Filter element for a fluid filter, and fluid filter

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter element (2) for a fluid filter (1), comprising: a filter body (3) which has a filtering material; an axis of movement along which the filter element (2) can be selectively inserted into a housing of the fluid filter (1) in an insertion direction or removed therefrom in a removal direction; a handle (7); and locking means which are intended for selectively locking the filter element (2) in the housing or releasing this lock, wherein the locking means comprise at least one locking element and at least one unlocking element (12), which unlocking element (12) is coupled to the handle (7). According to the invention, the handle (7) can be moved relative to the filter body (3) and the unlocking element (12) is moved relative to the filter body (3) when the handle (7) is actuated, which handle (7) can be moved in the removal direction for unlocking. The invention further relates to a fluid filter (1) comprising a filter insert (2).

Description

[0001] "Filter insert for a fluid filter, and fluid filter"

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a filter insert for a fluid filter according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as a fluid filter with such a filter insert.

[0004] In principle, it is possible to fix a filter insert inside the housing itself, e.g., by means of a removable housing cover. Depending on the installation position, however, it may be desirable to lock the filter insert in its position of use and thus keep it in this position even after a housing cover of the fluid filter has been removed. Furthermore, locking the filter insert in the housing ensures that the filter insert is positioned in its designed position of use, so that, for example, sealing surfaces lie reliably tight against one another. The housing must be opened regularly and the filter insert changed; in practice, this is referred to as "filter changing."

[0005] A fluid filter of this type is known from DE 10 2011 106 503 A1. The filter insert inserted into the housing is locked in place by a plug-and-turn movement. The plug-and-turn movement can be achieved either by means of a thread, so that a translational plug-in movement is followed by a combined translational and rotational movement, or by means of a bayonet lock, so that an exclusively rotational movement follows the translational plug-in movement.The design of the filter insert reveals a movement axis along which the filter insert can first be inserted into the housing in an insertion direction and later removed from the housing in a removal direction: the threaded surfaces result in a central axis of the thread as the movement axis along which the filter insert is moved into or out of the housing, and guide surfaces for the plug-in and turn movement, in particular for the plug-in movement component, also reveal such an axis of movement. In each case, locking is achieved by a rotational movement of the entire filter insert after the filter insert has first been inserted translationally into the housing. Only after the rotational movement is the filter insert in its use position, so that only then can the housing of the fluid filter be closed and the fluid filter put into use.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of improving a generic filter insert such that handling of the filter insert during filter changes is as simple and time-saving as possible. Furthermore, the invention is based on the object of providing a fluid filter with these advantages.

[0007] This object is achieved by a filter insert according to claim 1 and by a fluid filter according to claim 16. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

[0008] In other words, the invention proposes decoupling the movement of the locking mechanism from the movement of the filter body. Thus, the entire filter insert does not have to be moved to actuate the at least one locking means. Since the filter insert often has not a single locking means, but rather several locking means, typically distributed around the circumference of the filter insert, the locking means are often referred to in plural form below, even if only a single locking means is actually provided on the filter insert.

[0009] Particularly with large filter insert dimensions, such as those typical for air filters in large-displacement internal combustion engines, the proposed operating forces can be significantly reduced compared to having to overcome the friction of large contact surfaces between the filter insert and a fluid filter housing to lock or unlock the filter insert. Rather, the interacting surfaces of the locking means on the filter insert and on the fluid filter housing can be designed to be comparatively small, and only these comparatively small surfaces need to be moved to lock or unlock the filter insert on the housing. The design of the interacting locking means on the filter insert and on the housing nevertheless ensures a secure and tight fit of the filter insert in the housing, for example through a positive fit, when the interacting locking means are in their locked position.

