# US 8,540,080 B2 · Fluid filter system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,080 B2 - Document ID: US8540080B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/568,945 - Filed: 2012-08-07 - Published: 2013-02-07 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2007-11-19 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc.; Advanced Filtration Systems Inc.; Donaldson Company, Inc. - Applicants: Christopher J. Salvador; Randall W. Heibenthal; Dennis M. Deedrich; David B. Harder; John R. Hacker; Richard Eisenmenger - Inventors: Christopher J. Salvador; Randall W. Heibenthal; Dennis M. Deedrich; David B. Harder; John R. Hacker; Richard Eisenmenger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540080B2 ## CPC - B01D 27/106: {Anti-leakage or anti-return valves} - B01D 29/21: with corrugated, folded or wound sheets - B01D 35/30: Filter housing constructions - B01D 2201/295: with projections extending in a radial outward direction, e.g. for use as a guide, spacing means - B01D 2201/304: Seals or gaskets - B01D 2201/34: Seals or gaskets for filtering elements - 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 An endcap includes a first plate member having a radial inner portion, a radial outer portion, and defining a longitudinal axis. The endcap also includes a flange disposed between the radial inner and outer portions, and projecting axially along the longitudinal axis in a first direction. The endcap also includes a first seal member disposed adjacent the flange. The first seal member includes a first portion engaged with an axial facing surface of the first plate member and a second portion engaged with a radially facing surface of the flange. The endcap further includes a second plate member disposed radially outward of the radial outer portion and a second seal member disposed adjacent the second plate member including at least a portion axially spaced from the axially facing surface of the first plate member in a second direction along the longitudinal axis opposite the first direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of sealing a filter with respect to a base and sealingly separating a first fluid flow from a second fluid flow radially outward of the first fluid flow, the method comprising: engaging a first radially facing surface of the base with a first portion of a first seal member; establishing a first radially facing seal interface radially between the first and second fluid flows via the first portion of the first seal member; establishing a second radially facing seal interface radially outward of the second fluid flow via a second seal member; and directing the first fluid flow from a central interior space of the filter to the base via an anti-prefill device associated with an opening of the central interior space, wherein the anti-prefill device includes a plurality of wall portions establishing a radially facing wall including apertures, wherein the first fluid flow passes to the base via at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures, and wherein at least part of the first seal member is spaced a first axial distance from the filter and at least part of the second seal member is spaced a second axial distance from the filter, the first axial distance being greater than the second axial distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second fluid flow is directed toward the filter and the first fluid flow is directed from the filter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including establishing an axially facing seal interface radially outward of the second fluid flow. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including compressing the first seal as a function of a distance between first and second radially facing surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second fluid flows are configured to flow through an endcap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second seals are integrally attached to an endcap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the filter is a fuel filter and one of the first and second fluid flows is a flow of unfiltered fuel and the other one of the first and second fluid flows is a flow of filtered fuel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including establishing a third radially facing seal interface radially between the first and second seal interfaces, the third radially facing seal interface being established via a second portion of the first seal member opposite the first portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the second portion of the first seal member is engaged with an inward radially facing surface of an endcap connected to the filter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein a third portion of the first seal member is engaged with an axially facing surface of the endcap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including directing the first fluid flow to pass through the at least one aperture in a substantially radial direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including directing the first fluid flow to pass through a cylindrical wall of the anti-prefill device, the cylindrical wall being disposed radially inward of the radially facing wall and extending in a direction axially away from the filter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the anti-prefill device has a cap portion disposed over the opening of the central interior space, and the first fluid flow is directed to the base via the cap portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first fluid flow is directed to travel in a substantially radial direction by the cap portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further including directing the first fluid flow to pass from the central interior space through a cylindrical wall of the anti-prefill device, the cylindrical wall extending in a direction axially away from the filter and substantially perpendicular to the cap portion. ### Claim 16 A method of sealing a filter with respect to a base and sealingly separating a first fluid flow from a second fluid flow radially outward of the first fluid flow, the method comprising: establishing a first radially facing seal interface radially between the first and second fluid flows via a first seal member; establishing a second radially facing seal interface radially outward of the second fluid flow via a second seal member; and directing the first fluid flow from a central interior space of the filter to the base via an anti-prefill device associated with an opening of the central interior space, the anti-prefill device having a plurality of wall portions establishing a radially facing wall including apertures, wherein the first fluid flow passes to the base via at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further including directing the first fluid flow to pass through a cylindrical wall of the anti-prefill device, the cylindrical wall being disposed radially inward of the radially facing wall and extending in a direction axially away from the filter.