Patent Description:
Known oil filter arrangements, filter arrangements, oil filter units or filter units are configured to be attached to a housing of an engine, transmission and/or, in particular, an electrical drive axel, whereby the oil filter arrangements, filter arrangements, oil filer units or filter units are connected to the respective housing from the outside of the housing. The oil filter arrangement, filter arrangement, oil filter units or filter unit is thereby connected to the respective housing by means of fixture features, fastening elements and/or threaded joints. Further, oil filter units or filter units are known which are integrated in the respective housing (see for example <CIT>), whereby these oil filter units or filter units are not considered to be replaced, for example during a service.

In view of this, it is found that a further need exists to provide an improved oil filter arrangement for filtering oil of a vehicle.

In the view of the above, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved oil filter arrangement for filtering oil of a vehicle.

According to a first aspect, an oil filter arrangement for filtering oil of a vehicle is disclosed, comprising:.

The at least one filter unit may be configured an oil filter unit which may for example be configured as a spin-on oil filter type or a cartridge oil filter type.

In other words, the oil filter arrangement may be housed in an existing housing and/or a special housing of the vehicle. Thereby, it may no longer be necessary to provide a special housing for a filter unit or to use a filter unit with an extra housing. This means that, for example, replacement of a housing for a filter unit may be avoided or saved, so that the disclosed oil filter arrangement may save consumption materials in the use and/or replacement of an oil filter arrangement.

In an implementation, the at least one connection unit may comprise at least one contact element configured to get in contact with at least one contact element of the separate oil pump unit.

In other words, the at least one connection unit may have dedicated contact pads, similarly to an oil pump may have dedicated contact pads, which may be configured to mate together during assembly to prevent the filter from moving out of position.

In an implementation, the at least one connection unit may comprise at least one guiding element configured to be housed in a recess of the vehicle corresponding to the at least one guiding element.

In other words, the at least one filter unit may be guided with a cylindrical portion, which may be arrangement at the bottom of the at least one filter unit and may be inserted into a corresponding hole of the oil filter arrangement housing.

Further, the guiding element may also be described as a notch that may be mated with a slot in the oil filter arrangement housing.

Furthermore, the guiding element may also be described as a protruding feature that may be located at the bottom of the at least one filter unit and center the at least one filter unit to a corresponding small hole at the bottom of the oil filter arrangement housing.

In an implementation, the at least one connection unit may comprise at least one rotational orientation element configured to be connected to at least one rotational orientation element of the vehicle to restrict a rotation of the oil filter arrangement about a longitudinal axis thereof.

In an implementation, the at least one connection unit may comprise at least one radial groove and at least one radial hole configured to transfer the oil from the at least one filter unit to the vehicle.

In other words, the at least one radial groove and the at least one radial hole may be configured to provide for outlet of oil from the at least one filter unit in a radial direction rather than an axial direction.

For example, one radial groove and two radial holes, preferably four radial holes, may be used to transmit the oil.

In an implementation, the at least one connection unit may comprise at least two or more sealing elements configured to seal a connection between the at least one connection unit and the oil filter arrangement housing of the vehicle.

In other words, the oil filter arrangement may be sealed against the oil filter arrangement housing by two sealing elements, and the oil filter arrangement may be located inside a wet environment and therefore leakage would not be critical.

Furthermore, at least two sealing elements may be required on the at least one connector assembly to seal the at least one connector assembly against the housing of the filter assembly to ensure a desired and/or optimal oil flow between the oil filter arrangement and the vehicle.

Further, the oil filter arrangement may be centered with the at least two sealing units inside the oil filter arrangement housing.

The sealing element may be an annular sealing element, for example, the annular sealing element may be an O-ring or a similar annular sealing element.

In an implementation, the oil of the vehicle may be pumped and/or pressed by the separate oil pump unit from the outlet pipe into the inlet pipe so that it may be transferred from the outside of the at least one filter unit to the inside of the at least one filter unit and from the inside of the at least one filter unit via the at least one radial hole sideways out of the at least one connection unit into the at least one radial groove and the oil filter arrangement housing.

