# US 7,608,184 B2 · Liquid filter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,184 B2 - Document ID: US7608184B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/123,142 - Filed: 2008-05-19 - Published: 2008-09-11 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-06 - Assignees: Mann+Hummel GmbH - Inventors: Martin Weindorf; Markus Kolczyk; Ralf Blum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608184B2 ## CPC - F16N 39/06: by filtration (filters in general B01D; magnetic separators B03C1/00; {centrifugal separators or filters B04B5/005}) - B01D 35/153: Anti-leakage or anti-return valves - B01D 35/16: Cleaning-out devices {, e.g. for removing the cake from the filter casing or for evacuating the last remnants of liquid} - B01D 2201/291: End caps - B01D 2201/4084: Snap or Seeger ring connecting means - F16N: LUBRICATING - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A liquid filter, in particular for the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine, having a housing with an inlet and an outlet formed from a housing pot having a substantially downwardly open filter element installation opening and a screw-on cover that closes the installation opening, and a filter element arranged in the housing, sealingly separating the inlet from the outlet. The screw-on cover has a drain for residual liquid present in the housing with a round drain opening arranged in the central axis of the housing. A device for opening and closing the drain opening is arranged in the area of the drain and connected to an end disk of the filter element so that it moves relative to the drain opening and opens the drain when the cover is unscrewed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid filter comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, said housing comprising a housing vessel with a substantially downwardly open filter element installation opening and a removable cover that closes the installation opening, said cover having a drain for discharging residual liquid present in the housing, a filter element comprising a filter medium arranged in the housing between the housing inlet and housing outlet such that a fluid passing from the housing inlet to the housing outlet must pass through the filter medium of the filter element; and a device arranged in the area of said drain for opening and closing said drain; wherein the device for opening and closing the drain is connected to the filter element with limited axial play so the opening device can move a limited distance axially relative to the filter element, and the opening device is displaced axially relative to the drain opening to open the drain opening when said cover is removed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein said cover is a screw-on cover, and said drain opening is opened when said cover is unscrewed from the housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein said drain opening is a round drain opening arranged on a central axis of the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein the drain is provided with a connector for a removable discharge device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A liquid filter according to claim 4, wherein said connector comprises a hose connecting nipple, and the discharge device comprises a hose that can be pushed onto the hose connecting nipple. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein a support tube is provided in the housing pot, and the filter element is mounted on the support tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A liquid filter according to claim 6, wherein said support tube is detachably mounted in the housing pot. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A liquid filter according to claim 6, wherein the filter element has an annular end disk on the axial end proximate the housing vessel, said end disk having an annular stop collar extending axially toward the housing vessel such that the axial end of the annular stop collar forms an axial end stop for the filter element when the filter element is installed in the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A liquid filter according to claim 8, wherein the housing vessel is provided with a flat continuous stop surface to receive the axial end stop of the filter element end disk. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A liquid filter according to claim 9, wherein said support tube has an annular seal collar extending axially toward the housing vessel such that the axial end of the annular seal collar is in contact with the stop surface of the housing vessel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) A liquid filter according to claim 6, wherein the filter element is connected by the annular stop collar with a liquid-tight seal to the annular seal collar of the support tube when the filter element is installed in the filter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein said housing inlet and outlet are connected to the lubricating oil circuit of an internal combustion engine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein the device for opening or closing the drain is detachably connected to the filter element by a catch connection. ### Claim 14 A filter element for a liquid filter comprising housing formed from a housing vessel with a substantially downwardly open filter element installation opening and a screw-on cover that closes the installation opening, said screw-on cover having a drain opening for discharging residual liquid present in the housing, said filter element comprising a hollow cylindrical filter medium and an end disk on each axial end of the filter medium, wherein the filter element is connectable to the housing, and the filter element carries a device for opening or closing the drain opening in the screw-on cover of the housing when the screw-on cover is unscrewed or screwed on, respectively, said device being connected to the filter element with limited axial play so that the device can move a limited distance axially relative to the filter element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A filter element according to claim 14, wherein one end disk is constructed in the form of a closed disk and is connected to the device for opening or closing the drain, and the other end disk is constructed in the form of an annular disk and has an annular collar extending axially away from the filter medium. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A filter element according to claim 14, wherein the device for opening or closing the drain opening comprises a hollow tubular member which extends into the drain opening and is open at its lower end, said tubular member being provided with radial passages extending through the tubular wall thereof, and a radial seal arranged on the tubular member above the passages in the area of the drain opening. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A filter element according to claim 14, wherein the device for opening or closing the drain opening comprises a cylindrical plug with a closed lower end which extends into the drain opening, and a radial seal arranged on the plug in the area of the drain opening. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) A filter element according to claim 14, wherein the end disk of the filter element remote from the housing vessel has a larger outside diameter than the filter medium of the filter element and protrudes radially outwardly of the filter medium such that the filter element can be handled by the protruding part of the end disk. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) A filter element according to claim 14, further comprising a bypass valve provided in one of the end disks. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) A filter element according to claim 14, wherein the device for opening or closing the drain is detachably connected to the filter element by a catch connection.