FR2933876A1 - Filter element for use in filter system, particularly for internal-combustion engine, has gasket that axially protrudes filter unit, where filter unit is expanded or compressed in radial direction - Google Patents

Abstract

The filter element (14) has gasket (36) that axially protrudes a filter unit (16), where the filter unit is expanded or compressed in radial direction. The gasket is pushed away from housing groove (42) or a housing wall by the filter unit. An independent claim is included for a filter system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a filter element intended for an internal combustion engine comprising a zigzag folded filtering medium, in a preferably coaxial form, and having at least one end disk on one end face. , the end disc has an opening, and the front face of the filter element integrally comprises a fixing installation and a resilient seal, surrounding the periphery of the orifice and separate from the fixing installation.

The invention also relates to a filter system comprising a substantially coaxial structure filter housing, having an inlet for the arrival of a medium to be filtered, especially air. STATE OF THE ART Such filter elements and filter systems serve to filter liquids and fluids in the gaseous state. DE 103 54 315 A1 discloses a filter element having a zigzag folded filter medium in a coaxial form and a front face of which is provided with a thermoplastic end disc. The end disk has an opening.

The front face of the filter element integrally comprises a fastening device on the side of the element in the form of a detent and a seal distinct from the detent, surrounding the periphery of the opening. and being in the form of an elastic mass, these two means being installed integrally. The filter element has an integrated central tube for stabilization. In a known manner, at determined operating intervals, the filter inserts fitted to air filters, oil filters, fuel filters and water filters are replaced. In the case of an air filter, depending on the dust load, the usage time will be a few days (in the case of construction machinery) up to several months. Precisely, if it is necessary to replace the filter elements frequently, it is important that the filter element can be installed in the housing by a method ensuring the sealing and fixing of the filter element. Sealing and fastening must withstand temperature and pressure. Also, exposed installations

2 to strong vibrations or shaking must ensure the sealing and fixing of the filter element. At the same time, the filter element must be able to replace itself in a simple manner. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Under these conditions, the object of the invention is to develop a filter element and a filter system that provides a reliable and optimal seal between the unfiltered side and the filtered side of the filter medium, the filter element in front of the filter element. to be able to replace as simply as possible.

DESCRIPTION AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION For this purpose, the invention relates to a filter element of the type defined above, characterized in that the seal comprises a zone coming axially projecting from the filter medium, this zone being expandable and / or compressed in the radial direction and sealingly seals the seal against a housing groove or housing wall of a filter housing receiving the filter element. One of the advantages of the invention is that the seal projects axially with respect to the front face and is free to move in the radial direction without this movement being limited by the edge of the end discs like this. is for example the case of a seal applied closely and directly against the end disc. By separating the fastening system and the seal, each of these two functions can be optimally achieved so that, overall, the optimum fastening and sealing function is achieved. The seal may have a relatively thin, highly flexible shape, which is advantageous from the standpoint of relatively small mounting force and relatively large mounting tolerances. The fastening installation can have optimum stability independently of the seal without this resulting in a deterioration of the sealing function. Such a fixing device ensures the fixing of the filter element on or in the filter housing which is not likely to be detached for example by vibrations. The seal and the fastening element may be pre-assembled integrally with the filter element so that when mounting the filter element, their attachment is guaranteed in the housing.

3 of filter. Thanks to its optimum sealing effect, the filter element can be applied to liquids and / or fluids in the gaseous state and its optimum fixation in the housing makes it suitable for industrial applications and applications. in the automotive field, to air filters, oil filters, fuel filters and water filters. According to an advantageous embodiment, the seal comprises a ratching groove or a ratchet at least partially peripheral, cooperating with a ratchet rib or a ratching groove of the groove of the housing or the wall of the housing. of filter. This allows a simple attachment of the seal or filter housing so that even for elements stressed by vibrations, it makes difficult the sliding of the seal and thus improves the sealing function. According to an alternative embodiment, the seal may have a conical shape in the axial direction. A conical shape facilitates the installation of the seal in the groove or against the wall of the housing. In addition, the sealing force increases. This force is generated by the tensioning of the joint during extension or compression during the connection with the groove or the wall of the housing; this increase corresponds to the degree of overlap of the seal and the groove or wall of the housing. Advantageously, the attachment installation and / or the seal are attached to the end disc. If both the fastener and seal are attached to the end disc, this greatly simplifies the manufacturing process. The seal can be melted on the end disc in the form of a soft rubber, on the end disc then functions as a support. The fastening installation can be formed for example in one piece on the end disc or be glued, welded or fused. The end disk and the fixing installation are preferably made of materials or material mixtures which take the form and are sufficiently flexible under strict thermal and mechanical conditions, to ensure the required tolerances. Ideally, the materials of the end disk of the fixture are very resistant to high temperatures, mechanically stable and are not