In other words, the oil may be led out of a center tube of the at least one filter unit towards the oil filter arrangement housing.

In an implementation, the oil filter arrangement may be configured to be fixed in the oil filter arrangement housing by means of a force-locking connection with the separate oil pump.

In other words, the at least one oil filter may be held without any joints, such as screw joints.

In an implementation, the connection unit and the filter unit may be detachably connected with each other.

In addition, the oil filter arrangement may be configured to separately replace the at least one connection unit and/or the at least one filter unit with respect to each other.

A further aspect of the present disclosure relates to an oil pump and oil filter arrangement for pumping and filtering oil of a vehicle, comprising:.

Therefore, the advantage may be that the oil pump and oil filter arrangement may be configured to be housed in the oil filter arrangement housing of the vehicle which may improve the installation of the oil pump and the oil filter arrangement, especially the installation of the oil filter arrangement in such a way that it may be installed without fasteners and without a sealing interface to the outside environment. In this case, the oil pump unit may provide the sealing to the outer environment, while the oil filter arrangement is sealed with at least two sealing elements against the oil filter arrangement housing, so that even a leak from the oil filter arrangement may not be critical since it is in the oil filter arrangement housing, where a wet or humid environment may be.

In an implementation, the oil pump and oil filter arrangement may comprise an oil strainer unit be configured to filter the oil transferred between the vehicle and the oil pump unit.

In an implementation, the oil filter arrangement and the oil pump unit may be arranged coaxially to each other.

In other words, the oil filter arrangement and the oil pump unit may be positioned coaxially to each other.

In an implementation, the oil pump unit may comprise at least one contact element which may be configured to be in contact with at least one contact element of the at least one connection unit.

In other words, to lock the oil filter arrangement, the oil pump unit will get in touch with the oil filter arrangement when the oil pump unit being assembled. The oil filter arrangement and the oil pump may be contacted with each other by means of respective contact pads.

Further, after insertion into the oil filter arrangement housing, the oil filter arrangement may have only one degree of freedom of movement in the axial direction, and the degree of freedom of movement may be restricted by the oil pump unit.

A further aspect of the present disclosure relates to a vehicle with an oil pump and/or an oil filter arrangement, whereby at least the oil filter of the arrangement is housed in an oil filter arrangement housing of the vehicle. The oil pump and oil filter arrangement may be housed in a housing of the vehicle.

This may provide the advantage that the oil filter arrangement does not have to be held in place by a fixing feature, but rather by the oil pump unit. This also allows that some oil channels in the housing of the vehicle may be skipped.

Therefore, the oil pump unit may be installed after the oil filter arrangement. Thereby, the oil filter arrangement may be in a centered and/or in a fixed rotational position in the oil filter arrangement housing. In this case, the position of the oil filter arrangement may be correctly held in position by, for example, holes and projections.

In an implementation, the oil filter arrangement housing may be provided in at least one axle, at least one engine housing and/or at least one transmission housing of the vehicle.

The at least one axle may be an electric axle of the vehicle, preferably the at least one axle may be an electric drive axle of the vehicle. The electric axle and/or the electric drive axle of the vehicle may comprise at least some components for electrically driving the vehicle, whereby the electric drive axle may comprise all components for electrically driving the vehicle.

Further, the at least one engine housing and/or the at least one transmission housing may comprise a flange for connecting the oil pump to the at least one engine housing, the at least one transmission housing and/or the at least one axle of the vehicle.

The oil filter arrangement housing may be in an oil sump.

In the following, the disclosure is described exemplarily with reference to the enclosed figures, in which:.

Notably, the figures are merely schematic representations and serve only to illustrate examples of the present disclosure.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a disclosed oil pump and oil filter arrangement housed in an oil filter arrangement housing, whereby the oil pump and oil filter arrangement, comprising an oil filter arrangement for filtering oil of a vehicle. The oil filter arrangement, comprising a filter unit <NUM> for filtering the oil and a connection unit <NUM>. Whereby the connection unit <NUM> comprising at least one inlet tube <NUM> configured to be connected with an outlet tube <NUM> of an oil pump unit <NUM>. And the oil filter arrangement is connected to the oil pump unit <NUM> to transfer the oil between the oil pump unit <NUM> and the oil filter arrangement at least from the outlet tube <NUM> to the inlet tube <NUM>. The oil pump and oil filter arrangement is configured to be housed in an oil filter arrangement housing of a housing <NUM> of the vehicle.