[0010] While in a threaded or bayonet-type lock, the locking means—namely, the thread pitches of the thread or the guide surfaces of the bayonet-type lock—each act both as a locking element to lock the filter insert in the housing and as an unlocking element, which enables the filter insert to be unlocked and thus removed from the housing, the invention provides that an unlocking element, as an element of the locking means, is movable relative to the filter body. A locking element, as another element of the locking means, can be designed independently of the unlocking element, so that, thanks to the functional separation into a locking and an unlocking element, the surfaces to be moved and actuated can be as small as possible, thus requiring minimal handling forces when unlocking the filter insert.

[0011] The fact that the unlocking handle is movable in the direction of the filter insert's removal enables a working method in which the handle is first grasped and moved without redirecting the direction, unlocking the filter insert. The subsequent further movement in the same direction removes the filter insert from the fluid filter housing. This supports the simplest and quickest possible handling of the filter insert during filter changes.

[0012] In one embodiment, the at least one unlocking element of the filter insert is displaced in the axial direction, relative to the axis of movement, when the handle is actuated, namely when it is moved relative to the filter body.

[0013] In a further development of this embodiment, the unlocking element itself is also moved in the axial direction when the handle is actuated and thus acts on the at least one unlocking element. The actuation and locking or unlocking in the axial direction supports particularly simple handling of the filter insert in that it can be inserted into a housing or removed from a housing of the fluid filter in the axial direction of the movement axis and is also locked or unlocked at the same time. Deflections of the movement are not required in order to convert the movement of the handle in the removal direction into a movement of the unlocking element in a different direction, so that on the one hand the movable elements can move with as little play as possible and on the other hand increased force required to move the handle can be avoided, which could otherwise be caused by the deflection of the movement.

[0014] Alternatively, in one embodiment, the unlocking element is moved not in an axial direction, but tangentially in a circumferential direction around the movement axis when the handle is operated. This ensures a particularly secure fit of the filter insert in the housing, namely if forces acting on the filter insert, and in particular on its handle in the removal direction, cannot simultaneously lead to the filter insert being unlocked. For example, a pin can be connected to the handle, which engages in a slot running obliquely and arcuately around the movement axis, so that an axial movement of the handle causes the component having the slot to rotate.

[0015] In another alternative embodiment, the unlocking element is also moved not in an axial direction, but in a radial direction relative to the movement axis. For example, the handle can engage a toggle lever, so that upon axial movement of the handle, one leg of the toggle lever is also moved in an axial direction, while another leg of the toggle lever is moved radially inward toward the movement axis or outward away from the movement axis.

[0016] The handle can be designed in different ways and, for example, form a force application surface for a tool. Particularly simple, quick and uncomplicated handling of the filter insert is supported by the fact that the handle can be operated without tools. Different shapes of the handle can be provided. In one embodiment, the handle is designed as a regular handle that can be grasped by the hand of an operator. This ensures safe operation of the handle even if deposits have collected on the handle, making the surface slippery, or if, as is not uncommon in everyday workshop operation, the operator's hands are wet with oil or other substances.

[0017] In one embodiment, the filter insert has a support dome, also referred to as an inner dome, which is arranged radially inside the hollow cylindrical filter body. Assuming that the filter body is subjected to radial flow from the outside to the inside, the support dome secures the filter body against collapse under the temperature and pressure conditions encountered during operation. Accordingly, the support dome is provided with through-openings that allow the fluid flowing through the filter body to reach the radially inner region of the support dome.

[0018] In one embodiment, the handle and the at least one release element of the filter insert are connected to the support dome. This allows the filter insert to be designed with as few components as possible, since the support dome, in addition to its function of supporting the filter body, also serves to transmit the movement of the handle to the at least one release element.

[0019] In one embodiment, the movement of the filter insert during filter replacement is limited to a purely translational movement. The filter insert can therefore be inserted into the housing in a translational direction and guided into its use position. If the filter insert is to be removed from the housing later, this also takes place in an exclusively translational, typically opposite, direction. Particularly when the fluid filters are larger, as is the case with air filters for trucks, correspondingly large contact surfaces arise between the filter insert and the housing, for example, where the filter insert is sealed against the housing.When using soft sealing materials, such as elastomers or foamed materials, the frictional forces that occur during rotational movement can make handling the filter insert considerably more difficult. Because the filter insert, according to the invention, only needs to be handled in a translational motion when it is inserted into the housing and moved into its operating position, handling of the filter insert is made easier and, due to the particularly simple movement sequence, also simplified. This not only protects the material but also allows for filter changes to be made very quickly, which is advantageous from an economic point of view.

