Flow inverter for filters

An insert adapted for use in a spin-on filter wherein the spin-on filter has a central axis and comprises an annular filter media coaxial with the axis disposed within a housing, said housing including an end plate defining a central outlet port coaxially aligned with said central axis and a plurality of inlet ports radially outwardly spaced from said central axis, the annular filter media having a hollow core aligned with said central outlet port and being axially spaced from the end plate to define a gap therebetween, wherein said insert is adapted to be located in said gap, the insert comprising:

• a unitary block of elastic material;
• a first side of the unitary block for facing said end plate, a second side of the unitary block opposite said first side for facing toward said filter media, said first side including a channel adapted to be positioned over said plurality of inlet ports, a blind outlet bore extending from said first side toward said second side and adapted to be positioned over said central outlet port, said insert having an outer peripheral surface extending between said first and second sides and an inner peripheral surface defined by said blind outlet bore, first discrete channels each having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening of each channel being located at said channel and being adapted to communicate with the radially positioned inlet ports and the second opening of each channel being located at said second side and being adapted to communicate with the hollow core of the filter media, wherein unfiltered fluid is adapted to enter the hollow core through the first channels from the radially disposed ports and from the hollow core is adapted to flow through the filter media into the gap between the filter media and housing, and
• second discrete channels in the unitary block isolated from the first channels and from one another by walls of said insert, the second channels each having a third discrete opening and a fourth discrete opening located at said outer peripheral surface and said inner peripheral surface of said insert, respectively, the third discrete opening of each second discrete channel being adapted to communicate with the gap between the filter media and housing and the fourth discrete opening of each second discrete channel being adapted to communicate with the central outlet port via said blind outlet bore, wherein filtered fluid in the gap passes through the second channel and out of the filter cartridge.