Fuel filter assembly

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a housing having an interior and means for accessing said interior, and said housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;
• means for filtering said fuel so that the lowest possible pressure differential is maintained across said filtering means while utilizing the least possible amount of said filtering means to meet the demands of fuel flow, and said filtering means housed in said housing;
• said inlet of said housing delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel additive housed within said filtering means and soluble with said fuel;
• means for supporting said fuel additive separate and independent from said filtering means allowing independent replacement of said fuel additive;
• means for time releasing said fuel additive over the useful life of said filtering means;
• and
• said fuel outlet of said housing providing an exit for said fuel downstream from said filtering means and said fuel additive.

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion and having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;
• said top portion and said bottom portion having mating threaded regions so that said top portion threads onto said bottom portion to form a parting line between said top portion and said bottom portion;
• said top portion having an annular groove extending inward from said parting line;
• a deformable annular seal housed in and extending from said annular groove of said top portion, and said annular seal deforming against said bottom portion when said top portion is threaded onto said bottom portion;
• means for filtering said fuel so that the lowest possible pressure differential is maintained across said filtering means while utilizing the least possible amount of said filtering means to meet the demands of fuel flow, and said filtering means housed in said housing;
• said inlet of said housing delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel additive housed within said filtering means and soluble with said fuel;
• means for supporting said fuel additive so that said fuel contacts and dissolves said fuel additive;
• means for time releasing said fuel additive over the useful life of said filtering means;
• and
• said fuel outlet of said housing providing an exit for said fuel downstream from said filtering means and said fuel additive.

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion and having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;
• means for releasingly and sealingly connecting said top portion to said bottom portion of said housing;
• means for filtering said fuel so that the lowest possible pressure differential is maintained across said filtering means while utilizing the least possible amount of said filtering means to meet the demands of fuel flow, and said filtering means housed in said housing;
• said inlet of said housing delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel additive housed within said filtering means and soluble with said fuel;
• a wax substrate mixed with said fuel additive to form a hollow cylindrical geometry, and said fuel dissolving said wax substrate and releasing said fuel additive into said fuel and said wax substrate having a high melting point and a clean burning characteristic;
• means for time releasing said fuel additive over the useful life of said filtering means;
• and
• said fuel outlet of said housing providing an exit for said fuel downstream from said filtering means and said fuel additive.

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion and having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;
• means for releasingly and sealingly connecting said top portion to said bottom portion of said housing;
• means for filtering said fuel so that the lowest possible pressure differential is maintained across said filtering means while utilizing the least possible amount of said filtering means to meet the demands of fuel flow, and said filtering means housed in said housing;
• said inlet of said housing delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel additive housed within said filtering means and soluble with said fuel;
• means for supporting said fuel additive so that said fuel contacts and dissolves said fuel additive;
• said filtering means and said fuel additive extending vertically upward in a coaxial relationship wherein as said filtering means becomes obstructed from contaminants in said fuel, said fuel rises vertically in said housing to provide the lowest possible pressure differential across said filtering means in order to meet fuel flow demand by having said fuel rise vertically toward unobstructed portions of said filtering means and undissolved portions of said fuel additive so that the amount of said fuel additive exposed to said fuel is proportional to the amount of said filtering means exposed to said fuel;
• and
• said fuel outlet of said housing providing an exit for said fuel downstream from said filtering means and said fuel additive.

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion and having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;
• means for accessing said fuel additive wherein said top portion of said housing has an aperture extending therethrough for removing and replacing said fuel additive, for providing venting of said housing for draining said fuel from said housing, and for providing priming of said fuel filter assembly by introducing said fuel directly into said housing;
• and
• means for detachably and sealingly closing said aperture to provide a closure for said housing when said fuel filter assembly is in use;
• means for releasingly and sealingly connecting said top portion to said bottom portion of said housing;
• means for filtering said fuel so that the lowest possible pressure differential is maintained across said filtering means while utilizing the least possible amount of said filtering means to meet the demands of fuel flow, and said filtering means housed in said housing;
• said inlet of said housing delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel additive housed within said filtering means and soluble with said fuel;
• means for supporting said fuel additive so that said fuel contacts and dissolves said fuel additive;
• means for time releasing said fuel additive over the useful life of said filtering means;
• and
• said fuel outlet of said housing providing an exit for said fuel downstream from said filtering means and said fuel additive.

