Patent ID: 8440083

Claim:
A fuel filter, comprising: a housing for housing a filter element; a filter element including: an inner filter media stage that defines an inner fluid chamber for filtered fuel, an outer filter media stage spaced radially apart from the inner filter media stage such that a radial gap exists between an inside surface of the outer filter media stage and an outside surface of the inner filter media stage, and the outer filter media stage having a vertical length longer than that of the inner media filter stage, an upper end cap and a lower end cap at opposing ends of the outer filter media stage and the inner filter media stage, the upper end cap includes a first cradle having opposing side walls extending downwardly a predetermined distance along an outside surface and the inside surface of the outer filter media stage and a second cradle defined by an inner side wall connected to one of the opposing side walls and a flange extending downwardly along an inside surface of the inner filter media stage, the lower end cap includes a lower base portion secured to a lower portion of the outer filter media stage, the lower base portion having an outer flange that protrudes from an outer edge of the lower end cap, a first centertube adjacent to the inside surface of the outer filter media stage and a second centertube adjacent to the inside surface of the inner filter media stage, an axial gap formed between the lower portion of the outer filter media stage and a lower portion of the inner filter media stage, and the filter element is configured to prevent target fluid passing through the outer filter media stage from bypassing the inner filter media stage so that the target fluid flows through and is filtered by the inner filter media stage and enters the inner fluid chamber; an upper cap member having an upwardly extending flange, a mid-section, and a downwardly extending flange, where the mid-section is positioned on an upper surface of the first cradle and the downwardly extending flange is positioned along the opposing side wall that is positioned along the inside surface of the outer filter media stage; a nutplate that includes a central threaded segment that protrudes upwardly from a base portion of the nutplate and a wing portion that extends upwardly and outwardly away from the base portion, the wing portion having a plurality of fluid passing apertures located circumferentially around the wing portion; an external seal connected to an outer upper edge of the housing, the external seal having a downwardly extending segment abutting an inner edge of the nutplate; and a spring engaged with the filter element and positioned within an interior space of the housing and abutting a lower surface of the lower base portion.