Patent Description:
Fluid filters are often used in vehicles and heavy equipment, for example, construction and mining equipment, to remove contaminants from working fluids that help power, lubricate, drive, and/or control the mechanisms and engines of the equipment. Over time, contaminants collect in the fluids that may be detrimental to the components using the fluid. Fluid filters help remove the contaminants in the fluids to prolong the useful life of the components. Fluid filters may include a housing and a filter element within the housing, and the filter element may include a permeable filter media made of a filtering material. Due to wear and contaminant accumulation, the filter elements may need to be replaced periodically. In the case of oil filters, it may be difficult to determine when the last service of the oil filter was performed (i.e., when the oil filter was last replaced). Further, it may be difficult to determine if a customer/user has been using oil filters of a specific brand.

An exemplary fluid filter is disclosed in <CIT> ("the '<NUM> patent"). The '<NUM> patent describes a filtration device that includes a filter component and an additive component. The filter component of the '<NUM> patent includes concentrically arranged filtering elements disposed in a filter-in-filter configuration. The additive component includes at least one additive material that is introduced into a working fluid to be filtered. The additive material can be incorporated in the filter component or disposed external to the filter component. For example, the additive material can be soaked in the filter media, coated onto the filter media, added as a layer to the filter media, or otherwise put in the filtering element. The additive material is defined as a chemical material that may be introduced to a working fluid for treating or enhancing the working fluid. The '<NUM> patent lists several examples of additive materials such as lubricity enhancing agents, dispersants, detergents, cetane improvers, flow improvers, fuel burning catalysts, corrosion inhibitors, deicers, pour point suppressants, antioxidants, conductivity improvers, and microbicides. However, the filtration device of the '<NUM> patent does not disclose using tracers in the filter component to assist in indicating a usage of the filter, and/or an origin of the filter. The filter element of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

<CIT> discloses a filter medium of an element of an oil filter provided with tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a lubrication improving additive. The PTFE is taken away mostly by oil passing through the filter at the first time after the replacement of the oil filter, and diffused into the oil in an internal combustion engine and mixed therein to form a film on a metal surface to reduce friction resistance. The high lubrication improving effect, therefore, is provided from the time just after the replacement of the oil filter.

<CIT> discloses an oil filter for use with an internal combustion engine, comprising: a hollow filter housing defining a chamber therein and having an inlet and an outlet with a flow path therebetween; a mechanically active filter member disposed inside the filter housing in the flow path; and a chemically active filter member disposed inside the filter housing in the flow path. The chemically active filter member comprises a plurality of composite oil additive pellets. The plurality of pellets is interconnected to form a substantially integral permeable member, and the substantially integral permeable member is impregnated with an alkaline composition. The alkaline composition is provided to counteract acidic combustion products in lubricating oil in an internal combustion engine.

The disclosure provides an oil filter according to claim <NUM>.

The disclosure further provides a method of creating a computer-readable three-dimensional model according to claim <NUM>.

The disclosure further provides a computer-readable three-dimensional model according to claim <NUM>.

In one aspect, an oil filter may comprise: a housing including: an inlet; an outlet; and a filter element located downstream of the inlet and upstream of the outlet, the filter element including: a filtering material; and a tracer material.

In another aspect, a filter element for a liquid filter may comprise: a filtering material; and a tracer material within the filtering material.

In yet another aspect, a liquid filter may comprise: a filter element including: a filtering material formed by an additive manufacturing process and configured to allow liquid to pass through the filter element such that contaminants are removed from the liquid; and a tracer material added to the filter element by the additive manufacturing process, the tracer material configured to dissolve into the liquid as the liquid is passed through the filter element to provide an indication of the amount of liquid that has passed through the filter element.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the features, as claimed. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "having," "including," or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term "fluid" is broadly used to refer to all types of liquids and gases that may be filtered in a machine or equipment (e.g., hydraulic fluid, oil, diesel, gasoline, air, etc.). Moreover, relative terms, such as, for example, "about," "substantially," "generally," and "approximately" are used to indicate a possible variation of ±<NUM>% in a stated value.

<FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional view of a fluid filter, such as oil filter <NUM>, according to aspects of the present disclosure. As used herein, the term oil includes any petroleum-based liquid for use as a working fluid, fuel, and/or lubricant. As shown in <FIG>, oil filter <NUM> may include a housing <NUM> and a filter element <NUM>. Housing <NUM> may include a longitudinal axis <NUM> and have an outer radial wall <NUM> and end walls <NUM> and <NUM> at opposite ends of the outer radial wall <NUM>. A filter element <NUM> may be positioned within the housing <NUM> between the end walls <NUM> and <NUM> to separate an outer cavity <NUM> and an inner cavity <NUM> within the housing <NUM>. Housing <NUM> may further include one or more inlets <NUM> in fluid communication with the outer cavity <NUM> and an outlet <NUM> in fluid communication with the inner cavity. The flow of fluid (e.g., oil) to be filtered may be in a direction such that the filter element <NUM> is located downstream of the one or more inlets <NUM> and upstream of the outlet <NUM>. Therefore, filter element <NUM> may filter fluid as the fluid flows from outer cavity <NUM> into inner cavity <NUM>.

Housing <NUM> may include a substantially cylindrical shape. The one or more inlets <NUM> may include a plurality of cylindrical holes, arranged in a circular array about the longitudinal axis <NUM>. The one or more inlets <NUM> may extend from a top surface <NUM> of end wall <NUM> to outer cavity <NUM> within housing <NUM>. Likewise, the outlet <NUM> may extend from the top surface <NUM> of end wall <NUM> to inner cavity <NUM> within housing <NUM>. The number and placement of the one or more inlets <NUM> and the outlet <NUM> may be varied as needed or desired in various embodiments. As further shown in <FIG>, housing <NUM> may include a top portion <NUM> and a bottom portion <NUM>. Top portion <NUM> and bottom portion <NUM> may each include a threading such that top portion <NUM> and bottom portion <NUM> may be coupled at a threaded coupling <NUM>. Top portion <NUM> and bottom portion <NUM> may be uncoupled by unscrewing threaded coupling <NUM> to allow access to the interior of housing <NUM>, for example, to inspect, clean, or replace filter element <NUM>. Top surface <NUM> may include one or more grooves <NUM> surrounding the one or more inlets <NUM>. Moreover, outlet <NUM> may include a threading <NUM> or other coupling interface in end wall <NUM>. The one or more grooves <NUM> and/or threading <NUM> may help couple oil filter <NUM> to a fluid system. Additionally, bottom portion <NUM> may also include a filter slot <NUM> to receive a portion of filter element <NUM>. Filter slot <NUM> may be a ring-shaped indentation in an interior surface of end wall <NUM> of housing <NUM>. Filter slot <NUM> may help to position and to retain filter element <NUM> within housing <NUM>. While the structural configuration of filter housing <NUM> is shown in <FIG>, the filter housing <NUM> could include any shape or configuration, including any shape, configuration, or orientation of the filter walls, inlets, outlets, internal cavities, filter element location, etc..

Filter element <NUM> may be a separate component removably positioned within housing <NUM>, or may be integrally formed with housing <NUM>. Filter element <NUM> may include a filtering material or filter media <NUM> formed in a hollow cylindrical, ring, or tubular shape such that filter element <NUM> may include an annular shape defining an outer annular surface <NUM> and an inner annular surface <NUM>. The outer annular surface <NUM> of filter element <NUM> may be in fluid communication with the outer cavity <NUM> and the inner annular surface <NUM> of filter element <NUM> may be in fluid communication with inner cavity <NUM>. Filter element <NUM> may include a support structure or frame (not shown) to help support or add rigidity to filter media <NUM>. As used herein, filter element <NUM> may include only the filter media <NUM>, or the filter element <NUM> may include the filter media <NUM> and the support structure or frame (not shown). The filter media <NUM> may be permeable and may include a filtering material <NUM>, such as a fabric, a layered plastic, a woven material, a non-woven material, or a combination of any of these materials or other filtering materials. As such, filter media <NUM> may include a plurality of pores (not shown) that may allow for the fluid (e.g., oil) to pass through filter element <NUM>. The plurality of pores may be any suitable size (micron rating) such that contaminants of a particular size are not able to pass through filter element <NUM>, while allowing for an appropriate fluid flow rate through filter element <NUM>. In other embodiments, filter element <NUM> may be a meshed screen, other porous material, or particle sieves. Although not shown, filter element <NUM> may also include a plurality of different filter elements provided in a concentric manner to provide multi-staged filtering.

