Curved seal on filter element and protective seal mold

A method of forming a filter seal member on a filter element, the method comprising:

• providing a filter media comprising a first filter media end and a second filter media end axially disposed from the first filter media end;
• securing an endplate to the first filter media end;
• providing a filter seal member mold, the seal member mold comprising a first mold end, a second mold end disposed axially away from the first mold end, a first mold surface comprising a plurality of lobe molds, each lobe mold in the plurality of lobe modes has a substantially dorsal shape, the first mold surface disposed between the first mold end and the second mold end, a second mold surface disposed between the first mold end and the second mold end and disposed radially away from the first mold surface, and a mold channel formed between the first mold surface and the second mold surface, the mold channel comprising a closed portion adjacent the first mold end and an open portion adjacent the second mold end, and wherein the first mold surface comprises at least one lobe mold and at least one guide channel mold;
• dispensing a filter seal material into the mold channel;
• and
• inserting the second filter media end into the mold channel to form the filter seal member on the second filter media end, the filter seal member comprising at least one guide channel formed by the at least one guide channel mold.

A filter element comprising:

• a first filter end;
• a second filter end disposed axially away from the first filter end;
• filter media disposed between the first filter end and the second filter end;
• a filter seal member formed on the first filter end, the filter seal member comprising a first lobe, a second lobe, and a guide channel, the guide channel disposed between the first lobe and the second lobe, the first lobe being non-parallel to the second lobe.

A filter seal member mold comprising:

• a first mold end;
• a second mold end disposed axially away from the first mold end;
• a first mold surface disposed between the first mold end and the second mold end, the first mold surface comprising at least one lobe mold and at least one guide channel mold, the at least one lobe mold configured to form at least one lobe on an end of a filter element and the at least one guide channel mold configured to form at least one guide channel on the end of the filter element;
• a second mold surface disposed between the first mold end and the second mold end and disposed radially away from the first mold surface;
• a mold channel formed between the first mold surface and the second mold surface, the mold channel comprising a closed portion adjacent the first mold end and an open portion adjacent the second mold end, the mold channel configured to receive the end of the filter element and form a filter seal member on the filter element;
• and
• a support ring disposed within the mold channel, the support ring retained on the filter seal member when the filter element is removed from the filter seal member mold, the support ring configured to impede compression of the filter seal member,
• wherein lobe mold is a first plurality of lobe molds and the at least one guide channel mold is a first plurality of guide channel molds, further comprising a second plurality of lobe molds disposed on the second mold surface and a second plurality of guide channel molds disposed on the second mold surface, wherein the support ring is disposed between the first plurality of lobe molds and the second plurality of lobe molds, each guide channel mold in the first plurality of guide channel molds disposed between a pair of lobe molds in the first plurality of lobe molds, and each guide channel mold in the second plurality of guide channel molds disposed between a pair of lobe molds in the second plurality of lobe molds.

A filter seal member mold comprising:

• a first mold end;
• a second mold end disposed axially away from the first mold end;
• a first mold surface disposed between the first mold end and the second mold end, the first mold surface comprising at least one lobe mold and at least one guide channel mold, the at least one lobe mold configured to form at least one lobe on an end of a filter element and the at least one guide channel mold configured to form at least one guide channel on the end of the filter element;
• a second mold surface disposed between the first mold end and the second mold end and disposed radially away from the first mold surface;
• a mold channel formed between the first mold surface and the second mold surface, the mold channel comprising a closed portion adjacent the first mold end and an open portion adjacent the second mold end, the mold channel configured to receive the end of the filter element and form a filter seal member on the filter element;
• and
• a mold opening formed between the first mold end and the second mold end, the mold opening disposed radially inward of the mold channel,
• wherein the mold channel comprises a plurality of support surfaces and a plurality of hook openings adjacent the first mold end, each hook opening in the plurality of hook openings extending from one support surface to another support surface in the plurality of support surfaces, plurality of support surfaces and a plurality of hook openings form a plurality of seal support surfaces and a plurality of seal hook openings on the filter seal member on the filter element.