Secondary Element for a Filter System and Filter System with a Secondary Element

Abstract

A secondary element with a first open end and a second end positioned opposite the first end has a filter medium arranged about a longitudinal axis of the secondary element and extending from the first open end to the second end. A closed end disc is disposed at the second end and seal-tightly closes off the second end. The closed end disc has a first connecting element that, for an intended installation of the secondary element in a filter system, is configured to interact with a second connecting element of a support tube of the filter system to secure the secondary element on the support tube. A filter system with such a secondary element has a support tube provided with a complementary second connecting element, wherein the secondary element is secured on the support tube by the first and second connecting elements engaging each other.

Claims

1. A secondary element comprising: a first open end and a second end positioned opposite the first open end; a filter medium arranged about a longitudinal axis of the secondary element extending from the first open end to the second end; a closed end disc disposed at the second end and seal-tightly closing off the second end; wherein the closed end disc comprises a connecting means that, for an intended installation of the secondary element in a filter system, is configured to interact with a connecting means of a support tube of the filter system to secure the secondary element on the support tube.

2. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the closed end disc is fixedly connected with the filter medium.

3. The secondary element according to claim 2, wherein the closed end disc is fused or glued or connected by injection molding to the filter medium.

4. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the closed end disc comprises a recess that projects into an interior of the secondary element.

5. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the secondary element has a diameter that tapers from the first open end toward the second end.

6. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the filter medium is embodied of a material selected from the group consisting of nonwoven; paper; cellulose; and a mixed fiber of synthetic and cellulose.

7. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means of the closed end disc comprises a part of a locking connection.

8. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means of the closed end disc comprises a part of a screw connection.

9. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means of the closed end disc comprises a part of a bayonet connection.

10. The secondary element according to claim 1, wherein the closed end disc comprises a recess that projects into an interior of the secondary element and that comprises a bottom arranged in the interior, wherein the connecting means of the closed end disc is connected to the bottom and projects from the bottom of the recess farther into the interior of the secondary element.

11. The secondary element according to claim 10, wherein the recess has a funnel-shaped configuration.

12. The secondary element according to claim 11, wherein the recess conforms in shape to a funnel-shaped recess of the support tube.

13. A filter system comprising: a housing; an inlet socket arranged at the housing and configured to supply a fluid to be filtered; an outlet socket arranged at the housing and configured to discharge a filtered fluid; at least one filter element that is arranged in an interior of the housing between the inlet socket and the outlet socket in a flow direction of the fluid to be filtered; a support tube arranged in the interior of the housing along a longitudinal housing axis and configured to receive the at least one filter element; wherein the support tube is configured to support a secondary element; wherein the support tube comprises a first connecting means arranged at an end face of the support tube and configured complementary to a second connecting means of the secondary element arranged at an end face of the secondary element; wherein the support tube and the secondary element are connectable to each other at said end faces of the support tube and of the secondary element by the first and second connecting means engaging each other.

14. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the outlet socket is arranged centrally relative to the longitudinal housing axis.

15. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the housing comprises a groove arranged coaxially to the support tube, wherein the secondary element comprises an open end engaging the groove.

16. The filter system according to claim 15, wherein the groove is coaxial to the outlet socket.

17. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the first and second connecting means are configured to be detachable from each other without being destroyed.

18. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the support tube is conical and has a diameter that tapers in a direction away from the outlet socket along the longitudinal housing axis.

19. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the secondary element has a closed end and the closed end projects axially past the support tube in a direction of the longitudinal housing axis.

20. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one filter element received in the housing has an outlet socket-associated end that seals radially in an inward direction.

