Patent ID: 7572309

Claim:
A filter for venting an enclosure ( 1 ) with a venting conduit ( 6 ) and containing an electrical apparatus ( 4 ), said filter ( 8 ) comprising: a tubular body ( 20 ) with an internal conduit ( 11 ) having openings at opposite ends ( 9 , 10 ) of said body ( 20 ), the internal conduit ( 11 ) configured to couple to the venting conduit ( 6 ) of said enclosure ( 1 ); and a filtering element ( 15 ) in the form of a hydrophobic membrane positioned within a rectilinear part of the conduit ( 11 ), wherein said body ( 20 ) is comprised of at least two adjacent portions ( 20 A, 20 B) set at an angle to each other, wherein the filtering element ( 15 ) is in an interior of the conduit ( 11 ) of said body ( 20 ) and associated with said conduit in such as manner as to form one piece therewith, wherein the filtering element ( 15 ) is disposed transversely within the conduit ( 11 ), the filtering element ( 15 ) being incorporated into the body ( 20 ) of the filter ( 8 ) to form an integral combination between said body and said filter, wherein the body ( 20 ) and the filtering element ( 15 ) enable said enclosure to be vented, prevent water entry, and reduce the entry of moisture, wherein the filtering element ( 15 ) is positioned in correspondence with an angled region ( 22 ) of said conduit, said region ( 22 ) being present in a connection zone between the two adjacent angled portions ( 20 A, 20 B) of the body ( 20 ), wherein the filtering element ( 15 ) has a surface area greater than the cross-sectional area of the rectilinear portion of the conduit ( 11 ), and wherein the filtering element ( 15 ) is co-moulded with the body ( 20 ) of the filter ( 8 ).