Patent ID: 7922005

Claim:
An oil strainer assembly for filtering oil in an internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle, said oil strainer assembly comprising: a strainer element; and a housing having a first shell and a second shell, the housing having an inlet formed in one of the first and second shells and an outlet formed in the other of the first and second shells, the strainer element being disposed between the first shell and the second shell for filtering debris from oil passing between the inlet and the outlet of the housing, each of the first and second shells having a substantially radially outwardly extending outer wall, the first shell having a first hooked flange extending radially outward and then radially inward from the first shell outer wall in a spaced-apart parallel arangement for retaining the outer wall of the second shell, the first shell further having an outwardly extending tab for retaining a portion of the outer wall of the second shell opposite the first hooked flange, the tab being movable away from the outer wall of the second shell to allow removal of the outer wall of the second shell from the first hooked flange of the first shell along a generally radial direction.