[0020] The handle, which serves to act on the unlocking element and thus release the locking of the filter insert in the housing when the filter insert is to be removed from the housing, can be provided on the housing, e.g. in the form of a push button, a pull handle, a lever or the like. In one embodiment, the handle is arranged on the filter insert itself and designed as a handle. This further simplifies and facilitates the handling of the filter insert, since the filter insert can not only be unlocked using this handle, but can be handled completely. To lock or unlock, the filter insert does not need to be grasped, but rather it can be carried by the handle and with the same hand that holds and guides the filter insert by this handle, the locking means for locking or unlocking can also be actuated at the same time.

[0021] The handle can be moved in a direction deviating from the translational direction of movement of the filter insert itself in order to act on the unlocking element. For example, the above-mentioned handle can be pivotably mounted on the filter insert and, by means of the pivoting movement, can cause a movement of the unlocking element arranged on the filter insert. In one embodiment, the handle is designed such that, when the filter insert is removed from the housing, it acts in the same translational direction in which the filter insert can then be removed from the housing. Pulling on the handle, e.g. on the above-mentioned handle, can therefore first release the lock and subsequently move the filter insert out of the housing.

[0022] Depending on the design of the filter insert, the filter body can be plate-shaped or have a different geometry. In a design frequently encountered in practice, the filter insert has an annular filter body, so that the filter body forms a hollow cylinder. Depending on the filter material used, this hollow cylinder can consist of a foam material or be formed by a large number of paper folds. Such a filter insert with an annular filter body is advantageously flowed through radially from the outside to the inside. To support the filter body and secure it against collapse, a support dome having through-openings for the fluid is arranged radially inside the filter body. For example, such a support dome can be designed like a grid with intersecting struts in order to provide the largest possible flow area.

[0023] In one embodiment, the handle has a handle so that it can be operated without tools. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the handle has a locking section in which the unlocking element of the filter insert is arranged. A transmission section extends between the handle and the locking section, wherein these are arranged at different ends of the transmission section. This achieves a type of "remote unlocking" so that the locking means can be arranged at a greater distance from the handle. This increases the design freedom in the construction of the fluid filter so that, for example, the position, shape and size of the handle and the locking means can each be selected such that these components do not collide with seals, inlet or outlet openings or the like, and so that the handle is easily accessible.With regard to the filter insert with a hollow cylindrical filter element mentioned above, this means that, for example, the handle on the one hand and the locking means on the other hand can be located in the area of ​​the two different ends of the filter element.

[0024] Similar to what was explained above for the support dome, the aforementioned transmission section of the handle can also be designed as a hollow cylinder and have through-openings for the fluid.

[0025] In one embodiment, it can be provided that the transfer section itself forms the support dome. In contrast to a support dome permanently located in the housing, this ensures that the support dome is replaced each time the filter is changed. In view of the temperatures prevailing during operation and the pressures acting on the support dome via the filter body, aging processes in the support dome cannot be ruled out, especially if it is made of plastic. Regularly changing the support dome ensures its reliable function even if the support dome has the highest possible proportion of through-openings in order to achieve high filter performance while keeping the structural dimensions of the fluid filter as small as possible, i.e. the wall sections of the support dome are designed as struts with the smallest possible cross-section.If the transfer section of the handle forms the support dome, a movement of the transfer section and thus of the support dome is required to actuate the unlocking element. In this case, the edges of the through-openings are defined by inclined surfaces in one embodiment. The inclined surfaces extend in the direction of removal of the filter insert and radially inward. If, after a prolonged period of use, the filter body has come into contact with the support dome, namely the transfer section of the handle, due to the fluid flow, a relative movement of the handle relative to the filter body is facilitated by the inclined surfaces, which act like starting bevels.