4 flexible and deformable only as far as necessary. The end disk and / or the fixing installation may further comprise a glass fiber reinforcement providing stabilization. The fixing installation and / or the seal can be advantageously secured by the central tube of the filter element. This makes it possible to hold the fastening installation and / or the seal on the central tube, independently of the end disc. The end disc and the central tube may further constitute an assembly which greatly simplifies the manufacturing process or increases the strength of the entire filter element. According to another advantageous embodiment, the fixing installation cooperates by a connection by the shape and / or by friction with a corresponding fixing contour of the filter housing. A connection by the shape and / or friction including two intersecting contours is particularly solid vis-à-vis an accidental detachment caused for example by vibrations. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the fixing installation comprises a portion of a connection by screwing, snap-fastening or bayonet type cooperating with a corresponding complementary part of the filter housing. Such connecting or closing means can be simply connected and exerting reduced efforts; the connection is made under the same conditions, and nevertheless the fixing is guaranteed. The invention also relates to a filter system equipped with a filter element. This filter system can be used to filter fluids, especially in internal combustion engines, it comprises a substantially coaxial structure filter housing and an inlet for the arrival of the medium to be filtered, which is in particular air. The filter housing has an outlet for discharging the filtered medium and at the outlet there is a fastening contour and a seal contour corresponding to the fastening installation with the seal. The combination of the fastening system with the fastening contour and the installation of the seal with the seal contour guarantee the fastening and sealing function, moreover, this allows the encoding of the filter element with respect to filter housing so that it can receive only the adapted filter element, which corresponds to it functionally to avoid any mounting error. Advantageously, the sealing contour comprises an annular groove or an annular-shaped housing wall 5 which can be easily and reliably produced with the gasket of the filter element. The annular groove or ring-shaped housing wall may alternatively or additionally advantageously have an interlocking rib, an interlocking groove and / or a guide edge. The snap-in rib or the snap-in groove may cooperate with a snap-in groove or a corresponding snap-in rib of the filter element to ensure the seal holds on the filter housing. The guide edge facilitates the passage or placement of the seal in the groove of the filter housing or the housing wall thus facilitating the installation of the sealing device of the filter element and the filter housing. sealing contour of the filter housing. According to another advantageous embodiment, the fastening contour comprises a portion of a screwed, snap-fastened or bayonet connection capable of cooperating with a corresponding complementary part 20 of the fastening device, on the element side, of the fastener element. filtered. Drawings The present invention will be described in more detail below with the aid of embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a detail of a In a first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 schematically shows a side section of a part of a filter system corresponding to a second exemplary embodiment; FIG. 3 schematically shows a side section of a DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 4 schematically shows a side section of a detail of a filter system according to a fourth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows part of a filter system generally bearing the reference 10 and corresponding to a first embodiment shown in side section.

The filter system 10 constructed coaxially with respect to the geometric axis 11 comprises a housing 12 receiving a filter element 14. The filter system 10 serves to filter the air sucked by an internal combustion engine which is not otherwise shown. . An unrepresented inlet provides air to be unspecifiedly filtered through a filter media 16 from the filter element 14 to the interior volume 18 of the filter element 14. The filtered air exits the interior volume 18 by an outlet 20 of the housing 12 leaving the filter system 10. The filtering medium 16 is folded in the form of a zigzag and coaxially with the central axis 11. Each end face of the filter element 14 is provided with a disk. 'end. One of the end discs 22 is shown in FIG. 1; the end disk of the opposite face is not shown. The end disc 22 has an opening 24 coaxial with the geometric axis 11. The filter medium 16 is sealingly connected to the end disc 22 by a layer of elastic adhesive 26. The end disc 22 is made of a mechanically strong plastic material. The material in which the end disk 22 is made is sufficiently flexible to allow the necessary shape tolerances, related to the thermal and mechanical conditions in which the filter system 10 operates, and which provide a tight and solid mounting in the housing 12. In addition, the end disc 22 predefines with the end disc of the opposite side, the shape of the filter element 14 and stabilizes this form. On the side of the end disc 22 not turned towards the filtering medium 16, a hollow cylinder 28 coaxial with the geometric axis 11 is formed with an internal thread to surround the opening 24. It is glued or welded to the disc. end 22. The threaded cylinder 28 is made of the same solid material or a material similar to that of the end disc 22.

