The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 17, 1999
Richard J. Berkey, Toledo, OH (US);
Allen B. Wright, Grand Rapids, OH (US);
AlliedSignal Inc., Morristown, NJ (US);
Abstract
A flexibly resilient sealing member, incorporating integral pressure relief valves, for use in an oil filter assembly, includes a substantially annular body formed from a flexibly resilient material. The annular body has a central bore formed therein for surrounding an oil filter outlet. The annular body also has an upper surface with a plurality of normally closed slits formed therein, a shoulder portion around its top outer edge for sealing placement inside a cylindrical filter element, and a flow channel formed therethrough for each of the normally closed slits, each of the flow channels extending downwardly from one of the normally closed slits and terminating in an open inlet below the shoulder portion and outside of the central bore. The sealing member according to the present invention may further include an integral pedestal ring attached to the lower surface of the annular body adjacent the annular bore and extending downwardly therefrom, and a transverse flange attached to the outer surface of the annular body below the shoulder portion, and extending outwardly therefrom to limit entry of the sealing member into a filter element. In this embodiment, preferably, each of the flow channels extends from a bottom surface of the annular body above the pedestal ring, through the annular body; and communicates with one of the normally closed slits in the top surface of the annular body. The present invention also encompasses an oil filter assembly incorporating the sealing member thereof.