FILTER SYSTEM, POSITIONING MECHANISM, FILTER ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR INSERTING AND POSITIONING A FILTER ELEMENT

Abstract

A filter system may include a housing, a filter element, and a separate positioning mechanism. The housing may include an opening, a function carrier, a drain opening, and a radially protruding contour. The filter element may include a first end disc, a second end disk, and a filter material disposed between the first end disk and the second end disk. The first end disk may include at least one of a radially projecting contour and an inwardly projecting recess. The second end disk may include a central opening and an eccentrically projecting locking pin. The central opening may be adapted to interact with the function carrier. The positioning mechanism may have a body with a first recess and at least one second recess, which may be configured to facilitate positioning and aligning the filter element in the housing such that the locking pin engages in the drain opening.

Claims

1. A filter system, comprising: a housing including an opening, a function carrier, a drain opening, and at least one contour radially protruding from an outer surface of the housing; a filter element including a first end disc, a second end disk, and a filter material disposed between the first end disk and the second end disk; the first end disk including at least one of a radially projecting contour and an inwardly projecting recess; the second end disk including a central opening and an eccentrically projecting locking pin, the central opening adapted to interact with the function carrier of the housing such that, in an installed position, the filter element separates a filter clean side from a filter crude side; a separate positioning mechanism having a body with a first recess disposed on an inner circumference and at least one second recess disposed on an outer circumference; and wherein the first recess and the at least one second recess are configured to facilitate positioning and aligning the filter element in the housing such that the locking pin of the filter element engages in the drain opening of the housing.

2. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one radially protruding contour of the housing is a radially protruding rib.

3. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the housing is composed of a metal.

4. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the function carrier is composed of a plastic.

5. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the body of the positioning mechanism is a cylindrical body.

6. The filter system according to claim 5, wherein the cylindrical body includes a first opening and a second opening, the first opening having a smaller diameter than the second opening.

7. The filter system according to claim 6, wherein the first opening is configured to interact with the first end disk of the filter element and the second opening is configured to interact with the outer surface of the housing.

8. The filter system according to claim 5, wherein the first recess and the at least one second recess of the positioning mechanism are each configured as a groove.

9. The filter system according to claim 8, wherein the positioning mechanism further includes two guiding bars disposed on the inner circumference at edges of the first recess.

10. A positioning mechanism for the filter system according to claim 1.

11. The positioning mechanism according to claim 10, further comprising a stop collar.

12. A filter element for the filter system according to claim 1.

13. The filter element according to claim 12, further comprising a support body.

14. The filter element according to claim 12, wherein the first end disk further includes an opening configured to cooperate with a housing-fixed vent line.

15. A method for inserting and positioning a filter element in a filter system, comprising: providing the filter element, the filter element including a first end disc, a second end disk, and a filter material disposed between the first end disk and the second end disk, the first end disk including at least one of a radially projecting contour and an inwardly projecting recess, the second end disk including a central opening and an eccentrically projecting locking pin; providing a separate positioning mechanism having a body with a first recess disposed on an inner circumference and at least one second recess disposed on an outer circumference; inserting the filter element into a housing of the filter system such that the locking pin of the second end disk interacts with a drain opening of the housing, the housing including an opening, a function carrier, and at least one contour radially protruding from an outer surface of the housing; coupling the positioning mechanism to the filter element such that the first recess on the inner circumference of the positioning mechanism interacts with the contour of the first end disk; rotating the coupled unit of the positioning mechanism and the filter element such that the at least one recess on the outer circumference of the positioning mechanism interacts with the at least one contour of the housing such that the locking pin of the second end disk of the filter element interacts with the drain opening of the housing such that pressure builds up in a filter chamber of the housing; wherein the central opening adapted to interact with the function carrier of the housing such that, in an installed position, the filter element separates a filter clean side from a filter crude side; and wherein the first recess and the at least one second recess are configured to facilitate positioning and aligning the filter element in the housing such that the locking pin of the filter element engages in the drain opening of the housing.

