Plastic fluid filter and method for assembling same

A fluid filter, comprising:

• a one piece plastic cylindrical housing having a first end and a second open end;
• a one piece plastic substantially planar end plate member;
• a connector formed on the housing and the end plate member;
• wherein the connector includes:
• an annular recess on one of the second end of the housing and the end plate member,
• and an annular rib on the other of the second end of the housing and the end plate member;
• and
• a cylindrical media element,
• wherein the end plate member is attached to the housing via the rib being received co-planar by the recess,
• wherein the element includes a plastic molded center tube and plastic molded upper and lower end caps, and
• wherein the upper end cap is threaded for engagement with the end plate member which is also threaded.

A fluid filter, comprising:

• a filter housing having a first end and a second open end, the housing being injection molded as one piece from plastic, and the second end of the housing including an external annular recess;
• an injection molded end plate member which is generally planar and has a first end and a second end, the first end including a downwardly extending circular flange upon which is formed interiorally an annular rib, and radially inward of the flange a projection having an exterior thread;
• a paper cylindrical media;
• an upper end cap molded as one piece from plastic and having a first end and a second end, the first end including a circumferential flange and an inward annular flange which together serve to position an end of the media therein, and the second end including an annular projection that includes an internal thread;
• a lower end cap molded as one piece from plastic and having a circumferential flange and an inward annular flange, which together serve to position an opposite end of the media therein;
• and
• a hollow plastic center tube located inside the media and connected between the upper and lower end caps,
• wherein the upper end cap is screw threaded into the end plate member via the corresponding threads and the first end of the end plate member is connected to the second end of the housing via cooperation of the rib and recess.

A method for manufacturing a fluid filter, comprising the steps of:

• forming a media element to include paper media;
• molding a substantially planar plastic end plate member;
• connecting the media element to the end plate member;
• forming a one piece plastic filter housing to include a first end and a second open end;
• and
• attaching the end plate member to the second open end of the filter housing,
• wherein the step of forming the second end of the housing includes the step of forming one of a rib and an annular recess on a wall of the second end in a plane parallel to the substantially planar end plate member,
• the step of forming the end plate member includes the step of forming the other of the annular rib and recess on a wall of the end plate member in a plane parallel to the substantially planar end plate member, and
• the step of attaching the end plate member to the second open end of the filter housing includes the step of inserting the rib into the recess between the walls of the second end of the housing and the end plate member to create an interference fit.

A method for manufacturing a fluid filter, comprising the steps of:

• forming a one-piece cylindrical plastic housing having one of a recess and a rib formed thereon;
• forming a cylindrical paper media;
• forming a plastic center tube;
• inserting the plastic center tube into the cylindrical media;
• forming upper and lower plastic end caps, each receiving respective ends of the cylindrical media, and the upper end cap including threads;
• forming an end plate member with threads and the other of the recess and rib formed thereon;
• connecting the media, upper and lower end caps to the center tube to form a media element;
• screwing the upper end cap onto the end plate member via the threads;
• and
• connecting the end plate member and the housing, so that the rib is received by the recess.

A fluid filter, comprising:

• a one piece plastic housing having a first end and a second open end;
• a one piece plastic substantially planar end plate member connected to the second, open-end of the housing and being threaded;
• and
• a media element including a plastic molded end cap threaded for engagement with the threaded end plate member.

A fluid filter, comprising:

• a filter housing having a first end and a second open end, the housing being injection molded as one piece from plastic;
• an injection molded end plate member which is generally planar and has a first end and a second end, the first end being threaded;
• a filter media;
• an upper end cap molded as one piece from plastic and having a first end and a second end, the first end for receiving an end of the media, and the second end being threaded corresponding to the threaded end plate;
• a lower end cap molded as one piece from plastic for receiving an opposite end of the media;
• and
• a hollow plastic center tube located inside the media and connected between the upper and lower end caps,
• wherein the upper end cap is screw threaded into the end plate member and the first end of the end plate member is connected to the second end of the housing.

A method for manufacturing a fluid filter, comprising the steps of:

• forming a one-piece plastic housing having a first end and a second, open end;
• forming a media element including a filter media and an end cap including threads and receiving an end of the media;
• forming an end plate member with threads corresponding to the threads on the end cap;
• screwing the end cap onto the end plate member via the corresponding threads;
• and
• connecting the end plate member and the housing.

A fluid filter, comprising;

• a one piece plastic cylindrical housing having a first end and a second open end;
• a one piece plastic substantially planar end plate member;
• a connector formed on the housing and the end plate member,
• wherein the connector includes an annular recess on one of the second end of the housing and end plate member, and an annular rib on the other of the second end of the housing and the end plate member;
• and
• a cylindrical media element,
• wherein the end plate member is attached to the housing via the rib being received co-planar by the recess, and
• wherein the upper end cap is threaded for engagement with the end plate member which is also threaded.