FUEL FILTER
The fuel filter addresses the issue of high pressure within the filter case by employing a tubular filter medium and a head housing with a multi-planar junction segment, achieving effective pressure management and mechanical resistance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2024012116
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-11-08
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-05
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-09
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing fuel filters for diesel engines face challenges with high pressure inside the filter case, leading to potential swelling of the filter case walls, particularly in the head zone.
A fuel filter design that includes a filter medium in a tubular shape with a filtration chamber, and a head housing with a unique junction segment and mechanical garnish to effectively manage high pressures by distributing the pressure load across multiple flat walls.
The fuel filter effectively supports high operating pressures, preventing swelling and enhancing mechanical resistance, while maintaining simplicity and low production costs.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: FUEL FILTER Field of invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel filter, preferably for diesel fuel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fuel filter for a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine, preferably of a vehicle.
[0002] The present invention relates in particular to the automotive field, and in particular to fuel filtration operations. State of the art
[0003] A plurality of fuel filter solutions adapted to filter fuel and in particular diesel type fuel are known in the prior art.
[0004] More specifically, in fuel filtration operations, the fuel is filtered to remove unwanted elements, for example particles and / or impurities, and is separated from water.
[0005] Known fuel filters comprise a filter medium adapted to carry out the filtration operations and a filter housing which encloses the filter medium in which the aforementioned filtration operations take place.
[0006] A characteristic problem of these embodiments is related to the high pressure inside said filter housing. Indeed, the high pressure sometimes causes swelling on the walls of the filter housing, in particular in its head area. Solution of the invention
[0007] In view of the above, the requirement to solve this problem is strongly understood, by providing a fuel filter suitable for withstanding high operating pressures inside the filter housing.
[0008] The present invention therefore aims to provide this filter solution.
[0009] This object is achieved by means of a filter in accordance with what is claimed in the independent claims. The claims dependent thereon relate to preferred embodiment variants having further advantageous aspects. Description of the drawings
[0010] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the description given below of its preferred embodiments, provided for informational and non-limiting purposes only, with reference to the appended figures in which:
[0011] - [Fig. 1] represents a longitudinal sectional view of a filter according to the present invention;
[0012] - [Fig.2] represents a top view of the filter illustrated in [Fig.l];
[0013] - figures [Fig.3A] and [Fig.3B] are two sectional views respectively along the section planes AA and BB of [Fig.2]. Detailed description
[0014] With reference to the accompanying figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a fuel filter.
[0015] The fuel filter 1 is adapted to form part of a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, preferably a vehicle.
[0016] The fuel filter 1 is particularly suitable for filtering diesel type fuel.
[0017] Preferably, the fuel filter 1 is adapted to carry out fuel filtration operations in order to remove undesirable elements therefrom and to separate it from water.
[0018] According to the present invention, the fuel filter 1 extends along a filter axis XX.
[0019] Preferably, said filter axis XX, in the use of the fuel filter 1, is positioned vertically relative to the ground plane.
[0020] According to the present invention, the fuel filter 1 comprises a filter medium 2, of substantially tubular shape along the filter axis XX, comprising a cavity 20. In particular, the filter medium 2 can be traversed radially and, in the radial crossing, the filter medium 2 filters the fuel by removing undesirable elements and separates it from the water.
[0021] According to the present invention, the fuel filter 1 comprises a filter housing 3 comprising a filtration chamber 30 adapted to enclose the filter medium 2.
[0022] In other words, it is in said filtration chamber 30 that the fuel to be filtered flows in and that the filtered fuel flows back out.
[0023] According to the present invention, the filter housing 3 comprises a base housing 4 and a head housing 5 axially coupleable along the filter axis XX. Furthermore, the base housing 4 and the head housing 5 comprise respective cylindrical side walls 41, 51 coupleable along the filter axis XX in correspondence with respective connecting areas.
[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, the head casing 5 is obtained by means of a machined metal sheet. Preferably, said sheet has a thickness of between 0.3 millimeters and 1.5 millimeters. Preferably, said sheet has a thickness substantially equal to 0.5 millimeters. By way of example, the head casing 5 is obtained from a sheet of metal machined by plastic deformation, preferably by stamping.