The connection unit <NUM> further comprising a contact element <NUM> contacted with a contact element <NUM> of the oil pump unit <NUM>.

The filter unit <NUM> further comprising a guiding element <NUM> configured to be housed in a recess <NUM> of the housing <NUM> of the vehicle corresponding to the guiding element <NUM>.

The connection unit <NUM> further comprising one radial groove <NUM> and, for example, two radial holes <NUM>, preferably four radial holes may be used in other implementations, configured to transfer the oil from the filter unit <NUM> to the oil filter arrangement housing of the housing <NUM> of the vehicle.

The connection unit <NUM> further comprising two sealing elements <NUM> configured to seal a connection between the connection unit <NUM> and the oil filter arrangement housing of the housing <NUM> of the vehicle.

The oil pump and oil filter arrangement further comprising an oil strainer unit <NUM> configured to filter the oil transferred between the vehicle and the oil pump unit <NUM>.

Further, the oil filter arrangement and the oil pump unit <NUM> are arranged coaxially to each other.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a disclosed oil pump and oil filter arrangement <NUM>, whereby the oil pump and oil filter arrangement <NUM>, comprising an oil filter arrangement <NUM> for filtering oil of a vehicle. The oil filter arrangement <NUM>, comprising a filter unit <NUM> for filtering the oil and a connection unit <NUM>. Whereby the connection unit <NUM> comprising at least one inlet tube <NUM> configured to be connected with an outlet tube <NUM> of an oil pump unit <NUM>. And the oil filter arrangement <NUM> and the oil pump unit <NUM> are connected to each other to transfer the oil between the oil pump unit <NUM> and the oil filter arrangement <NUM> at least from the outlet tube <NUM> to the inlet tube <NUM>.

The filter unit <NUM> further comprising a guiding element <NUM> configured to be housed in a recess of the housing of the vehicle corresponding to the guiding element <NUM>.

The connection unit <NUM> comprising a rotational orientation element <NUM> configured to be connected to at least one rotational orientation element of a housing of the vehicle to restrict a rotation of the oil filter arrangement <NUM> about a longitudinal axis thereof.

The connection unit <NUM> further comprising two sealing elements <NUM> configured to seal a connection between the connection unit <NUM> and the oil filter arrangement housing of the housing of the vehicle.

Further, the oil filter arrangement <NUM> and the oil pump unit <NUM> are arranged coaxially to each other.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a disclosed oil filter arrangement <NUM> in a first and second view, whereby the oil filter arrangement <NUM> for filtering oil of a vehicle, comprising a filter unit <NUM> for filtering the oil and at least one connection unit <NUM> comprising at least one inlet tube <NUM> configured to be connected with an outlet tube of a separate oil pump unit.

The connection unit <NUM> further comprising a contact element <NUM> configured to be contacted with a contact element of the separate oil pump unit.

The connection unit <NUM> further comprising one radial groove <NUM> and radial holes <NUM> configured to transfer the oil from a filter unit <NUM> to the housing of the vehicle.

<FIG>, in particular, shows the filter unit <NUM> with a guiding element <NUM> configured to be housed in a recess of the housing of the vehicle corresponding to the guiding element <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a cross-sectional view along the cross-section A-A shown in <FIG>, showing how a radial hole <NUM> is configured inside the connection unit <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of an oil flow of a disclosed oil filter arrangement with an oil pump unit <NUM> according to <FIG>, whereby the oil of the vehicle is pumped and/or pressed by an oil pump unit <NUM> from an outlet pipe <NUM> of the oil pump unit <NUM> into an inlet pipe <NUM> of the oil filter arrangement so that it is transferred from the outside of the filter unit <NUM> to the inside of the filter unit <NUM> and from the inside of the filter unit <NUM> via radial groove holes <NUM> sideways out of the one connection unit <NUM> into the at least one radial groove <NUM> and the oil filter arrangement housing of a housing <NUM> of a vehicle.

