Filter device

Abstract

A filter device has a housing plate with a sleeve extending along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the housing plate. The sleeve guides fluid containing particles along an inner sleeve surface to separate particles from the fluid and discharge the particles via a discharge window of the sleeve. An immersion tube plate opposite the housing plate has an immersion tube projecting coaxially into the sleeve for outflow of the fluid. The immersion tube has a sealing and centering section about an outer circumference of the immersion tube that forms a sealing surface parallel to the longitudinal axis and radially seals with an inner surface of the sleeve. The sealing and centering section extends about the immersion tube to provide coaxial alignment with the sleeve. A radial and/or axial expansion of the sealing and centering section is reduced in a predetermined region of the immersion tube opposite the discharge window.

Claims

1. A filter device comprising: a housing plate comprising: at least one sleeve connected to the housing plate and projecting axially outwardly from the housing plate along a longitudinal axis (L), wherein the longitudinal axis (L) extends perpendicularly to the housing plate, wherein the at least one sleeve comprises a discharge window and is configured to guide a fluid containing particles along an inner surface of the at least one sleeve to separate the particles from the fluid and to discharge the particles via the discharge window; an immersion tube plate positioned axially opposite to and spaced away from the housing plate, the immersion tube plate comprising: at least one immersion tube arranged on the immersion tube plate and projecting axially outwardly towards the housing plate along the longitudinal axis (L), wherein the at least one immersion tube enables outflow of the fluid separated from the particles; wherein the at least one immersion tube comprises: a sealing and centering section arranged in a region of the at least one immersion tube adjacent to the immersion tube plate and extending along on an outer circumference of the at least one immersion tube, the sealing and centering section projecting radially outward from the at least one immersion tube and circumferentially surrounding the at least one immersion tube, wherein the sealing and centering section is sized and configured to be received into the interior of the at least one sleeve; wherein at least a portion of the radially outer surface of the sealing and centering section forms a first sealing surface; wherein the first sealing surface radially seals against a radially inner surface of the at least one sleeve, such that the at least one immersion tube is coaxially aligned relative to the at least one sleeve; wherein the sealing and centering section, in a region where the discharge window is not present, projects radially outwardly from the outer circumference of the at least one immersion tube by a first radial expansion r1; wherein the sealing and centering section, in a region where the discharge window is present, projects radially outwardly from the outer circumference of the at least one immersion tube by a second radial expansion r2; wherein r2<r1, such that an enlarged gap is formed between the sealing and centering section and the inner surface of the at least one sleeve in the region neighboring and facing to the discharge window, thereby providing an enlarged flow space for the particles to flow past the sealing and centering section to exit the at least one sleeve through the discharge window.

2. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing and centering section in the region neighboring and facing to the discharge window is recessed in a direction toward the immersion tube plate along the longitudinal axis.

3. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one immersion tube comprises an immersion tube base and passes with the immersion tube base into the immersion tube plate, wherein the sealing and centering section is provided at the immersion tube base.

4. The filter device according to claim 3, wherein an edge of the at least one sleeve is resting at a contact surface provided at the immersion tube base and axially seals and supports the at least one sleeve such that a second sealing surface is formed at the at least one immersion tube, wherein the second sealing surface extends radially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

5. The filter device according to claim 4, wherein the sealing and centering section in the region neighboring and facing to the discharge window, viewed along the longitudinal axis, is recessed to an axial position of the contact surface.

6. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing and centering section comprises at least one circumferentially extending step.

7. The filter device according to claim 6, wherein an edge of the at least one sleeve is resting at a contact surface provided at the step and axially seals and supports the at least one sleeve such that a second sealing surface is formed at the at least one immersion tube, wherein the second sealing surface extends radially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

8. The filter device according to claim 7, wherein the sealing and centering section in the region neighboring and facing to the discharge window, viewed along the longitudinal axis, is recessed to an axial position of the contact surface.

9. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein an edge of the at least one sleeve is resting at a contact surface provided at the immersion tube plate and axially seals and supports the at least one sleeve such that a second sealing surface is formed at the at least one immersion tube plate, wherein the second sealing surface extends radially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

10. The filter device according to claim 9, wherein the sealing and centering section in the region neighboring and facing to the discharge window, viewed along the longitudinal axis, is recessed to an axial position of the contact surface.

11. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge window is an opening at an edge of the at least one sleeve.

12. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge window is a cutout at an edge of the at least one sleeve.

13. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sleeve comprises an inlet with a guide element for inflow of the fluid containing particles, wherein the guide element is configured to cause a rotation of the fluid to guide the fluid along the inner surface of the at least one sleeve to separate the particles from the fluid.

14. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the housing plate comprises a plurality of the at least one sleeve and the plurality of sleeves extend each along the longitudinal direction, wherein the immersion tube plate comprises a plurality of the at least one immersion tube and the plurality of the immersion tubes extend each along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the plurality of the immersion tubes project coaxially into the plurality of the sleeves.

15. The filter device according to claim 1, further comprising a filter element configured to filter the fluid flowing out of the at least one immersion tube.

16. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one immersion tube comprises: a conically tapering section which tapers in a direction along the longitudinal axis (L) towards the housing plate and projects coaxially into an interior of the at least one sleeve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a view of a filter device according to a first embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a section view of the filter device according to the first embodiment.

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of a housing plate according to the first embodiment.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view of an immersion tube plate according to the first embodiment.

(5) FIG. 5 is a view of a developed sealing and centering section according to the first embodiment.

(6) FIG. 6 is a section view of an immersion tube plate according to the first embodiment.

(7) FIG. 7 is a section view of a part of the filter device according to the first embodiment.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a detail view of the part of the filter device according to the first embodiment.

(9) FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of a part of the filter device according to the first embodiment.

(10) In the Figures, same reference characters identify same or functionally the same elements if nothing to the contrary is indicated.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) FIG. 1 shows a view of an embodiment of a filter device 1 and FIG. 2 shows a section view of the same filter device 1. In the following, reference is being had simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2. The filter device comprises a housing 20 which is comprised of a pot 27 and a removable cover 28. The cover 28 can be attached by a clasp mechanism 29 to the pot 27. Within the housing 20, a centrifugal separator 2 is provided which is arranged upstream of the filter element 3 in a flow direction F of the fluid.

(12) The filter device 1 is suitable in particular for motor vehicles, for example, trucks as well as rail vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, for building technology, track and crawler vehicles or the like.

(13) The centrifugal separator 2 comprises a housing plate 4 that forms an inflow-side wall of the housing 20 as well as an immersion tube plate 6. By means of the centrifugal separator 2, a fluid laden with particles 24 is purified of the particles 24. The fluid is a gas such as air, for example. The particles 24 can be solids, for example, dust, sand, or liquid droplets. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a raw fluid 25 flowing into the filter device 1 and laden with the particles 24 is indicated by arrows. After passing through the centrifugal separator 2, the air flows through the filter element 3 where the air is filtered by means of a filter medium 38. Subsequently, the purified air or clean fluid 26 flows out of the filter device 1 via a fluid outlet 22.

(14) The particles 24 are separated in the centrifugal separator 2 from the raw fluid 25 and, in the direction of the force of gravity g, are guided downward out of the filter device 1 through a discharge pipe 21 which can comprise a valve.

(15) The housing plate 4 comprises a plurality of tubular sleeves 5 which extend parallel to each other along a longitudinal axis L perpendicular to the housing plate 4. The longitudinal axis L is here parallel to the flow direction F. For clarity, in FIGS. 1 and 2, only a single sleeve 5 is provided with a reference character. The respective sleeves 5 comprise a fluid inlet 18 for inflow of the raw fluid 25. In each fluid inlet 18, a guide element 19 is arranged that in particular assumes the shape of guide vanes. The guide element 19 is configured to accelerate the raw fluid 25 laden with the particles 24 such that the particles 24 are separated from the raw fluid 25 and the particles 24 can be discharged, separate from the clean fluid 26, out of the filter element 1. For this purpose, the guide vanes 19 cause the raw fluid 25 laden with the particles 24 to undergo a spiral rotation along the inner surface of the respective sleeve 5.