[0026] In another embodiment, the transfer section does not itself form the support dome, but runs within the support dome. This ensures smooth mobility of the handle. If, after an extended period of use, the filter body comes to rest against the support dome, there is a possibility that the filter body will deform and protrude slightly into the through-openings of the support dome, so that it creates a correspondingly slight form fit with the support dome. The mobility of the handle is not impaired if the transfer section runs within the support dome. As expected, the form fit is so slight that the wall thickness of the support dome is sufficient to separate the transfer section of the handle from the filter body, so that the transfer section can also be designed as a hollow cylinder and can rest directly against the support dome.The desired supporting effect of the support dome is thus supported by the transfer section of the handle, so that the actual support dome can be designed in a material-saving manner.

[0027] In this embodiment of the transmission section, it can be designed similarly to the support dome, for example also in a grid-like manner from intersecting struts, and in this case the struts of the transmission section can be arranged in an embodiment considered to be advantageous such that they are arranged congruent with the struts of the support dome when the filter insert is in its position of use and the cooperating locking means of the filter insert and the housing are locked together.

[0028] In one embodiment, the transfer section is designed as a strut that runs, for example, along the central axis of the hollow cylindrical filter body through the filter insert. Compared to a hollow cylindrical transfer section, the transfer section can be manufactured in this way with particularly low material consumption. The locking mechanism can be located at the end of the transfer section, for example, directly at the end of the strut, if the locking means of the filter insert are located there. Typically, however, a flow channel of the fluid filter runs there.In an embodiment considered advantageous, the locking section, which has the locking means, therefore extends radially outwards from the strut to the locking means, for example in the form of at least two spokes, which impair the flow path of the fluid as little as possible and are arranged in uniform sections around the strut in favor of a uniform distribution of force.

[0029] In one embodiment, the handle and the unlocking element are not arranged at opposite ends of the transmission section as mentioned above, but alternatively in the region of an end plate. If the filter insert has an annular filter body, an end plate is typically arranged at one axial end of the filter insert so that a flow channel connects to the filter insert only at one axial end. The handle and the locking means can therefore be arranged in the region of the end plate without impairing the fluid flow, e.g. without protruding into the flow path of the fluid. This spatial proximity of the handle to the locking means results, firstly, in a material saving for the filter insert.Furthermore, the release element can be actuated as directly as possible using the handle, as the particularly short transmission paths between the handle and the release element help to reduce any elastic deformation that may occur.

[0030] The housing and the handle of the fluid filter are movable relative to each other and therefore have locking means that cooperate to secure the filter insert. In one embodiment, the first locking means—namely, locking means arranged either on the housing or on the filter insert—have resilient elements as locking elements, for example, spring tabs, spring clips, spring-loaded bolts, or the like. Complementing these, second locking means—namely, on the respective other component—have locking surfaces that are also engaged by the resilient elements as locking elements when the cooperating locking means are in their locked state.In this embodiment, the handle has displacement bodies as unlocking elements which, in the event of a relative movement between the handle and the housing, disengage the resilient elements from the locking surfaces, so that the displacement bodies acting as unlocking elements separate the locking elements from one another and bring them into an unlocked state.

[0031] The spring-loaded locking elements can be arranged on the filter insert or on the housing. The displacement bodies acting as unlocking elements can therefore act against the other component or against the component on which they are themselves arranged. For example, spring tabs or spring clips can be arranged on the filter insert, which engage in recesses in the housing when the filter insert is inserted and are pushed out of the recesses by the displacement bodies when the handle is operated. Or the spring tabs / spring clips are arranged on the housing, and a rigid locking lug on the filter insert. When the filter insert is inserted into the housing, the locking lug first moves past the spring element and displaces it, so that the spring element gives way and then engages behind the locking lug when the locking lug has completely passed the spring element.When the handle is operated, the displacement body pushes the spring element away and the locking lug can be removed from the housing together with the entire filter insert.