Although housing <NUM> and filter element <NUM> are discussed above as being substantially cylindrical, this disclosure is not so limited. For example, housing <NUM> and filter element <NUM> may be substantially oval or elliptical, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. Additionally, filter slot <NUM> may be any appropriate shape to correspond to the shape of filter element <NUM> such that filter slot <NUM> may receive a portion of filter element <NUM>. As such, filter element <NUM> may be coupled to housing <NUM>, for example, by positioning filter element <NUM> within filter slot <NUM> and against an inner portion of end wall <NUM>. Coupling top portion <NUM> and bottom portion <NUM> may help to secure filter element <NUM> within filter slot <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional view of the filter element <NUM> isolated from the oil filter <NUM>, with an enlarged circular cross-sectional view of a portion of the filter media <NUM>, according to one embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, the filter media <NUM> may include a filtering material <NUM> and a tracer material <NUM>. In one embodiment, the tracer material <NUM> may be disposed within and located throughout the filtering material <NUM> such that the filtering material <NUM> and the tracer material <NUM> may constitute a single structure making up the filter media <NUM>. For example, the tracer material <NUM> may be mixed in with the filtering material <NUM> during the formation of the filter media <NUM>, such as during an additive manufacturing process, as described below. In other embodiments, the tracer material <NUM> may be disposed as a layer of material after n-number of layers of filtering material <NUM>, such that the tracer material <NUM> layer is disposed between layers of filtering material <NUM>. For example, filter media <NUM> may include at least a first layer of filtering material <NUM>, a second layer of tracer material <NUM>, and a third layer of filtering material <NUM>. This pattern may be repeated until the filter media <NUM> is fully constructed.

<FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional view of a filter element <NUM>' isolated from the oil filter <NUM>, with a cross-sectional view of a tracer element <NUM> within the filter media <NUM>', according to one embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, the filter media <NUM>' may include a filtering material <NUM> and a tracer element <NUM> made of tracer material <NUM>. The tracer element <NUM> may be a substantially solid structure. For example, the tracer element <NUM> may include a block made of tracer material <NUM> located within the filtering material <NUM> of the filter media <NUM>'. In the exemplary embodiment shown in <FIG>, the tracer element <NUM> may be generally cube shaped. However, the tracer element <NUM> may be any suitable size and shape as necessary. In one embodiment, a single tracer element <NUM> may be located within the filtering material <NUM> of the filter media <NUM>'. In other embodiments, a plurality of tracer elements <NUM> may be located in the filtering material <NUM> of the filter media <NUM>'. Each of the plurality of tracer elements <NUM> may be located in various longitudinal, radial, and circumferential locations of the filter element <NUM>. For example, a first tracer element <NUM> may be located at a first longitudinal, radial, and/or circumferential position and a second tracer element <NUM> may be located at a second longitudinal, radial, and/or circumferential position.

In the embodiments of <FIG>, the filtering material <NUM> may be any suitable material that has a desired structural strength and that is chemically compatible with the fluid to be filtered. When filter element <NUM> is used for oil, for example, the filtering material <NUM> may be chemically compatible with hydrocarbons. In one embodiment, the filtering material <NUM> may be a plastic, such as polyactide (PLA), co-polyesters, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene (PE), Nylon, polyurethane (PU), and the like. The plastic may be layered in such a way that the filter media <NUM> defines a plurality of pores, as further described below.

