Fleetguard, Inc.

Donald W Beach

Alan S Bounnakhom

Claude L Berman

Peter K Herman

Charles L Matheson

J Eric Parlow

David M Ruch

John M Partridge

Steve F Robbins

Udo E Holzhausen

William F Langford

Lawrence B Feldhaus

Monroe L Newton

A closed crankcase ventilation system which relies on a vacuum assist from the turbocharger inlet to suction blow-by gases from the crankcase. The system includes a coalescer/filter which is operative to filter any oil particles which may be entrained in the blow-by gases before they are released into the turbocharger inlet. A pop off valve is also included in order to prevent the engine crankcase from becoming over pressurized as a result of back pressure caused by either a plugged coalescer/filter or some catastrophic engine malfunction. Further included is a vacuum limiting valve which prohibits the vacuum assist produced by the air inlet to the turbocharger from producing too low of an absolute pressure, thereby preventing an imbalance in pressure across the seals of the turbocharger. The system further includes a bypass valve which also prevents the crankcase from becoming over pressurized by routing the flow of blow-by gases around the coalescer/filter if the pressure in the crankcase becomes too great. Finally, the present invention incorporates a single mounting head which allows the various valves and filters of the present invention to be mounted thereon. The mounting head may then be conveniently attached to the engine at a single location.

Closed crankcase ventilation system

A snap-together, all-plastic filter assembly for filtering fluids includes a generally cylindrical injection molded plastic outer shell which has a closed base and an open opposite end and which defines a hollow interior which receives a filtering element and an integral injection molded plastic endplate/centertube member. The outer shell is injection molded with a pair of concentric, generally cylindrical, inner annular walls which are integral with the closed based and extend part way toward the open end of the outer shell. The filtering element which has a hollow interior fits down within the outermost of the two concentric annular walls and the centertube of the endplate/centertube member extends through the center of the filtering element and snaps in place by means of snap-fit projections which snap into snap-fit pockets disposed within the inner most of the two concentric annular walls. The filter assembly is designed as a spin-on filter and is threadedly engaged and positioned onto a mounting base thereby completing the fluid flow path. In related embodiments the filtering element is preassembled to the endplate/centertube member as a replaceable cartridge.

Fluid filter assembly

An all-plastic filter assembly for filtering fluids includes a generally cylindrical injection molded plastic outer shell which has a closed base and an open opposite end and which defines a hollow interior which receives a modular filler cartridge. The outer shell is injection molded with a generally cylindrical mounting stem which is integral with the closed base and extends part way toward the open end of the outer shell. The filter cartridge includes a generally cylindrical filter element and a molded endplate and centertube member bonded to the filter element. The centertube portion of the molded member is received by the mounting stem as part of the positioning and mounting of the filter cartridge into the outer shell.

Fluid filter assembly for vehicles

This disclosure illustrates a replaceable filter assembly for fluids in which the filter has a shell formed from an injection molded threaded end and an integral blow molded closed end to form a unitary shell. A seal such as a flange is provided adjacent to the threaded end so that a pressure seal can be maintained. A filter medium is supported within the shell so as to direct fluid flow through it to remove contaminants. The shell can be formed from plastic materials such as polyester terephthalate (PET), polyether sulfone (PES), and polyether urethane (PEU). This construction enables an inexpensive filter assembly and, with transparent plastic materials, an indication of the contaminant removal activity within the filter.

Plastic filter

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Cookeville, TN, United States of America

Donald W Beach