[0032] In a further development of such an embodiment, the handle has a handle which can be subjected to tensile stress and the displacement bodies each have an inclined surface in the direction of tension which comes into contact with the resilient elements when the handle is pulled.

[0033] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below using purely schematic representations.

[0034] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a filter insert for a fluid filter,

[0035] Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of detail II of Fig. 1,

[0036] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a housing part of an embodiment of a fluid filter adapted to the filter insert of Figs. 1 and 2,

[0037] Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of detail IV of Fig. 3,

[0038] Fig. 5 a vertical section through the fluid filter during insertion or removal of the filter insert,

[0039] Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of detail VI of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the fluid filter, with the filter insert in its position of use,

[0040] Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of detail VIII of Fig. 7,

[0041] Fig. 9 the fluid filter in exploded view, and

[0042] Fig. 10 the fluid filter in perspective view.

[0043] Fig. 10 shows a fluid filter designed as an air filter, which will be discussed in more detail later.

[0044] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a replaceable filter insert 2, which supports a filter body 3 of the fluid filter 1. The filter body 3 is designed in the form of a hollow cylinder, has a paper pleat element, and is delimited in the axial direction by an annular lower end plate 4 and an upper end plate 5, wherein the directional information relates only to the illustration of the exemplary embodiment, regardless of the actual installation position of the fluid filter 1 in use.

[0045] The lower end plate 4 adjoins an annular connecting piece 6, in which a handle 7 is guided for axial movement. On the underside of the lower end plate 4, a profile 8 runs in a ring around the connecting piece 6, which serves to attach a seal, e.g., by means of adhesive. The seal is not shown in Fig. 1 for reasons of clarity. Several locking elements in the form of cheeks 9 are distributed in pairs around the circumference of the connecting piece 6, with an opening in the connecting piece in the form of a window 10 being located between each two adjacent cheeks 9.

[0046] Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail of the point marked II in Fig. 1 on a larger scale than Fig. 1. The cheeks 9 are provided with notches 11, and an unlocking element 12 projects through each of the windows 10, which is part of the handle 7 and can be moved together with it. At the top, the unlocking elements 12 are limited by inclined surfaces 14 which run diagonally upwards and radially inwards. The inclined surfaces 14 are located in Fig. 1 below the notches 11, this being the arrangement in which the elements of the filter insert 2 are located when the filter insert 2 is in its position of use in the air filter 1. Figs. 1 and 2 show the lower section of the handle 7 in particular, which is referred to as the locking section 15 because this is where the locking and unlocking means of the handle 7 are arranged.

[0047] Fig. 3 shows a view from above, i.e. of the inside of the housing, of a base 16 as part of the housing of the fluid filter 1. The base 16 has a central outlet opening 17 which is surrounded by a collar 18. At a radial distance outside of the collar 18 and distributed around the collar 18, locking elements on the housing are arranged so that they interact optionally with the locking elements of the filter insert 2 in the form of the cheeks 9 or with the unlocking elements 12 of the filter insert 2. The locking elements on the housing are designed as spring clips 19 made of wire, which can be pressed radially outwards against the spring action. During this outward spreading movement, the spring clips 19 are each guided between two guide cheeks 20. The guide cheeks 20 extend radially outwards to a sealing collar 21, which has the above-mentioned sealing collar shown in Fig.1 and 2, not shown seal is applied from the outside when the filter insert 2 is in its position of use in the air filter 1.

[0048] Fig. 4 shows an enlarged detail of the location marked IV in Fig. 3, on a larger scale than Fig. 3. It can be seen that the wire forming a spring clip 19 extends in the manner of a downwardly open U, adjoining it to form two helical spring zones, and extending from these two spring zones in the form of two pins 22. The pins 22 serve to mount the respective spring clip 19 to the base 16 by being inserted into holes in the base 16.

