Patent ID: 8394160

Claim:
A filter element ( 22 ) for a filter device ( 10 ), comprising: axially opposing intake side and outflow side; an intake end face ( 204 ) arranged at said intake side at a first axial end of said filter element ( 22 ), said intake end face ( 204 ) having an intake opening ( 202 ) through which fluid to be filtered enters said filter element ( 22 ); an outlet end face ( 206 ) arranged at an opposing second axial end of said filter element ( 22 ), said outlet end face ( 206 ) having an outlet opening ( 54 ) through which filtered fluid exits said filter element ( 22 ); wherein said filter element ( 22 ) is embodied as a multi-bellows filter with at least two radially nested filter bellows ( 32 , 34 ); wherein said intake opening ( 202 ) and said outlet opening ( 54 ) are at opposing axial ends of said filter element; a first filter bellows ( 32 ) with filter media folds extending axially between said intake end face ( 204 ) and said outlet end face ( 206 ); wherein said first filter bellows ( 32 ) radially surrounds and delimits an axially extending first flow space ( 26 ) within said first filter bellows ( 32 ); wherein said first flow space ( 26 ) is in flow communication with only one of said intake opening or said outlet opening; a second filter bellows ( 34 ) with filter media folds extending axially between said intake end face ( 204 ) and said outlet end face ( 206 ), said second filter bellows ( 34 ) arranged radially outwards of and radially surrounding said first filter bellows ( 32 ); wherein a second flow space ( 44 ) is defined in a gap between a radially outer surface of said first filter bellows ( 32 ) and a radially inner surface of said second filter bellows ( 34 ); wherein said second flow space ( 44 ) is in flow communication with a different one of said intake opening or outlet opening than said first flow space; wherein said flow opening at said opposing flow face is an annular flow opening ( 54 ) through said opposing flow face in flow communication with said second flow space ( 44 ); wherein said filter element ( 22 ) is a one-piece component inserted into and removed from a filter housing ( 12 ) as a single component; wherein each filter bellows ( 32 , 34 ) is a star-shaped filter with filter folds arranged in a star shape and on at least one end face of the filter element ( 22 ) a seal ( 36 ) is arranged between one of the filter bellows ( 32 , 34 ) and the filter housing ( 12 ), wherein a third flow space ( 210 ) is provided at a radially outer surface of said second filter bellows ( 34 ), wherein said third flow space ( 210 ) is in flow connection with said first flow space ( 26 ), such that said first flow space and said third flow space are on same filtered or unfiltered side of said filter element ( 22 ).