[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the base casing 4 is obtained by means of a machined sheet metal. Preferably, said sheet metal has a thickness of between 0.3 millimeters and 1.5 millimeters. Preferably, said sheet metal has a thickness substantially equal to 0.5 millimeters. By way of example, the base casing 4 is obtained from a sheet of metal sheet machined by plastic deformation, preferably by stamping.
[0026] According to a preferred embodiment, the base cylindrical side wall 41 and the head cylindrical side wall 51 are joined together in a non-removable manner by mechanical crimping.
[0027] According to the present invention, the head casing 5 comprises a central opening 50 delimited by an opening edge 500.
[0028] Furthermore, the head housing 5 comprises a flat head wall 53 which extends substantially perpendicular to the filter axis XX from the opening edge 500.
[0029] According to the present invention, the head casing 5 comprises a junction segment 52 which extends between the flat wall 53 and the cylindrical side wall 51.
[0030] Said junction segment 52 comprises at least one flat junction wall 520.
[0031] According to a preferred embodiment, the head casing 5 comprises a single wall junction plane 520. According to a preferred embodiment, said junction plane wall 520 corresponds to a part of a lateral surface of a truncated cone having an axis of rotation which coincides with the filter axis XX and a larger base whose diameter substantially coincides with the diameter of the cylindrical wall 51 of the head casing 5.
[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, in longitudinal section, at least one flat junction wall 520 is inclined relative to the flat head wall 53 at an angle α less than or equal to 45°, preferably less than or equal to 40°, in particular 39.5°.
[0033] According to a preferred embodiment, the joining segment 52 comprises at least three flat joining walls 520.
[0034] According to a preferred embodiment, the joining segment 52 comprises three flat joining walls 520.
[0035] According to a preferred embodiment, each flat joining wall is inclined relative to the head wall 53 at an angle different from that formed with the adjacent flat joining wall.
[0036] According to a preferred embodiment, each flat joining wall is inclined relative to the head wall 53 at an acute angle different from that formed with the adjacent flat joining wall.
[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, each flat wall is inclined at a respective angle, the value of the angle increasing in a progressive manner when passing from the wall junction plane close to the head wall 53 to the junction plane wall distant from the head wall 53.
[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, the first flat junction wall 521 is inclined at an angle [3 less than or equal to 15° relative to the flat head wall 53, the second flat junction wall 520 is inclined relative to the flat head wall 53 at an angle a less than or equal to 45° and the third flat junction wall 522 is inclined relative to the flat head wall 53 at an angle y less than or equal to 65°.
[0039] According to a preferred embodiment, the angular values indicated above have a tolerance of + / -5°.
[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, the joining segment 52 engages the flat head wall 53 and the cylindrical side wall 51 with respective connections having a radius of curvature of less than 3 millimeters, preferably equal to 2.5 millimeters.
[0041] Preferably, two consecutive flat joining walls 520 engage with each other with a connector having a radius of curvature less than 3 millimeters, preferably equal to 2.5 millimeters.
[0042] According to said preferred embodiment, the radius of each connection has a tolerance of + / - 0.2 mm.
[0043] According to a preferred embodiment, the base casing 4 further comprises a central discharge opening 40.
[0044] According to a preferred embodiment, the base casing 4 further comprises a discharge element 8 which closes said central discharge opening 40 and discharges the water separated from the fuel by means of the filter medium 2.
[0045] According to a preferred embodiment, the connection zone between the base cylindrical side wall 41 and the head cylindrical side wall 51 is located at an axial portion between the central opening 50 and the central discharge opening 40.
[0046] According to a preferred embodiment, the head casing 5 further comprises a mechanical seal 6 which embraces the opening edge 500 at the upper and lower level.
[0047] Innovatively, the fuel filter object of the present invention largely corresponds to the object of the present invention by solving the problems appeared in the typical solutions of the prior art.
[0048] Advantageously, the fuel filter, and in particular the head housing, is adapted to withstand high pressures.
[0049] Advantageously, the head casing has a flat junction wall adapted to relieve the action of the pressure on the flat head wall and on the cylindrical side wall.
[0050] Advantageously, the head casing has a multitude of flat joining walls adapted to relieve the action of the pressure on the flat head wall and on the cylindrical side wall. Advantageously, the head housing has an incremented mechanical resistance by means of at least one flat joining wall adapted to interact with corresponding flat matching surfaces provided on the housing head on which said filter is installed.
[0051] Advantageously, the presence of flat walls divides the pushing action of the pressure into a multitude of perpendicular actions.
