potential damage to the dual lip seal member <NUM> (e.g., reduces the risk of permanent deformation of the dual lip seal member <NUM>). In some embodiments, one or both of the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> include a first node <NUM> and a second node <NUM> (generally in the location shown in <FIG>). The inclusion of the first node <NUM> and the second node <NUM> on either one of the first protrusion <NUM> and second protrusion <NUM> creates a tighter seal between the dual lip seal member <NUM> and the inner surfaces (<NUM>,<NUM>) of the housing <NUM>.

Accordingly, when the filter element <NUM> is received in the installed position within the filtration system (i.e., within the housing <NUM> when both the housing <NUM> and the filter element <NUM> are secured to the filter mounting head <NUM>), the dual lip seal member <NUM> forms a radially directed seal between the housing <NUM> and the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> and the housing <NUM>. The dual lip seal member <NUM> prevents the fluid from exiting the housing <NUM> through the drain passage <NUM>. During servicing of the filter element <NUM> (e.g., during filter element replacement) by a technician, the technician first removes the housing <NUM> from the filter mounting head <NUM>. In doing so, the housing <NUM> is displaced relative to the filter element <NUM>.

As mentioned above, the dual lip seal member <NUM> provides clean servicing (e.g., when the dirty fuel is drained to the tank). By way of example, the housing <NUM> is removed (e.g., spun off) from a filter mounting head and the filter element <NUM> remains attached to the filter mounting head <NUM> through the retention tabs (e.g., as discussed above with respect to <FIG>). Accordingly, the housing <NUM> slides with respect to the dual lip seal member <NUM>. The housing <NUM> includes a variable inner diameter. When the filter element <NUM> is in the installed position, the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> of the dual lip seal member <NUM> form a dual lip seal against a first portion <NUM> and second portion <NUM>, respectively, of the housing <NUM>. When the housing <NUM> is displaced from the filter element <NUM> during removal of the housing <NUM> (e.g., during a filter replacement service), the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> slide to a third and fourth portion of the housing. The third and fourth portions have a larger diameter than the first portion <NUM> and second portion <NUM>. The third and fourth portions may include vertical ribs that displace the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> from the surface of the third and fourth portions thereby eliminating the dual seal between the dual lip seal member <NUM> and the housing <NUM>. The vertical ribs prevent the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> from being pressed against the surface of the third and fourth portions by the weight of the residual fluid. As will be appreciated, because there is no dual lip seal member <NUM>, fluid within the housing <NUM> can bypass the dual lip seal member <NUM> for draining out of the housing <NUM> through the drain passage <NUM>. Accordingly, the filter element <NUM> can be serviced without spilling or wasting residual fluid in the housing <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a perspective view of a filter element <NUM> that includes an eccentrically (e.g., not sharing a common center) oriented dual lip seal member <NUM> on an endplate <NUM>, according to another example embodiment. As will be appreciated, the eccentric filter element <NUM> is substantially similar to the concentric filter element <NUM> of <FIG>. Accordingly, the eccentric filter element <NUM> provides substantially the same benefits and features as the concentric filter element <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the filter element <NUM> further includes a protruding member <NUM> to facilitate installation into the complementary housing <NUM>. <FIG> shows a perspective view of a housing <NUM> that is complementary to the filter element of <FIG>, according to an example embodiment.

It should be noted that any use of the term "exemplary" herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).

The terms "coupled," "connected," and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., "top," "bottom," "above," "below," etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES.

Claim 1:
A filter element (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a first endplate (<NUM>);
a second endplate (<NUM>, <NUM>) (<NUM>, <NUM>);
filter media (<NUM>) positioned between the first endplate (<NUM>) and the second endplate (<NUM>, <NUM>); and
a dual lip seal member (<NUM>, <NUM>) coupled to the second endplate (<NUM>, <NUM>) the dual lip seal member (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a first protrusion (<NUM>) that extends radially outward around an outer surface of the dual lip seal member (<NUM>, <NUM>), a second protrusion (<NUM>) that extends radially outward around the outer surface of the dual lip seal member (<NUM>, <NUM>), and a center portion disposed between the first protrusion (<NUM>) and the second protrusion (<NUM>), the dual lip seal member (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to prevent fluid from exiting through a drain (<NUM>) when the filter element (<NUM>, <NUM>) is in an installed position within a housing (<NUM>, <NUM>) and to permit residual fluid to exit through the drain (<NUM>) when the filter element (<NUM>, <NUM>) is displaced from the installed position, characterised in that the dual lip seal member is disposed entirely on an outer radially-facing surface of the second endplate (<NUM>,<NUM>).