Fuel filter assembly with replaceable element

A filter subassembly comprising a filter element and a cover, said filter element including:

• a first imperforate circular end cap having an outer surface and an inner surface;
• a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area, said ring bonded in fluid-tight relation to the inner surface of said first end cap, and said interior area being closed at an end thereof by the first end cap;
• a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap and bonded in fluid-tight relation to said media ring, said second end cap having an opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring;
• a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap;
• said cover being disposed adjacent the outer surface of said first end cap;
• and
• latching fingers cooperating between said cover and said first end cap for removeably coupling the filter element to the cover, said latching fingers and said first end cap having cooperating structure comprising openings in said cover sized to accept the latching fingers to rotationally fix the filter element to the cover, said latching fingers disposed in radially-outward relation to said first end cap.

A filter subassembly comprising a filter element and a cover, said filter element including:

• a first imperforate circular end cap having an outer surface and an inner surface;
• a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area, said ring bonded in fluid-tight relation to the inner surface of said first end cap, and said interior area being closed at an end thereof by the first end cap;
• a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap and bonded in fluid-tight relation to said media ring, said second end cap having a standpipe opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring;
• a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap;
• said cover including an imperforate cover wall disposed adjacent the outer surface of said first end cap;
• and
• axially-extending latching means unitary with said first end cap for removeably connecting the filter element to the cover, said latching means disposed in radially-outward relation to said first end cap and said media ring.

A filter subassembly comprising a filter element and a cover, said filter element including:

• a first imperforate circular end cap having an outer surface and an inner surface;
• a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area, said ring bonded in fluid-tight relation to the inner surface of said first end cap, and said interior area being closed at an end thereof by the first end cap;
• a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap and bonded in fluid-tight relation to said media ring, said second end cap having a standpipe opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring;
• a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap;
• said cover including an imperforate cover wall disposed adjacent the outer surface of said first end cap;
• and
• axially-extending latching means between said cover and said first end cap for removeably connecting the filter element to the cover, said latching means and said first end cap having cooperating structure comprising openings in said cover sized to accept the latching means which rotationally fix the filter element to the cover, said latching means disposed in radially-outward relation to said first end cap and said media ring.

A filter assembly comprising:

• a filter element, a housing having an open end through which the filter element can be inserted and a closed end, a standpipe projecting longitudinally within the housing from a connection at the closed end of the housing to a distal free end toward the open end of the housing, and a cover removably connected to the housing at the open end for enclosing the filter element within the housing;
• said filter element having:
• i) a first imperforate circular end cap disposed toward the open end of the housing;
• ii) a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area, said ring bonded in fluid-tight relation to said first end cap, and said interior area being closed at an end thereof by the first end cap;
• iii) a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap toward the closed end of the housing and bonded in fluid-tight relation to said media ring, said second end cap having a standpipe opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring and through which the standpipe extends longitudinally into said interior area;
• iv) a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap in sealing engagement with the standpipe;
• and
• v) latching fingers unitary with said first end cap and cooperating between said first end cap and said cover for removably coupling the filter element to the cover such that the filter element is removed from the housing when the cover is removed, said latching fingers disposed in radially-outward relation to said first end cap.

A filter assembly comprising:

• a filter element, a casing having an open end through which the filter element can be inserted and a closed end, a standpipe projecting longitudinally within the casing from a connection at the closed end of the housing to a distal free end toward the open end of the housing, and a cover removably connected to the casing at the open end for enclosing the filter element within the casing;
• said filter element having:
• i) a first imperforate circular end cap disposed toward the open end of the housing;
• ii) a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area, said ring bonded in fluid-tight relation to said first end cap, and said interior area being closed at an end thereof by the first end cap;
• iii) a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap toward the closed end of the housing and bonded in fluid-tight relation to said media ring, said second end cap having a standpipe opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring and through which the standpipe extends longitudinally into said interior area;
• iv) a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap in sealing engagement with the standpipe;
• and
• v) latching fingers cooperating between said first end cap and said cover for removably coupling the filter element to the cover such that the filter element is removed from the housing when the cover is removed, said latching fingers and said first end cap having cooperating structure comprising openings in said cover sized to accept said latching fingers to rotationally fix the filter element to the cover, said latching fingers disposed in radially-outward relation to said first end cap.

A filter subassembly, comprising:

• a filter element and a cover, said cover including threads to enable the cover to be removably attached to a housing with corresponding threads;
• a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis and having first and second ends, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area;
• a first circular end cap with an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface bonded in fluid-tight relation to said first end of said media ring, said first end cap including a central well area having a cylindrical wall extending axially inward into the interior area of the filter media ring and a planar bottom end wall extending radially inward from an axially inner end of the cylindrical sidewall, said well area open to a side of said first end cap opposite the filter media ring, the first end of the filter media ring being fluidly closed to prevent fluid flow into the interior area of the media ring through the first end;
• a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap and having an inner surface bonded in fluid-tight relation to said second end of said media ring, said second end cap having an opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring;
• a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap;
• said cover being disposed adjacent the outer surface of said first end cap, said cover having an axially-extending centering portion received in the well area of the first end cap;
• a longitudinally extending projection extending longitudinally in said interior area of said filter media ring from a base end located toward the first end of the filter media ring and disposed radially-inward from said cylindrical wall of said well area to a distal free end located toward the second end cap, said longitudinally extending projection disposed radially inward from said interior surface of said media ring, smaller in transverse cross-section than the opening in said second end cap, and longer than it is wide, and said longitudinally extending projection terminating at a point closer to said first end cap than said second end cap;
• and
• latching fingers cooperating between said cover and said first end cap to couple the filter element to the cover.

A filter subassembly, comprising:

• a filter element and a cover, said cover including threads to enable the cover to be removably attached to a housing with corresponding threads, said element removeably positionable in the housing with the cover and housing enclosing the element;
• a continuous ring of filter media circumscribing a central axis and having first and second ends, said ring having an interior surface bounding an interior area;
• a first circular end cap with an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface bonded in fluid-tight relation to said first end of said media ring, said first end cap including a central well area having a cylindrical sidewall extending axially inward into the interior area of the filter media, said well area open to a side of said first end cap opposite the filter media ring, the first end of the filter media ring being fluidly closed to prevent fluid flow into the interior area of the media ring through the first end;
• a second circular end cap longitudinally disposed from said first end cap and having an inner surface bonded in fluid-tight relation to said second end of said media ring, said second end cap having an opening therethrough axially aligned with the central axis of the ring;
• a resilient seal circumferentially bounding the opening in the second end cap;
• said cover being disposed adjacent the outer surface of said first end cap, said cover having an axially-extending centering portion received in the well area of the first end cap;
• a longitudinally extending projection unitary with the first end cap and extending longitudinally in said interior area of said filter media ring from a base end located toward the first end of the filter media ring and disposed radially-inward from said cylindrical wall of said well area to a distal free end located toward the second end cap, said longitudinally extending projection disposed radially inward from said interior surface of said media ring, smaller in transverse cross-section than the opening in said second end cap, and longer than it is wide, said longitudinally extending projection terminating at a point closer to said first end cap than said second end cap, and said projection being independent of the cover enclosing the filter element;
• latching fingers cooperating between said cover and said first end cap to couple the filter element to the cover.