Oil filter with oil improving dissolving body

• US 4,075,097 A
• Filed: 04/01/1975
• Issued: 02/21/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monroe Auto Equipment Company (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monroe Auto Equipment Company (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Paul, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Therkorn, Ernest G.
• Application Number:
  US05/564,111
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 210/117, 210/130, 210/131, 210/136, 210/501, 210/502, 210/506, 210/507, 210/209, 210/167, 210/168, 252/9, 252/10, 252/11, 252/56 R, 252/59, 252/199, 252/206, 23/267 B, 23/267 D, 23/272
• US Class Current: 210/167.02
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 27/08 Construction of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 27/103 Bypass or safety valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 27/106 Anti-leakage or anti-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 37/025 additives incorporated in the filter
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2001/1014 comprising supply of additives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/17 Twist-on

Abstract

An oil filter is disclosed as having a filter enclosure provided with oil inlet and outlet ports adapted for communication with the oil circulating system of an associated oil lubricated engine. Disposed within the enclosure is a filter element fabricated of any suitable filtering media. In addition to the filter element, a body of an oil soluble, relatively solid polymer having oil additives compounded therein is disposed within the enclosure. The polymer body is located within the enclosure so as to be in an area where minimum oil flow occurs, i.e. in a relatively non-turbulent oil flow area, which results in the polymer dissolving at a relatively uniform or linear rate so as to prevent undesirable concentrations of the additives during the effective service life of the filter. If desired, suitable baffle means may be interposed between the area of primary oil flow within the filter and the oil soluble polymer, whereby to provide for the controlled contact of the flow of turbulent oil within the filter with the polymer body and thereby assure the desired linear or uniform rate of polymer dissolution.

Claims

1. An oil filter for an engine having a circulating oil lubrication system,

said filter including an enclosure having a generally cylindrically-shaped side wall and having an annular ring-shaped filter element located concentrically therein,

a base plate at one end of said enclosure having a generally centrally located oil outlet opening and at least one oil inlet opening spaced radially from said outlet opening,

said filter being of the spin-on type and adapted to have said base plate mounted on a support structure having a mounting element threadably receivable within said outlet opening of said base plate,

a first oil passage within said enclosure and located between the inner periphery of the side wall of said enclosure and the adjacent portion of the outer periphery of said filter element communicating said oil inlet opening with the entire axial length of said adjacent portion of the outer periphery of said filter element,

a second oil passage within said enclosure communicating the inner periphery of said filter element with said oil outlet opening, an annular body located at a position at the opposite end of said enclosure from said base plate and being substantially axially aligned with said filter element, said body being fabricated of a material having oil improver properties and which is capable of going into solution in the oil when the oil comes in contact therewith, said position of said body being such that oil must flow axially along the entire length of the outer periphery of said filter element before said oil reaches said annular body, with the result that said body is located where relatively limited amount of oil movement occurs, whereby said polymer body will be substantially unaffected by the mechanical movement of oil within said enclosure and will dissolve into the oil at a relatively uniform rate over the normal service life of the oil and thereby assure against over and underdosing of the improver properties being replenished into the oil in said system by dissolution of said polymer.

2. An oil filter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said filter element is fabricated of pleated paper-like material.

3. An oil filter as set forth in claim 1 which includes valve means for controlling oil circulation within said filter.

4. An oil filter as set forth in claim 3 wherein said valve means comprises anti-drainback valve means.

5. An oil filter as set forth in claim 3 wherein said valve means comprises pressure relief valve means.

6. An oil filter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is fabricated of a high molecular weight polymer that is slowly dissolvable in oil.

7. An oil filter as set forth in claim 6 wherein said body is fabricated in polyisobutylene.

8. An oil filter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said body has an extreme pressure additive compounded therein.

9. An oil filter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said body has a corrosion inhibitor additive compounded therein.

10. An oil filter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said extreme pressure additive comprises zinc dibutyldithiocarbomate.

11. An oil filter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said body has a phenolic-type anti-oxidant additive compounded therein.

12. An oil filter as set forth in claim 11 wherein said anti-oxidant additive comprises 4,4'"'"'-methylenebis (2,6-di-tert-butylphenol).

13. An oil filter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is of a generally ring-shaped configuration and comprises radially inner and outer sides, wherein said filter element is fabricated of pleated paper and has the radially inner and outer sides thereof generally axially coincident with the radially inner and outer sides of said body, and wherein said body is fabricated of a thermoplastic polymer. (comprising polyisobutylene having Butyl Zimate and Ethyl-702 compounded therein)

14. A spin-on type oil filter for an engine having a circulating oil lubrication system,

said filter including an enclosure having a generally cylindrically-shaped side wall and having an annular ring-shaped filter element concentrically located therein and oil inlet and outlet ports communicable with the lubrication system of the engine,

said filter element defining a generally central chamber which is coextensive of the axial length thereof and the periphery of which comprises the outlet side of said filter element,

an oil soluble, relatively solid body having oil improver properties,

means defining first and second fluid flow paths along which oil flows within said enclosure, said first path being located in part between the inner periphery of said enclosure side wall and the entire axially extending outer periphery of said filter element and communicating said inlet ports with said axially extending outer periphery of said filter element which comprises the inlet side thereof, said second path communicating said outlet port with said chamber and said outlet side of said filter element,

said body being fixedly located at a position within said chamber and adapted to be contacted by oil flowing along said second flow path, with said position of said body being such that said element is out of direct impingement of oil entering said enclosure through said inlet so that a minimum distrubance of the concentration gradient between the oil and said body occurs as oil circulates through said filter, whereby said body will dissolve into the oil at a relatively uniform rate over the service life of the oil and whereby any mass portion of said body that becomes separated from the main body thereof will be prevented from migrating into said lubrication system.

15. An oil filter as set forth in claim 14 wherein said body is fabricated of a high molecular weight polymer that is slowly dissolvable in oil.

16. An oil filter as set forth in claim 14 which includes baffle means interposed within the exterior of said body and the oil circulating through said oil filter for controlling the magnitude of contact of said oil with the exterior of said body.