Fluid housing of a fluid treatment system and fluid treatment system

Abstract

A fluid housing of a fluid treatment system of a fluid system has a housing part of plastic material that is provided with a receiving chamber for accommodating a fluid treatment component; an installation opening, closable by a closure housing part, for installing the fluid treatment component in the receiving chamber; and a housing connecting section to connect the housing part to the closure housing part. A housing fastening section is provided with which the fluid housing can be fastened to a holding component of the fluid system. An insert is at least partially introduced into the plastic material of the housing part. The insert is provided with a reinforcement region extending with sections thereof in the housing connecting section and is further provided with fastening region extending with sections thereof in the housing fastening section. A fluid treatment system with such a fluid housing is provided.

Claims

1. A fluid treatment system of a fluid system comprising at least one fluid housing, wherein the at least one fluid housing comprises: at least one housing part of plastic material, wherein the at least one housing part comprises: at least one receiving chamber configured to accommodate at least one fluid treatment component for treating a fluid; at least one installation opening, closable by a closure housing part, enabling installation of the at least one fluid treatment component in the at least one receiving chamber; at least one housing fastening section forming a connecting flange protruding radially outwardly from an outer side of the at least one housing part and configured to fasten the fluid housing to a holding component of the fluid system; at least one housing connecting section surrounding the installation opening and configured to connect the at least one housing part to the closure housing part; at least one insert comprising metal and/or a composite material, the at least one insert at least partially embedded into the plastic material of the at least one housing connecting section of the at least one housing part, wherein the at least one insert comprises: at least one annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert is embedded into the plastic material of the at least one housing connecting section such the plastic material is arranged on both radially outer and radially inner sides of the annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert; and wherein the at least one insert comprises at least one fastening leg connected at a first end to the at least one annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert, the at least one fastening leg embedded, at least in sections, into plastic material of the connecting flange of the at least one housing fastening section.

2. A fluid housing of a fluid treatment system of a fluid system, the fluid housing comprising: at least one housing part of plastic material, wherein the at least one housing part comprises: at least one receiving chamber arranged in an interior of the at least one housing part and configured to accommodate at least one fluid treatment component for treating a fluid; at least one installation opening, closable by a closure housing part, enabling installation of the at least one fluid treatment component in the at least one receiving chamber; and wherein the at least one housing part has at least one housing connecting section surrounding the installation opening of the at least one housing part and configured to connect the at least one housing part to the closure housing part; at least one housing fastening section forming a connecting flange protruding radially outwardly from an outer side of the at least one housing part and configured to fasten the fluid housing to a holding component of the fluid system; at least one insert comprising metal and/or a composite material, the at least one insert at least partially embedded into the plastic material of the at least one housing connecting section of the at least one housing part, wherein the at least one insert comprises: at least one annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert is embedded into the plastic material of the at least one housing connecting section such the plastic material is arranged on both radially outer and radially inner sides of the annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert; and wherein the at least one insert comprises at least one fastening leg connected at a first end to the at least one annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert, the at least one fastening leg embedded, at least in sections, into plastic material of the connecting flange of the at least one housing fastening section.

3. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the plastic material is at least partially injection molded around the at least one insert.

4. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one insert exhibits a higher mechanical strength than the plastic material of the at least one housing part.

5. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one insert is arranged such that the at least one insert has no direct contact with a fluid-conducting region of the fluid housing.

6. The fluid housing according to claim 5, wherein the at least one insert comprises a surface area of maximally 50% that is in direct contact with an environment surrounding an exterior of the fluid housing.

7. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one insert comprises at least one support section configured to positionally fix the at least one insert at least during embedding in the plastic material by injection molding the plastic material of the at least one housing part about the at least one insert.

8. The fluid housing according to claim 7, wherein the at least one support section is at least partially not covered by the plastic material of the at least one housing part during injection molding.

9. The fluid housing according to claim 7, wherein the at least one support section comprises at least one support surface.

10. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fastening leg is integrated into the at least one insert, the at least one fastening leg extending outwardly away from the at least one housing part.

11. The fluid housing according to claim 10, wherein the at least one fastening leg is formed as one piece together with the at least one insert or is integrally formed on the at least one insert.

12. The fluid housing according to claim 11, wherein the at least one fastening leg is at least two fastening legs and wherein the at least one insert connects the at least two fastening legs with each other.

13. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one insert comprises at least one support section configured to support at least one function component of the fluid treatment system.

14. The fluid housing according to claim 13, wherein the at least one function component is an inlet socket or an outlet socket.

15. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the housing connecting section of the fluid housing comprises a radially inner thread arranged on an radially inner surface of the fluid housing adjacent to the installation opening, the radially inner thread configured to connect fluid housing to the closure housing part.

16. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the metal of the at least one insert is selected from the group consisting of die cast metal and sheet metal and wherein the composite material is fiber composite plastic material.

17. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein at least the housing connecting section comprises plastic material selected from the group consisting of a fiber-reinforced polymer material, a particle-reinforced polymer material; and a fiber-reinforced and particle-reinforced polymer material.

