Filter Element, in Particular for Gas Filtration

Abstract

A filter element has a filter element housing with first and second outwardly open receiving pockets. A first filter medium body is disposed in the first receiving pocket. A second filter medium body is disposed in the second receiving pocket. The first and second filter medium bodies delimit a common clean chamber that communicates with an outflow opening for purified fluid. The first receiving pocket has a circumferential first support rim on which the first medium body is supported. The second receiving pocket has a circumferential second support rim on which the second filter medium body is supported. The first receiving pocket has a first receiving wall partially enclosing the first filter medium body and extending outwardly away from the first support rim. The second receiving pocket has a second receiving wall partially enclosing the second filter medium body and extending outwardly away from the second support rim.

Claims

1. A filter element comprising: a filter element housing comprising a first outwardly open receiving pocket and a second outwardly open receiving pocket; a first filter medium body disposed in the first receiving pocket; a second filter medium body disposed in the second receiving pocket; wherein the first and second filter medium bodies delimit a common clean chamber that communicates with at least one outflow opening configured to discharge a purified fluid from the clean chamber; wherein the first receiving pocket comprises a circumferentially extending first support rim on which the first medium body is supported; wherein the second receiving pocket comprises a circumferentially extending second support rim on which the second filter medium body is supported; wherein the first receiving pocket comprises a first receiving wall at least partially enclosing the first filter medium body and extending outwardly away from the first support rim; wherein the second receiving pocket comprises a second receiving wall at least partially enclosing the second filter medium body and extending outwardly away from the second support rim.

2. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first receiving pocket has a circumferentially extending first sealing rim on which the first filter medium body is resting and wherein the second receiving pocket has a circumferentially extending second sealing rim on which the second filter medium body is resting.

3. The filter element according to claim 2, wherein the first and second sealing rims are embodied as an adhesive bead and the first and second filter medium bodies are adhesively connected to the adhesive bead, respectively.

4. The filter element according to claim 2, wherein the first and second sealing rims are embodied as PU foam.

5. The filter element according to claim 2, wherein the first sealing rim is positioned on or adjacent to the first support rim and wherein the second sealing rim is positioned on or adjacent to the second support rim.

6. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving pockets are arranged diametrically opposed to each other on the filter element housing.

7. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving pockets are arranged on the same side of the filter element housing.

8. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving pockets are arranged on different sides of the filter element housing and are arranged angularly relative to each other.

9. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein at least one side of the first and second receiving walls has a reduced height, respectively.

10. The filter element according to claim 9, wherein at least the first receiving pocket has a rectangular cross section.

11. The filter element according to claim 10, wherein the first receiving wall has a rectangular cross section with two long sides and two narrow sides, wherein at least one of the long sides of the first receiving wall has a reduced height relative to a height of the narrow sides.

12. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second filter medium bodies has a parallelepipedal shape.

13. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second filter medium bodies are folded filters.

14. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first filter medium body has a size that is different from a size of the second filter medium body.

15. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first filter medium body has a geometry that is different from a geometry of the second filter medium body.

16. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the first filter medium body has a size and a geometry different from a size and geometry of the second filter medium body.

17. The filter element according to claim 1, wherein the filter element housing is a monolithic injection molded plastic part comprising the first and second receiving pockets.

18. A filter device with a filter element according to claim 1 and a filter housing configured to receive the filter element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further advantages and expedient embodiments can be taken from the further claims, the description of the Figures, and the drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows in exploded illustration a filter element with two parallelepipedal, separately embodied filter medium bodies and a filter element housing as a support body that has two diametrically opposed outwardly open receiving pockets for the filter medium bodies.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the filter element according to FIG. 1 with the filter medium bodies inserted into the receiving pockets of the filter element housing.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the filter element of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a section illustration.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a filter element in an embodiment variant in which the receiving wall of the receiving pockets on the filter element housing has a reduced height on three sides.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows the filter element in a further embodiment variant in which the receiving wall of the receiving pockets has a greater height only in two corner areas.

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a filter element in a further embodiment variant embodied similar to FIG. 1, wherein the receiving wall along the longitudinal side of the receiving pockets is slightly higher than in FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a section illustration of a filter element with diagonally opposed receiving pockets and filter medium bodies.

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a filter element in an embodiment variant in which diametrically opposed receiving pockets are oriented angularly relative to each other.

[0037] FIG. 9 shows a filter element in a further embodiment variant in which the receiving pockets and the inserted filter medium bodies are arranged at the same side of the filter element housing.