[0052] Advantageously, the filter is a simple component with limited production costs.
[0053] It is obvious that those skilled in the art will be able, in order to satisfy specific requirements, to make modifications to the convection heater and to the filter, provided that they all remain within the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the following claims. List of reference numbers#:
[0054] 1 filter 2 filter media 20 cavity 3 filter housing 30 filtration chamber 4 base casing 41 basic cylindrical side wall 40 exhaust opening 5 head housing 50 central opening 500 opening edge 51 cylindrical head side wall 52 junction segment 520 flat junction wall 521, 522 joining side walls 6 mechanical seal 8 evacuation element a, [3, y angle XX filter axis
Claims
Claims
1. Fuel filter (1), preferably diesel, for a fuel system of an internal combustion engine, which extends along a filter axis (XX), comprising: - a filter medium (2), substantially tubular in shape along the filter axis (XX), comprising a cavity (20), in which the filter medium (2) can be radially traversed during filtration by the fuel in order to remove undesirable elements therefrom and to separate it from water; - a filter housing (3) comprising a filter chamber (30) adapted to enclose the filter medium (2), wherein the filter housing (3) comprises a base housing (4) and a head housing (5) comprising respective cylindrical side walls (41, 51) which can be coupled to each other along the filter axis (XX) in correspondence with respective connecting areas;wherein the head casing (5) comprises a central opening (50) delimited by an opening edge (500), a flat head wall (53) which extends substantially perpendicular to the filter axis (XX) from the opening edge (500) and a joining segment (52) which extends between the flat wall (53) and the cylindrical side wall (51), wherein the joining segment (52) comprises at least one flat joining wall (520).;
2. Fuel filter (1) according to claim 1, wherein, in longitudinal section, the at least one flat joining wall (520) is inclined relative to the flat head wall (53) at an angle (a) less than or equal to 45°, preferably less than or equal to 40°.
3. Fuel filter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the joining segment (52) comprises a plurality of planar joining walls, preferably at least three planar joining walls.
4. Fuel filter (1) according to claim 3, wherein the joining segment (52) comprises three planar joining walls (520, 521, 522).
5. A fuel filter (1) according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein each planar joining wall is inclined relative to the head wall (53) at an angle different from that formed with the adjacent planar joining wall.
6. A fuel filter (1) according to claim 5, wherein each planar wall is inclined at a respective angle, the value of the angle increasing in an increasing manner when passing from the joining planar wall close to the head wall (53) to the joining planar wall distant from the head wall (53).
7. Fuel filter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with claim 4, wherein the first planar joining wall (521) is inclined at an angle (|3) less than or equal to approximately 15° relative to the planar head wall (53), the second planar joining wall (520) is inclined relative to the planar head wall (53) at an angle (a) less than or equal to 45°, the third planar joining wall (522) is inclined relative to the planar head wall (53) at an angle (y) less than or equal to approximately 65°.
8. Fuel filter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the joining segment (52) engages the flat head wall (53) and the cylindrical side wall (51) with respective fittings having a radius of curvature of less than 3 millimeters, preferably equal to 2.5 millimeters.
9. Fuel filter (1) according to claim 8 in combination with claims 3 or 4, wherein two consecutive flat joining walls (520) engage with each other with a connector having a radius of curvature of less than 3 millimeters, preferably equal to 2.5 mm.
10. Fuel filter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head housing (5) is obtained by means of a metal sheet machined by plastic deformation, preferably by stamping.
11. Fuel filter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base casing (4) is obtained by means of a metal sheet machined by plastic deformation, preferably by stamping.
12. A fuel filter (1) according to claims 10 and 11, wherein the base cylindrical sidewall (41) and the head cylindrical sidewall (51) are integrally joined in a non-removable manner by mechanical crimping.
13. A fuel filter (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the base housing (4) further comprises a central discharge opening (40), wherein the base housing (4) further comprises a discharge element (8) which closes the central discharge opening (40) and discharges the water separated from the fuel by means of the filter medium (2).
14. Fuel filter (1) according to claim 13 and claim 12, wherein the connecting area between the base cylindrical side wall (41) and the head cylindrical side wall (51) is located at an axial portion between the central opening (50) and the central discharge opening (40).
15. Fuel filter (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head housing (5) further comprises a mechanical seal (6) which embraces at the upper and lower level the opening edge (500).