Centrifuge housing for receiving centrifuge cartridge and method for removing soot from engine oil

Abstract

A centrifuge oil filter includes a centrifuge filter housing and a replaceable centrifuge cartridge. The centrifuge oil filter is adapted to remove soot from oil in engine applications. The centrifuge filter housing can be mounted directly on the frame of a vehicle for support and provides top access for a mechanic to service and replace the cartridge from the top of the filter. The centrifuge housing includes a lid at the top which can be removed to allow top access to the cartridge. The lid carries a bearing support and bearings upon which the upper end of a drive shaft is journalled to facilitate rotation of the cartridge. In the lower end of the housing another bearing assembly is provided with at least one set of bearings upon which the lower end of the drive shaft is journalled and an electrical motor which drives the drive shaft and therefore the cartridge. The cartridge is secured to the drive shaft at beveled contact surfaces to ensure long life of the drive shaft and bearings and provide for close retention of the cartridge on the shaft. Vibration isolators are provided between the bearing mounts and the outer casing of the filter housing to reduce wear caused by vehicle induced shock loads and vibrations. The centrifuge cartridge has an inlet at its top and an outlet at its bottom. The centrifuge cartridge includes elbow outlet tubes which extend the length of the cartridge to provide an outlet oil entrance near the top of the cartridge. The cartridge has a large surface area containment trap which has several levels provided by concentric cylindrical walls and a plurality of partition walls in each level to provide multiple compartments for soot agglomeration.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.