Filter assembly

Claim 2

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a body; (b) a first filter media and a second filter media disposed within said body; (c) a contaminant collection bowl means supported by said body and defining first and second collection zones, each collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants as fuel passes through the assembly, said first collection zone is upstream of both said first and second filter media and said second collection zone is downstream of said first filter media and upstream of said second filter media; and (d) means common to both said first and second collection zones for simultaneously draining contaminants from said first and second collection zones, and wherein, in operation, said first and second collection zones are completely walled off from each other with the only communication between said first and second collection zones being through said body by way of a first contaminant outlet and at least one second contaminant outlet.

Claim 3

The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said collection bowl means is releasably engaged to a first side of said body, said first side of said body including said first and second contaminant outlets allowing liquid contaminants to pass out of said body respectively into said first and second collection zones, said first side of said body opposite a second side of said body, and said second side of said body includes a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port.

Claim 4

The filter assembly of claim 2 wherein said collection bowl means includes threads engaged to mating threads of said body.

Claim 5

The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein said threads of said collection bowl means and said mating threads of said body are centrally located, said first contaminant outlet is within said mating threads of said body, and said second contaminant outlet is outside of said mating threads of said body.

Claim 6

The filter assembly of claim 4 wherein said body and said collection bowl means are both cylindrical and said first collection zone is centrally located within said collection bowl means.

Claim 7

The filter assembly of claim 5 wherein said first and second collection zones which are completely walled off from each other with the only communication between said first and second collection zones being through said body by way of said first and second contaminant outlets; farther including said body being part of a filter cartridge.

Claim 8

The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein said bowl collection means is completely supported by, and releasably engated to, said body and, said body is part of a filter cartridge.

Claim 9

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel input port and a fuel outlet port and first and second contaminant outlets, said first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body; (b) a contaminant collection bowl supported by said body and releasably engaged to said first side of said body, said collection bowl having separate first and second collection zones, said first collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said first contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly, said second collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said second contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly; and (c) means common to both said first and second collection zones for simultaneously draining contaminants from said first and second collection zones.

Claim 10

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel input port and a fuel outlet port and first and second contaminant outlets, said first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body; (b) a contaminant collection bowl supported by said body and releasably engaged to said first side of said body, said collection bowl having separate first and second collection zones, said first collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said first contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly, said second collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said second contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly; and (c) means common to both said first and second collection zones for simultaneously draining contaminants from said first and second collection zones.

Claim 11

The filter assembly of claim 8 wherein said first side of said body is opposite from a second side of said body and said fuel inlet and fuel outlet ports are disposed on said second side.

Claim 12

The filter assembly of claim 9 wherein said collection bowl includes threads engaged to mating threads on said first side of said body.

Claim 13

The filter assembly of claim 10 wherein said second side of said body includes threads engaged to threads on a cap assembly, said cap assembly including a fuel inlet conduit and a fuel outlet conduit respectively disposed in communication with said fuel inlet port of said body and said fuel outlet port of said body, and said collection bowl is completely supported by said filter cartridge.

Claim 14

The filter assembly of claim 11 wherein said body and said collection bowl are both cylindrical and said first collection zone is centrally located within said collection bowl.

Claim 15

The filter assembly of claim 10 wherein said threads of said collection bowl and said mating threads of said body are centrally located, said first contaminant outlet is within said mating threads of said body, and said second contaminant outlet is outside of said mating threads of said body.

Claim 16

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port and first and second contaminant outlets, said first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body; (b) a contaminant collection bowl supported by said body and releasably engaged to said first side of said body, said collection bowl having separate first and second collection zones, said first collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said first contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly, said second collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said second contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly; (c) first and second drain ports for respectively draining said first and second collection zones; and wherein, in operation, said first and second collection zones are completely walled off from each other with the only communication between said first and second collection zones being through said body by way of said first and second contaminant outlets, and wherein said first contaminant outlet is upstream of all of said filter media and said second contaminant outlet is downstream of at least a portion of said filter media.

Claim 17

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port and first and second contaminant outlets, said first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body; (b) a contaminant collection bowl supported by said body and releasably engaged to said first side of said body, said collection bowl having separate first and second collection zones, said first collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said first contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly, said second collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said second contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly; (c) first and second drain ports for respectively draining said first and second collection zones; and wherein, in operation, said first and second collection zones are completely walled off from each other with the only communication between said first and second collection zones being through said body by way of said first and second contaminant outlets, and wherein said first contaminant outlet is upstream of all of said filter media and said second contaminant outlet is downstream of at least a portion of said filter media.

Claim 18

The filter assembly of claim 14 wherein said fuel inlet port and said first contaminant outlet are each centrally located within threads on opposite sides of said body.

Claim 19

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port and first and second contaminant outlets, said first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body; (b) a contaminant collection bowl supported by said body and releasably engaged to said first side of said body, said collection bowl having separate first and second collection zones, said first collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said first contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly, said second collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said second contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly; (c) first and second drain ports for respectively draining said first and second collection zones; and wherein, in operation, said first and second collection zones are completely walled off from each other with the only communication between said first and second collection zones being through said body by way of said first and second contaminant outlets, wherein said first contaminant outlet is upstream of all of said filter media and said second contaminant outlet is upstream of at least a portion of said filter media.