The front wall 30 of the housing 12 having the outlet 20 is provided with a housing nozzle 32 facing the filter element 14 for the connection of the filter element 14. The housing nozzle 32 has a cylindrical shape hollow and its arrangement is coaxial with the geometric axis 11. Its outer peripheral side is provided with an external thread receiving the internal thread of the threaded cylinder 28. Opposite the filter element 14 the disc side of end 22 further comprises a seal 36 of a resilient material preferably an elastomer, attached to the wall. The seal 36 is also in the form of a hollow cylinder and is installed in the inner region of the threaded cylinder 28 coaxially therewith. The radially inner circumferential side of the seal 36 has a peripheral snap groove 38. In the installed state of the filter element 14 the snap-in groove 38 corresponds to a snap-in rib 40 on the radially inner circumferential side of a groove 42 of the housing nozzle 32, this groove is in the form of a peripheral annular groove. The housing groove 42 in the end face of the housing nozzle 32 is open towards the filter element 14. Its radial position with respect to the geometric axis 11 corresponds to the radial position of the seal 36. installed state, the inner radial peripheral side of the seal 36 is applied against the inner radial peripheral side of the groove 42 of the housing under the effect of a voltage. Fixing the filter element 14 to the housing 12 is done by screwing the threaded cylinder 28 on the external thread 34 of the housing nozzle 32. During screwing, the seal 36 slides with its circumferential, radial, inner side on the inner radial peripheral side of the housing groove 42 thus widening in the radial direction. In the end-of-travel position shown in FIG. 1, the clipping rib 40 is hooked into the clipping groove 38 by stabilizing and thus blocking the tight connection and preventing the gasket 36 from escaping. sliding. According to a second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the elements that correspond to those of the first exemplary embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1, bear the same references so that for their description, reference will be made to FIG. description of

8 first embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first example in that the seal 36 widens conically with its free edge away from the filtering medium 16. The seal 36 is made of the same material as the adhesive layer 26. adhesive layer 26 joins the seal 36 in one piece. To improve the positioning and movement of the seal 36 in the set position in the housing groove 42, the inner radial peripheral side facing the seal 36 of the housing groove 42 has a guide edge 44, peripheral.

Unlike the first exemplary embodiment, the second exemplary embodiment does not use a snap-fitting groove 38 of the gasket 36 and corresponding snap-in rib 40 of the groove 42 of the housing. By screwing the filter element 14 into the housing 12, the seal 36 slides along the guide edge 44 and continues to expand. In the set position, the seal 36 is in the engagement direction, behind the guide edge 44 under a peripheral tension being sealingly applied against the inner radial peripheral side of the groove 42 of the housing.

According to a third exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the elements that correspond to the exemplary embodiment described and shown in FIG. 1 bear the same references so that their description will not be repeated. This embodiment differs from the first example in that in order to stabilize the internal volume 18 of the filter element 14, there is provided a central tube 50 coaxial with the geometric axis 11. This tube is made of the same plastic material the end disk 22. The end disk 22 is welded or integrally bonded to the central tube 50 at the front face of the filter element 14. The threaded cylinder 28 and the gasket 36 are fixed otherwise than in the first embodiment, they are not fixed to the end disc 22, but to the edge of the central tube 50. In this case, the threaded cylinder 28 is or can be welded or glued to the central tube 50. The threaded cylinder 28 can also be made in one piece with the central tube 50.

According to a fourth exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the elements that correspond to those of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2 bear the same references and their description will not be repeated. The present embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that in a similar manner to the third embodiment shown in Figure 3, there is provided a central tube 50 on which is formed in one piece the end disc 22 which corresponds to the fourth embodiment. The conical seal 36 is fixed in a peripheral step 52 against the inner radial front face of the central tube 50. In all the embodiments described above of the filter system 10, the following variants can be envisaged among others. The filter system 10 can be used for industrial applications or mobile applications and not for internal combustion engine air filter systems, to be applied to other fluids, for example liquids, preferably as an oil filter. , fuel filter or water filter, for industrial applications or mobile applications.

The seal 36 may comprise not only an inner radial peripheral side of the housing groove 42, but may also cooperate with the outer radial peripheral side. In this case, the seal 36 is made so that it does not risk being compressed in the radial direction during assembly of the filter element 14.

