Seal arrangement for fluid filters

Claim 2

An improved filter arrangement having an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; the improvement including wherein: (a) said outer housing has a unitary construction and includes an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (b) said top plate includes an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess portion; (i) said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; (ii) said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating within said top plate gasket-receiving recess portion; and, (c) gasket-receiving means positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining means being constructed and arranged to permit selected relative rotational movement between said filter arrangement and a gasket means mounted in association therewith, and to inhibit longitudinal separation therebetween; said gasket-retaining means comprising an annular pinch fold, having a gasket-receiving recessed wall, in said cover portion; (d) whereby a fluid seal during utilization of said filter arrangement with an associated filter head is provided by positioning gasket means in association with said top plate gasket-receiving recess portion and generally circumscribing said outer housing edge.

Claim 3

An improved filter arrangement having an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; the improvement including wherein: (a) said outer housing has a unitary construction and includes an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (b) said top plate includes an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess portion; (i) said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; (ii) said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating within said top plate gasket-receiving recess portion; and, (c) said top plate outer periphery including annular corrugation-forming means therein; (d) whereby a fluid seal during utilization of said filter arrangement with an associated filter head is provided by positioning gasket means in association with said top plate gasket-receiving recess portion and generally circumscribing said outer housing edge; and, (e) whereby said cover portion forms a corrugated structure when folded over said top plate outer periphery; said corrugated structure including annular corrugations.

Claim 4

An improved filter arrangement having an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; the improvement including wherein: (a) said outer housing has a unitary construction and includes an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (b) said top plate includes an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess portion; (i) said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; (ii) said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating within said top plate gasket-receiving recess portion; and, (c) said top plate outer periphery including annular corrugation-forming means therein; (d) whereby a fluid seal during utilization of said filter arrangement with an associated filter head is provided by positioning gasket means in association with said top plate gasket-receiving recess portion and generally circumscribing said outer housing edge; and, (e) whereby said cover portion forms a corrugated structure when folded over said top plate outer periphery; said corrugated structure including annular corrugations.

Claim 5

The improved filter arrangement according to claim 2 wherein: (a) said corrugation-forming means comprises a plurality of spaced annular corrugation-forming grooves in said top plate outer periphery.

Claim 6

The improved filter arrangement according to claim 3 including: (a) three annular corrugation-forming grooves.

Claim 7

In operative combination a filter assembly, a filter head and a gasket; wherein: (a) said filter assembly includes an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; (i) said outer housing being substantially unitary and having a closed end and an open end including an inner seating bend, a cover portion and an edge; (ii) said top plate including an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess; said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; and, said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating generally within said top plate gasket-receiving recess; (b) said filter assembly includes means for mounting on said filter head; (c) said filter assembly is operatively mounted on said filter head with said gasket therebetween; (i) said gasket being positioned at least partially within said gasket-receiving recess to generally circumscribe said housing member edge; and, (d) said filter assembly includes gasket-retaining means positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining means being constructed and arranged to facilitate relative rotational movement between said gasket and said filter arrangement while simultaneously inhibiting longitudinal separation therebetween; (i) said gasket-receiving means including a pinch fold in said housing cover portion; and, (ii) said gasket including a lateral extension thereon constructed and arranged for receipt underneath a portion of said pinch fold.

Claim 8

In operative combination a filter assembly, a filter head and a gasket; wherein: (a) said filter assembly includes an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; (i) said outer housing being substantially unitary and having a closed end and an open end including an inner seating bend, a cover portion and an edge; (ii) said top plate including an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess; said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; and, said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating generally within said top plate gasket-receiving recess; (b) said filter assembly includes means for mounting on said filter head; (c) said filter assembly is operatively mounted on said filter head with said gasket therebetween; (i) said gasket being positioned at least partially within said gasket-receiving recess to generally circumscribe said housing member edge; and, (d) said filter assembly includes gasket-retaining means positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining means being constructed and arranged to facilitate relative rotational movement between said gasket and said filter arrangement while simultaneously inhibiting longitudinal separation therebetween; (i) said gasket-receiving means including a pinch fold in said housing cover portion; and, (ii) said gasket including a lateral extension thereon constructed and arranged for receipt underneath a portion of said pinch fold.