21. The filter system according to claim 13, wherein the support tube comprises a recess provided at an end of the support tube where the first connecting means is arranged, wherein the recess conforms in shape to a recess of the secondary element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Further advantages result from the following description of the drawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person of skill in the art will consider expediently the features also individually and combine them to further meaningful combinations.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a filter system with a primary filter element that surrounds at its clean side a secondary element, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a detail of the bottom area of the filter system of FIG. 1 in section illustration.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of a part of the filter system of FIG. 1 with a secondary element partially pushed onto the support tube fixed to the housing.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a detail of a connection between secondary element and support tube in section illustration.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section of a filter system with a primary filter element that surrounds at its clean side a secondary element, according to a further embodiment of the invention.

[0043] FIG. 6 shows a further longitudinal section of the embodiment according to FIG. 5.

[0044] FIG. 7 is an exploded illustration of the embodiment according to FIG. 5.

[0045] FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal section of the filter system according to FIG. 5 prior to joining support tube and secondary element.

[0046] FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section of the filter system according to FIG. 5 after joining of support tube and secondary element.

[0047] In the Figures, same or same type components are identified with same reference characters. The Figures show only examples and are not to be understood as limiting.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a filter system 100 with a primary filter element 50 that at its clean side surrounds a secondary element 10, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0049] The filter system 100 comprises a housing 110 that is comprised of a cup 112 and a removable cover 114. FIG. 2 shows details of the bottom area of the housing 110.

[0050] The housing 110 can be embodied e.g. cylindrical. On the housing 110, an inlet socket that is not illustrated in the drawing is arranged for supplying a fluid to be filtered, in particular air. The inlet socket can be arranged radially or tangentially on the housing 110. The axial position is near the bottom 120 of the housing 110 in a region in which an inflow protection element 124 is provided in the interior of the housing 110.

[0051] On the housing 110 an outlet socket 108 for discharging the filtered fluid is arranged which is centrally positioned in longitudinal direction (longitudinal housing axis L). In the flow path between inlet socket and outlet socket 108, a cylindrical filter element 50 and a support tube 150, arranged along the longitudinal housing axis L for receiving a filter element 50, are arranged. The filter element 50 serves as a primary element and comprises a closed end disc at one end 52 and an open end disc at the oppositely positioned outlet socket-associated end 54. Both end discs comprise axially outwardly projecting spacer elements with which the filter element 50 is clamped between bottom 120 and cover 114. The end discs can be embodied e.g of polyurethane.

[0052] The cover 114 can be screwed on at the open end 116 of the cup 112 or can be fastened with clamping elements or the like. The cover 114 comprises radially in outward direction a ridge 130 with an outer ridge wall 136 and an inner ridge wall 132 wherein the ridge 130 surrounds a central middle part 138 of the cover 114. The bottom 140 of a groove between ridge 130 and middle part 138 pushes on the spacer elements of the closed end disc of the filter element 50. The outer ridge wall 136 of the ridge 130 is part of the outer wall of the cover 114. An inner leg 134 projects past the closed end disc of the filter element 50 and forms with its radial inner surface a sealing surface for the filter element 50.

[0053] As is shown in detail in FIG. 2, the open end disc seals at the outlet socket-associated end 54 of the filter element 50 radially in inward direction against a ring 126 at the bottom 120 of the housing.

[0054] The support tube 150 adjoins the outlet socket 108 toward the housing interior and is surrounded by the filter element 50. The support tube 150 is fixedly connected with the bottom 120 of the housing 110, e.g. fused thereto.

[0055] The support tube 150 is provided as a carrier of a secondary element 10 wherein the secondary element 10 and the support tube 150 each comprise connecting elements 22, 156 complementary to each other with which they are connectable to each other at their ends 12, 152 that are opposite to the respective outlet socket-associated ends 14, 154.

[0056] The secondary element 10 engages with its open end 14 a groove 122 which is arranged coaxial to the outlet socket 108 and to the support tube 150. This forms the sealing location of the secondary element 10 which is embodied as a chamber. The groove 122 adjoins radially in inward direction the ring 126 on which the filter element 50 seals radially with its open end disc.

