Filter hose assembly employing a conical filter element

• US 5,632,793 A
• Filed: 11/06/1995
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mann+Hummel Purolator Filters LLC (Hummel Familien-Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH + Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Purolator Products N A Incorporated (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Haggard, Clifford D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SPITZER, ROBERT H
• Application Number:
  US08/554,068
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 55/385.3, 55/497-502, 55/509, 55/511, 55/513, 55/521, 96/4.6, 210/493.1, 210/493.5, 210/497.01, 210/497.2, 210/497.3
• US Class Current: 55/498
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/122 with pleats of different length
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2271/027 Radial sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2275/201 Conical shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/60 for the intake of internal combustion engines or turbines intake systems for vehicles comprising filters F02M35/024
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0002 Casings; Housings; Frame constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0015 Throw-away type filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2411 Filter cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/521 using folded, pleated material
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/024 using filters, e.g. moistened F02M35/026 takes precedence; cleaning of the filtering material F02M35/08

Abstract

A filter assembly is formed of an impervious elongated tubular housing and an elongated filter member positioned within the housing. In a first embodiment a barrier is interposed between a filter member first surface and the housing internal tubular surface adjacent the housing inlet end and another barrier is interposed between the filter member second surface and the housing internal tubular surface adjacent the housing outlet end. In a second embodiment, the filter member is formed of a pleated sheet, the pleats being folded at their ends, and the pleated sheet is formed into a frusto-conical shape with the conical base secured to the tubular housing interior surface. Air flowing into the housing inlet end passes through the filter member before exiting at the outlet end.

Claims

1. A filter assembly comprising:

an elongated tubular housing having an internal tubular surface, an inlet end and an outlet end;

a filter element formed of a sheet of filter material having a first surface and an opposed second surface, opposed first and second ends and opposed first and second side edges, the filter material being longitudinally folded to define a series of longitudinal pleats extending between said first and second ends, said pleats defining pairs of opposed walls providing alternate first channels defined by said first surface and second channels defined by said second surface, each of said first channels at said first end being laterally folded in the direction towards said first surface and each of said second channels at said second end being laterally folded in an opposite direction towards said second surface, said first lateral folds serving to close off said first longitudinal channels in said first surface at said first end and said second lateral folds serving to close off said second longitudinal channels in said second surface at said second end, the filter element being formed into a tubular configuration with said first and second side edges secured to each other; and

means of securing said filter element within said tubular housing with said first surface in closed communication with said housing inlet end and said second surface in closed communication with said housing outlet end.

2. A filter assembly according to claim 1 in which adjacent surfaces of said filter material at said lateral folds are bonded to each other.

3. A filter assembly according to claim 1 in which said filter element has a tubular axis and said longitudinal pleats extend generally radially thereof whereby said first surface is an annular interior surface and said second surface is an annular exterior surface.

4. A filter assembly according to claim 3 in which said tubular configuration is frusto-conical in shape.

5. A filter assembly of claim 4 in which said frusto-conical shape provides a first end having an internal frusto-conical configuration and a second end having an external frusto-conical configuration.

6. A filler assembly comprising:

an impervious elongated tubular housing having an internal tubular surface, an inlet end and an outlet end;

a sheet of filter material having a first surface and an opposed second surface, opposed first and second ends and opposed first and second side edges, the sheet being longitudinally folded to define a series of longitudinal pleats extending between said first and second ends, said pleats defining pairs of opposed walls providing first channels defined by said first surface and alternate second channels defined by said second surface, each of said first channels at said first end being folded into first lateral folds in the direction towards said first surface and each of said second channels at said second end being folded into second lateral folds in an opposite direction towards said second surface, said first lateral folds serving to close off said first channels at said first end and said second lateral folds serving to close off said second channels at said second end, the member being formed into an elongated annular frusto-conical arrangement with said first and second side edges secured to each other and having a conical axis whereby said longitudinal pleats extend generally radially of said conical axis and whereby said first surface is an annular interior surface and said second surface is an annular exterior surface and providing a first conical base end with a larger cross-sectional area and a second conical end with a smaller cross-sectional area; and

means to circumferentially seal said first conical base end to said tubular housing internal tubular surface and means to close said second conical end whereby a fluid flowing through said tubular housing must pass through said filter material.

7. A filter assembly comprising:

an impervious elongated tubular housing having an internal tubular surface, an inlet end and an outlet end;

an elongated filter element positioned within said tubular housing, having generally frusto-conical exterior and interior surfaces, the filter element having a larger diameter end and an open smaller diameter end, the larger diameter end being externally circumferentially sealed to said housing internal tubular surface; and

a unitary support member positioned within end in contact with said tubular housing internal tubular surface and affixed to and centrally supporting said filter element smaller diameter end within said tubular housing, the support member including an integral tubular nose plus received within and in contact with said filter element interior surface, the nose plug closing said filter element open smaller diameter end.

8. A filter assembly according to claim 7 wherein said tubular housing is flexible.

9. A filter assembly according to claim 7 in which said filter member is formed of a sheet of pleated filter media.

10. A filter assembly according to claim 7 including circumferential reinforcing means attached to said tubular housing adjacent at least one of said inlet and outlet ends.

11. A filter assembly according to claim 7 including:

a mounting ring internally receiving said filter element larger diameter end, the mounting ring being secured to said housing internal tubular surface.

12. A filter assembly according to claim 11 wherein said housing internal tubular surface has an internal circumferential groove therein and wherein said mounting ring has an external circumferential ledge thereon that is received in said housing circumferential groove.

13. A filter assembly according to claim 7 wherein said filter element is formed of:

a thin filter material having a first surface and an opposed second surface and having opposed first and second ends, the filter material being longitudinally folded to define a series of longitudinal pleats extending between said first and second ends, said pleats defining pairs of opposed walls providing alternate first channels defined by said first surface and second channels defined by said second surface, each of said first channels at said first end being laterally folded in the direction towards said first surface and each of said second channels at said second end being laterally folded in an opposite direction towards said second surface, said first lateral folds serving to close off said first longitudinal channels at said first end and said second lateral folds serving to close off said second longitudinal channels at said second end.

14. A filter element for use in a filter assembly comprising:

a sheet of filter material having a first surface and an opposed second surface, opposed first and second ends and opposed first and second side edges, the filter material being longitudinally folded to define a series of longitudinal pleats extending between said first and second ends, said pleats defining pairs of opposed walls providing alternate first channels defined by said first surface and second channels defined by said second surface, each of said first channels at said first end being laterally folded in the direction towards said first surface and each of said second channels at said second end being laterally folded in an opposite direction towards said second surface, said first lateral folds serving to close off said first longitudinal channels in said first surface at said first end and said second lateral folds serving to close off said second longitudinal channels in said second surface at said second ends, forming a pleated and folded sheet that is formed into a tubular member with said first and second side edges secured to each other.

15. A filter element according to claim 14 in which adjacent surfaces of said sheet of filter material at said lateral folds are bonded to each other.

16. A filter element according to claim 14 in which said tubular member has a tubular axis and said longitudinal pleats extend generally radially thereof, said first surface forming an annular interior surface and said second surface forming an annular exterior surface.

17. A filter element according to claim 16 wherein said tubular member is frusto-conical.

18. A filter element according to claim 16 in which said tubular member has a first end having an internal frusto-conical configuration and a second end having an external frusto-conical configuration.