LIQUID FILTER MODULE

Abstract

A liquid filter module may include a filter device and a heat exchanger coupled thereto via an intermediate piece. At least one liquid channel and a receiving channel crossing the at least one liquid channel and configured to receive a valve may be disposed in the intermediate piece. The receiving channel may include a channel which crosses the receiving channel and in which a securing element may be arranged which fixes the valve.

Claims

1. A liquid filter module comprising a filter device and a heat exchanger coupled thereto via an intermediate piece, wherein at least one liquid channel and a receiving channel crossing the at least one liquid channel and configured to receive a valve are disposed in the intermediate piece, and wherein the receiving channel includes a channel which crosses the receiving channel and in which there is arranged a securing element which fixes the valve.

2. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve includes a housing, a wax expansion element arranged within the housing, a spring, and an operating piston.

3. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing includes a peripheral annular groove in which there is arranged an O-ring seal via which the valve is received in the receiving channel of the intermediate piece in a fluid-tight manner.

4. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing includes, at an end side a guide contour in which the securing element is at least partially engaged.

5. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing element is structured as a sleeve through which a screw is guidable to secure the liquid filter module to an internal combustion engine.

6. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sleeve has a length equal to or less than a height of the intermediate piece.

7. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes a base plate having a through-opening arranged at an edge of the base plate and which, when the liquid filter module is mounted, is in alignment with the channel.

8. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of: the securing element is structured as a sleeve through which a screw is guidable, and the sleeve and the screw are guided through and arranged in the through-opening and the channel; and the securing element is structured as a securing pin and is guided through and arranged in the through-opening and the channel.

9. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of: the intermediate piece is composed of a plastics material; and at least one positioning element engages a recess in the heat exchanger and a recess in the intermediate piece, the at least one positioning element defining a relative position of the heat exchanger on the intermediate piece.

10. An internal combustion engine comprising a liquid filter module including a filter device and a heat exchanger coupled thereto via an intermediate piece, wherein at least one liquid channel and a receiving channel crossing the at least one liquid channel are disposed within the intermediate piece, and wherein the receiving channel includes a channel, which crosses the receiving channel, in which a securing element is arranged, the securing element coupling a value within the receiving channel.

11. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the valve includes a housing, a wax expansion element arranged within the housing, a spring, and an operating piston.

12. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing includes a peripheral annular groove and an O-ring seal arranged therein via which the valve is received in the receiving channel of the intermediate piece in a fluid-tight manner.

13. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the housing includes, at an end side, a guide contour, and wherein the securing element at least partially engages the guide contour.

14. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the securing element is structured as a sleeve through which a screw is guidable to secure the liquid filter module to the internal combustion engine.

15. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sleeve has a length equal to or less than a height of the intermediate piece.

16. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat exchanger includes a base plate having a through-opening arranged at an edge of the base plate, and wherein the through-opening is aligned with the channel when the liquid filter module is mounted.

17. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 16, wherein one of: the securing element is structured as a sleeve through which a screw is guidable, and the sleeve and the screw are guided through and arranged in the through-opening and the channel; and the securing element structured as a securing pin and is guided through and arranged in the through-opening and the channel.

18. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of: the intermediate piece is a plastics material; and at least one positioning element engages a recess in the heat exchanger and a recess in the intermediate piece, the at least one positioning element defining a relative position of the heat exchanger on the intermediate piece.

19. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing element is structured as a securing pin and is guided through and arranged in a through-opening in the heat exchanger and the channel.