[0049] Fig. 5 shows a vertical section through the fluid filter 1. An annular wall 23 connects the base 16 to the upper end plate 5, so that the fluid filter 1 has a substantially closed housing 33. An opening in the wall 23 forms an inlet opening through which uncleaned air flows into the housing 33 of the air filter 1. The air then flows radially from the outside onto the filter body 3, passes through the filter body 3, reaches the interior of the hollow cylindrical filter body 3 as clean air, and flows out of the fluid filter 1 through the outlet opening 17. From Fig. 5 it can be seen that the filter body 3 has two separate filter media arranged one behind the other in the direction of flow, which filter media can, for example, be made of different materials.

[0050] The collar 18 surrounding the outlet opening 17 projects not only upwards above the base 16, as shown in Fig. 3, but also downwards, as shown in Fig. 5, where it is provided with an internal metallic reinforcement ring 24. Closure bases 25 on the upper end plate 5 serve to secure the filter insert 2 to the housing 33 of the fluid filter 1, e.g., by means of closure elements such as spring clamps, eccentric clamp closures, or the like. Not visible due to the course of the sectional plane in Fig. 5, the wall 23 has corresponding fastening points at which the closure elements can be held, so that they can continue to be used even after a filter change.

[0051] The handle 7 is shown in Fig. 5 across its entire height. A grid-like transmission section 26 adjoins its lower locking section 15 at the top. Stop bases 27 are arranged inwardly projecting on the circumference of the handle 7 at the transition from the locking section 15 to the transmission section 26. Above the locking section 15, the handle 7 forms a closed cover 28, so that the clean air space inside the filter insert 2 is sealed off at the top. Above the cover 28, the handle 7 forms a handle 29, which in Fig. 5 runs obliquely to the section plane and is therefore only partially visible.

[0052] The handle 7 is arranged axially movable within the filter insert 2, thus vertically movable according to the orientation of the fluid filter 1 shown in the drawings. Due to the relative mobility of the handle 7 with respect to the upper end plate 5, the clean air chamber is sealed by a seal 30.

[0053] The grid-like design of the transfer section 26 of the handle 7 is similar to the design of a support dome 31, which is arranged between the handle 7 and the filter body 3. Due to the grid-like design, the transfer section 26 and the support dome 31 create a plurality of large-area passage openings for the fluid flowing through the fluid filter 1, in this case air. The support dome 31 adjoins the lower end plate 4 and the upper end plate 5, and the handle 7 is movable within the support dome 31 relative to the latter in the axial direction.

[0054] The filter insert 2 is inserted into the housing 33 of the fluid filter 1 until the nozzle 6 of the filter insert 2 engages the collar 18. This can be seen in Fig. 5. At this point, the filter insert 2 is not yet in its final use position. Rather, the stop bases 27 are still spaced above the upper edge of the collar 18.

[0055] Fig. 6 shows an enlarged detail of the location marked VI in Fig. 5, on a larger scale than Fig. 5. The filter insert 2 has been inserted in a linear, translational movement from top to bottom into the housing 33 of the fluid filter 1 until the housing-side release elements in the form of spring clips 19 rest against the release elements 12 of the filter insert 2. The capital letter D symbolizes a comparatively large distance that exists between the lower edge of the release elements 12 and the lower edge of the window 10 in the nozzle 6. This distance approximately corresponds to the distance between the lower edge of the stop base 27 and the upper edge of the collar 18.

[0056] Fig. 7 shows, in a representation similar to Fig. 5, a vertical section through the fluid filter 1, wherein the filter insert 2, however, unlike in Fig. 5, is in its final position of use. For this purpose, the purely translational movement with which the filter insert 2 was inserted into the housing 33 of the fluid filter 1 has been continued. The stop bases 27 now rest against the upper edge of the collar 18. The handle 7 is not required during use of the fluid filter 1, so that it assumes its rest position in the position shown in Fig. 7. In contrast, the position of the handle 7 shown in Fig. 5 is referred to as its working position, since the handle 7 firstly serves to handle the filter insert 2 by means of the handle 29 and secondly because in this working position it temporarily unlocks the spring clips 19 on the housing side. For reasons of clarity and due to the extensive correspondence of Fig.5 and 7, only a few reference numbers are shown in Fig. 7.

