초록 ▼

A high-pressure spin-on filter assembly is provided that utilizes a two-piece cover assembly to hold or sandwich the housing in place once the housing is folded over the inner cover member. This design allows for the outer cover member to be interchanged to fit multiple applications while making lit

A high-pressure spin-on filter assembly is provided that utilizes a two-piece cover assembly to hold or sandwich the housing in place once the housing is folded over the inner cover member. This design allows for the outer cover member to be interchanged to fit multiple applications while making little or no change to the other components. Suitable gaskets are provided between the housing and two-piece cover assembly and the filter and cover assembly. The outer cover member may be changed to accommodate thread changes or gasket location changes.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A filter assembly, comprising: a housing defined by a closed end and a sidewall that defines a chamber and an open end; a filter element disposed within said chamber; a two-piece rigid unitary cover disposed in the open end of said housing, said two-piece rigid unitary cover

What is claimed is: 1. A filter assembly, comprising: a housing defined by a closed end and a sidewall that defines a chamber and an open end; a filter element disposed within said chamber; a two-piece rigid unitary cover disposed in the open end of said housing, said two-piece rigid unitary cover including a first cover member and a second cover member, wherein the open end of said housing includes a radial portion that extends radially inwardly and is disposed adjacent a substantially flat axial end surface of the first cover member, wherein said second cover member is fixed to said first cover member to thereby sandwich said radial portion therebetween, wherein the first cover member includes at least one locking tang extending axially away from said substantially flat axial end surface, wherein said radial portion is disposed adjacent the substantially flat axial end surface and an outer radial surface of the at least one locking tang; and a seal disposed between the first cover member and the second cover member, wherein the seal is disposed adjacent the substantially flat axial end surface of the first cover member and an inner radial surface of the at least one locking tang, wherein said second cover member includes an outer radial surface, wherein said second cover member includes a first flange portion extending radially away from the outer radial surface and past said sidewall of said housing to define a cantilevered portion with respect to said housing, wherein the first flange portion defines an outer axial surface and an inner axial surface, wherein the inner axial surface axially engages said seal, an axial end surface of the at least one locking tang, and an axial end surface of the radial portion, wherein said second cover member includes a second flange portion extending axially away from the inner axial surface of the first flange portion proximate the cantilevered portion, wherein the second flange portion is positioned adjacent said sidewall of said housing proximate said open end. 2. The filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first cover member comprises a threaded inner bore. 3. The filter assembly according to claim 2, wherein an inner diameter defined by said threaded inner bore of said first cover member is smaller than an outer diameter of said filter element. 4. The filter assembly according to claim 2, wherein said second cover member comprises a hub portion having an outer threaded peripheral surface adapter to mate with said threaded inner bore. 5. The filter assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an epoxy disposed between said radial portion and said first cover member. 6. The filter assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing gasket interposed between said second cover member and said filter element. 7. The filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein said housing and filter element are formed as a generally cylindrical shape. 8. The filter assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a second seal engaged between said first cover member and said housing. 9. The filter assembly according to claim 8, wherein said second seal is disposed in a peripheral groove formed in said first cover member. 10. The filter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second flange portion defines an outer radial surface, wherein the outer radial surface of the second flange portion includes a circumferential groove. 11. The filter assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a gasket disposed in the circumferential groove. 12. A cover for a filter assembly, comprising: a first cover member including an outer radial surface, and a first flange portion extending radially away from the outer radial surface, wherein the first flange portion defines an outer axial surface and an inner axial surface; and a second cover member including an inner radial surface, an axial end surface, and a portion extending axially away from the axial end surface of the second cover member, wherein the outer radial surface of the first cover member is joined to the inner radial surface of the second cover member, wherein an axial surface of the portion extending axially away from the axial end surface of the second cover member engages said inner axial end surface of the first flange portion of the first cover member. 13. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 12, wherein the engagement of the axial surface of the portion and the inner axial end surface of the first flange portion defines, between the first cover member and the second cover member, an inner radial gap, and an outer radial gap. 14. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 13 further comprising a gasket disposed in the inner radial gap to axially seal the inner and outer radial surfaces of the first and second cover members. 15. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 12, wherein the outer and inner radial surfaces of the first and second cover members are defined by corresponding threaded surfaces. 16. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 12, wherein said first cover member comprises a threaded inner bore for connecting to a filter head. 17. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 12, wherein said first cover member comprises a hub portion including a plurality of radial ribs that define a plurality of fluid flow ports whereby fluid to be filtered in a filter housing is circulated in an outside/in flow direction. 18. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 12, wherein the first flange portion extends radially away past an outer radial surface of the second cover member to define a cantilevered portion with respect to the second cover member, wherein the first cover member includes a second flange portion extending axially away from the inner axial surface of the first flange portion proximate the cantilevered portion. 19. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 18, wherein the second flange portion defines an outer radial surface, wherein the outer radial surface of the second flange portion includes a circumferential groove. 20. