Patent ID: 8883004

Claim:
A filter assembly comprising: a central support; a disposable filter body having a filter cover at its upper end and a filter bowl at its lower end, and an opening provided in each of the filter cover and filter bowl for receiving a respective end of the central support; and a disposable filter cartridge, housed within the filter body, and housing a filter member for filtering contaminates from a flow of fluid through the filter assembly, the filter member being arranged for fluid flow in a radial direction from a first side of the filter member to a second side of the filter member, and wherein the disposable filter cartridge further comprises an impermeable wall that extends axially through the filter member adjacent the second side thereof to protect the second side of the filter member during replacement of the disposable filter cartridge; wherein the impermeable wall is defined by a hollow cylinder which is axially aligned with the openings provided in the upper and lower ends of the filter body, and the central support extends towards the opening in the lower end of the filter body, through the opening in the upper end of the filter body and through the hollow cylinder of the impermeable wall of the filter cartridge; and wherein to disassemble the filter assembly, the central support is removable from the openings of the disposable filter body and the hollow cylinder of the impermeable wall of the filter cartridge to allow separation, disposal and replacement of the filter body and the filter cartridge during servicing.