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US 2011/0031181 A1Published application
Fuel filter assembly and methods
OwnerJohn R. Hacker, Bradley S. Honermann +1inventors
InventorsJohn R. Hacker, Bradley S. Honermann, Mark S. Emery
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A filter cartridge that includes a housing having first and second housing members, a filter media pack positioned within the housing, and a housing connection defined between the first and second housing members. The first and second housing members each include a flange. The flanges engage each other at an engagement location. The engagement location extends around a circumference of the first housing member along an internal surface of thereof. A permanent housing connection is defined along the engagement location.
Claims16
1-16. (canceled)
A filter cartridge comprising:
- (a) a filter media pack;
- (b) a housing operably holding the filter media pack, the housing including:
- (i) a first housing member having a first surrounding wall defining a first interior volume, and having a first flange;
- the first flange extending around a circumference of the first housing member;
- (A) the first flange extending radially outward from the first surrounding wall;
- (B) the first flange defining a first end rim;
- the first end rim defining a uniform circumference;
- (C) the first housing member including a stepped-portion between the first surrounding wall and the first flange;
- (ii) a second housing member having a second surrounding wall defining a second interior volume, and having a second flange, the second flange extending around a circumference of the second housing member,
- (A) the second flange extending radially outward from the second surrounding wall;
- (B) the first surrounding wall circumscribing the second flange;
- (C) the second flange defining a second end rim;
- the second end rim defining a uniform circumference;
- (1) the second end rim being against the first surrounding wall and not extending into the stepped portion or the first flange;
- (D) the second flange having an internal surface and an opposite external surface;
- the internal surface facing the second surrounding wall, and the external surface facing the first surrounding wall;
- (E) the second housing member including a U-shaped section between the second surrounding wall and the second flange;
- (iii) a permanent roll-seam free housing connection between the first housing member and the second housing member;
- (A) the connection being at an engagement location between the second flange and the first surrounding wall;
- (B) the engagement location being circumferential and extending completely along an internal surface of the first surrounding wall and the external surface of the second flange;
- and
- (C) the connection being a laser weld seam.
19 more elements
A filter cartridge comprising:
- (a) a filter media pack;
- (b) a housing operably holding the filter media pack, the housing including:
- (i) a first housing member having a first surrounding wall defining a first interior volume, and having a first flange;
- the first flange extending around a circumference of the first housing member;
- (A) the first flange extending radially outward from the first surrounding wall;
- (B) the first flange defining a first end rim;
- the first end rim defining a uniform circumference;
- (ii) a second housing member having a second surrounding wall defining a second interior volume, and having a second flange, the second flange extending around a circumference of the second housing member;
- (A) the second surrounding wall having an inner surface and opposite outer surface;
- (B) the second flange extending radially outward from the second surrounding wall;
- (C) the first surrounding wall circumscribing the second flange;
- (D) the second flange defining a second end rim;
- the second end rim defining a uniform circumference;
- (E) the second flange having an internal surface and an opposite external surface;
- (1) the internal surface of the second flange being continuous with the inner surface of second surrounding wall;
- (2) the external surface of the second flange being continuous with the outer surface of the second surrounding wall;
- (3) the external surface of the second flange facing the first surrounding wall;
- (iii) a permanent roll-seam free housing connection between the first housing member and the second housing member;
- (A) the connection being at an engagement location between the second flange and the first surrounding wall;
- and
- (B) the engagement location being circumferential and extending completely along an internal surface of the first surrounding wall and the external surface of the second flange.
18 more elements
A method of assembling a filter cartridge, the filter cartridge including first and second housing members, the first housing member having a first surrounding wall and a first flange extending radially from the first surrounding wall;
- the second housing member having a second surrounding wall and a second flange extending radially from the second surrounding wall;
- each housing member defining a portion of a housing interior volume sized to receive a filter media pack;
- the method comprising:
- (a) positioning the filter media pack within the housing interior volume;
- the first housing member including a stepped-portion between the first surrounding wall and the first flange;
- the second housing member including a U-shaped section between the second surrounding wall and the second flange;
- the second flange defining a second end rim which is against the first surrounding wall and not extending into the stepped portion or the first flange;
- (b) engaging an external surface of the second flange against an internal surface of the first surrounding wall to form an engagement location;
- and
- (c) laser welding together the first and second housing members along the engagement location to form a roll-seam free and a sealant-free permanent connection between the first and second housing members.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.