[0038] FIG. 10 shows a section view of the filter element according to FIG. 9.

[0039] FIG. 11 shows a filter element in a further embodiment variant in which, as in FIG. 9, both receiving pockets and filter medium bodies are positioned on one side, the outflow opening is however arranged below the filter medium bodies.

[0040] FIG. 12 shows a section view of the filter element according to FIG. 11.

[0041] FIG. 13 shows the contact surface between receiving pocket and filter medium body with inserted sealing mass.

[0042] FIG. 14 shows the contact surface between receiving pocket and inserted filter medium body which is provided with a raised portion that projects into a groove-shaped recess in the contact surface in the receiving pocket.

[0043] In the Figures, same components are provided with same reference characters.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] In FIGS. 1 to 3, a first embodiment with a filter element 1 for a filter device for gas filtration is illustrated. The filter element 1 forms a constructive unit and comprises a first filter medium body 2, a second filter medium body 3 as well as a filter element housing 17 that is configured as a support body and has on diametrically opposed sides receiving pockets 18, 19 and encloses an intermediately positioned clean chamber 4 (FIG. 3). The receiving pockets 18 and 19 serve for receiving the filter medium bodies 2, 3 and are embodied outwardly open so that the two filter medium bodies 2, 3 can be pushed from the exterior into the receiving pockets 18, 19. The receiving pockets 18, 19 adjoin immediately the clean chamber 4 in the filter element housing 17. The inflow into the filter medium bodies 2, 3 that are, for example, embodied as folded filters is from the exterior to the interior so that the outer side of the filter medium bodies 2, 3 is the raw side or inflow side and the side facing the clean chamber 4 is the clean side or outflow side.

[0045] The clean chamber 4 is enclosed by a bottom part, a cover part, and end face parts of the filter element housing 17; the outflow is realized through an outflow opening 8 and an outflow pipe 9 adjoining the outflow opening 8. Outflow opening 8 and outflow pipe 9 are located on the end face of the filter element housing 17 between the receiving pockets 18, 19 or the filter medium bodies 2, 3.

[0046] The inner contour of each receiving pocket 18, 19 is matched to the outer contour of each filter medium body 2, 3 to be received therein so that the filter medium bodies 2, 3 are safely and with form fit secured in the receiving pockets 18, 19. The receiving pockets 18, 19 have a rectangular cross section; the filter medium bodies 2, 3 are of parallelepipedal shape. The receiving pockets 18, 19 each have at their inner side facing the clean chamber a circumferentially extending support rim 20 in the form of a radially inwardly projecting circumferential projection on which the outer contour of each inserted filter medium body 2, 3 is supported. In the two directions transverse to the flow direction, the filter medium bodies 2, 3 are supported by the receiving walls 21 and 22 of each receiving pocket 18, 19 with form fit.

[0047] The receiving walls 21, 22 have in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 at their two longitudinal sides a recess, respectively, so that the receiving wall at the longitudinal side has a significantly reduced height. The height is however sufficient for supporting the respectively received filter medium body 2, 3 even at this wall side. Due to the reduced height, the lateral faces of the filter medium body 2, 3 adjoining the inflow side are partially exposed and are utilized also for inflow of the unfiltered fluid.

[0048] Advantageously, a sealing mass is introduced into the support rim 20 and forms a circumferentially extending sealing rim in order to receive the inserted filter medium bodies 2 and 3 in a flow-tight manner. When the filter medium body 2, 3 is pushed into the receiving pocket 18, 19 with the sealing mass in the not yet cured state, an adhesive connection of the filter medium body with the filter element housing 17 is also achieved upon curing of the sealing mass.

[0049] As can be seen in the section illustration according to FIG. 3, the two receiving pockets 18, 19 and the parallelepipedal filter medium bodies 2, 3 received therein are positioned relative to each other at a small angle which is smaller than 10°. The two filter medium bodies 2, 3 are positioned at the same level; there is no height displacement between the filter medium bodies.

[0050] Due to the reduced wall height of the receiving wall 21, 22 at the receiving pockets 18, 19 in the area of the longitudinal side, the longitudinal circumferential side of the received filter medium body 2, 3 is accordingly also covered only partially by the receiving wall 21, 22. In this way, the inflow surface of each filter medium body 2, 3 is enlarged because not only the outer side which is facing away from or oppositely positioned to the clean chamber, but additionally also the two longitudinal circumferential sides can be used for the inflow. On the other hand, in the area of the narrow circumferential sides the height of the receiving wall 21 and 22 is not reduced; at this location, the receiving wall extends about most of the narrow circumferential side.

