Liquid purification or separation – With repair or assembling means – Piercing or closure knock out means
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-20
2003-09-09
Savage, Matthew O. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
With repair or assembling means
Piercing or closure knock out means
C210S248000, C210S444000, C210SDIG009
Reexamination Certificate
active
06616838
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of fluid filtration devices for use with engines. In greater particularity the present invention relates to a replaceable oil filter and method of using a replaceable oil filter that allows the oil filter to be disengaged from an engine without the spillage of residual oil. In still further particularity, the present invention relates to a replaceable oil filter comprising a housing having an upper portion forming an opening for threaded engagement with an engine, a filtration unit positioned within the upper portion, a lower portion forming a reservoir subjacent the upper portion, an impermeable barrier separating the upper portion and the lower portion to prevent fluid communication therebetween, and a means for establishing fluid communication between the upper portion and the lower portion to drain residual oil from the upper portion into the reservoir prior to disengaging the replaceable oil filter from an engine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Waste oil that has been used for the lubrication of engines, generally referred to as used oil, is a significant threat to the environment. Used oil is a pollutant that can contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the amount of used oil from a single oil change of an automobile engine can ruin up to a million gallons of fresh water.
Large volumes of used oil are generated each year. The annual volume of used oil generated from automobiles alone is estimated to exceed 300 million gallons. Historically, used oil was disposed of without alteration or treatment into the environment by pouring used oil into storm drains or placing it into trashcans. The significant adverse effect on the environment of these activities have been increasingly recognized and as a result, federal and state governments have developed comprehensive programs for the proper handling and disposal of used oil. In addition to the environmental benefits gained from preventing the improper disposal of used oil, there are also significant environmental and economic benefits to be gained from recycling used oil. Recycling a gallon of used oil generates approximately the same amount of lubricating oil produced from a barrel of crude oil, and it is estimated that recycling used oil from automobiles alone would save over two million barrels of oil each day. There is a need for improved techniques for managing used oil.
Traditional methods of changing oil filters results in the spillage of used oil. Even after a crankcase is drained of used oil, unscrewing and removal of an oil filter cartridge results in the spillage of residual used oil contained in the oil filter cartridge itself as well as residual oil in the engine proximate the oil filter. The spillage of residual used oil occurring during the unscrewing and removal of an oil filter cartridge causes unnecessary exposure of the person changing an oil filter to used oil. It also causes the unnecessary contamination of the adjacent work area. Used oil spilled during replacement of oil filters is either sprayed into storm drains, cleaned up using absorbent material and disposed of in a solid waste landfill, or released directly into the environment. The cumulative impact of these releases of used oil to waterways and landfills has an adverse impact on the environment.
The prior art has utilized various techniques to address this problem. U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,588 to Kucik disclosed an oil filter cartridge having a nipple on the bottom of the filter and a valve for opening the nipple to drain residual used oil remaining in the oil filter cartridge after used oil has been drained from a crankcase. The Kucik device requires the use of a used oil container disposed directly under the outlet of the nipple for the receipt of used oil, or the use of a hose connected to the end of the nipple as well as a container disposed directly under the end of the hose opposite the nipple for the receipt of used oil. As disclosed in the Kucik patent, other prior art techniques include disposing a large plastic bag directly under the filter cartridge assembly for the receipt of used oil released from the filter cartridge during unscrewing and removal of the filter cartridge assembly.
The conventional techniques used to minimize the spillage of used oil during the unscrewing and removal of an oil filter from an engine have several limitations. These techniques involve the transfer of used oil released from an oil filter cartridge. Associated with each of these used oil transfer steps, including the transfer of used oil into and out of hoses and into various containers including plastic bags, is the risk of used oil spillage. These risks are heightened by the limited space available for removing an oil filter cartridge, and the difficulty in properly positioning containers and hoses in cramped quarters. These methods also result in the contamination of various articles associated with transferring and containing used oil released from an oil filter cartridge. To address the limitations of the prior art, what is needed is an improved replaceable oil filter that can be disengaged from an engine after use without the spillage of used oil and without releasing used oil from the oil filter cartridge. What is needed is an improved method of removing a used oil filter cartridge from an engine that is simple and easy to use, and that minimizes or eliminates the release of used oil from the cartridge, and thereby reduces the adverse impacts to the environment resulting from the mismanagement of used oil.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable oil filter for use with an engine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable oil filter that can be disengaged from an engine without the spillage of excess used oil.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable oil filter that can be easily disengaged from an engine with minimal or no release of used oil from the oil filter cartridge.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient and environmentally protective method of changing a replaceable oil filter that reduces the risk of spilling used oil.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable oil filter that minimizes or eliminates the release of used oil from the oil filter cartridge prior to disengaging the oil filter from an engine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an oil filter that can be installed on or disengaged from an engine without using a filter wrench.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an oil filter that can be installed on or disengaged from an engine utilizing conventional tools such as a socket wrench or screwdriver without having to use a filter wrench.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an oil filter that can be installed on an engine or tightened within a desire torque range using a torque wrench to prevent overtightening and undertightening of the oil filter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable oil filter that allows for the draining and containment of residual used oil from an oil filtration unit without releasing used oil from the oil filter cartridge housing prior to disengaging the oil filter from an engine.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an easy method of draining residual used oil from an oil filtration unit and containing residual oil drained from an oil filtration unit in a used oil reservoir without releasing used oil from the oil filter cartridge housing prior to disengaging the oil filter from an engine.
These and other objects of the present invention are provided by a replaceable oil filter having a reservoir for the receipt and containment of residual used oil prior to removing the oil filter from an engine. The present invention comprises a replaceable oil filter comprising a housing having an upp
Bush Kenneth M.
Bush IP Law Group, LLC
Jackson Robert M.
Savage Matthew O.
LandOfFree
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