Patent ID: 7604738

Claim:
A connecting end cap for a filter, said filter comprising a cylindrical canister having a cylindrical axis and at least one threaded end, a tubular filter element arranged within the canister, a connecting end cap and a closed end cap arranged such that the tubular filter element rests within the canister, the closed end cap seals one end of the filter element and the connecting end cap directs input flow to the exterior of the tubular filter element and output flow from the interior of the tubular filter element, said connecting end cap comprising: a cup-shaped body defined by a cylindrical wall having threads and a cylindrical axis the same as the cylindrical axis of the canister, the open end of the cylindrical wall sized to receive the cylindrical canister through engaging threads and the closed end of the cup-shaped body being defined by a wall perpendicular to the cylindrical axis, said connecting end cap having an input and an output chamber adjacent the closed end, the input and output chambers being separated by a wall positioned so that the inlet chamber abuts two port positions on the cylindrical wall ninety degrees apart around the cylindrical axis and such that the outlet chamber abuts two outlet port positions 180 degrees across from the inlet port positions, the outlet port chamber being further enclosed by a interior wall generally parallel to the end wall and spaced therefrom, an axial opening in the interior wall for abutting the bottom end of the tubular filter element, the axial opening surrounded by a raised annular wall concentric with the cylindrical wall and whereby the connecting end cap can be machined to have aligned input and output ports and/or input and output ports at right angles to each other.