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion and having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, said bottom portion of said housing having a floor extending in a substantially horizontal plane and having said inlet extending therethrough, a wall integral with and extending vertically upward from said floor of said bottom portion of said housing, and said wall rising vertically to a level below said outlet, and a well defined by said wall, said outlet, and said floor of said bottom portion for collecting and holding excess fuel when said housing is vented so that said excess fuel does not escape outside said housing or through said outlet without passing through said filtering means and contacting said fuel additive;
• means for releasingly and sealingly connecting said top portion to said bottom portion of said housing;
• means for filtering said fuel so that the lowest possible pressure differential is maintained across said filtering means while utilizing the least possible amount of said filtering means to meet the demands of fuel flow, and said filtering means housed in said housing;
• said inlet of said housing delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel additive housed within said filtering means and soluble with said fuel;
• means for supporting said fuel additive so that said fuel contacts and dissolves said fuel additive;
• means for time releasing said fuel additive over the useful life of said filtering means;
• and
• said fuel outlet of said housing providing an exit for said fuel downstream from said filtering means and said fuel additive.

A fuel filter assembly for filtering and treating a volatile fuel under pressure comprising:

• a closed cylindrical housing extending vertically upward, and said housing having a top portion and a bottom portion;
• said bottom portion of said housing having a substantially horizontal floor with a wall integral with and extending vertically upward from said floor, and said bottom portion having a fuel outlet comprising a hollow cylindrical tube extending vertically upward from said floor and rising to a vertical level above said wall, and said fuel outlet having a shoulder extending outward above said floor;
• said top portion being transparent and having an one open-ended hollow cylindrical geometry;
• said top portion and said bottom portion having mating threaded regions so that said top portion threads onto said bottom portion to form a parting line between adjoining surfaces of said top portion and of said bottom portion;
• means for sealing said adjoining surfaces of said top portion and of said bottom portion along said parting line;
• a fuel filter canister having a hydrophobic filter media folded back and forth and encircled to form a hollow cylinder and having a bottom and a top end cap supporting said filter media at its ends, and said end caps having apertures therethrough, and said fuel filter canister housed vertically upright within said housing and seated on said shoulder of said fuel outlet in said bottom portion of said housing;
• a horizontal sub-floor mounted above and substantially parallel to said floor and below said bottom end cap of said fuel canister and having a plurality of apertures therethrough for delivering said fuel under pressure between said housing and said fuel filtering means for passage through said filtering means;
• a fuel reservoir defined by the space between said floor and said sub-floor so that said fuel is evenly distributed from said fuel inlet and through said apertures of said sub-floor into said housing;
• a fuel additive being fuel soluble and having a paraffin substrate mixed with said fuel additive to support and maintain said fuel additive in a hollow cylindrical geometry, and said fuel additive having an outer reinforcement with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough so that said fuel contacts said fuel additive through said apertures upon said fuel passing through said filter media;
• said fuel additive being housed within said fuel filter canister, and said fuel additive having a bottom portion in communication with said outlet tube and said fuel additive having a bottom surface that abuts said shoulder of said fuel outlet;
• said fuel additive time releasing into said fuel by said fuel rising vertically in said housing upon said fuel filter becoming obstructed in order to provide the least possible differential pressure loss across said filter media to meet fuel flow demand to said outlet by said fuel rising vertically toward unobstructed portions of said filtering means and toward undissolved portions of said fuel additive so that the amount of said fuel additive exposed to said fuel is proportional to the amount of said filtering means exposed to said fuel;
• said top portion of said housing having a threaded aperture to provide access to said housing;
• a cap having a head and a threaded neck portion for detachably closing said aperture in said top portion in order to form a closure in said housing for when said fuel filter assembly is in use and for opening said aperture for removing and replacing said fuel additive, venting said housing for draining said fuel from said housing and priming said fuel filter by introducing fuel directly into said housing through said aperture;
• second means for sealing said head of said cap to said top portion of said housing;
• an axial compression spring in said housing and seated between said top portion of said housing and said top end cap of said fuel filter so that said fuel filter remains seated on said shoulder of said fuel outlet;
• a well in said bottom portion of said housing defined by said wall, said floor and said outlet, and said well collecting and holding excess fuel upon said housing being vented so that said fuel does not escape said housing and exit said outlet unfiltered and untreated.