Patent ID: 8343345

Claim:
In a fluid filter adapted for operatively mounting within a circuit of moving fluid in a machine, said fluid filter comprising: a filter housing defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a filtration medium disposed within said filter housing between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet; a temporary closure designed for attachment at said fluid outlet of said fluid filter after said fluid filter is used and removed from the machine, said temporary closure comprising a cylindrical threaded base adapted for mating with a complementary threaded opening at said fluid outlet of said fluid filter, an enlarged-diameter solid wall top formed with said base and adapted for covering both of said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet of said fluid filter, and a low-profile handle formed with said top of said closure and comprising at least one radial extension; a filter baseplate located at an open end of said filter housing and defining a circular recess receiving a sealing gasket, the sealing gasket defining a recessed circular area with said baseplate, wherein said top of said closure is adapted to reside entirely down inside the circular area defined by said sealing gasket, such that when said temporary closure is attached to said fluid filter the radial extension of said low-profile handle extends outwardly from said top to a point not beyond the recessed circular area defined by the sealing gasket; whereby said temporary closure functions to substantially contain residual fluid within said filter housing prior to subsequent processing of said used fluid filter.