BLUM ALVIN SEYMOUR (US)
BLUM ALVIN SEYMOUR (US)
| US4767530A | 1988-08-30 | |||
| US4231872A | 1980-11-04 | |||
| US4204961A | 1980-05-27 | |||
| US3950251A | 1976-04-13 | |||
| US3615018A | 1971-10-26 |
| 1. | A quickchange fluid filter system for improved replacement of a filter assembly upon a filter support means with a sealing gasket, said filter assembly having integral fluid inlet and outlet means and said filter support means adapted for mounting on an engine and having inlet and outlet means connectable to said engines wherein the improvement comprises: a filter assembly means v/ith integral base plate means, said base plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means; a filter flange means connected to said base plate means; support plate means connected to said filter support means, said support plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means corresponding to, and adapted to connect to, said inlet and outlet means of said base plate means; a support plate flange means connected to said support plate means; a filterengaging band means, said band means including a filter flange means engaging surface and a support plate flange means engaging surface; a band closure means attached to said band means for reducing the diameter of said band means in a first, closed position and for increasing the diameter of said band means in a second, open position of said band closure means; said filter flange means engaging surface of said band means engaging said filter flange means as said band means is reduced in diameter and disengaging said filter flange means as said band means is increased in diameter; said support plate flange means engaging surface of said band means having a sloped surface and said support plate flange means having a band engaging surface of substantially the same slope, said slope being such that reducing the diameter of said band means by said band closure means causes the sloping surface of said band means to move along the sloping surface of said plate flange means and forces the filter flange means engaging surface down upon the filter flange means, forcing said base plate means tightly against said support plate means to compress said sealing gasket therebetween; and wherein said band means is captively held by said support plate flange means interposed between said engaging surfaces of said band means by said second, open position providing said band means with the inside diameter of both said flange means engaging surfaces smaller than the outside diameter of said support plate flange means and wherein said filter assembly is freely removable in said second, open position by said second position providing said inside diameter of said filter flange means engaging surface greater than said filter flange means diameter. |
| 2. | The system according to claim 1, in which said band closure means includes toggle closure means providing a fixed preset tension closure in said closed position, independent of the skills of the user, to ensure correct sealing forces to prevent leakage from inadequate tightness and damage from excessive tightening forces. |
| 3. | The system according to claim 1, including spring means connected to said filter support means and biasing against said band means, said biasing forcing said band means against said sloping surface of said support plate flange means and thereby urging an increased diameter of said band means to facilitate removal and replacement of said filter assembly in said open position. |
| 4. | The system according to claim 3, in which said spring means includes centering means wherein said biasing centers said band means on said support plate means to facilitate installation of said filter assembly. |
| 5. | The system accordin to claim 4, including spreading means wherein said biasing forces said filter flange means engaging surface of said band means away from said support plate means to facilitate insertion of said filter flange means on said support plate means. |
| 6. | The system according to claim 1, in which said filter flange means and said filter flange means engaging surface having sloped surfaces. |
| 7. | The system according to claim 1, in which said filter support means forms an integral part of said engine. |
| 8. | The fluid filter system according to claim 1, in which said filter assembly means includes a filter housing and said base plate means sealably engages the inner surface of said housing and said filter flange means sealably engages the outer surface of said housing, thereby providing secure connection of said housing to said base plate means and said filter flange means. |
| 9. | A quickchange fluid filter system for improved replacement of a filter assembly upon a filter support means with a sealing gasket, said filter assembly having integral fluid inlet and outlet means and said filter support means adapted for mounting on an engine and having inlet and outlet means connectable to said engine, including; support plate means connected to said filter support means, said support plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means corresponding to, and adapted to connect to, said inlet and outlet means of said filter assembly, a support plate flange means connected to said support plate means, a filterengaging band means, said band means including a filter flange means engaging surface and a support plate flange means engaging surface, a band closure means attached to said band means for reducing the diameter of said band in a first, closed position and for increasing the diameter of said band in a second, open position of said band closure means, wherein the improvement comprises: a filter assembly with integral base plate means, said base plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means; a filter flange means connected to said base plate means; said filter flange means engaging