18. The fluid housing according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fastening leg has a first end connected to the annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert; wherein the at least one fastening leg has an opposite free end arranged outwardly away from the annular reinforcement region of the at least one insert; wherein the at least one fasting leg includes at least one hollow fixation sleeve.

19. The fluid housing according to claim 18, wherein the least two fastening legs are embedded into the plastic material of the connecting flange; wherein the connecting flange extends between and connects the two fastening legs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features, and details of the invention result from the following description in which embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawing. A person of skill in the art will expediently consider the features disclosed in combination in the drawing, the description, and the claims also individually and combine them to further meaningful combinations.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an isometric illustration of a fluid filter module according to a first embodiment.

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the fluid filter module of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of the fluid filter module of FIGS. 1 and 2 along a section line III-III of FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 is an isometric illustration of an insert of the fluid filter module of FIGS. 1 to 3 which is embedded in the plastic material of a housing pot of the fluid filter module.

(6) FIG. 5 is an isometric illustration of a fluid filter module according to a second embodiment.

(7) FIG. 6 is a section view of a support section for an outlet socket of the fluid filter module of FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 is an isometric illustration of an insert with the support section of the fluid filter module of FIGS. 5 and 6 which is embedded in the plastic material of the housing part of the fluid filter module.

(9) In the Figures, same or similar components are provided with same reference characters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) In FIGS. 1 to 4, a fluid treatment system in the form of a fluid filter module 10 according to a first embodiment is illustrated in different illustrations. The filter module 10 can be, for example, an oil filter module, a fuel filter module or a different type of filter module for a liquid or gaseous fluid, for example, hydraulic fluid, water, urea water solution, cooling liquid, air or the like. The fluid filter module 10 can be used, for example, in connection with an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The fluid filter module 10 serves in this context for purification of the corresponding fluid. It is arranged in a corresponding fluid system, for example, an oil circuit or fuel circuit.

(11) The fluid filter module 10 comprises a fluid housing 12 with an inlet socket 14 for the fluid to be purified and an outlet socket 16 for purified fluid. In the fluid housing 12, a filter element, not illustrated in the FIGS. 1 to 4, is arranged such that it separates the inlet socket 14 fluidically from the outlet socket 16. In a way not of interest here, the corresponding fluid is filtered and the possibly contained particles are removed by means of the filter element.

(12) The fluid housing 12 comprises a housing part in the form of a housing pot 18 and a closure housing part, not illustrated, in the form of a housing cover. The housing cover can be comprised of plastic material and is not figuratively illustrated.

(13) For installation of the filter element, the housing pot 18 comprises an installation opening 20 that is of a circular shape in the example. The installation opening 20 can be closed off by the housing cover. Moreover, the housing pot 18 comprises an inlet socket 14 which is extending coaxially to an axis 22 into the housing pot 18 and further comprises the outlet socket 16 which is extending eccentrically to the axis 22 out of the housing pot 18. In reverse flow direction of the fluid through the filter module 10, the functions of the inlet socket 18 and of the outlet socket 16 can be switched.

(14) The axis 22 in the embodiment coincides with a housing axis of the housing pot 18, an installation/removal axis of the filter element in the housing pot 18, and a connecting axis of the housing cover with the housing pot 18. For reasons of simplification, in the following the housing axis, the connecting axis, and the installation/removal axis are identified with the same reference character 22 and are referred to as axis 22 for short. It is understood that, depending on the context, the housing axis, the connecting axis, and/or the installation/removal axis is intended. When in the following radial, coaxial, axial, tangential, circumferential, concentric, eccentric or the like is referred to, this relates to the axis 22, if nothing to the contrary is mentioned.

(15) Moreover, the housing pot 18 comprises a receiving chamber 24 for receiving the filter element. The inlet socket 14 and the outlet socket 16 open into the receiving chamber 24, the inlet socket 14 at the raw side, the outlet socket 16 at the clean side. The receiving chamber 24 is accessible from the exterior through the installation opening 20.

(16) A wall area of the housing pot 18 surrounding the installation opening 20 forms a housing connecting section 26 for connecting the housing cover with the housing pot 18.

(17) Radially outside of the housing pot 18, a housing fastening section 28 extends for fastening the fluid housing 12 to a holding component of the fluid system, for example, a frame of an internal combustion engine/motor vehicle. The housing fastening section 28 extends approximately wing-like on oppositely positioned circumferential sides of the housing pot 18.

(18) The housing pot 18 is designed as a so-called hybrid component. It is comprised substantially of plastic material, for example, a polymer material, in which an insert 30, shown in detail in FIG. 4, is embedded with form fit. The insert 30 is surrounded such by the plastic material of the housing pot 18 that it has no direct contact with fluid-conducting regions of the fluid housing 12, for example, the receiving chamber 24. The insert 30 is located within a force flow between the housing connecting section 26 and the housing fastening section 28 of the housing pot 18. Accordingly, the insert 30 can take up forces acting correspondingly on the housing pot 18 and the plastic material can be relieved.

(19) The insert 30 is realized as one piece and is comprised of metal, for example, die cast aluminum or sheet metal, or a composite material or a combination of different materials. The material of the insert 30 is mechanically more stable than the plastic material of the housing pot 18.