20. The liquid filter module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the guide contour is a transverse groove.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the schematic drawings,

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a liquid filter module according to the invention with an intermediate piece and a sleeve which is provided to fix a valve,

[0021] FIG. 2 is a sectioned illustration through the valve,

[0022] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C show a possible assembly of the valve in the intermediate piece,

[0023] FIG. 4 is a sectioned illustration through the liquid filter module in the region of the valve, but with a plane of section orthogonal with respect to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] According to FIG. 1, a liquid filter module 1 according to the invention, in particular an oil filter module, has an intermediate piece 2. on which a heat exchanger 3 and a filter device 4 are arranged. The intermediate piece 2 is in this instance constructed from plastics material, in particular as a plastics material injection-molded component. There are provided in the intermediate piece 2 at least one liquid channel 5 (cf. also FIGS. 2 and 4) and a receiving channel 6 which crosses it for receiving a valve 7. In order to secure the valve 7 in the receiving channel 6, there is provided a channel 8 which crosses the receiving channel 6 and in which a securing element 9 is arranged.

[0025] The valve 7 has in this instance a housing 14 having a wax expansion element 10 which is arranged therein, a spring 11 and an operating piston 12. In this instance, the wax expansion element 10 displaces in accordance with the temperature the operating piston 12, whereupon it releases or closes a bypass channel which bypasses the heat exchanger 3. This is particularly significant in the event of a cold start of an internal combustion engine 13 which is provided with the liquid filter module 1 according to the invention. If FIGS. 2 and 3A are taken into consideration in particular, it can be seen that the housing 14 has a peripheral annular groove 15 in which there are arranged an O-ring seal 16 via which the valve 7 is received in the receiving channel 6 in a fluid-tight manner. At an end side of the housing 14, there is provided in this case a guide contour 17, for example, as a groove which extends in the transverse direction and in which the securing element 9 in the assembled state at least partially engages, as can be seen clearly, for example, according to FIG. 2.

[0026] In principle, the securing element 9 may, for example, be constructed as a sleeve 18 through which a screw 19 is guided in order to secure the liquid filter module 1 to the internal combustion engine 13. Such a sleeve 18 is in any case provided since a tensioning of the liquid filter module 1 on the internal combustion engine 13 without such a sleeve 18 would lead to an excessive compression of the intermediate piece 2 which is constructed from plastics material and would thereby damage it. The sleeve 18 is in this instance at a maximum as long as the height of the intermediate piece 2, generally slightly shorter, whereby a predefined screwing force and also a predefined pressing force on the intermediate piece 2 can be ensured.

[0027] Alternatively, the sleeve 18 may also be the same length as or longer than the height of the intermediate piece 2. When the sleeve 18 overhangs the height of the intermediate piece 2, the sleeve 18 may additionally act as an auxiliary positioning means for an additional unit, preferably a heat exchanger 3, a filter housing half, etcetera, and consequently replaces an additional positioning of the arranged additional unit.

[0028] If FIGS. 1 and 4 are taken into consideration, it can be seen that the heat exchanger 3 has a base plate 20 having a through-opening 21 which is arranged at an edge of the base plate 20 and which, when the liquid filter module 1 is mounted, is in alignment with the channel 8. Through this through-opening 21 and the channel 8, on the one hand, the sleeve 18 and the screw 19 are guided, whilst, on the other hand, for example, only a securing element 9 which is constructed as a securing pin 22 is guided. In this case, such a securing pin 22, as illustrated according to FIG. 3A, serves only to fix the valve 7 in the receiving channel 6, but has no fixing action at all to secure the liquid filter module 1 to the internal combustion engine 13.

[0029] In addition, there may further be provided a positioning element 23 (cf. FIG. 1) which, on the one hand, engages in a recess 24 in the heat exchanger 3 or in the base plate 20 of the heat exchanger 3 and, on the other hand, in a recess in the intermediate piece 2 and, furthermore, defines a relative position of the heat exchanger 3 with respect to the intermediate piece 2. Together with the securing element 9, regardless of whether a sleeve 18 or securing pin 22 is involved, a precise relative position of the heat exchanger 3 with respect to the intermediate piece 2 can be defined.

[0030] With the liquid filter module 1 according to the invention, it is for the first time possible to dispense with additional and sometimes structurally complex securing elements for securing the valve 7 in the receiving channel 8 and to use for this purpose a securing element 9, 18, 22 which is in any case used at least at one other location, whereby the structural complexity and furthermore also the production costs can be reduced.