Claim 20

A filter assembly adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port and first and second contaminant outlets, said first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body; (b) a contaminant collection bowl supported by said body and releasably engaged to said first side of said body, said collection bowl having separate first and second collection zones, said first collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said first contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly, said second collection zone disposed to collect liquid contaminants from said second contaminant outlet as fuel passes through the assembly; (c) first and second drain ports for respectively draining said first and second collection zones; and wherein, in operation, said first and second collection zones are completely walled off from each other with the only communication between said first and second collection zones being through said body by way of said first and second contaminant outlets, wherein said first contaminant outlet is upstream of all of said filter media and said second contaminant outlet is upstream of at least a portion of said filter media.

Claim 21

The filter assembly of claim 14 wherein said collection bowl includes threads engaged to mating threads on said first side of said body.

Claim 22

The filter assembly of claim 17 wherein said first side of said body is opposite from a second side of said body and said fuel inlet and fuel outlet ports are disposed on said second side.

Claim 23

The filter assembly of claim 18 wherein said second side of said body includes threads engaged to threads on a cap assembly, said cap assembly including a fuel inlet conduit and a fuel outlet conduit respectively disposed in communication with said fuel inlet port of said body and said fuel outlet port of said body, and said collection bowl is completely supported by said filter cartridge.

Claim 24

The filter assembly of claim 17 wherein said body and said collection bowl are both cylindrical and said first collection zone is centrally located within said collection bowl, and wherein said threads of said collection bowl and said mating threads of said body are centrally located, said first contaminant outlet is within said mating threads of said body, and said second contaminant outlet is outside of said mating threads of said body.

Claim 25

An invention comprising a filter bowl unit adapted to be removably attached underneath a filter cartridge which uses radially outward flow through an annular filter media to separate contaminants from fuel, said bowl unit comprising: (a) a centrally located first contaminant collection zone for receiving contaminants from a first contaminant outlet in the filter cartridge; (b) second contaminant collection zone for receiving contaminants from a second contaminant outlet in the filter cartridge and disposed around said first contaminant zone; (c) a wall separating said first and second contaminant collection zones and, in operation, the bowl unit allowing communication between said first and second contaminant collection zones only by way of the first and second contaminant outlets; (d) threads on said bowl unit and operable to connect said bowl unit to mating threads on the filter cartridge, and (e) means common to both said first and second contaminant collection zones for simultaneously draining contaminants from said first and second contaminant collection zone.

Claim 26

An invention comprising a filter bowl unit adapted to be removably attached underneath a filter cartridge which uses radially outward flow through an annular filter media to separate contaminants from fuel, said bowl unit comprising: (a) a centrally located first contaminant collection zone for receiving contaminants from a first contaminant outlet in the filter cartridge; (b) second contaminant collection zone for receiving contaminants from a second contaminant outlet in the filter cartridge and disposed around said first contaminant zone; (c) a wall separating said first and second contaminant collection zones and, in operation, the bowl unit allowing communication between said first and second contaminant collection zones only by way of the first and second contaminant outlets; (d) threads on said bowl unit and operable to connect said bowl unit to mating threads on the filter cartridge, and (e) means common to both said first and second contaminant collection zones for simultaneously draining contaminants from said first and second contaminant collection zone.

Claim 27

The invention of claim 21 wherein said threads on said bowl unit are disposed on said wall.

Claim 28

The invention of claim 22 wherein said second contaminant collection zone is annular.

Claim 29

The invention of claim 23 wherein said bowl unit is cylindrical and said wall is cylindrical.

Claim 30

The invention of claim 21 wherein said bowl unit is threadably attached to a filter cartridge having a body and filter media disposed therein, said body having a fuel inlet port and a fuel output port and first and second contaminant outlets.

Claim 31

A filter cartridge adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a cylindrical body; (b) an annular first filter media disposed within said body; (c) radially spaced first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body, said first contaminant outlet is upstream of all of said filter media and said second contaminant outlet is upstream of at least a portion of said filter media; (d) a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port disposed on a second side of said body, said second side opposite said first side; and (e) threads on said first side for removably attaching a collection bowl unit to said body to receive contaminants passed out through said first and second contaminant outlets, and wherein said threads are centrally located on said first side and said first contaminant outlet is within said threads and said second contaminant outlet is outside of said threads.

Claim 32

A filter cartridge adapted to remove contaminants from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a cylindrical body; (b) an annular first filter media disposed within said body; (c) radially spaced first and second contaminant outlets disposed on a first side of said body, said first contaminant outlet is upstream of all of said filter media and said second contaminant outlet is upstream of at least a portion of said filter media; (d) a fuel inlet port and a fuel outlet port disposed on a second side of said body, said second side opposite said first side; and (e) threads on said first side for removably attaching a collection bowl unit to said body to receive contaminants passed out through said first and second contaminant outlets, and wherein said threads are centrally located on said first side and said first contaminant outlet is within said threads and said second contaminant outlet is outside of said threads.

Claim 33

The filter cartridge of claim 26 wherein said first contaminant outlet and said fuel inlet port are centrally disposed respectively on said first and second sides.

Claim 34

The filter cartridge of claim 27 further comprising threads on said second side and said fuel inlet port is within said second side threads and said fuel outlet port is outside of said second side threads, said second side threads operable to removably attach said filter cartridge to a cap assembly.

Claim 35

The filter cartridge of claim 26 further comprising an annular second filter media concentric with, and outside of, said first annular filter media; and wherein said first contaminant outlet is upstream of both said first and second filter media and said second contaminant outlet is downstream of said first filter media and upstream of said second filter media.