16. A filter system, comprising: a housing including an opening, a function carrier, a drain opening, and at least one contour radially protruding from an outer surface of the housing; a filter element including a first end disc, a second end disk, and a filter material disposed between the first end disk and the second end disk; the first end disk including a radially projecting contour; the second end disk including a central opening and an eccentrically projecting locking pin; a cylindrical positioning body including a first recess disposed in an inner circumferential surface of the positioning body and a second recess disposed in an outer circumferential surface of the positioning body; and wherein the first recess and the second recess are configured to facilitate positioning and aligning the filter element in the housing such that (i) the locking pin of the filter element engages in the drain opening of the housing and (ii) the central opening interacts with the function carrier of the housing such that the filter element separates a filter clean side from a filter crude side.

17. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a stop collar contacting the housing.

18. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein the filter element includes a centrally arranged support body that directly contacts the filter material.

19. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein: the housing further includes a vent line arranged centrally in the function carrier; and the first end disc further includes an opening configured to cooperate with the vent line.

20. The filter system according to claim 1, wherein: the housing is composed of aluminum; and the function carrier is composed of polyamide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] A schematic representation of the following is shown:

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a view of the filter system with the positioning means used;

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a view of the positioning means according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] According to FIG. 1, the filter system 1 according to the invention comprises a housing 2 with an opening. In a preferred embodiment, the housing 2 is made of metal, particularly aluminum. The housing 2 further comprises a decentralized drain opening in the bottom region of the filter chamber. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the housing 2 may include a vent line 10.

[0021] The filter system 1 comprises a filter element 3. The filter element 3 comprises a first end disk 4 with a central opening 5 and a radially outwardly projecting contour 4.1, which in a preferred embodiment is designed as a rib 4.1. The filter element 3 further comprises a second end disk not shown in the figure, and a filter material provided between the first and second end disks 4. The second end disk has an axially eccentrically protruding locking pin which interacts with the decentralized drain opening in the bottom area of the filter chamber in such a way that when the filter element 3 is properly positioned, the locking pin closes the drain opening.

[0022] A separate positioning means 6 is provided to position the filter element 3 in the housing 2 of the filter system 1. The positioning means 6 has a cylindrical shape. It has a first opening that is configured to engage around the outer surface of the housing 2 and can be slid over the housing 2. Furthermore, the positioning means 6 has a stop collar 9, which is designed in such a way that the collar 9 rests on the housing 2 of the filter system 1 when the filter element 3 is positioned

[0023] The positioning means 6 also comprises a first recess 7, in a preferred embodiment the recess 7 is formed as a groove, which interacts with the rib 4.1 projecting radially outward. In addition to the first recess 7, the positioning means 6 comprises a second recess 8. In a preferred embodiment, the second recess 8 is in the form of a groove in such a way that the groove 8 interacts with a radially outwardly projecting contour 2.1, preferably a rib 2.1, of the housing 2. The positioning means 6 is designed in such a way that when a filter element 3 is replaced and/or reinserted, the filter element 3 is positioned in the housing 2 of the filter system 1 with the aid of the positioning means 6, in such a way that the eccentric locking pin of the filter element 3 engages in the decentralized drain opening in the bottom region of the filter chamber of the housing 2 and closes it.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a view of the positioning means 6 according to the invention for positioning the filter element 3 in the housing 2 of the filter system 1.

[0025] The positioning element 6 comprises a cylindrical body. The body has an outer circumferential wall and a stop collar 9. The outer circumferential wall includes a first recess 7 configured to interact with the rib 4.1 of the first end disk. The recess 7 may additionally have guiding bars 7.1 at the edges of the recess 7 for better guidance. In a preferred embodiment, the recess 7 is formed as a groove. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the groove 7 can additionally project through the stop collar 9.

[0026] The positioning means 6 has a second recess 8 on the outer circumferential wall, which is designed to cooperate with one protruding contour 2.1 of the housing 2. In a preferred embodiment, the second recess 8 is in the form of a groove.

[0027] Both recesses 7,8 are arranged relative to each other in such a way that a filter element to be inserted into the housing 2 of the filter system 1 is positioned in the housing 2 in such a way that the eccentric locking pin of the filter element 3 engages in the drain opening of the filter housing 2.

[0028] FIG. 2 also shows as an example how the first end disk 4 of the filter element 3 is guided over the rib 4.1 using the groove 7 and the guiding bar 7.1 of the positioning means 6 in the positioning means 6.