The tracer material <NUM> may be a chemical tracer that can be detected in the fluid (e.g., oil) to determine information about the interaction of the fluid with the filter, such as flow rate through the filter, pressure through the filter, and amount of time the filter element <NUM> has been used. For example, the tracer material <NUM> may include chromophores or organometallics of heavy elements including zirconium, cerium, yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, and the like. The tracer material <NUM> may be configured to dissolve or diffuse into the fluid (e.g., oil) as the fluid is passed through the filter element <NUM> to provide an indication of the amount of fluid that has passed through the filter element <NUM>, as described below. For example, the tracer material <NUM> may react and activate at certain temperatures that cause the tracer material <NUM> to diffuse into the fluid passing through the filter element <NUM>. The tracer material <NUM> may be embedded, encased, attached, absorbed, or otherwise coupled to or within the filtering material <NUM>. The filter element <NUM> may contain an amount of tracer material <NUM> such that the tracer material <NUM> may constitute at least <NUM>-<NUM> parts per million (ppm) of the fluid after the tracer material <NUM> has dissolved from the filter element <NUM>. However, any amount of tracer material <NUM> may be used such that the tracer material <NUM> may dissolve or diffuse from the filtering material <NUM> into the fluid being passed through the filter element <NUM> without significantly altering the structure of filter element <NUM> or affecting the fluid being filtered.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of the filter media <NUM> manufactured by an additive manufacturing process. As shown in <FIG>, the filter media <NUM> may be manufactured by a 3D printing process, such as fused filament fabrication (FFF), fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), or the like. However, filter media <NUM> may be manufactured using other conventional techniques such as, for example, casting or molding, and the like. The 3D printing process of the present disclosure may include a printing head having a first nozzle <NUM> and a second nozzle <NUM>. The first nozzle <NUM> may dispense a standard filament <NUM> of filtering material <NUM>, such as plastic. The second nozzle <NUM> may dispense tracer filament <NUM> of tracer material <NUM>, such as at least one of chromophores, organometallics such as zirconium, cerium, yttrium, scandium, and lanthanum, or other heavy elements. In one embodiment, the tracer filament <NUM> may include only tracer material <NUM>. In other embodiments, the tracer material and the filtering material may be joined to make a combined filament <NUM> to be dispensed from a nozzle <NUM>. For example, tracer material <NUM> may be premixed with filtering material <NUM> before being fed through second nozzle <NUM>.

A method of manufacturing a filter media <NUM> by an additive manufacturing process may include a step of depositing a first layer of filtering material <NUM> onto a bed <NUM>. A second layer of filtering material <NUM> premixed with tracer material <NUM> may then be deposited onto the first layer of filtering material <NUM>. A third layer of filtering material <NUM> may be deposited onto the second layer of filtering material <NUM> premixed with tracer material <NUM>. This pattern may be repeated until the filter media <NUM> is fully constructed. Any number of layers of filtering material <NUM> may be deposited before a layer of filtering material <NUM> premixed with tracer material <NUM> is deposited. For example, a layer of filtering material <NUM> premixed with tracer material <NUM> may be deposited for every n-number of layers of filtering material <NUM>. Further, the tracer material <NUM> may be dispensed in such a way as to create a geometry of a brand or other type of identification on the housing <NUM> and/or the filter element <NUM>. For example, when the tracer material <NUM> is made of chromophores, an Ultra Violet (UV) light may be used to light up and/or make the chromophores visible to identify the branding or other identification.

In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing the filter media <NUM> may include a step of providing a computer-readable three-dimensional model of the filter media <NUM>. The three-dimensional model may be configured to be converted into a plurality of slices that each define a cross-sectional layer of the filter media <NUM>. Each layer of the filter media <NUM> may be successively formed by additive manufacturing, as described above. Additionally, the additive manufacturing process may include building a plurality of layers. The plurality of layers may include at least one first layer of filtering material <NUM> and at least one second layer of permeable <NUM> premixed with tracer material <NUM>. Any number and pattern of first layers of filtering material <NUM> and second layers of filtering material <NUM> premixed with tracer material <NUM> may be used, such that the plurality of layers constitute a complete structure of the filter media <NUM>.

Filter media <NUM>' may be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process, similar to the process described above with respect to filter media <NUM>. A method of manufacturing a filter media <NUM>' by an additive manufacturing process may include a step of depositing a plurality of layers of filtering material <NUM> onto a bed <NUM>. Tracer material <NUM> may be deposited between layers of filtering material <NUM> to form tracer element <NUM> such that tracer element <NUM> is located within filter media <NUM>'. Tracer material <NUM> may be deposited in any shape and/or size between layers of filtering material <NUM>. Additionally, tracer material <NUM> may be deposited to form any number of tracer elements <NUM> within filter media <NUM>'.

The method of manufacturing filter media <NUM> and filter media <NUM>' may utilize existing additive manufacturing technologies to produce a repeatable process that may generate a porous filter media <NUM> or filter media <NUM>' of a useable efficiency grade. The process may include 3D printing hardware, and specific control of the movement patterns of the printing head (e.g., the first nozzle <NUM> and the second nozzle <NUM>) so that as the material is added to the part, small gaps may be created to build a porous structure. Additionally, the method may utilize an open source software that generates the filter media <NUM> or filter media <NUM>' based on inputs given to it by a user. The method may vary the speed and path of the printing head, the flow rate of the plastic being deposited, cooling methods, etc. The structure that is laid down may droop or otherwise deform so that small sized pores may be created. For example, the material may drip from one layer to the next layer, creating a seal with the next layer, thus creating two (or more) pores and finer porosity in the filter media <NUM> or filter media <NUM>'. Deformation (e.g., dripping, drooping, etc.) may occur from the heat retained in the hot nozzle in the newest created layer and gravity. As a result, the previous laid layer may be attached to the new layer. The desired deformation may include adjusting the temperature control, control of layer height, extrusion width, infill pattern, etc..

