Patent ID: 7922006

Claim:
A filter element comprising: an inlet cap having an outer peripheral surface; at least one filter sleeve comprising at least one filter media, an upper end, and a lower end, the at least one filter media further comprising a plurality of adjoining circumferentially disposed arcuate pleats, wherein each pleat has an inner pleat leg having an arc length h i and an outer pleat leg having an arc length h o ; an end cap having an outer peripheral surface; wherein the upper end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the inlet cap, wherein the lower end of the at least one filter sleeve is secured to and is substantially parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the end cap, wherein a range from approximately ⅙ to less than ½ of the arc length h o of each outer pleat leg is in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the inlet cap and end cap.