(16) The housing plate 4 will be described in more detail with the aid of FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows a detail of the housing plate 4 according to one embodiment. In FIG. 3, six identically embodied sleeves 5 with a round cross section are illustrated of which only one is provided with reference character. The guide elements 19 are not illustrated in FIG. 3. The flow direction through the sleeve 5 is marked by arrow F.

(17) Each sleeve 5 passes at a base 30 into the housing plate 4. The housing plate 4 is in particular an injection-molded part that is formed monolithic with the sleeves 5. A discharge window 9 for discharging separated particles 24 is provided at an edge 16 of the sleeve 5 which is arranged distal to the sleeve base 30. The discharge window 9 is embodied as a rectangular opening oriented downwardly in the direction of the force of gravity g or as a cutout with a contour 36 at the edge 16 of the sleeve 5.

(18) Optionally, the housing plate 4 comprises in addition a funnel 31 which guides the particles 24 discharged through the discharge window 9 into the discharge pipe 21.

(19) In a mounted state of the filter device 1, parallel to the housing plate 4 and in flow direction F downstream of the housing plate 4, the immersion tube plate 6 illustrated in FIG. 2 is arranged. The latter will be explained in more detail with the aid of FIG. 4.

(20) FIG. 4 shows a detail of the immersion tube plate 6 according to an embodiment. The immersion tube plate 6 comprises a plurality of identical immersion tubes 7 with round cross sections of which in FIG. 4 only a single one is illustrated completely. In particular, the immersion tube plate 6 comprises as many immersion tubes 7 as the housing plate 4 comprises sleeves 5.

(21) The immersion tube 7 is arranged perpendicular to the immersion tube plate 6 along the longitudinal axis L. The immersion tube 7 passes at a step-like immersion tube base 14 of the immersion tube 7 into the immersion tube plate 6.

(22) The immersion tube plate 6 is in particular an injection-molded part that is monolithically formed with the immersion tubes 7.

(23) The immersion tube base 14 passes into a sealing and centering section 10 which is provided along the outer circumference of the immersion tube 7. The sealing and centering section 10 comprises in particular a step 15 that extends along the circumferential sealing and centering section 10 at the circumference of the immersion tube 7. The sealing and centering section 10, with the exception of a predetermined region 39 which corresponds to a region of the discharge window or a discharge window region 32, has along the circumference U of the immersion tube 7 a constant radial expansion r.sub.1 along a radial direction r as well as a constant axial extension a.sub.1 along an axial direction a. The axial direction a extends along the longitudinal axis L and the radial direction r extends perpendicularly to the axial direction a or perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L.

(24) In the predetermined region 39 which extends along a region u of the outer circumference U of the sealing and centering section 10, the radius r.sub.1 as well as the axial expansion a.sub.1 are reduced. The sealing and centering section 10 is recessed in the predetermined region 39 in the direction toward the immersion tube center in such a way that a radial expansion r.sub.2 in the predetermined region 39 is smaller than the radial expansion r.sub.1 outside of the predetermined region 39. Moreover, the sealing and centering section 10 in the predetermined region 39 is recessed in the direction toward the immersion tube plate 6 such that an axial expansion a.sub.2 in the predetermined region 39 is zero and thus also smaller than the axial expansion a.sub.1 outside of the predetermined region 39. Due to the reduction of the radial expansion r.sub.1 and of the axial expansion a.sub.1 of the sealing and centering section 10, a cutout 11 in the sealing and centering section 10 is formed in the predetermined region 39 or discharge window region 32. The cutout 11 extends across the region u of the outer circumference U of the sealing and centering section 10.

(25) The sealing and centering section 10 of FIG. 4 will be explained in more detail with the aid of FIGS. 5 and 6.

(26) FIG. 5 shows a view of the developed sealing and centering section 10 of the immersion tube 7 of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows a variation of the radial and axial expansions r.sub.1 and a.sub.1 of the sealing and centering section 10 along the outer circumference U of the immersion tube 7. The radial expansion of the immersion tube 7, with the exception of the region u of the outer circumference U, is substantially constant at the value r.sub.1. In the region u, the radial expansion r.sub.1 of the immersion tube is reduced to r.sub.2, so that the cutout 11 is generated.

