Operating Method for a Filter System and Filter System

Abstract

A filter system for a motor vehicle, such as a car, truck, train, ship includes a filter element for a fluid filter with a wireless identification means having second data about the filter element. A filter housing for the fluid filter in which the filter element is exchangeably arranged and which has a read device for the wireless identification means. A central data base in which third data about the filter element is stored. An evaluation unit configured to retrieve the third data about the filter element from the central data base and to compare them to the second data about the filter element that were obtained from the read device.

Claims

1. An operating method for a filter system of a motor vehicle, wherein the filter system comprises: a filter element for a fluid filter, wherein the filter element in a packaging is provided with first data about the filter element, and wherein the filter element has a wireless identification means with second data about the filter element; a filter housing for the fluid filter in which the filter element is exchangeably arranged and which has a read device for the wireless identification means; and an evaluation unit and a memory unit; wherein the operating method comprises the steps: inserting the filter element into the filter housing; importing the first data from the packaging of the filter element into the memory unit; executing a testing method; wherein the testing method includes the steps of: retrieving the second data of the wireless identification means with a read device; comparing the first data and second data in the evaluation unit, producing a comparison result; if the comparison result is that the second data of the wireless identification means do not match the first data from the packaging in a prescribed manner, then outputting a warning and/or preventing operation of the fluid filter.

2. The operating method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: starting the motor vehicle; waiting for the motor vehicle to start; executing the testing method.

3. The operating method according to claim 1, further including the steps of: detecting if the filter housing has been opened and then closed; if filter housing has been opened and then closed, then executing the testing method.

4. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the testing method further includes the steps of: determining if an expiration date for the filter element has passed; if the expiration date has passed then outputting a warning and/or preventing operation of the fluid filter.

5. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the filter system further comprises a central data base; wherein the retrieving step of the testing method further includes retrieving third data bout the filter element from the central data base, and/or transmitting second data to the central database.

6. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless identification means is an RFID tag.

7. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless identification means is arranged on or inside of a filter medium of the filter element.

8. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless identification means is arranged on or in an end disk of the filter medium or on or in a sealing element of the filter element.

9. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit and/or the memory unit are embodied in the read device.

10. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit and/or the memory unit are embodied in a control device of a motor vehicle having the fluid filter for the filter system.

11. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein the first data of the packaging for the filter element are stored in another RFID tag, or in in a barcode, or in a smart code.

12. A filter system for a motor vehicle, comprising: a filter element for a fluid filter, wherein the filter element has a wireless identification means with second data about the filter element; a filter housing for the fluid filter in which the filter element is exchangeably arranged and which has a read device for the wireless identification means; a central data base in which third data about the filter element is stored; and an evaluation unit; wherein the evaluation unit is configured to retrieve the third data about the filter element from the central data base and to compare them to the second data about the filter element that were obtained from the read device.

13. The filter system according to claim 12, wherein the filter system further comprises a memory unit in which data on the filter element can be stored.

14. The filter system according to claim 12, wherein the evaluation unit is furthermore configured to transmit and store data about the filter element to the central data base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The invention shall be explained in greater detail in the following using the exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawings.

[0027] The figures are as follows:

[0028] FIG. 1a is a highly schematic depiction of an inventive filter system having a filter housing and a filter element in a packaging;

[0029] FIG. 1b depicts the filter system from FIG. 1a, wherein the filter element is inserted into the filter housing;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart for an operating method according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 3 is an extremely abstract depiction of different options for arranging a wireless identification means on the filter element in the context of the invention; and

[0032] FIG. 4 depicts a motor vehicle having a filter system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIG. 1a is a highly schematic depiction of a filter system 100 according to the invention. The filter system 100 may be used in a motor vehicle (not shown), for instance. The filter system 100 has a filter element 102 that in this case is provided in packaging 104. The filter element 102 comprises a filter medium 106 and two end disks 108. In this case the filter element 102 is depicted, as an example, as a round filter element, having a star-shaped pleated filter medium 106 through which fluid flows radially. It is understood that filter elements having any structural shape may be used in the context of the invention. The filter element 102 has a wireless identification means 110. In this case, the wireless identification means 110 is an RFID tag (RFD chip). First data regarding the filter element 102 are stored in the wireless identification means 110.

[0034] The packaging 104 carries another wireless identification means 112. In this case the other wireless identification means 112 is embodied as an RFID tag attached to the packaging 104. Second data regarding the filter element 102 are stored in the other wireless identification means 112.

[0035] The filter system 100 furthermore comprises a filter housing 114 having a filter container 116 and a housing cover 118. In this case, embodied on the filter container 116 and housing cover 118 are a flow inlet and a flow outlet 120 for a fluid to be filtered. The filter housing has a read device 122 for the wireless identification means 110 of the filter element 102. As illustrated, the read device 122 may be arranged on the filter container 116 or alternatively on the housing cover 118. In this case the read device 122 comprises a read unit 124 and an evaluation unit 126 and a memory unit 128. Alternatively, the evaluation unit 126 and the memory unit 128 may also be embodied separately from (independent of) the read device 122, for instance in a control device of a motor vehicle having the filter system 100.

[0036] The other wireless identification means 112 of the packaging 104 may be read out by means of the read device 122. To this end, the other wireless identification means 112 may be moved towards the read unit 124, typically after the filter element 102 has been removed from the packaging 104. The first data of the packaging 104 detected by the read unit 124 are then stored in the memory unit 128 (see also FIG. 2).

