Patent ID: 7195122

Claim:
A filter comprising: a filter cartridge including a hollow filter element and a blind end cap sealed to one end of the hollow filter element and a housing defining a chamber, said housing including a bowl defining a bottom of the housing and a head permanently attached to the bowl, wherein the head has a first fitting and a second fitting, the first and second fittings defining a fluid flow path through the housing, wherein the filter cartridge is permanently disposed in the chamber in the fluid flow path defining an annular channel between the bowl and the filter cartridge and wherein the housing includes a fluid conduit which extends axially in a sidewall of the bowl from the first fitting along the periphery of the filter cartridge chamber and opens into the annular channel at the bottom of the housing, the fluid conduit being isolated from the filter cartridge chamber along a substantial portion of the length of the fluid conduit, and wherein the filter cartridge has a bottom surface which is inclined upwardly toward the annular channel.