The additive manufacturing process described above may also be used to manufacture all or some of the other components of oil filter <NUM>, such as housing <NUM>. For example, housing <NUM> may be manufactured by the 3D printing process using the same or different material than the filter element <NUM>. Further, housing <NUM> may be formed to contain the tracer material <NUM>. In other embodiments, tracer material <NUM> may be located in a plurality of components of oil filter <NUM>. For example, tracer material <NUM> may be located in filter element <NUM>, top portion <NUM> or bottom portion <NUM> of housing <NUM>, or otherwise located within surfaces that may be in contact with the fluid as the fluid is passed through oil filter <NUM>.

The disclosed aspects of oil filter <NUM> may be used in any machine that includes a fluid system that includes one or more filter elements. Filter element <NUM> described herein may provide for a number of commercial and manufacturer benefits including determining information about the filter element <NUM>, the filtered fluid, and/or the housing <NUM> of the oil filter <NUM>. For example, the amount of tracer material <NUM> that has dissolved into the fluid (e.g., oil) may be used to determine the need to replace a filter, the frequency that the oil has been changed, and/or if a specific oil filter <NUM> or filter element <NUM> has been used.

As described above, tracer material <NUM> may dissolve, or otherwise diffuse, into the fluid as the fluid is passed through the filter element <NUM>. The tracer material <NUM> may include a material, such as chromophores or organometallics such as zirconium, cerium, yttrium, scandium, lanthanum and the like, such that the amount of tracer material <NUM> in the fluid may readily and easily be discernible. The amount of tracer material <NUM> in the fluid could be measured by fluorescence, Ultra Violet (UV) absorption and/or a chemical tracer testing tool or otherwise analyzing the oil saturated with tracer material <NUM> by analytical methods such as fluorescence absorption, conductivity, refractive index, elemental spectrometry, and the like. The tracer material <NUM> may help in determining information about the filter element <NUM> and/or housing <NUM>. Information, such as length of time of filter use, flow rate through the filter, and pressure through the filter may be determined based on empirical data of the rate of dissolution of tracer material <NUM> under various conditions. Mixing the tracer material <NUM> with the filtering material <NUM> or locating the tracer element <NUM> of tracer material <NUM> within the filtering material <NUM> of the filter element <NUM> may also allow a user to determine the amount of wear of the filter element <NUM>. For example, as the filtering material <NUM> erodes due to the flow of the fluid through filter element <NUM>, the tracer material <NUM> may dissolve, or be released, into the fluid. The amount of tracer material <NUM> deposited within the filtering material <NUM> may be known, such that the amount of tracer material <NUM> that has dissolved into the fluid may correspond to the amount of wear of the filter element <NUM>.

Filter element <NUM> with tracer material <NUM> may also be used to confirm usage of a specific oil filter <NUM> or filter element <NUM> for a specific machine or operation. For example, the tracer material <NUM> may identify the origin or manufacturer of the filter element <NUM>. Such information may be used to help confirm that the appropriate filter element <NUM> is being used in a particular system. Additionally, filter element <NUM> of the present disclosure may be used to confirm proper use and replacement of the filter element <NUM>. The amount of tracer material <NUM> in the oil may confirm or challenge whether an appropriate use and service of the filter element <NUM> maintained for the system. The amount of tracer material <NUM> in the oil may also determine the length of time the oil filter <NUM> was being used or if the oil filter <NUM> was changed frequently enough.