surface of said band means engaging said filter flange means as said band means is reduced in diameter and disengaging said filter flange means as said band means is increased in diameter; said support plate flange means engaging surface of said band means having a sloped surface and said support plate flange means having a band engaging surface of substantially the same slope, said slope being such that reducing the diameter of said bands by said band closure means causes the sloping surface of said band means to move along the sloping surface of said plate flange means and forces the filter flange means engaging surface down upon said filter flange means, forcing said filter plate means tightly against said support plate means to compress said sealing gasket therebetween, and wherein said band means is captively held by said support plate flange means interposed between said engaging surfaces of said band means by said second, open position providing said band means with the inside diameter of both said flange means engaging surfaces smaller than the outside diameter of said support plate flange means and wherein said filter assembly is freely removable in said second, open position by said second position providing said inside diameter of said filter flange means engaging surface greater than said filter flange means diameter. |
| 10. | The invention according to claim 9, in which said filter flange means provides a flat surface for engaging said filter flange means engaging surface. |
| 11. | The invention according to claim 9, in which said filter flange means provides a sloping surface for engaging said filter flange means engaging surface. |
| 12. | The filter assembly of claim 9, including a filter housing having an inner surface and an outer surface and said base plate means sealably engaging said inner surface of said housing and said filter flange means sealably engaging said outer surface of said housing to provide a secure connection of said housing to said base plate means and said filter flange means. |
| 13. | A quickchange fluid filter system for improved replacement of a filter assemly upon a filter support means with a sealing gasket, said filter assembly having integral fluid inlet and outlet means and said filter support means adapted for mounting on an engine and having inlet and outlet means connectable to said engine, wherein the improvement comprises: a filter assembly means with integral base plate means, said base plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means; a filter flange means connected to said base plate means; support plate means connected to said filter support means, said support plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means corresponding to, and adapted to connect to, said inlet and outlet means of said base plate means; a support plate flange means connected to said support plate means; a filterengaging band means including a continuous outer portion and a segmented inner portion, said inner portion comprised of a plurality of radially disposed segments, each of said segments including a filter flange means engaging surface and a support plate means engaging surface, said segmented inner portion facilitating diametral changes of said band means; a band closure means attached to said band means for reducing the diameter of said band means in a first, closed position and for increasing the diameter of said band means in a second, open position of said band closure means; said filter flange means engaging surface of said band means engaging said filter flange means as said band means is reduced in diameter and disengaging said filter flange means as said band means is increased in diameter; said support plate flange means engaging surface of said band means having a sloped surface and said support plate flange means having a band engaging surface of substantially the same slope, said slope being such that reducing the diameter of said band means by said band closure means causes the sloping surface of said band means to move along the sloping surface of said plate flange means and forces the filter flange engaging surface down upon the filter flange means, forcing said filter plate means tightly against said support plate means to compress said sealing gasket therebetween; and wherein said band means is captively held by said support plate flange means interposed between said engaging surfaces of said band means by said second, open position providing said band means with the inside diameter of both said flange means engaging surfaces smaller than the outside diameter of said support plate flange means and v/herein said filter assembly means is freely removable in said second, open position by said second position providing said inside diameter of said filter flange means engaging surface greater than said filter flange means diameter. |
| 14. | The system according to claim 13, in which said band closure means includes toggle closure means providing a fixed preset tension closure in said closed position, independent of the skills of the user, to ensure correct sealing forces to prevent leakage from inadequate tightness and damage from excessive tightening forces. |
| 15. | The system according to claim 13, including spring means connected to said filter support means and biasing against said band means, said biasing forcing said band means against said sloping surface of said support plate flange means and thereby urging an increased diameter of said band means to facilitate removal and replacement of said filter assembly means in said open position. |
| 16. | The system according to claim 15, in which said spring means includes centering means wherein said biasing centers said band means on said support plate means to facilitate installation of said filter assembly means. |