[0057] Raw air flows through an annular channel 102 to the filter element 50 and enters at its clean side the secondary element 10 and flows from there through the outlet socket 108 out of the housing 110.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of a part of the filter system 100 of FIG. 1 with secondary element 10 partially pushed onto the support tube 150 fixed to the housing. FIG. 4 shows a detail of the connection between secondary element 10 and support tube 150 in section illustration.

[0059] The secondary element 10 extends along its longitudinal axis L (coinciding with housing axis L) between two oppositely positioned ends 12, 14 and comprises a filter medium 16 which is arranged about the longitudinal axis L wherein one of the ends 14 is open and the oppositely positioned end 12 is seal-tightly closed off by a closed end disc 20. The support tube 150 is open at the corresponding end 152. At the open end, an annular disk 158 is arranged and through its central opening the connecting means 22 of the secondary element 10 can project.

[0060] The filter medium 16 can be embodied of a nonwoven or of paper or cellulose or of a mixed fiber of synthetic and cellulose.

[0061] The end disc 20 comprises a connecting means 22 which is interacting with a complementary connecting means 156 of a support tube 150 of the filter system 100 in order to secure the secondary element 10 on the support tube 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting means 22 comprises locking hooks on the end disc 11 of the secondary element 10 which can hook on a socket which forms the connecting means 156 of the support tube 150. The connecting means (connecting elements) 22, 156 are designed to be detachable without being destroyed so that the secondary element 10 is secured on the support tube 150 when exchanging the filter element 50 (FIG. 1) but, as needed, can also be exchanged.

[0062] The support tube 150 and the secondary element 10 are conically embodied and taper in regard to diameter away from the outlet socket 108 along the longitudinal axis L. The secondary element 10 is pushed onto the support tube 150 until the open end 14 of the secondary element engages the groove 122 at the bottom 120 of the housing 110 and the connecting means 22, 156 of secondary element 10 and support tube 150 connect.

[0063] Since the end disc 20 of the secondary element 10 comprises a recess 24 projecting into the secondary element 10, the secondary element 10 axially projects past the support tube 150 at the closed end 12. When the connecting means 22, 156 are in intended contact, the bottom of the recess 24 of the end disc 20 of the secondary element 10 is resting against the annular disk 158 of the support tube 150 and forms a defined end position of the secondary element 10 for mounting. Due to the defined end position, the correct mounting of the secondary element 10 can be facilitated. The recess 24 is of a funnel-shaped configuration and has a flat bottom 26. The connecting means 22 are arranged radially within the bottom 26 at a radius which is significantly smaller than the outer circumference of the bottom 26.

[0064] FIGS. 5 through 9 show a further embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section of the filter system 100 with a primary filter element 50 that at its clean side surrounds a secondary element 10, according to a further embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 shows a further longitudinal section of the embodiment according to FIG. 5, FIG. 7 shows an exploded illustration of the embodiment according to FIG. 5, FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal section of the filter system 100 according to FIG. 5 prior to joining of support tube 150 and secondary element 10, and FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section of the filter system 100 according to FIG. 5 after joining of support tube 150 and secondary element 10. Many elements are identical to afore described embodiments so that, for avoiding unnecessary repetitions, substantially only the differences of the embodiments will be explained.

[0065] The filter system 100 comprises a cup 112 of its housing 110 with a lateral attachment 170 with an intake opening 172 that is open in axial direction and through which the fluid to be filtered, in particular air, can enter the filter system 100. A special inflow protection element for the filter element 50 can therefore be eliminated.

[0066] The interface between secondary element 10 and support tube 150 in this embodiment is configured to be complementary in shape. The recess 24 of the secondary element 10 is of a funnel-shaped configuration but deeper than in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4. The outer diameter of the flat bottom 26 of the recess 24 is only minimally greater than the radius of the connecting elements 22 formed as locking hooks, as an example.

[0067] The support tube 150 comprises a recess 160 complementary in shape to the recess 24; this facilitates introduction of the connecting elements 22 into the support tube 150.