(27) The axial expansion of the immersion tube 7, with the exception of the region u of the outer circumference U, is substantially constant at the value a.sub.1. In the region u, i.e., in the region of the cutout 11, the axial expansion a.sub.1 of the immersion tube is reduced to a.sub.2, wherein a.sub.2 is zero.

(28) FIG. 6 shows a section view of the immersion tube plate 6 of FIG. 4 along a surface which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L and in the direction of the force of gravity g. The step 15 comprises a surface 35 which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L and a surface 33 which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The step 15 adjoins an immersion tube base surface 34 of the immersion tube base 16 which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L.

(29) A diameter Q1 of the immersion tube 7 at the immersion tube plate is greater than a diameter Q2 of the immersion tube 7 facing the housing plate so that also a cross section of the immersion tube 7 at the immersion tube plate is greater than a cross section at the housing plate. FIG. 6 shows thus an immersion tube 7 which tapers conically opposite to the flow direction F.

(30) The sealing and centering section 10, with the exception of the discharge window region 32 which corresponds to the predetermined region 39, has an already described constant radius r.sub.1 along the radial direction r which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L and an already described constant axial expansion a.sub.1 along the axial direction a which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L. In the discharge window region 32 which is pointing downward in the direction of the force of gravity g, as already described above, the radial and the axial expansions r.sub.1, a.sub.1 of the sealing and centering section 10 are reduced so that the cutout 11 is formed in the sealing and centering section 10.

(31) In the predetermined region 39, the radial expansion r.sub.1 is reduced such that a radius R.sub.2 of the sealing and centering section 10 in the predetermined region 39 is smaller than a radius R.sub.1 of the sealing and centering section 10 outside of the predetermined region 39.

(32) In the discharge window region 32, the step 15 is recessed toward the immersion tube center axis that is illustrated by the longitudinal axis L and toward the immersion tube plate 6. The step surface 35 in this context is recessed in the discharge window region 32 by a spacing r.sub.1-r.sub.2 toward the immersion tube center axis. The step surface 33 is moreover recessed in the discharge window region 32 by the axial expansion a.sub.1 along the longitudinal axis L toward the immersion tube plate 6.

(33) In FIG. 6, a sleeve 5 is illustrated which can be placed coaxially onto the immersion tube 7 along a mounting direction M which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis. In this context, the discharge window 9 of the sleeve 5, illustrated in dotted line, points downward along the direction of the force of gravity g so that the discharge window 9 and the cutout 11 are positioned opposite each other in the mounted state of the filter device 1.

(34) In the mounted state, moreover the respective immersion tubes 7 of the immersion tube plate 6 project into the respective sleeves 5 of the housing plate 4. In the mounted state, it is moreover defined in this way that the edge 16 is contacting the immersion tube base surface 34 and that an inner wall or inner surface 13 of the sleeve 5 is contacting the surface 35 of the step 15. This mounted state is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9. FIG. 9 shows a detail of the region A framed in FIG. 8. In the following, reference is being had to FIGS. 7 to 9 together.

(35) The sealing and centering section 10 serves for alignment of the immersion tube 7 within the sleeve 5 and for sealing the immersion tube 7 with the sleeve 5. At the contact location between the inner wall 13 and the surface 35, a sealing surface 12 for radial sealing of the immersion tube 7 with the inner surface 13 of the sleeve 5 is thus formed which extends about the circumference of the immersion tube 7 parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The sealing surface 12 avoids escape of fluid through gaps between the immersion tube 7 and the sleeve 5 so that a preseparation efficiency of the centrifugal separator 2 is increased. In this way, a distortion of the housing plate 4 and immersion tube plate 6 produced by injection molding processes can be compensated. Moreover, the sealing and centering section 10 enables a coaxial alignment of the immersion tube 7 within the sleeve 5.

(36) In the mounted state, the sleeve edge 16 illustrated in FIG. 6 is positioned also with a surface oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L at the immersion tube base surface 34 of the immersion tube base 14 illustrated in FIG. 6. At a contact location between the immersion tube base surface 34 and the edge 16, a sealing surface 17 for radial sealing is formed which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. This sealing surface 17 causes a further increase of the preseparation efficiency of the centrifugal separator 2.