(20) The insert 30 comprises an annular reinforcement region 32. The reinforcement region 32 has the shape of a round hollow cylinder. The reinforcement region 32 is arranged coaxial to the axis 22 in the housing connecting section 26. Relative to the axis 22, it is embedded by injection molding externally and internally in radial direction and on both sides in axial direction by the plastic material of the housing pot 18. In this way, the reinforcement region 32 and thus the insert 30 is held with form fit in the plastic material of the housing pot 18 in axial direction and radial direction.

(21) The radial inner circumferential side of the housing connecting section 26 comprises an inner thread 34 within the reinforcement region 32. The inner thread 34 is the pot-associated part of a screw connection with which the housing cover can be connected to the housing pot 18 in the installation opening 20.

(22) On the side axially facing away from the open side of the installation opening 20, the reinforcement region 32 passes into a total of two fastening regions in the form of fastening legs 36. The fastening legs 36 are located at approximately oppositely positioned sides in radial direction relative to the axis 22. Following a substantially S-shaped bend, they each extend approximately parallel to each other away from the reinforcement region 32. In the housing pot 18, the fastening legs 36 are extending on the respective side in one of the wings of the housing fastening section 28. The housing fastening section 28 and the fastening legs 36 embedded therein form a connecting flange with which the fluid filter module 10 can be fastened to the holding component of the fluid system.

(23) Each fastening leg 36 comprises two fastening elements 38. The fastening elements 38 are integrated in the insert 30. The fastening elements 38 are each hollow cylindrical fixation sleeves. The imaginary axes of the fixation sleeves of the total of four fastening elements 38 extend parallel to each other and tangentially at a slant to an imaginary cylinder about the axis 22 (see FIG. 3). A respective end face 40 of the fastening elements 38 which is facing away from an imaginary center plane with the axis 22 is located in an imaginary plane which is perpendicular to the respective axis. The plane with said end faces 40 is extending at a slant relative to the axis 22 on one side of the aforementioned imaginary center plane. The fastening legs 36 extend also at a slant to the axis 22.

(24) On the fastening legs 36, two fastening elements 38 are provided, respectively, one at the free ends of the legs 36 and one facing the reinforcement region 32. The sections of the fastening legs 36 between the fastening elements 38 each extend in a corresponding imaginary plane which is extending through the axes of the fastening elements 38 of the corresponding fastening legs 36. In this way, a stable force connection between the respective fastening elements 38 of the corresponding fastening leg 36 and the reinforcement region 32 can occur.

(25) On the end faces 40 of the fastening elements 38 that are not embedded by injection molding (see FIG. 1), corresponding fastening means, for example, screws or bolts, for fastening to the holding part of the fluid system or support means of the holding part can be supported.

(26) The fastening legs 36 and the fastening elements 38 are each embedded in the plastic material of the housing pot 18 in the housing fastening section 28. In this context, the respective end faces 40 and the respective end faces positioned axially opposite thereto relative to the axis of the fastening elements 38 are free of plastic material. Also, the radial inner circumferential sides of the fastening elements 38 are free of plastic material. The housing fastening sections 28 form continuous fastening holes in the area of the fastening elements 32.

(27) At the free rim of the reinforcement region 32 which is facing away from the connecting legs 36 relative to the axis 22, several support noses 42 with respective support surfaces extend outwardly in radial direction. The support noses 42 project out of the plastic material of the housing connecting section 26. During the injection molding process, the insert 30 is positioned by the support noses 42 with appropriate tools in the plastic material of the housing pot 18 and fixed until the plastic material has solidified. In the injection molding tool, the support noses 42 are in contact with tool-associated pins and are to limit the axial movement of the insert during the injection process; thus, the support noses 42 are only partially not embedded by injection molding, i.e., in the contact area to the tool-associated pins. Generally, support noses 42 can be provided also for radial securing of the insert 30 in the injection molding tool.

(28) As a whole, the insert 30 is in direct contact with the environment surrounding the fluid housing 12 only with the end faces 40, the oppositely positioned end faces, and the support noses 42. The end faces 40, the oppositely positioned end faces, and the support noses 42 form significantly less than 50% of the surface area of the insert 30 so that less than 50% of the surface area of the insert 30 is in contact with the environment.

(29) In the FIGS. 5 to 7, a fluid housing 12 according to a second embodiment is illustrated. Those elements that are similar to those of the first embodiment of the FIGS. 1 to 4 are identified with the same reference characters. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the insert 30 comprises additionally a support section 144. The support section 144 extends at a free end of one of the fastening legs 36. The support section 144 extends, following an appropriate bend, approximately parallel to the axes of the fastening elements 38 toward the outlet socket 16. The outlet socket 16 is supported by the support section 144. The support section 144 comprises an outlet socket opening 146 through which, coaxially thereto, the outlet socket 16 is extending.

(30) The support section 144 is embedded by injection molding in plastic material. The plastic material which is surrounding the support section 144 is passing monolithically into the plastic material of the housing fastening section 28.

(31) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.