The seal 36 may also be housed in the threaded cylinder 28 and the housing nozzle 32 also outside thereof by a partition wall. In this case, instead of the groove 42 of the housing, a solid housing wall is required as the counterpart of the gasket 36. The gasket 36 and / or the fixing installation can also be located on the inside of the gasket disk. end and cooperate in the radial direction. Instead of being welded or glued to the end disc 22 by the central tube 50, the helical jack 28 may be welded or glued or made in one piece with the end disc.

In place of the helical jack 28 and the case nozzle 32, with the external thread 34, another form of contour pair with shape or friction connection can also be used. For example, instead of the screwed connection, it is possible to use a clipped connection or a bayonet type connection. The seal 36 may be made of the same material as the adhesive layer 26 or a different material. Instead of being installed on the filter element 14, the gasket 36 and / or the threaded cylinder 28 may also be provided on the front wall 30 of the housing. The seal can also be installed directly on the threaded cylinder, for example to be attached thereto. This can be done by applying a soft plastic material to the threaded cylinder or by reinforcing the cylinder. The end discs 22 may be made not only of plastics material, for example a polyamide but also of other forms of paper or of metal, or else of a matrix of material, for example made of plastic material reinforced with glass fibers. . If the end disc is made of plastic, it can be made of a homogeneous material or of several materials.

In particular, if the base material is sufficiently flexible in the thermal and mechanical conditions, to ensure the required tolerances, one can use a homogeneous material. In the case of a base material very strongly impregnated by the shaping, it is also possible to use a second component of flexible material. This may be for example a softer plastic material than the base material and makes the geometry of the seal more flexible and facilitates melting in the case of a thermal fixation of the end disc 22 to the filter medium 16. The filter media 16 can be not only folded zigzag, but also pleated differently. The filter medium 16 may be not only adhered to the end disc 22 by the adhesive layer 26, but also be secured in another manner, sealingly to the end disc 22 preferably by an elastic connection such that the welding or extension.

The filter system 10 is not necessarily perfectly coaxial, but it must simply have a substantially coaxial structure.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS1 °) Filter element (14) for an internal combustion engine having a filter medium (16) folded in particular zigzag, in a preferably coaxial form, and having at least one end disc (22) on one side the end disk (22) has an opening (24), and the end face of the filter element (14) has a fastening device (28) and an elastic seal (36) integrally, surrounding the periphery of the orifice (24) and distinct from the fixing installation (28), characterized in that the seal (36) comprises a zone coming axially projecting from the filtering medium (16), this area being expandable and / or compressible in the radial direction and sealingly seals the seal (36) against a housing groove (42) or housing wall of a filter housing (12) receiving the element filter (14). 2) filter element according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal (36) comprises a snap groove (38) or a ratchet at least partially peripheral, capable of cooperating with a ratchet rib (40) or a snap groove in the housing groove (42) or the filter housing wall (12). 3 °) filter element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the seal (36) has a conical shape in the axial direction. 4 °) filter element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing device (28) and / or the seal (36) are integral with the end disc (22). Filter element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fixing device (28) and / or the seal (36) are fixed to a central tube (50) of the filter element (14). . 6 °) filter element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing device (28) cooperates by a connection by the shape and / or friction with a corresponding fixing contour (32, 34) of the filter housing (12). Filter element according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fixing device (28) has a portion of a threaded connection, by snap-fastening or bayonet connection, which can cooperate with a complementary part (32, 34) corresponding to the filter housing (12). 8 °) filter system (10) comprising a filter element (14) according to claims 1 to 7, comprising a filter housing (12) of substantially coaxial structure, having an inlet for the arrival of a medium to be filtered , especially air, characterized in that the filter housing (12) has an outlet (20) for discharging the filtered medium, and at the outlet (20) there is a fixing contour (32, 34) and a seal contour (42) corresponding to the fastening device (28) and the seal (36). 9 °) filter system according to claim 8, characterized in that the seal contour comprises an annular groove (42) or a ring-shaped housing wall. Filter system according to claim 9, characterized in that the annular groove (42) or the annular housing wall has a detent rib (40), a snap groove and / or a guide edge. (44). 11 °) Filter system according to claim 8, characterized in that the fastening contour (32, 34) comprises a portion of a threaded connection, by snap or bayonet type, cooperating with a corresponding complementary part of the fastening device (28) for the filter element (14).