The disclosed filter media <NUM> may be manufactured using techniques generally referred to as additive manufacturing or additive fabrication. Additive manufacturing/fabrication processes include techniques such as, for example, 3D printing. 3D printing is a process wherein material may be deposited in successive layers under the control of a computer. The computer controls additive fabrication equipment to deposit the successive layers according to a three-dimensional model (e.g. a digital file such as an AMF or STL file) that is configured to be converted into a plurality of slices, for example substantially two-dimensional slices, that each define a cross-sectional layer of the filter media <NUM> in order to manufacture, or fabricate, the filter media <NUM>. In one case, the disclosed filter media <NUM> would be an original component and the 3D printing process would be utilized to manufacture the filter media <NUM>. In other cases, the 3D process could be used to replicate an existing filter media <NUM> and the replicated filter media <NUM> could be sold as aftermarket parts. These replicated aftermarket filter media <NUM> could be either exact copies of the original filter element or pseudo copies differing in only non-critical aspects.

With reference to <FIG>, the three-dimensional model used to represent an original filter media <NUM> may be on a computer-readable storage medium <NUM> such as, for example, magnetic storage including floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; semiconductor storage such as solid state disk (SSD) or flash memory; optical disc storage; magneto-optical disc storage; or any other type of physical memory on which information or data readable by at least one processor may be stored. This storage medium may be used in connection with commercially available 3D printers <NUM> to manufacture, or fabricate, the filter media <NUM>. Alternatively, the three-dimensional model may be transmitted electronically to the 3D printer <NUM> in a streaming fashion without being permanently stored at the location of the 3D printer <NUM>. In either case, the three-dimensional model constitutes a digital representation of the filter media <NUM> suitable for use in manufacturing the filter media <NUM>.

The three-dimensional model may be formed in a number of ways. In general, the three-dimensional model is created by inputting data <NUM> representing the filter media <NUM> to a computer or a processor <NUM> such as a cloud-based software operating system. The data may then be used as a three-dimensional model representing the physical filter media <NUM>. The three-dimensional model is intended to be suitable for the purposes of manufacturing the filter media <NUM>. The three-dimensional model is suitable for the purpose of manufacturing the filter media <NUM> by an additive manufacturing technique.

In one embodiment depicted in <FIG>, the inputting of data may be achieved with a 3D scanner <NUM>. The method may involve contacting the filter media <NUM> via a contacting and data receiving device and receiving data from the contacting in order to generate the three-dimensional model. For example, 3D scanner <NUM> may be a contact-type scanner. The scanned data may be imported into a 3D modeling software program to prepare a digital data set. In one embodiment, the contacting may occur via direct physical contact using a coordinate measuring machine that measures the physical structure of the filter media <NUM> by contacting a probe with the surfaces of the filter media <NUM> in order to generate a three-dimensional model. In other embodiments, the 3D scanner <NUM> may be a non-contact type scanner and the method may include directing projected energy (e.g. light or ultrasonic) onto the filter media <NUM> to be replicated and receiving the reflected energy. From this reflected energy, a computer would generate a computer-readable three-dimensional model for use in manufacturing the filter media <NUM>. In various embodiments, multiple 2D images can be used to create a three-dimensional model. For example, 2D slices of a 3D object can be combined to create the three-dimensional model. In lieu of a 3D scanner, the inputting of data may be done using computer-aided design (CAD) software. In this case, the three-dimensional model may be formed by generating a virtual 3D model of the disclosed filter media <NUM> using the CAD software. A three-dimensional model would be generated from the CAD virtual 3D model in order to manufacture the filter media <NUM>.

The additive manufacturing process utilized to create the disclosed filter media <NUM> may involve materials such as plastic, rubber, metal, etc. In some embodiments, additional processes may be performed to create a finished product. Such additional processes may include, for example, one or more of cleaning, hardening, heat treatment, material removal, and polishing. Other processes necessary to complete a finished product may be performed in addition to or in lieu of these identified processes.

The additive manufacturing process described above may also be used to manufacture all or some of the components of oil filter <NUM>, such as housing <NUM> and filter element <NUM>. For example, housing <NUM> and filter element <NUM> may be manufactured by the 3D printing process using the same or different material than the filter media <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An oil filter (<NUM>), comprising:
a housing (<NUM>) including:
an inlet (<NUM>);
an outlet (<NUM>); and
a filter element (<NUM>) located downstream of the inlet (<NUM>) and upstream of the outlet (<NUM>), the filter element (<NUM>) including:
a filtering material (<NUM>); and
a tracer material (<NUM>) comprising at least one of chromophores or organometallics of zirconium, cerium, yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, or other heavy elements; wherein
the filtering material (<NUM>) is formed by an additive manufacturing process, and
wherein
the tracer material (<NUM>) is added to the filter element by the additive manufacturing process.