FILTER ASSEMBLY AND FILTER ELEMENT FOR USE IN THE ASSEMBLY

• US 20150128546A1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walker Filtration Ltd. (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Walker Filtration Ltd. (Atlas Copco AB)
• Inventors: WALKER, Brian, NIXON, Chris, WISE, Simon, CARNEY, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,895,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/502
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0004 Details of removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0005 Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames B01D46/2422 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0041 for feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2414 End caps including additional functions or special forms

Abstract

A filter assembly for collecting material entrained in a fluid stream includes a filter element having a tubular filter and an end cap providing a flow conduit which extends between first and second conduit openings communicating with the internal void of the tubular filter. A housing for the filter element has inlet and outlet ports for the fluid stream, a housing bowl in which the tubular filter is located, and a housing head which provides at least one of the ports as a docking port for the first conduit opening. The housing head and end cap are arranged such that the end cap is inserted into the housing head, and then rotated relative to the housing head about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the tubular filter and to the axis of the first conduit

Claims

1. A filter assembly for collecting material that is entrained in a fluid stream, the assembly including:

a removable filter element having a tubular filter through which, in use, the fluid stream flows, and an end cap providing a flow conduit which extends between a first conduit opening and a second conduit opening communicating with the internal void of the tubular filter, the axis of the first conduit opening being at an angle to the axis of the tubular filter; and

a housing for the filter element, the housing having inlet and outlet ports for the fluid stream, a housing bowl in which the tubular filter is located, and a housing head which provides at least one of the ports as a docking port for the first conduit opening;

wherein the housing head and the end cap are arranged such that the end cap is inserted into the housing head, and then rotated relative to the housing head about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the tubular filter and to the axis of the first conduit opening to bring the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

2. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing head has a stop formation which contacts a corresponding portion of the end cap when, on insertion, the first conduit opening arrives at a position facing the docking port, the stop formation preventing further insertion of the end cap into the housing head.

3. A filter assembly according to claim 2, wherein the end cap pivots on the stop formation during the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

4. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing head and the end cap are arranged such that, during insertion of the end cap into the housing head, the end cap is required to be presented to the housing head at a tilt angle which is removed by the subsequent rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

5. A filter assembly according to claim 4, wherein one of the housing head and the end cap has a projecting portion which slidingly engages a surface of the other of the housing head and the end cap during insertion of the end cap into the housing head to enforce the tilt angle, the projecting portion being received in a recess formed in the other of the housing head and the end cap on the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

6. A filter assembly according to claim 5, wherein the end cap has the projecting portion and the recess is the docking port.

7. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing head and the end cap have a guide arrangement which guides the end cap during the insertion thereof so as to bring the first conduit opening to a position facing the docking port in readiness for the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

8. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing head and the end cap have a camming arrangement operable to apply a force urging the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

9. A filter assembly according to claim 8, wherein, on completion of the rotation, the camming arrangement is operable to apply a secondary force which over-pressures an interface between the first conduit opening and the docking port when they are in sealed communication, and then, with continued operation of the camming arrangement, to release the secondary force such that the over-pressure is relaxed but the first conduit opening and the docking port remain in sealed communication.

10. A filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing head is formed from an extruded body section having an extrusion direction which is parallel with the axis of the housing bowl, an opening being machined in the extruded body section to form the docking port.

11. A filter element for collecting material that is entrained in a fluid stream, the filter cartridge having a tubular filter through which, in use, the fluid stream flows, and an end cap providing a flow conduit which extends between a first conduit opening and a second conduit opening communicating with the internal void of the tubular filter, the axis of the first conduit opening being at an angle to the axis of the tubular filter;

the filter element being arranged for use with a housing for the filter element, the housing having inlet and outlet ports for the fluid stream, a housing bowl in which the tubular filter is located, and a housing head which provides at least one of the ports as a docking port for the first conduit opening, in use the end cap being inserted into the housing, and then rotated relative to the housing head about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the tubular filter and to the axis of the first conduit opening to bring the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication;

wherein the end cap has a projecting portion which slidingly engages a surface of the housing head during insertion of the end cap into the housing head to enforce a tilt angle at which the end cap is required to be presented to the housing head, the projecting portion being received in a recess formed in the housing head to remove the tilt angle on the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

12. A filter element according to claim 11, wherein the recess is the docking port.

13. A filter element according to claim 11, wherein the end cap has a cam device which acts on a surface of the housing head and is operable to apply a force urging the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

14. A filter element according to claim 13, wherein, on completion of the rotation, the cam device is operable to apply an extra force which over-pressures an interface between the first conduit opening and the docking port when they are in sealed communication, and then with continued operation of the cam device to release the extra force such that the over-pressure is relaxed but the first conduit opening and the docking port remain in sealed communication.

15. A filter element for collecting material that is entrained in a fluid stream, the filter element having a tubular filter through which, in use, the fluid stream flows, and an end cap providing a flow conduit which extends between a first conduit opening and a second conduit opening communicating with the internal void of the tubular filter element, the axis of the first conduit opening being at an angle to the axis of the tubular filter;

the filter element being arranged for use with a housing for the filter element, the housing having inlet and outlet ports for the fluid stream, a housing bowl in which the tubular filter is located, and a housing head which provides at least one of the ports as a docking port for the first conduit opening, in use the end cap being inserted into the housing, and then rotated relative to the housing head about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the tubular filter and to the axis of the first conduit opening to bring the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication;

wherein the end cap has a cam device which acts on a surface of the housing head and is operable to apply a force urging the rotation which brings the first conduit opening and the docking port into sealed communication.

16. A filter element according to claim 15, wherein, on completion of the rotation, the cam device is operable to apply an extra force which over-pressures an interface between the first conduit opening and the docking port when they are in sealed communication, and then with continued operation of the cam device to release the extra force such that the over-pressure is relaxed but the first conduit opening and the docking port remain in sealed communication.