Gas separation – Combined or convertible – In motor vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-08
2003-01-21
Hopkins, Robert A. (Department: 1723)
Gas separation
Combined or convertible
In motor vehicle
C055S497000, C055S502000, C055S500000, C055S503000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06508851
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a filter, particularly an air filter for the combustion air of internal combustion engines, in which a filter cartridge is used in such a way that it provides the seal for the housing shells. Further, the invention relates to a sealed housing comprising at least two housing shells, and to filter cartridges suitable for installation in the aforementioned filter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
EP 490 169 B2 discloses a filter having a housing consisting of two housing shells in accordance with FIG.
3
. To install the filter cartridge, the housing is opened and the filter cartridge is inserted into a housing shell in such a way that a seal attached to the edge of the filter cartridge extends into the flanged joint between the housing shells. The housing shells are then reassembled. This fixes the filter cartridge within the housing on the one hand and produces a seal in the flange on the other hand. The sealing effect is enhanced in that a bead with a corresponding groove is provided in the flanged joint, which causes an additional deformation of the seal in the area of the flange.
A housing seal designed in the above manner, however, causes production-related problems. The flanged joint is formed by a circumferential sealing surface around the housing wall, which must correspond to an opposite surface in the other housing part. The dimension of the seal attached to the filter cartridge is small as viewed in joining direction. As a result, the housing parts must be manufactured with great precision since even minor deviations in shape, e.g., due to warping of the components, would cause the sealing gap to gape open. This would cause dirt to reach the filtered side of the filter through the secondary air intake, which must be avoided in any case. Particularly if the housing parts are made of plastic, which is currently the standard material for air filter housings, warping of the housing parts is very substantial. To obtain a reliable seal, a plurality of fastening means must therefore be provided in the area of the flange, which in combination produce sufficient pressure. But this involves increased complexity in assembly or during filter replacement.
Further, EP 490 169 B2 proposes to provide an additional seal in one of the housing parts or to fix it to the seal located on the filter cartridge. This involves the drawback of additional complexity either due to an additional production step for the filter cartridge or during final assembly for handling the additional seal. In other respects, although the seal increases the tolerance range in the flanged joint, it only lessens the problem discussed above. The seal can only have a limited dimension in joining direction of the housing parts. If this dimension is selected too large, the assembly forces increase again in the areas of narrow gaps in the flanged joint. These are the very assembly forces that the measure is intended to reduce.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a housing consisting of at least two shells, which satisfies the requirements for a tight seal, can be produced cost-effectively, and involves little complexity in assembly.
Another object of the invention is to provide a filter housing for a filter cartridge which housing seals tightly, can be produced at reasonable cost, and is not unduly complex to assemble.
A further object of the invention is to provide a filter cartridge which can be used in a filter housing meeting the above requirements.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the objects are achieved by providing a housing comprising a housing shell and a cover, wherein a seal is at least partially made of a flat material deformable by mounting forces of the cover which is inserted into a joint between the housing shell and the cover so as to seal the joint; the seal being pressed into at least one clamping groove provided in one of the shell and cover of the housing by at least one clamping rib formed on the other of the shell and cover and extending substantially parallel to the housing wall; the at least one clamping rib having a pressure edge in contact with one side of the seal, and the opposite side of the seal in the area of the pressure edge projecting into a hollow space formed by the clamping groove; the clamping groove being sufficiently deep that the seal does not contact the groove bottom.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the objects are achieved by providing a filter comprising a housing shell and a cover, the shell and cover fixing a filter cartridge interiorly of the housing such that the filter cartridge separates an unfiltered side provided with a housing inlet from a filtered side provided with a housing outlet, wherein a seal at least partially made of a flat material deformable by mounting forces of the cover on the shell is arranged on the filter cartridge such that it extends into a joint between the housing shell and the cover so as to seal the joint, the seal being pressed into at least one clamping groove provided in one of the shell and cover by at least one clamping rib formed on the other of the shell and cover and extending substantially parallel to the housing wall, the at least one clamping rib having a pressure edge in contact with one side of the seal and the opposite side of the seal in the area of the pressure edge projecting into a hollow space formed by the clamping groove, the clamping groove being sufficiently deep that the seal does not touch the groove bottom.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the objects are achieved by providing a filter cartridge for installation in a filter as described above in which a seal of the filter cartridge within a tolerance range always contacts the pressure edges of the clamping ribs within a joint of the filter housing, irrespective of any shape deviations of the filter housing.
The filter according to the invention comprises two housing parts suitable for receiving a filter cartridge within the housing interior. The unfiltered side of the filter is separated from the filtered side by a seal affixed on the filter cartridge, which extends into the joint between the housing parts. When the housing parts are assembled, the sealing effect is produced by the seal fixed to the filter cartridge. With respect to final assembly, the filter can thus be constructed of three parts if, for instance, snap connections are provided as assembly means on the flanged joint between the housing parts. This makes it possible to minimize the time required to assemble the filter according to the invention.
To enhance the sealing effect, at least one clamping groove is formed in the area of the joint in one of the housing parts, into which a clamping rib of the other housing part extends after assembly is complete. The seal is made of an elastically deformable material, so that it is pressed into the clamping groove by the clamping rib. The seal fits tightly against the pressure edge of the clamping rib, while the clamping groove is made sufficiently deep that the seal does not touch the groove bottom. The pressure on the seal required to seal the joint is thus primarily produced by a flexural deformation of the seal along the pressure edges of the clamping ribs and not by compression of the seal itself. This significantly reduces the amount of the sealing force that must be applied to the seal. Due to the small dimensions of the sealing surface in the form of pressure edges of the clamping rib, a pressure force that is sufficiently large overall is applied to the seal.
The configuration of the seal system has the advantage, on the one hand, of substantially reducing the holding forces that must be applied by the connecting means between the housing shells. This increases the economic efficiency of the filter, e.g., by reducing the required number of assembly screws. However, the essential advantage afforded by the seal configuration according to the invention is that it allows for a wide tolerance range in the housing par
Crowell & Moring LLP
Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
Hopkins Robert A.
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