In other words, the oil is pumped and/or pressed out from the outlet pipe <NUM> of the oil pump unit <NUM>. The outlet pipe <NUM> of the oil pump unit is inserted into the inlet pipe <NUM> of the connection unit <NUM> where both may be sealed by an O-ring. When oil fills up the volume, it is forced to penetrate through the filtering elements of the filter unit <NUM> and enter the center tube of the filter unit <NUM>. From the center tube, oil flows via the radial holes <NUM> positioned at the front end of the center tube. The radial holes are in connection with a radial groove <NUM> provided on the outer surface of the connection unit <NUM>. When oil fills up the radial groove <NUM>, it continues to flow up through a drilled oil channel in the motor housing. The radial groove <NUM> is sealed towards the motor housing by means of two O-rings.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a connection unit <NUM> according <FIG>, whereby the radial grove <NUM> comprising radial holes <NUM> which are configured to lead the oil sideways out of the connection unit <NUM>, whereby the oil is pumped and/or pressed from the inside of the filter unit <NUM> via the radial holes <NUM> into the radial grove <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a housing <NUM> of a vehicle, whereby the housing comprises the oil filter arrangement housing <NUM> which is configured to lead the oil from the oil filter arrangement housing <NUM> to the vehicle via a hole and/or channel <NUM> in the housing <NUM>. Further, the housing <NUM> comprises an rotational orientation element of the vehicle <NUM> which is configured to connect to a rotational orientation element of a connection unit of an oil filter arrangement.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of an oil flow of a connection unit <NUM> with an oil pump and a housing <NUM> of a vehicle according <FIG>, whereby the oil is led from the filter unit <NUM> over the radial holes <NUM> into the radial groove <NUM>. Further the oil is pumped and/or pressed from the radial groove <NUM> into a hole and/or channel <NUM> of the housing <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a connection between a connection unit <NUM> and an oil pump unit <NUM> according <FIG>, whereby a first and a second contact pad element <NUM> of the connection unit <NUM> are connected to a first and a second contact pad element <NUM> of the oil pump unit <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of a first example of a disclosed oil filter arrangement housed in an oil filter arrangement housing <NUM> of a housing <NUM> of the vehicle, whereby an oil strainer <NUM> is arranged on a connection unit <NUM> of an oil filter arrangement and the connection unit <NUM> comprises two contact pad elements <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of an oil pump unit <NUM>, whereby the oil pump unit <NUM> comprising an outlet tube <NUM> and two contact pad elements <NUM> of the oil pump unit <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a disclosed oil filter arrangement <NUM> according to <FIG> and/or <FIG>, whereby the oil filter arrangement <NUM> is shown in another view than in <FIG>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a disclosed oil filter arrangement housing <NUM> inside a housing <NUM> of a vehicle, whereby the oil filter arrangement housing <NUM> comprises a recess <NUM>. The housing <NUM> further comprises a hole and/or channel <NUM> and a rotational orientation element of the vehicle <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of a second example of a disclosed oil filter arrangement inside an oil filter arrangement housing of a housing <NUM> according <FIG>, whereby the connection unit <NUM> comprises a rotational orientation element <NUM> and the housing <NUM> comprises a rotational orientation element of the vehicle <NUM>, whereby the rotational orientation element <NUM> and the rotational orientation element of the vehicle <NUM> are connected to each other.

<FIG> shows a schematic illustration of an example of a housing <NUM> of a vehicle, whereby the housing <NUM> comprising an oil filter arrangement housing <NUM> with a recess <NUM> and the housing is shown as an example of a motor housing.

Claim 1:
Oil filter arrangement for filtering oil of a vehicle, comprising:
at least one filter unit (<NUM>) for filtering the oil; and
at least one connection unit (<NUM>) comprising at least one inlet tube (<NUM>) configured to be connected with an outlet tube (<NUM>) of a separate oil pump unit (<NUM>);
whereby the oil filter arrangement (<NUM>) is configured to be housed in an oil filter arrangement housing (<NUM>) of the vehicle.