[0051] The embodiment according to FIG. 4 corresponds substantially to that according to FIGS. 1 to 3. Different is however the embodiment of the receiving pockets 18, 19 that have only in the area of a narrow side a receiving wall 21, 22 of greater height while on the remaining three sides the receiving wall has a significantly reduced height. Accordingly, inflow of the fluid to be purified is possible additionally at three circumferential sides or lateral faces of the filter medium bodies 2, 3 inserted into the receiving pockets 18, 19.

[0052] In the embodiments according to FIGS. 5 and 6, the filter element 1 is of a similar configuration as in the afore described embodiments. In FIG. 5 however, each receiving pocket 18, 19 is designed with two higher corner sections in the receiving walls 21, 22 while the remaining wall sections have only a significantly reduced height. The two corners sections are positioned at the same longitudinal side. This embodiment makes it possible that the fluid to be purified can flow into the filter medium bodies 2, 3 at each circumferential side or lateral face and also in both corner areas where the receiving wall 21, 22 has only a reduced height.

[0053] The embodiment according to FIG. 6 corresponds substantially to that of FIG. 1 but with the difference that the receiving wall 21, 22 in the area of the longitudinal circumferential side of each receiving pocket 18, 19 in comparison to FIG. 1 has a somewhat greater height which however is smaller than the height of the receiving wall in the area of the narrow sides. In this way, an improved support of the received filter medium bodies 2, 3 is provided on the longitudinal sides.

[0054] In FIG. 7, a section view of a filter element according to the afore described embodiments is illustrated. The two receiving pockets and the inserted filter medium bodies 2, 3 are located on diametrically opposed sides of the filter element housing 17 at the same level.

[0055] In FIG. 8, an embodiment variant is illustrated in which the receiving pockets in the filter element housing 17 and the filter medium bodies 2, 3 inserted therein are also arranged on diametrically opposed sides but are oriented angularly relative to each other. The angle is approximately 30° in the embodiment. Also, the clean chamber 4 has a curved bottom and a curved cover.

[0056] In FIGS. 9 and 10, a further embodiment of a filter element 1 is illustrated in which the two receiving pockets 18 and 19 as well as the filter medium bodies 2, 3 are arranged on the same side of the filter element housing 17. The fluid to be purified flows in the same direction against the filter medium bodies 2, 3, as illustrated in FIG. 10 by the arrows. The filter medium bodies 2, 3 are of different size; they have the same length and width but a different height. The receiving walls 21 and 22 are matched to the different height of the filter medium bodies 2, 3; the receiving wall 21 of the receiving pocket 18 is provided for the bigger filter medium body 2 with a greater height than the receiving wall 22 of the receiving pocket 19 for the smaller filter medium body 3.

[0057] The clean chamber 4 is located on the side opposite the inflow sides; the outflow pipe 9 that adjoins the outflow opening is positioned in the intermediate area between the two receiving pockets 18, 19 or the filter medium bodies 2, 3 received therein.

[0058] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 11 and 12, the two receiving pockets 18, 19 are also positioned on the same side of the filter element housing 17 so that the fluid to be purified also flows from the same side, according to the arrows shown in FIG. 12, against the two filter medium bodies 2, 3 received in the receiving pockets 18, 19. In contrast to the preceding embodiment, the outflow pipe 9 as well as the outflow opening 8 are however not arranged between the receiving pockets 18, 19 but below the receiving pockets 18, 19. The area which is located immediately between the two receiving pockets 18, 19 is not occupied.

[0059] FIGS. 13 and 14 show a respective detail enlargement of the filter element 1 with the support rim 20 on which the filter medium body 2, 3 is resting in the correlated receiving pocket 18, 19. In FIG. 13, on the support rim 20 a sealing rim 23 of a sealing material is provided that, for example, is applied in the not yet cured state onto the support rim 20 in the receiving pocket whereupon the filter medium body 2, 3 is inserted. With curing of the sealing mass, the received filter medium body is glued to the receiving pocket; at the same time, a flow-tight connection is achieved.

[0060] In the embodiment according to FIG. 14, in the support rim 20 a groove-shaped circumferential recess 24 is provided into which a corresponding raised portion is projecting which is provided in the rim area of the filter medium body 2, 3. As needed, a sealing mass can be introduced into the recess 24.