Patent ID: 7168573

Claim:
An environmentally friendly filter cartridge constructed to fit in a filter housing, the filter cartridge containing no metal parts, and comprising in combination: a cylindrical filter element having an internal bore which has no integral supporting centertube but of a size capable of sliding over a centertube in a corresponding housing, a pre-molded plastic endcap having an open center corresponding to the internal bore and sealed to the filter element at a first end thereof, an annular groove formed near the outer periphery of the first endcap, a radial seal gasket having a peripheral mounting bead sized to be stretched and snap fit into the groove in the first endcap, the radial seal gasket having a depending skirt coaxial with the filter element and positioned at about the outer periphery of the filter element, a second pre-molded plastic closed endcap, the second endcap having a closed end, the second end of the filter element being sealed to the second endcap, the second endcap having an annular groove at the outer periphery thereof, a disc-like axial seal gasket stretch fit into the groove and projecting from the outer periphery of the second end cap to provide an axial seal, a pressure equalizing aperture at a circumferential portion in the second endcap for equalizing the pressure differential across the closed second endcap during filter operation, and support shoulders on a plurality of tapered ribs formed around the circumferential portion of the second endcap adjacent the annular groove for assisting in centering the cartridge and resisting crushing forces applied to the second endcap during filtration operation of the filter cartridge.