[0057] Fig. 8 shows an enlarged detail of the location marked VIII in Fig. 7 on a larger scale than Fig. 7. The handle 7 has been pressed downwards as far as possible, so that the release elements 12 now lie almost on the lower edges of the windows 10 of the base 6, leaving only a small gap, which is indicated as a small distance by the small letter d. In this position of use of the filter insert 2, its release elements 12 are located so far down that the spring clips 19 on the housing side, pushed inwards by their spring action, overlap the cheeks 9 as locking elements of the filter insert 2 and engage in the notches 11 of the filter insert 2. The filter insert 2 has thus been guided in the housing 33 of the fluid filter 1 by an exclusively translational movement into its position of use and is then automatically locked.The filter insert 2 is sealed against the base 16 by the seal mentioned, not shown in the drawings, which runs in a ring shape in the area of ​​the profiling 8 on the underside of the lower end plate 4, dips into a sealing groove 32 shown in Fig. 8 and rests radially from the outside against the sealing collar 21.

[0058] To remove the filter insert 2 from the housing 33, the locking elements that secure the filter insert 2 to the housing of the fluid filter 1 by means of the locking base 25 are first released. Then, all that is required is an upward pull on the handle 29. Since the handle 29 is part of the handle 7, this pulling movement is transmitted to the locking section 15 of the handle 7 by means of the transmission section 26, so that the unlocking elements 12 of the filter insert 2 are moved upward relative to the housing 33. As a result, the inclined surfaces 14 of the unlocking elements 12 come into contact with the spring clips 19 on the housing side. The unlocking elements 12 therefore act as displacement bodies and push the spring clips 19 outwards during a further upward movement of the handle 7, so that the spring clips 19 are pushed out of the locking notches 11 and thus come out of engagement with the cheeks 9 of the filter insert 2.When the release elements 12 strike the upper edges of the windows 10, the further pulling movement of the handle 7 is transferred to the nozzle 6, so that the entire filter insert 2 is now lifted when the handle 29 is moved further upward. Accordingly, the filter insert 2 can be removed from the housing 33 of the fluid filter 1 with a purely translational movement that is opposite to the insertion movement.

[0059] Fig. 9 shows the fluid filter 1 in an exploded view from its underside, with the filter insert

[0060] 2 outside the housing 33 and below the two housing components in the form of the base 16 and the wall 23.

[0061] The base 16 is shown as the uppermost component and the handle 29 is accordingly located at the bottom in Fig. 9 and is therefore not visible.

[0062] Fig. 10 shows the fluid filter 1 in the same viewing direction as Fig.

[0063] 9, but in assembled condition, so that in Fig.

[0064] 10 the filter insert 2 is located inside the housing 33.

[0065] Reference symbol:

[0066] Fluid filter Filter insert Filter body Lower end plate Upper end plate Nozzle Handle Profiling Cheek Window Notch Release element Inclined surface Locking section Base Outlet opening Collar Spring clip Guide cheek Sealing collar Pin Wall Reinforcing ring Locking base Transmission section Stop base Cover Handle Seal Support dome Sealing groove Housing

Claims

Claims: 1 . A filter insert (2) for a fluid filter (1), comprising a filter body (3) comprising a filter-effective material, and having a movement axis along which the filter insert (2) can be selectively inserted into a housing of the fluid filter (1) in an insertion direction or removed therefrom in a removal direction, and having a handle (7), and having locking means designed to selectively lock the filter insert (2) in the housing or to release this locking, wherein the locking means comprise at least one locking element and at least one unlocking element (12), wherein the unlocking element (12) is coupled to the handle (7), characterized in that the handle (7) is movable relative to the filter body (3) and the unlocking element (12) is displaced relative to the filter body (3) upon actuation of the handle (7), wherein the handle (7) is movable in the removal direction for unlocking.

