FUEL FILTER DEVICE

• US 20170095758A1
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Richardson
• Original Assignee: Michael Richardson
• Inventors: Richardson, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 11,123,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/302 having inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/52 Filter identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/56 Wireless systems for monitoring the filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 27/06 with corrugated, folded or wound material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 27/08 Construction of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/143 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/306 Filter mounting adapter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 36/005 Liquid level sensing means, e.g. for water in gasoil-filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 37/04 Controlling the filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 37/045 by level measuring

Abstract

A filter device including a probe where a filter element probe first end selectively engages with a sensing unit located in a filter head and a filter element probe second end is located in a contaminant portion of a filter canister. The probe fixedly engages through the filter element utilizing a sealing component. The filter element is disposed in the filter canister that engages with the filter head.

Claims

1. A filter system, comprising:

A filter head selectably receiving a filter device for filtering contaminants from a mixture received by the filter head, the filter head comprising;

a contaminant sensor that detects a contaminant indicator signal;

a signal communicator electrically coupled with the contaminant sensor, the signal communicator communicatively coupling with a remote filter status unit; and

a probe fixedly engaged with a filter disposed in the filter device, the probe comprising an electrical conductor that electrically couples the contaminant sensor with a contaminant collection area of the filter device merely when the filter device is engaged with the filter head.

2. The system of claim 1, the signal communicator comprising a wireless signal communicator that uses a wireless connection to communicatively couple with the remote filter status unit.

3. The system of claim 1, the signal communicator comprising a wired signal communicator that uses a wired connection to communicatively couple with the remote filter status unit.

4. The system of claim 1, the remote sensor unit coupled with a user interface providing an indication of a contaminant level status in the filer device.

5. The system of claim 1, the probe comprising:

a first end that contacts a touch plug end of the contaminant sensor merely when the filter device is engaged with the filter head; and

a second end disposed in the contaminant collection area of the filter device.

6. The system of claim 4, the touch plug end slidably disposed in the filter head, and configured to slide into the filter head to create an electrical coupling between the contaminant sensor and the probe merely when the filter device is fully engaged with the filet head.

7. The system of claim 4, the filter device comprising an outer shell that holds fluids, the outer shell defining at least a portion of the contaminant collection area, and the second end of the probe defining another portion of the contaminant collection area.

8. The system of claim 6, at least a portion of an interior of the shell comprising an electrically conductive material that is electrically coupled with the contaminant sensor by way of the probe when the filter device is engaged with the filter head.

9. The system of claim 7, the probe electrically coupling the contaminant sensor with the interior of the shell when the contaminant contacts the second end of the probe.

10. A filter head, comprising:

a mixture intake port where an unfiltered mixture is introduced into the filter head;

a mixture discharge port where a filtered mixture is discharged from the filter head;

a filter head spud that operably engages with a filter device for filtering the unfiltered mixture;

a contaminant sensor to detect a contaminant level in an engaged filter device;

a touch plug slidably disposed in the filter head spud, and biased toward a distal end of the filter head spud, the touch plug electrically coupling the contaminant sensor with a probe disposed in a filter device engaged at the distal end of the filter head spud; and

a signal communicator electrically coupled with the contaminant sensor, the signal communicator communicatively coupling with a filter status indication unit.

11. The filter head of claim 10, the spud and touch plug respectively comprise electrically conductive material, and:

the touch plug is in contact with the spud when the probe is not engaged the touch plug; and

the touch plug is not in contact with the spud when the probe is engaged with the touch plug.

12. The filter head of claim 11, the contaminant sensor generating a signal when the touch plug is electrically coupled with the filter head spud.

13. The filter head device of claim 10, the filter head spud comprising a fluid passageway that allows fluid into the filter head spud.

14. The filter head of claim 13, the filter head spud comprises:

a first chamber that houses the touch plug in a slidable disposition; and

a second chamber in fluid communication with the fluid passageway at a proximal end of the filter head spud, the first chamber is electrically insulated from the second chamber.

15. The filter head of claim 10, comprising a wireless signal communicator electrically coupled with the contamination sensor, and wirelessly, remotely, communicatively coupled with the filter status indication unit.

16. The filter system of claim 10, the contaminant sensor comprising a water detection sensor that detects the presence of water.

17. A filter device, comprising:

a filtering element that filters a target contaminant from an unfiltered mixture;

a filter end cap fixedly engaged with the filtering element at a distal end of the filtering element;

an electrically conductive probe fixedly engaged with the filter end cap, and having a first end and second end respectively disposed on opposite sides of the filter end cap, the first end of the probe disposed at a proximal end of the filtering element; and

an outer shell at least partially enclosing the filtering element, a distal portion of the outer shell defining a distal portion of a contamination collection area, and the filter end cap defining the proximal end of the contamination collection area, the second end of the probe disposed in the contamination collection area, the outer shell operably coupling to a filter head spud.

18. The filter device of claim 17, the outer shell comprising a shell cap disposed at its proximal end that is fixedly engaged with the filtering element, the shell cap comprising a spud engagement portion that selectably engages with the filter head spud.

19. The filter device of claim 18, the first end disposed in the spud engagement portion to contact a touch plug disposed in the filter head when the filter canister is engaged with the filter head.

20. The filter device of claim 17, the probe electrically coupling a portion of the filter head with the outer shell when the filter device is engaged with spud and the target contaminant contacts the probe in the contaminant collection area.