Patent ID: 7279091

Claim:
A filter device, comprising: a filter housing having a longitudinal axis, having a housing wall coaxial to said longitudinal axis, and having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a flow direction therein, said fluid inlet extending laterally through said housing wall; a first filter element within said filter housing extending along said longitudinal axis and having a first length essentially along an entire length of said filter housing; a bypass device within said filter housing openable to allow flow in said flow direction without filtration through said first filter element; and a second filter element within said filter housing and said first filter element downstream of said first filter element in said flow direction having a second length not greater than one-half of said first length, said second filter element having a top end cap lying essentially in one plane extending transversely to said longitudinal axis with a top end of said fluid inlet, said first filter element having a first end adjacent to and encompassing said bypass device and an opposite second end adjacent to and encompassing said second filter element with a radial distance therebetween, said second filter element having an end opposite said top end cap supported on a plate holder closing said fluid outlet except for a passage in said plate holder.