Fluid filter with integrated cooler

A fluid filter apparatus comprising

• a filter housing formed to include a filter chamber, a fluid inlet aperture adapted to admit fluid into the filter chamber, a fluid outlet aperture adapted to discharge fluid from the filter chamber, a coolant inlet aperture, and a coolant outlet aperture,
• a coolant tube located in the filter chamber and formed to include a module receiver chamber therein, one end of the coolant tube being coupled in fluid communication to the coolant inlet aperture to receive liquid coolant from a coolant supply outside of the filter housing, another end of the coolant tube being coupled in fluid communication to the coolant outlet aperture to discharge liquid coolant from the filter housing, and
• a filter module positioned to lie in the filter chamber and the module receiver chamber, the filter module including a filter media formed to include a filtered-fluid region to receive fluid filtered in the filter media, the filter media being oriented in the module receiver chamber to receive unfiltered fluid admitted into the filter chamber through the fluid inlet aperture and cooled by exposure to the coolant tube surrounding the filter media to cause particulate matter entrained in the unfiltered fluid to be precipitated and blocked by the filter media from movement into the filtered-fluid region of the filter media, the filter media also being oriented in the module receiver chamber to position the filtered-fluid region in fluid communication with the fluid outlet aperture to cause fluid flow from the filtered-fluid region through the fluid outlet aperture to a destination outside the filter housing, wherein the filter housing includes a base portion adapted to mount on a vehicle engine and a removable cover portion mounted for movement on an outer end of the base portion to close an opening formed in the outer end of the base portion, the base portion and the removable cover portion cooperate to define the filter chamber therebetween, and an outer portion of the coolant tube arranged to confront the removable cover portion is formed to define a filter module-receiving opening into the module receiver chamber to permit movement of the filter module therethrough without varying the position of the coolant tube in the filter chamber upon removal of the removable cover portion to facilitate installation and replacement of the filter module in the module receiver chamber.

An oil filter assembly for use with an engine having a cooling system, the oil filter assembly comprising:

• a housing defining a first chamber for receiving oil from the engine, the housing including (a) a housing base having a first end configured to be mounted to the engine and a second end having a first threaded surface, and (b) a housing cover having a second threaded surface for threadably mating with the first threaded surface of the housing base;
• a cooling element defining a second chamber for receiving coolant from the
• an oil inlet for receiving unfiltered oil from the engine and passing the oil into the first chamber;
• an oil outlet for passing filtered oil back to the engine;
• a replaceable filter element located within the first chamber for filtering the oil;
• a coolant inlet for receiving low temperature coolant from the cooling system and passing said coolant to the second chamber defined by the cooling element;
• and
• a coolant outlet for passing warmed coolant from the second chamber defined by the cooling element to the cooling system.