Patent ID: 8617277

Claim:
A crankcase ventilation filter assembly comprising: (a) a housing including: a gas flow inlet arrangement; a gas flow outlet arrangement; and, a liquid drain outlet arrangement; (i) the housing defining an interior; (b) a filter cartridge removably positioned within the housing interior at a location for: filtering gases flowing from the gas flow inlet arrangement to the gas flow outlet arrangement; and, coalescing liquid entrained in the gases and draining coalesced liquid to the liquid drain outlet arrangement; (c) a pressure regulation valve assembly positioned within the housing interior and comprising: (i) a valve frame defining a first gas flow conduit section and a second gas flow conduit section; (A) the first gas flow conduit section defining a first end with a valve seat; (B) the second gas flow conduit section defining a first end adjacent the first end of the first gas flow conduit section and spaced therefrom; (C) the first end of the first gas flow conduit section being a normal gas flow outlet end of the first gas flow conduit section; and, (D) the first end of the second gas flow conduit section being a normal gas flow inlet end of the second gas flow conduit section; (ii) a valve diaphragm positioned in the housing and oriented to move among: (A) a first flow position in which it is not seated against either the first end of the first gas flow conduit section or the first end of the second conduit gas flow section; and, (B) a second, partially closed, position: in which the valve diaphragm is seated against the first end of the first gas flow conduit section, while not being seated against the first end of the second gas flow conduit section and leaving the second gas flow conduit section open to gas flow therethrough; and, in which the valve diaphragm is biased toward the first end of the second gas flow conduit section, regulating gas flow therethrough; and (iii) a biasing member oriented to bias the valve diaphragm toward the first flow position until a pressure condition draws the valve diaphragm toward the second flow position.