| 17. | The system according to claim 16, including spreading means v/herein said biasing forces said filter flange means engaging surface of said band means away from said support plate means to facilitate insertion of said filter flange means on said support plate means. |
| 18. | The system according to claim 13, in which said filter flange means and said filter flange means engaging surface having sloped surfaces. |
| 19. | The system according to claim 13, in which said filter support means is an integral part of said engine. |
| 20. | The system according to claim 13, in which said filter assembly means includes a filter housing and said base plate means sealably engages the inner surface of said housing and said filter flange means sealably engages the outer surface of said housing to provide secure connection of said housing to said base plate means and said filter flange means. |
| 21. | A quickchange fluid filter system for improved replacement of a filter assembly upon a filter support means with a sealing gasket, said filter assembly having integral fluid inlet and outlet means and said filter support means adapted for mounting on an engine and having inlet and outlet means connectable to said engine, including, support plate means connected to said filter support means, said support plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means corresponding to, and adapted to connect to, said inlet and outlet means of said filter assembly, a support plate flange means connected to, and coextensive with, said support plate means, a filterengaging band means including a continuous outer portion and a segmented inner portion, said inner portion comprised of a plurality of radially disposed segments, each of said segments including a filter flange engaging surface and a support plate flange means engaging surface, said segmented inner portion facilitating diametral changes of said band means, a band closure means attached to said band means for reducing the diameter of said band in a first, closed position and for increasing the diameter of said band in a second, open position of said band closure means, v/herein the improvement comprises: a filter assembly means with integral base plate means, said base plate means including fluid inlet and outlet means; a filter flange means connected to said base plate means; said filter flange means engaging surface of said band means engaging said filter flange means as said band means is reduced in diameter and disengaging said filter flange meansas said band means is increased in diameter; said support plate flange means engaging surface of said band means having a sloped surface and said support plate flange means having a band engaging surface of substantially the same slope, said slope being such that reducing the diameter of said bands by said band closure means causes the sloping surface of said band means to move along the sloping surface of said plate flange means and forces the filter flange means engaging surface down upon said filter flange means, forcing said filter plate means tightly against said support plate means to compress said sealing gasket therebetv/een, and v/herein said band means is captively held be said support plate flange means interposed between said engaging surfaces of said band means by said second, open position providing said band means with the inside diameter of both said flange means engaging surfaces smaller than the outside diameter of said support plate flange means and wherein said filter assembly means is freely removable in said second, open position by said second position providing said inside diameter of said filter flange means engaging surface greater than said filter flange means .diameter. |
| 22. | The filter assembly means of claim 21, in which said filter flange means provides a flat surface for engaging said filter flange, means engaging surface. |
| 23. | The filter assembly means of claim 21, in v/hich said filter flange means provides a sloping surface for engaging said filter flange means engaging surface. |
| 24. | The filter assembly means of claim 21 further comprising a filter housing having an inner surface and an outer surface; said base plate means sealably engaging said inner surface of said housing and said filter flange means sealably engaging said outer surface of said housing to provide secure connection to both said base plate means and said filter flange means. |
Technical Field
This invention relates to oil filters for internal combustion engines and more* particularly to systems for oil filters and filter holders providing improved installation and removal mechanisms.
Background Art
Search of the prior art revealed the following U.S. Patents: 3,950,251 issued April 13, 1976 to Hille and; 2,877,903 issued March 17, 1959 to Veres. These inventions do not provide the advantages of the instant invention. Certain oil filters.of the prior art have a dismountable outer cover. This cover may be removed and the filter element therein replaced. The cover is then replaced and fastened tightly with a fresh gasket in place for sealing. Sealing the cover oil tight generally involves tightening a bolt or screw to a prescribed torque to compress the gasket. And the gasket and sealing surfaces must be lubricated to ensure a reproducible degree of tightness. A totally .replaceable "spin-on" filter with..integral cover in popular use screws onto a threaded pipe projecting from a sealing plate. The degree of tightness of screwing onto the pipe is . critical to ensure compressing a gasket against the sealing plate sufficiently to prevent loss of oil and subsequent .-destruction of the engine. Furthermore, if the filter is overtightened, it may be difficult to remove after use, requiring a special wrench. Furthermore, if the filter is not correctly positioned at installation, the threads may tie crossed, stripping them, or giving an incorrect indication of tightness, resulting in oil loss. .
