Patent ID: 8048185

Claim:
A filter assembly configured to be incorporated within a housing of an exhaust treatment device, the filter assembly comprising: a first end disk and a second end disk; a filter element secured to the first end disk and the second end disk, the second end disk being secured to a portion of the housing, wherein the second end disk has a central opening; and a connector secured to the housing at one end and slideably received within a collar secured to the first end disk, wherein the collar is secured to a central opening of the first end disk by a molding process and wherein the central opening of the first end disk is sealed by the collar and the connector secured thereto such that first end disk is closed to form a shield on a front axial end of the filter assembly and wherein the filter element is capable of expansion and contraction as the first end disk slides with respect to the connector; wherein the first end disk, the second end disk and the filter element are each formed from a ceramic material and wherein the collar is formed from a metal material having a lower coefficient of expansion with respect to the filter element.