Filter assembly with housing structure

A filter assembly for filtering fluid through a filter element contained in a housing having a base and a cover, said base and said cover having respective shoulder surfaces facing each other, one of said base and said cover having a plurality of fingers extending toward and along the shoulder surface of the other of said base and said cover for guiding said base and said cover together into an assembled condition, wherein said shoulder surface of said base and said shoulder surface of said cover extend parallel to each other along a given lateral direction, and said fingers extend along a transverse direction transversely to said lateral direction, said fingers are spaced from each other along said lateral direction, one of said shoulder surfaces has first and second distally oppositely facing sides transversely spaced from each other by the transverse width of said one shoulder surface therebetween, and comprising first and second sets of said fingers, said first set of fingers having root ends at said first side of said one shoulder surface and extending along a first transverse direction therefrom, said second set of fingers having root ends at said second side of said one shoulder surface and extending along a second transverse direction therefrom, said second transverse direction being opposite to said first transverse direction.