(37) In the mounted state, the predetermined region 39 of the discharge window region 32 and the discharge window 9 are positioned opposite each other so that the predetermined region 39 of the immersion tube 7 corresponds to a projection of the contour 36 of the discharge window 9 in the direction toward the longitudinal axis L onto the immersion tube 7. An opening area or discharge area O of an opening 37, which is formed by the discharge window 9, on the one hand, and by the sealing and centering section 10, on the other hand, and which serves for discharging the particles 24 from the sleeve 5, is enlarged by the cutout 11 in the sealing and centering section 10, described in relation to FIGS. 4 to 6. The cutout 11 as well as the axial and radial reduction of the sealing and centering section 10 in the predetermined region 39 can be seen particularly well in FIG. 9. Due to the enlarged discharge area O, more particles 24 can be discharged from the discharge window 9. In this way, the preseparation efficiency of the centrifugal separator 2 is increased.

(38) In particular, it is not a problem in regard to the sealing action of the immersion tube plate 6 relative to the housing plate 4 to reduce the extension of the sealing and centering section 10 along the longitudinal axis L in the region of the discharge window 9 because here the sealing and centering section 10 does not contact the sleeve 5 anyway and therefore has no sealing function.

(39) FIGS. 7 and 8 show furthermore the guiding elements 19 that are arranged in the fluid inlet 18 of the sleeve 15. The guiding elements 19, here guide vanes, accelerate the raw fluid 25 and cause a spiral rotation S of the raw fluid so that the raw fluid 25 is guided along the inner wall 13 within the sleeve 5. The particles 24 are thus separated from the raw fluid 25 and discharged via the discharge window 9 from the sleeve. The purified fluid, on the other hand, flows along the flow direction F into the immersion tube 7.

(40) Even though the present invention has been explained with the aid of embodiments, it can be modified in various ways. The sealing and centering section 10 can also be completely removed within the discharge window region 32. The shape of the discharge window 9 can be changed at will. Also, the discharge window region 32 can have an arbitrary shape and can also be larger or smaller than the projection of the contour 36 of the discharge window 9 onto the immersion tube 7. The sealing and centering section 10 can also be provided with a deformation in place of the cutout 11 in the predetermined region 39. For example, the sealing and centering section 10 can comprise a plurality of steps 15 or can be embodied as a raised rim of the immersion tube 7. Moreover, the edge 16 can also directly contact the immersion tube plate 6. Furthermore, the predetermined region 39 and the discharge window region 32 must not be identical. The filter device 1 and the housing 4 can assume an arbitrary shape and can be arranged at will, for example, also in a horizontal arrangement. It is also conceivable that not all of the plurality of immersion tubes 7 and sleeves 5 at the immersion tube plate 6 and at the housing plate 4 are identically embodied. In particular, the immersion tubes 7 and the sleeves 5 can have different cross section areas. Also, a housing plate 4 with a single sleeve 5 as well as an immersion tube plate 6 with a single immersion tube 7 are conceivable.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(41) 1 filter device 2 centrifugal separator 3 filter element 4 housing plate 5 sleeve 6 immersion tube plate 7 immersion tube 9 discharge window 10 sealing and centering section 11 cutout 12 sealing surface for radial sealing 13 sleeve inner surface 14 immersion tube base 15 step 16 edge of the sleeve 17 sealing surface for axial sealing 18 fluid inlet 19 guide element 20 housing 21 discharge pipe 22 fluid outlet 24 particles 25 raw fluid 26 purified fluid 27 pot 28 cover 29 clasp mechanism 30 sleeve base 31 funnel 32 discharge window region 33, 35 step surface 34 immersion tube base surface 36 contour 37 opening 38 filter medium 39 predetermined region a axial direction a.sub.1, a.sub.2 axial expansion A region L longitudinal axis F flow direction g direction of force of gravity M mounting direction O discharge area Q1, Q2 immersion tube diameter r radial direction r.sub.1, r.sub.2 radial expansion R.sub.1, R.sub.2 radius S rotation u region of outer circumference of the immersion tube U outer circumference