Claim 9

In operative combination a filter assembly, a filter head and a gasket; wherein: (a) said filter assembly includes an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; (i) said outer housing being substantially unitary and having a closed end and an open end including an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (ii) said top plate including an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess; said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; and, said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating generally within said top plate gasket-receiving recess; (b) said filter assembly includes means for mounting on said filter head; (c) said filter assembly is operatively mounted on said filter head with said gasket therebetween; (i) said gasket being positioned at least partially within said gasket-receiving recess to generally circumscribe said housing member edge; and, (d) said filter assembly includes gasket-retaining means positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining means being constructed and arranged to facilitate relative rotational movement between said gasket and said filter arrangement while simultaneously inhibiting longitudinal separation therebetween; (i) said gasket-retaining means including a bracket mounted on said housing cover portion; and (ii) said gasket includes a lateral extension thereon constructed and arranged for receipt underneath a portion of said housing bracket.

Claim 10

In operative combination a filter assembly, a filter head and a gasket; wherein: (a) said filter assembly includes an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; (i) said outer housing being substantially unitary and having a closed end and an open end including an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (ii) said top plate including an outer periphery and a top surface with a gasket-receiving recess; said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; and, said cover portion extending along said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating generally within said top plate gasket-receiving recess; (b) said filter assembly includes means for mounting on said filter head; (c) said filter assembly is operatively mounted on said filter head with said gasket therebetween; (i) said gasket being positioned at least partially within said gasket-receiving recess to generally circumscribe said housing member edge; and, (d) said filter assembly includes gasket-retaining means positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining means being constructed and arranged to facilitate relative rotational movement between said gasket and said filter arrangement while simultaneously inhibiting longitudinal separation therebetween; (i) said gasket-retaining means including a bracket mounted on said housing cover portion; and (ii) said gasket includes a lateral extension thereon constructed and arranged for receipt underneath a portion of said housing bracket.

Claim 11

An improved filter arrangement having an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; the improvement including wherein: (a) said outer housing has a unitary construction and includes an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (b) said top plate includes an outer periphery and a top surface with a recess groove therein; (i) said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; (ii) said cover portion extending along and adjacent said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating within said top plate top surface recess groove; (iii) said top plate outer periphery including annular corrugation-forming means therein; (c) said filter assembly includes a gasket-retaining arrangement positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining arrangement being constructed and arranged to permit selected relative rotational movement between said filter arrangement and a gasket means mounted in association therewith, and to inhibit longitudinal separation therebetween; (d) whereby a fluid seal during utilization of said filter arrangement with an associated filter head is provided by positioning gasket means in association with said gasket-retaining arrangement and generally circumscribing said outer housing edge; (e) whereby said cover portion forms a corrugated structure when folded over said top plate outer periphery; said corrugated structure including annular corrugations.

Claim 12

An improved filter arrangement having an outer housing and an inner filter assembly with a top plate; the improvement including wherein: (a) said outer housing has a unitary construction and includes an inner seating bead, a cover portion and an edge; (b) said top plate includes an outer periphery and a top surface with a recess groove therein; (i) said top plate outer periphery engaging said seating bead to substantially retain said top plate in position; (ii) said cover portion extending along and adjacent said top plate top surface to partially cover same and enclose a portion of said top plate within said outer housing; said outer housing edge terminating within said top plate top surface recess groove; (iii) said top plate outer periphery including annular corrugation-forming means therein; (c) said filter assembly includes a gasket-retaining arrangement positioned on said housing cover portion; said gasket-retaining arrangement being constructed and arranged to permit selected relative rotational movement between said filter arrangement and a gasket means mounted in association therewith, and to inhibit longitudinal separation therebetween; (d) whereby a fluid seal during utilization of said filter arrangement with an associated filter head is provided by positioning gasket means in association with said gasket-retaining arrangement and generally circumscribing said outer housing edge; (e) whereby said cover portion forms a corrugated structure when folded over said top plate outer periphery; said corrugated structure including annular corrugations.

Claim 13

The arrangement according to claim 7 wherein said top plate includes outwardly projecting radial fins thereon; said housing engaging said radial projections to provide a substantially non-slipping engagement between said top plate and said housing.