2. Filter insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the unlocking element (12) is displaced relative to the filter body (3) in the direction of the movement axis when the handle (7) is actuated.

3. Filter insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the unlocking element (12) when the handle (7) is actuated relative to the filter body (3) tangentially to the axis of movement is moved.

4. Filter insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the unlocking element (12) is moved radially to the axis of movement when the handle (7) is actuated.

5. Filter insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle (7) forms a handle (29).

6. Filter insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter insert (2) has a support dome (31) which is arranged radially inside a hollow cylindrical filter body (3) and has through openings for the fluid.

7. Filter insert according to claim 6, characterized in that the handle (7) and the unlocking element (12) are connected to the support dome (31).

8. Filter insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle (2) has a handle (29), as well as a locking section (15) in which the unlocking element (12) of the filter insert (2) is arranged, as well as a transmission section (26) which connects the handle (29) to the locking section (15), wherein the handle (29) and the locking section (15) are arranged at different ends of the transmission section (26).

9. Filter insert according to claim 8, characterized in that that the transmission section (26) is hollow-cylindrical and has through-openings for the fluid.

10. Filter insert according to claim 6 and claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the transmission section (26) forms the support dome (31).

11. Filter insert according to claim 10, characterized in that the edges of the through-openings are delimited by inclined surfaces of the transfer section (26) in such a way that the inclined surfaces run in the removal direction of the filter insert (2) and radially inwards.

12. Filter insert according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the transmission section (26) runs within the support dome (31).

13. Filter insert according to claim 12, characterized in that the transmission section (26) is designed as a strut, and that the locking section (15) extends radially outwards from the strut to the unlocking element (12) of the filter insert (2).

14. Filter insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an end plate (5) is arranged at an axial end of the filter insert (2), and that the handle (7) has a handle (29) and a locking section (15) in which the unlocking element (12) of the filter insert (2), wherein the handle (29) and the locking section (15) are arranged in the region of the end plate (5).

15. Filter insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a hollow cylindrical filter body (3) with a longitudinal axis which runs in the same direction as the axis of movement.

16. Fluid filter (1 ), with a housing and a filter insert removable from the housing (2), which has a filter body through which the fluid can flow (3), wherein the filter insert (2) can be inserted into the housing by means of a translational movement along a movement axis either in an insertion direction or removed from the housing in a removal direction, and wherein the housing and the filter insert (2) each have locking means (12, 19) which interact in such a way that the filter insert (2) inserted into the housing and assuming a position of use is locked in this position of use, and wherein the filter insert (2) has a handle (7) which is movable between a rest position and a working position releasing the locking means (12, 19), characterized by a filter insert (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the unlocking element (12) of the filter insert (2) is also displaced relative to the filter body (3) upon actuation of the handle (7) in the removal direction and relative to the filter body (3), and in the process the locking is solved.

17. Fluid filter according to claim 16, characterized in that the filter insert (2) can be inserted into the housing in an exclusively translational direction of movement until it reaches the position of use.

18. Fluid filter according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that • that first locking means (12, 19) arranged on the housing or on the filter insert (2) have resilient elements, • and second locking means (12, 19) arranged on the respective other component have locking elements which are engaged behind by the resilient elements when the locking means (12, 19) are in their locked state, • and that the handle (7) has unlocking elements (12) which, upon a relative movement between the handle (7) and the housing, bring the resilient elements out of engagement with the locking elements in such a way that they bring the locking means into an unlocked state.

19. Fluid filter according to claim 18, characterized in that the handle (7) has a handle (29) which can be subjected to tensile stress in the removal direction, and in that the unlocking elements (12) each have an inclined surface (14) which comes into contact with the resilient elements when the handle (7) is pulled.

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