Patent ID: 8444733

Claim:
A filter device comprising: a housing comprised of a housing bottom part and housing top part; a filter element removeably inserted into said housing, said filter element releaseably securing said housing bottom part and said housing top part together by a releasable locking connection, said filter element comprising: a filter medium; a locking element arranged on the circumference of said filter element and secured to said filter medium, said locking element a component of a locking device forming said releasable locking connection; wherein said locking element of said filter element engages said housing bottom part and said housing top part to form said releasable locking connection providing fixation of said housing bottom part onto said housing top part with said filter element inserted therebetween; wherein said releasable locking connection is releasable to release said housing bottom part and said housing top part from one another to exchange said filter element; wherein said locking element of said filter element is arranged at an exterior of said housing; wherein said locking element includes a hook support connected at one end to said filter element and extending in a radial outwards direction from said filter element; two detent hooks secured to radially outer end of said hook support, a first one of said detent hooks bent downwardly relative to a separation plane between said housing top and bottom parts; and a second on of said detent hooks extending upwardly relative to said separation plane; wherein said detent hooks on said hook support form a Y-shape locking element extending radially outwards from said filter element; wherein said releasable locking connection further comprises: locking parts secured onto an exterior of said housing bottom part and said housing to part, respectively; wherein said locking parts on said housing parts each include a locking eye having an eye aperture extending therethrough; wherein said first detent hook of said locking element is inserted into and extends through said eye aperture of a respective one of said locking eyes of one of said housing parts to releaseably and lockably engage said respective locking eye; wherein said second detent hook of said locking element is inserted into and extends through said eye aperture of a different respective one of said locking eyes of a different one of said housing parts to releaseably and lockably engage said different respective locking eye.