[0037] FIG. 1b depicts a fluid filter 129 of the filter system 100 that is formed by the filter housing 114 having the filter element 102 inserted therein. The filter system 100 furthermore comprises a central data base 130 in which third data about the filter element 102 may be stored. While the filter system 100 is operating, the read unit 124 of the read device 122 detects the second data of the wireless identification means 110 of the filter element 102. In addition, the read device 122 may retrieve the third data from the central data base 130 via the evaluation unit 126. The first data may be compared by the evaluation unit 126 to the third data from the data base 130 and/or to the second data stored in the memory unit 128. The read device may be connected to the data base by cable or wirelessly to make it possible to transmit data between the read device and the data base.

[0038] Referring now to FIG. 2, the following describes the sequence of an inventive operating method 2 for the filter system 100.

[0039] The filter element 102 is provided in the packaging 104 in a step 10. Then the filter element 102 is removed from the packaging 104. The packaging 104 is provided with the first data 200 about the filter element 102, e.g. the number of a production lot. In a step 12, the first data 200 are imported into the memory unit 128 of the filter system 100.

[0040] In a step 14, the filter element 102, which has been removed from the packaging 104, is inserted into the filter housing 114. The filter element 102 is provided with the wireless identification means 110 on which the second data 202 about the filter element 102, e.g. a serial number, are stored. After the filter element 102 has been inserted 14 into the filter housing 114, the second data 202 are retrieved by the read device 122 of the filter housing 114 in a step 16.

[0041] In a step 18, the second data 202 may then be transmitted to the central data base 130, for instance in order to centrally register that this filter element 102 has been installed. Other data may also be transmitted to the data base 130, for instance, the motor vehicle model in which the filter element 102 has been installed. In a step 20, the third data 206 about the filter element 102 may be retrieved from the data base 130, for instance a maximum permissible operating time in the filter system 100 of the motor vehicle model in question.

[0042] Then, in a step 22, the first data 200 and the second data 202 are compared to one another in the evaluation unit 126 of the filter system 100. The comparison 22 may be made taking the third data 206 into consideration 24. In a step 25, using a result of the comparison 22, there is a check to determine whether the first data 200 and the second data 202 match in a prescribed manner. In particular, the third data 206 may be used to specify the prescribed manner for determining that there is a match. As an example, there may first be a test to determine whether the installed filter element 102 comes from the production lot that is indicated in the first data 200 of the packaging 104. Corresponding information may be taken from the serial number of the filter element 102 that was stored in the wireless identification means 110 as second data 202. Moreover, there may be a check of whether a type of the filter element 102 identifiable by the serial number may be operated in this motor vehicle model. There may furthermore be a check of whether the serial number of the installed filter element 102 still matches the serial number previously retrieved and stored in the memory unit 128 of the filter system 100 or central data base 130. The serial number of the installed filter element 102 may also be compared to a serial number previously imported 12 from the packaging 104 and stored in the memory unit 128.

[0043] If the check 25 of the result of the comparison 22 indicates that the first data 200 and second data 202 match in the prescribed manner, in a step 26 there may be a further check of whether the expiration date of the filter element 102 has passed. The expiration date may be included in the first data 200 and/or second data 202 as a specific date. The expiration date may also be determined proceeding from the date the filter element 102 is installed 14 across a maximum permissible operating time.

[0044] If the result of the comparison 22 indicates that the first data 200 and second data 202 do not match in the prescribed manner, or if the expiration date for the filter element 102 has passed, in a step 28 a warning is output and/or in a step 30 further operation of the fluid filter 129 is prevented. Whether the output 28 of a warning is sufficient or whether operation must be prevented 30 may be determined as a function of the result of the comparison 22 or the amount of time that has been determined to have passed since the expiration date in step 26. Thus, if not much time has passed since the expiration date (e.g. a few weeks), the output 28 of a warning is sufficient. But if it is determined during the check 25 of the result of the comparison 22 that a filter element has been installed that is not suitable for the filter system 100 (for instance, the wrong type of filter element or a reproduction filter element from a different manufacturer has been installed), further operation of the filter system 100s is prevented 30.

[0045] If, according to the results of the comparison 22, the correct filter element 102 has been installed and, according to a check 26 of the expiration date, may still be used, the method may be continued with re-retrieval 16 of the second data 202 from the wireless identification means 110. The re-retrieval 16 may occur, for instance, when the motor vehicle having the fluid filter 129 is actuated again (is started up) or if the filter housing 114 has been opened and closed.

[0046] FIG. 3 depicts different exemplary positions at which a wireless identification means may be attached to the filter element 102. In this case, a first wireless identification means 110 is embedded (cast in) in an end disk 108 of the filter element 102. A second wireless identification means 110b may be integrated (e.g. injected) into a sealing element 132. The sealing element is arranged on the end disk 108 for sealing against a filter housing. A third wireless identification means 110c is arranged exteriorly on a filter medium 106 of the filter element 102, e.g. glued on. A fourth wireless identification means 110d is provided inside the filter medium 106. It is understood that typically only one of the wireless identification means 110a-d is arranged on the filter element, although in special cases it is also possible for a plurality of wireless identification means 110a-d to be present simultaneously.

[0047] FIG. 4 depicts an inventive filter system 100 having a fluid filter 129 that is installed in a motor vehicle 300. The fluid filter 129 has a filter element 102 with a wireless identification means 110 and has a filter housing 114 with a read device 122 for the wireless identification means 110. Packaging 104 in which the filter element 102 has been provided is disposed of following the installation of the filter element 102 into the filter housing 114 of the motor vehicle 300. Furthermore, the filter system may comprise a central data base 130.