" Disclosure of Invention
It is an object of the invention to provide a filter system wherein the filter element can be easily replaced without tools or special skills. It is a further object to
• provide a filter system wherein there are no screw threads
involved in changing a filtδr. It is a further object to provide a filter system wherein a single lever motion alv/ays compresses a sealing gasket to the same degree to eliminate problems of over tightness or under tightness of seal. It is a further object to provide a filter system wherein there is no sliding motion between the gasket and the gasket sealing surfaces during the sealing process to avoid problems brought about by variations in the lubrication of the gasket. It is a further object to provide a filter system with a tightening band with at least one sloping engaging surface for combined engaging of a flange on the filter and a flange on the filter support plate. Said band uses toggle means to move from a large diameter, open, first position to a small diameter, closed, second position. In said open position, the band is disengaged from the flange of the oil filter so that it can be freely removed and replaced. In this position, the band is sufficiently engaged by the flange on the filter support plate that it is retained in place, ready to receive a new filter. When the toggle means moves the band from the open to the closed position, the sloping engaging surface of the band engages a mating sloping surface on at least one of the flanges and draws the two flanges together a fixed amount as the band moves inwardly, to compress the sealing gasket between the two flanges a fixed degree. The toggle means ensures the closing of the band to a fixed degree without adjustment, thereby eliminating a skill re uirement in tightening. Spring means biasing said band against the flange of the support plate in the open position stabilizes the band, centers it, and leaves a space within the band large enough to receive the flange of the filter without requiring manipulation. Because all sealing and removal stresses are upon the flange of the filter, the remainder of the filter may be formed of less costly materials.
In order for the band to have sufficient up and down motion to provide clearance for the filter changing and for pression, the inclined plane surfaces of the band
must have considerable length. This leads to a band with a radial thickness that is so great that a solid band cannot move freely between open and closed positions. This band stiffness problem is overcome by construction of a segmented band comprised of a plurality of rigid, shaped segments joined together at the outer diameter by a thin, flexible continuous band. The segments move relative to one another as the thin outer band is opened and closed to perform the sliding and compressing functions as the segments engage the two flanges.
Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the filter support plate.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the filter support plate with the filter in place.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the filter on the support plate with the tightening band open with the toggle mechanism absent.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the filter on the support plate with the tightening band closed with the toggle mechanism absent.
Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the filter system with the tightening band closed.
Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the filter system with the tightening band open.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the toggle mechanism of the tightening band in closed position.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the toggle mechanism of the tightening band in open position.
Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of a portion of another embodiment of the filter system with the band open.
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of a segment using wires to join the segments.
Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view of the filter housing components.
Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view of the components of
Fig. 11 assembled.
Modes For Carrying Out the Invention
Referring first to Figs. 1 and 5, filter support plate 1 is mounted on concentric cylinders, outer cylinder 2 and inner cylinder 3. The cylinders may form a part of the ' engine or be mounted thereon by means well known in the art. In the embodiment shown, oil under pressure flows from the engine through the outer cylinder, and up through the ring of holes 4, through a filter that is sealed to the plate 1. Filtered oil returns to the engine through inner cylinder 3. The pattern of oil flow is indicated by the arrows. Figs. 2 and 5 show the filter 5 mounted on the plate 1. Filter 5 has a flat flange 6. This rests upon the flange 7 of plate 1 with gasket 8 sandwiched between the two flat surfaces. The underside of plate flange 7 has a sloping surfaces 9. Spring 10 biases a filter element 11 tightly against filter flange 6 to direct the oil between the filter outer shell 25 and the filter element 11, then through the filter element 11 and into the central space 26 from which it passes through the inner cylinder 3 to return filtered oil to the engine. The instant invention relates to the mechanisms for installing, sealing and removing the filter. The internal structure of the filter and the mounting of the filter support on the engine may be those that are well known in the prior art. The instant invention may be usefully applied to any of these well known oil filters and filter supports.
A tightening band 12 has a flat upper surface 13 and a sloping lower surface 14. The flat upper surface 13 engages the flat flange 6 on the base of filter 5 and the sloping lower surface 14 engages the sloping surface 9 of the flange of filter support plate 1 when the band is tightened. The band 12 has two positions, an open position shown in Figs. 3 and 6 and a closed position, shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A toggle lever mechanism controls the opening and closing of the band. For clarity of illustration, it is not shown in Figs. 3 and 4, but it is shown with a portion of the band in
closed position in Fig. 7 and open position in Fig. 8. Other closure means such as cams may be used in the invention but a toggle mechanism is preferred for its positive locking feature and low cost.
In Figs. 7 and 8, the toggle lever 15 pivots in hole 17 in projection 21 on band 12. Bail 18 in hole 19 on the lever and hole 20 on projection 21 on band 12 pulls both projections 21 on band together when lever 12 is moved to the closed position of Fig. 7. This reduces the diameter of the band. As the diameter of the band is reduced, the sloping lower face 14 of the band slides inwardly along the sloping under surface 9 of the plate flange 7 to the position of Figs. 4 and 5. This action draws the flat upper surface 13 of the band tightly against the upper surface of filter flange 6, forcing the filter flange against the support plate 1 and compressing gasket 8 between the two flat surfaces.