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a gasket disposed in the circumferential groove. 21. A cover for a filter assembly, comprising: a first cover member including an outer radial surface, a first flange portion extending radially away from the outer radial surface, wherein the first flange portion defines an outer axial surface, and an inner axial surface, a second flange portion extending axially away from the inner axial surface of the first flange portion; and a second cover member including an inner radial surface, wherein the outer radial surface of the first cover member is joined to the inner radial surface of the second cover member, an axial end surface, and an axial portion extending axially away from the axial end surface of the second cover member, wherein an axial surface of the axial portion comes together with and contacts the inner axial surface of the first flange portion of the first cover member. 22. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 21, wherein the coming together and contacting of the axial surface of the axial portion and the inner axial surface of the first flange portion defines, an inner radial gap, and an outer radial gap, wherein the inner radial gap and the outer radial gap are located between the first flange member and the second cover member, and an outer axial gap, wherein the outer axial gap is located between the second flange member and the second cover member. 23. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 22 further comprising a gasket disposed in the inner radial gap to axially seal the inner and outer radial surfaces of the first and second cover members. 24. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 21, wherein the outer and inner radial surfaces are defined by corresponding threaded surfaces. 25. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 21, wherein said first cover member comprises a threaded inner bore for connecting to a filter head. 26. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 21, wherein said first cover member comprises a hub portion including a plurality of radial ribs that define a plurality of fluid flow ports whereby fluid to be filtered in a filter housing is circulated in an outside/in flow direction. 27. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 21, wherein the first flange portion extends past an outer radial surface of the second cover member to define a cantilevered portion with respect to the second cover member, wherein the second flange portion extends from inner axial surface of the first flange portion proximate the cantilevered portion, wherein the second flange portion defines an outer radial surface. 28. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 27, wherein the outer radial surface of the second flange portion includes a circumferential groove. 29. The cover for a filter assembly according to claim 28, further comprising a gasket disposed in the circumferential groove. 30. A filter assembly, comprising: a housing including a chamber, wherein the housing is defined by a closed bottom portion and a circumferential end defining an opening that provides access to the chamber, wherein said circumferential end of said housing is defined by an inwardly-projecting radial portion; a first cover member disposed in the opening, wherein the first cover member includes an inner radial surface, an outer radial surface, an axial end surface, and a protrusion extending axially away from the axial end surface of the first cover member, wherein the protrusion is defined by an axial end surface, an outer radial surface, and an inner radial surface, wherein said inwardly-projecting radial portion of said circumferential end of said housing is disposed adjacent the axial end surface of the first cover member and the outer radial surface of the protrusion; and a second cover member disposed in the opening, wherein the second cover member includes an outer radial surface connected to said inner radial surface of said first cover member. 31. The filter assembly according to claim 30, wherein the second cover member includes a first flange portion extending radially away from the outer radial surface of the second cover member, wherein the first flange portion is defined by an inner axial surface, and an outer axial surface, wherein said axial end surface of said protrusion comes together with and contacts the inner axial surface of the first flange portion. 32. The filter assembly according to claim 31, wherein the coming together with and contacting of the axial surface of the protrusion and the inner axial surface of the first flange portion defines, between the first cover member and the second cover member, an inner radial gap, and an outer radial gap. 33. The filter assembly according to claim 32 further comprising: a first seal disposed in the inner radial gap to axially seal the inner and outer radial surfaces of the first and second cover members. 34. The filter assembly according to claim 33 further comprising a filter element disposed within said chamber, wherein said filter element includes an upper end piece proximate the second cover member. 35. The filter assembly according to claim 34 further comprising: a second seal disposed between said upper end piece and said second cover member; a third seal disposed between the first cover member and the housing, wherein the third seal is disposed in a recess formed in the outer radial surface of the first cover member; and a fourth seal disposed in a recess formed in an outer axial surface of the second cover member. 36. The filter assembly according to claim 35, wherein the circumferential end defines a step portion that extends radially away from the closed bottom portion, wherein the first cover member includes a shoulder portion extending radially away from said outer radial surface that correspondingly mates with said step portion of the housing. 37. The filter assembly according to claim 36, wherein the second cover member includes a second flange portion extending axially away from the inner axial surface of the first flange portion, wherein the second flange portion comes together with and contacts an outer axial surface of the step portion. 38. The filter assembly according to claim 37 further comprising: a fifth seal disposed in a recess formed in an outer radial surface of the second flange portion. 39. The filter assembly according to claim 37, wherein the first flange portion extends past said outer radial surface of said first cover member to define a cantilevered portion with respect to said first cover member, wherein said second flange portion extends from said inner axial surface of said first flange portion proximate the cantilevered portion. 40. The filter assembly according to claim 31, wherein the outer radial surface of the second cover member and inner radial surface of the first cover member are defined by corresponding threaded surfaces. 41. The filter assembly according to claim 31, wherein said first cover member comprises a threaded inner bore for connecting to a filter head. 42. The filter assembly according to claim 31, wherein said first cover member comprises a hub portion including a plurality of radial ribs that define a plurality of fluid flow ports whereby fluid to be filtered in a filter housing is circulated in an outside/in flow direction.