Patent ID: 7842183

Claim:
An oil filter assembly having a filter element, the oil filter assembly comprising: a housing having a holding space for the filter element when the filter element is placed inside the housing, said housing having means for directing radial oil flow through the filter element, wherein a base of said holding space has an outlet opening; an outlet valve disposed at said outlet opening, said outlet valve being closed when the filter element is inserted in said housing, said outlet valve having a compensating body to compensate for axial tolerances of said housing or of the filter element; and a supporting tube which supports the filter element when the filter element is inserted in said housing, said supporting tube having a guide structured as an opening for guiding said compensating body outside and above said outlet opening, said guide being disposed on a foot extending radially outward or on a collar of said supporting tube extending radially outward, said supporting tube mounted to said housing in such a manner that said compensating body, guided by said supporting tube, is protected from deflection in response to transverse forces.