The toggling action that ensures a reproducible degree of tightness by a simple lever closure operates in the following fashion. As lever 15 closes, pivot point 16 moves into a line between pivot points 19 and 20. When the lever moves beyond that point, band expanding forces will cause lever 15 to move all the way against band 12 as in Fig. 7. A plurality of springs 22 are compressed by the band as it closes and moves downward. The springs 22, connected to cylinder 2 by rivets 23, are in direct contact with band 12 at all times, exerting a continuous upward force. That upward force is translated to a band expanding force by the inclined plane action of the mating sloping surfaces.
When the lever 15 is moved to the open position of Fig. 6, the projections 21 of band 12 are forced apart as shown in Figs. 6 and 3. This increases the diameter of the band, but the degree of opening is limited by the dimensions of lever 15 and its connections to band 12. The inside diameter of band 12 in the open position is larger than the diameter of the filter flange 6 permitting free passage of the filter for removal or installation. The springs 22 push the band upward to the position shown in Fig. 6, centering it on the
flange of plate 1. Because the inside diameter of the band in open position is smaller than the plate 1, it is retained by the plate. The flat surface 13 of the band is positioned well above the upper surface of the plate 1, providing a centered space 24 between band and plate 1 to permit easy removal of the old filter and installation of the new filter without manipulation of the band.
As the lever is closed, and band diameter is reduced, the filter flange is engaged by the flat surface 13 of the band and pulled tightly against the plate by the inclined plane action of the two sloping surfaces 9 and 14. When the toggle action pulls lever 15 to its fully closed position, gasket 8 is always compressed to the necessary extent to ensure a leak-tight seal without adjustment. The forces on the gasket are all up and dov/n, there are no sliding motions against the gasket that would be affected by lubrication of the gasket.
In the embodiment shov/n in Fig. 9, both the filter flange 6 and the plate flange 7 have sloping surfaces. Also both the filter flange engaging surface 27 and the plate engaging surface 14 are correspondingly sloped. When closed, the inner circumference of the band 12 must be less than that of flange 6 as shown in Fig. 4. When opened, the inner circumference of band 12 must be greater than that of flange 6 as shown in Fig. 3. If the band were made of a rubbery material it might stretch betv/een these two dimensions. Eowever, an easily stretched material might not have the rigidity necessary to pull the two flanges together in the closed position. A segmented band 12, as shown in Figs. 3, 4,7 and 8 and in section in Figs. 5,6,9 and 10 has rigid, shaped segments 28 joined together by thin continuous strap 30 at their outer edge to form a composite tightening band. This structure has the flexibility necessary for easy opening and closing provided by the thin strap 10 and the rigidity in the vertical direction necessary for correct operation. The entire segmented band may be formed in one piece. Alternatively the segments 28 may be formed individually and
joined to the strap 30 by welding, riveting, adhesive and other joining means well known in the art. In Fig. 10 the segments 28 are formed with tv/o holes 31, and a pair of stainless steel wires or rods 29, strung through all the holes 31, performs the strap function.
Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a preferred inexpensive structure for the filter 5 that provides a seal for the metal shell 25 to the flange 6 that is resistant to leakage under pressure. The flange 6 that forms the flat bottom of the filter 5 is constructed of two parts. An inner flat disc 32 and a flat outer annular element 33. The metal outer shell 25 is flared at the open end 34. After the filter contents (not shov/n) are placed in shell 25, the inner disc 32 is forced into the shell 25 in the direction indicated by arrow 35 and outer annular element 33 is forced in the opposite direction indicated by arrow 36, deforming the flared open end 34 of the shell 25 and lightly compressing it between disc 32 and annular element 33 to form a fluid-tight and strong seal.
Industrial Applicability
The invention is applicable v/herever an engine oil filter is employed and the filter element must be periodically replaced as it becomes filled with particulate matter filtered from the oil. The support plate and band may be installed as original equipment or may be added at a later date. The invention ensures that after a filter is replaced, the engine oil system will not leak. It also simplifies the filter replacement process, eliminating the need for tools and reducing the skills necessary for the task.
The above disclosed invention has a number of particular features which should preferably be employed in combination although each is useful separately without departure from the scope of the invention. While v/e have shovn and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherv/ise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that
certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made within the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.