Non-planar media transmission filter apparatus and method

• US 20050230324A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Filtran, LLC (Filtran Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Wolford, James, Beer, Markus, Peet, C. Alan, Khalil, Abe
• Granted Patent: US 7,261,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/767
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/0415 Details of supporting structures
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/012 Making filtering elements making bag, cage, hose, tube, sleeve or like filtering elements B01D29/111
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/07 with corrugated, folded or wound filtering sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/30 Filter housing constructions

Abstract

A filter for use in engines or transmissions is provided comprising an inlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of the inlet-side cover, an outlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of the outlet-side cover where the outlet-side cover wave-like region is in a complementary alignment with the inlet-side cover wave-like region and filter media fixed in a non-planar configuration between the wave-like regions of the inlet-side and outlet-side covers.

Claims

1. A filter for use in engines or transmissions, comprising:

an inlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said inlet-side cover;

an outlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said outlet-side cover, wherein said outlet-side cover wave-like region is in a generally complementary alignment with said inlet-side cover wave-like region; and

a filter media fixed in a non-planar configuration between said wave-like regions of said inlet-side and outlet-side covers.

2. The filter of claim 1, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises at least one outlet-side filter media support disposed within said outlet-side cover.

3. The filter of claim 1, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises at least one outlet-side filter media support disposed within said outlet-side cover and wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises at least one inlet-side filter media support disposed within said inlet-side cover.

4. The filter of claim 1, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises at least one outlet-side filter media support disposed within said outlet-side cover and wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises at least one inlet-side filter media support disposed within said inlet-side cover, wherein said at least one inlet-side filter media support corresponds to said at least one outlet-side filter media support.

5. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises media retention means disposed along the periphery of said inlet-side cover.

6. The filter of claim 1, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises media retention means disposed along the periphery of said outlet-side cover.

7. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises media retention means disposed along the periphery of said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side cover further comprises media retention means disposed along the periphery of said outlet-side cover.

8. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises a crimp rib disposed along said wave-like region of said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side cover further comprises a crimp recess disposed along said wave-like region of said outlet-side cover.

9. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises a crimp rib disposed along the periphery of said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side cover further comprises a crimp recess disposed along the periphery of said outlet-side cover.

10. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side and outlet-side covers are joined by a single joining operation.

11. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover is thermoplastic.

12. The filter of claim 1, wherein said outlet-side cover is thermoplastic.

13. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side covers are thermoplastic.

14. The filter of claim 1, wherein said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side covers are thermoplastic and joined by a single plastic-to-plastic bonding operation.

15. A filter for use in engines or transmissions, comprising:

an inlet-side cover having alternating convex and concave regions along the periphery of said inlet-side cover;

an outlet-side cover having alternating convex and concave regions along the periphery of said outlet-side cover which are in complementary alignment with said convex and concave regions of said inlet-side cover; and

a filter media fixed in a wave-like configuration between said alternating convex and concave regions of said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side cover.

16. The filter of claim 15, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises at least one outlet-side filter media support disposed within said outlet-side cover.

17. The filter of claim 15, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises at least one outlet-side filter media support disposed within said outlet-side cover, wherein said at least one outlet-side filter media support includes an alternating convex and concave region.

18. The filter of claim 15, wherein said outlet-side cover further comprises at least one outlet-side filter media support disposed within said outlet-side cover, wherein said at least one outlet-side filter media support includes an alternating convex and concave region in alignment with said alternating convex and concave region along the periphery of said outlet-side cover.

19. The filter of claim 18, wherein said inlet-side cover further comprises at least one inlet-side filter media support disposed within said inlet-side cover, wherein said at least one inlet-side filter media support lines up with said at least one outlet-side filter media support.

20. A filter for use in engines or transmissions, comprising:

an inlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said inlet-side cover and one or more inlet-side media supports disposed within said inlet-side cover;

an outlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said outlet-side cover and outlet-side media supports disposed within said outlet-side cover, wherein said outlet-side cover wave-like region is complementary in shape and alignment with said inlet-side cover wave-like region; and

a filter media fixed in a wave-like configuration between said wave-like regions of said inlet-side cover and said outlet-side cover.

21. The filter of claim 20, wherein said inlet-side media supports line up with said outlet-side media supports.

22. The filter of claim 20, wherein said inlet-side media supports and said outlet-side media supports are sized so that a gap is created between said inlet-side and said outlet-side media supports when the filter is assembled.

23. A method for filtering a fluid in engines or transmissions, comprising:

retaining a filter media sealingly between an inlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said inlet-side cover and an outlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said outlet-side cover; and

passing the fluid through said filter media to filter the fluid.

24. A method for assembling a filter for engines or transmissions comprising:

providing an inlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said inlet-side cover;

providing an outlet-side cover having a wave-like region along the periphery of said outlet-side cover; and

providing a filter media sealingly fixed in a non-planar configuration between said wave-like regions of said inlet-side and outlet-side covers.

25. A filter for use in engines or transmissions, comprising:

an inlet-side cover means having a wave-like region along the periphery of said inlet-side cover means;

an outlet-side cover means having a wave-like region along the periphery of said outlet-side cover means; and

a filter media means sealingly fixed in a non-planar configuration between said wave-like regions of said inlet-side cover means and said outlet-side cover means.