Filter for removing particulate matter from fluid within a movable body

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved filtration system particularly adapted for use in a fluid circulation system in a moving body. The filtration system includes a filter body formed from a porous resilient material. The filter body is not designed to be limited to a predetermined space for a filter and thus greatly increases the filter area/mass ratio. The filter defines a large number of tapered and winding passageways which are oriented at a large number of different angles relative to the outer surface of the filter body. The passageways are sufficiently large to permit fluid and particles to flow through into them, but are sufficiently tapered so that any particulate matter within the fluid becomes entrapped in the tapered passageways. The walls of the tapered passageways are porous in micron and sub-micron dimension to freely pass fluid. Accordingly, fluid will freely pass through the filter but any impurities or particulate matter will be firmly retained within the tapered winding passageways. Moreover, as a result of the winding and tapered nature of the passageways defined within the filter, once particulate matter is entrapped within the filter, movement of the moving body within which the filtration system is incorporated or flow of the fluid itself will not free the entrapped particles in the tapered passageways, but further embeds them. The filter utilizes both gravitational and inertial forces to entrap particles and affirmatively prevent the recirculation of entrapped particles with the fluid carrier.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.