# US 11,298,640 B2 · Expandable threaded adaptor for threadless shell > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,640 B2 - Document ID: US11298640B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/478,092 - Filed: 2018-01-19 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-25 - Assignees: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc. - Applicants: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc. - Inventors: Charles W. Hawkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298640B2 ## CPC - B01D 35/30: Filter housing constructions - B01D 35/306: {Filter mounting adapter} - B01D 29/21: with corrugated, folded or wound sheets - B01D 2201/295: with projections extending in a radial outward direction, e.g. for use as a guide, spacing means - B01D 2201/342: Axial sealings - B01D 2201/4092: Threaded sections, e.g. screw - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A filter assembly comprising a housing defining an internal volume. The housing comprises a first coupling member formed in a housing first end of the housing. The housing first end is threadless. The filter assembly further comprises a filter head. The filter head comprises a first thread formed on a surface thereof. The filter assembly further comprises an adapter. The adapter comprises a second coupling member formed on an adapter first end of the adapter. The second coupling member engages the first coupling member formed in the housing first end so as to removably couple the adapter and the housing. A second thread is formed on the adapter first end. The second thread engages the first thread formed in the filter head so as to removably couple the adapter and the filter head. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A filter assembly, comprising: a housing defining an internal volume, the housing comprising a first coupling member formed on an outer surface on a housing first end of the housing, the housing first end being threadless; a filter head comprising a first thread formed on a surface thereof; and an adapter comprising: a second coupling member formed on an internal surface on an adapter first end of the adapter, the second coupling member engaging the first coupling member formed in the housing first end so as to removably couple the adapter and the housing; a second thread formed on an external surface on the adapter first end, the second thread engaging the first thread formed in the filter head so as to removably couple the adapter and the filter head; and a segmented section formed on the adapter first end, the segmented section including the second coupling member, the segmented section allowing for flex in the adapter first end to expand to a larger diameter to receive the housing, wherein rotation of the adapter into the filter head compresses the segmented section into the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the first thread is formed on an internal surface of the filter head. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the second coupling member comprises one of a protrusion and a detent, and wherein the first coupling member comprises the other of the protrusion and the detent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the second thread is a buttress thread. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a filter element positioned within the internal volume of the housing, the filter element comprising: filter media; and a first end cap coupled to a filter media first end of the filter media, the first end cap comprising: a base, and a first end cap flange positioned about a periphery of the base, the first end cap flange extending from the base away from the filter element; and a first end sealing member positioned between an outer surface of the first end cap flange and an inner surface of the housing first end, the first end sealing member forming a seal between the housing and the first end cap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the adapter is permanently connected to the housing. ### Claim 7 An adapter for a separator filter assembly, comprising: an adapter body; a first coupling member formed on an adapter first end of the adapter body, the first coupling member configured to engage a second coupling member formed on an outer surface of a housing first end of a housing so as to removably couple the adapter and the housing; a third coupling member formed on an external surface of the adapter first end, the third coupling member configured to engage a fourth coupling member formed in a filter head so as to removably couple the adapter and the filter head; and a plurality of segmented sections extending around the adapter first end, the plurality of segmented sections allowing for flex in the adapter to receive the housing, the plurality of segmented sections comprising a portion of the first coupling member and a portion of the third coupling member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein the first coupling member formed on the adapter first end comprises a protrusion that is formed on an internal surface on the adapter first end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein the third coupling member and the fourth coupling member each comprise a threaded coupling member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein the third coupling member formed on the adapter first end is disposed radially along an outside circumferential surface of the adapter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein the first coupling member formed on the adapter first end is disposed radially along an inside circumferential surface of the adapter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, further comprising: a plurality of indentations formed on an outer surface of the adapter, the plurality of indentions being axial indentations defined circumferentially about adapter, the plurality of indentations facilitating gripping for coupling and/or uncoupling of the adapter by a user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, further comprising an outer flange extending circumferentially along an outside surface of the adapter, the third coupling member separated from a plurality of indentations by the outer flange. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the second coupling member extends radially inward from the segmented section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of the second thread extends radially outward from the segmented section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The filter assembly of claim 5, wherein the filter element further comprises an inner sealing member coupled to the first end cap and positioned radially inward from the first end sealing member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The filter assembly of claim 16, wherein the first end sealing member and the inner sealing member are engaged with the filter head so as to form a sealing engagement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The filter assembly of claim 17, wherein the filter head further comprises a circumferential groove structured to receive at least a portion of the first end sealing member such that the first end sealing member forms a sealing engagement with the circumferential groove. ### Claim 19 (depends on 7) The adapter of claim 7, wherein rotation of the adapter into the filter head compresses the plurality of segmented sections into the housing.