US6478018B2 — Multi-peripheral perimeter sealed flat panel coal…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 122 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, wherein said flat panel filter element comprises multiple layers including an upper region, a middle region, and a lower region, said upper region providing pre-filtering and comprising medium efficiency media relative to said middle and lower regions, said middle region providing removal of oil mists and comprising finer, higher efficiency media than said upper region, said lower region providing coalescing and draining of oil therefrom and comprising coarser, lower efficiency media than said upper region.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 122 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, wherein said flat panel filter element comprises multiple layers including an upper region, a middle region, and a lower region, said upper region providing pre-filtering and comprising medium efficiency media relative to said middle and lower regions, said middle region providing removal of oil mists and comprising finer, higher efficiency media than said upper region, said lower region providing coalescing and draining of oil therefrom and comprising coarser, lower efficiency media than said upper region.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 75 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, wherein said media comprises a central spanning pillow portion and an outer peripheral flattened portion compressed to a substantially smaller vertical height than said central spanning pillow portion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 75 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, wherein said media comprises a central spanning pillow portion and an outer peripheral flattened portion compressed to a substantially smaller vertical height than said central spanning pillow portion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said flat panel filter element comprises multiple layers, including in said central spanning pillow portion and said outer peripheral flattened portion, and wherein said layers at said outer peripheral flattened portion are heat sealed to each other.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 46 words

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said flat panel filter element comprises multiple layers, including in said central spanning pillow portion and said outer peripheral flattened portion, and wherein said layers at said outer peripheral flattened portion are heat sealed to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 55 words

The invention according to claim 2 wherein said perimeter border frame is plastic, said flat panel filter element comprises multiple layers, including in said central spanning pillow portion and said outer peripheral flattened portion, and said layers at said outer peripheral flattened portion are heat sealed to each other and to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 64 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, and comprising a gasket secured to said perimeter border frame for creating a seal with said housing.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 64 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, and comprising a gasket secured to said perimeter border frame for creating a seal with said housing.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

The invention according to claim 6 wherein said gasket is molded to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 43 words

The invention according to claim 6 wherein said gasket comprises a first sealing surface providing axial sealing along an axial direction perpendicular to said horizontal plane, and a second sealing surface providing lateral sealing along a lateral direction parallel to said horizontal plane.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

The invention according to claim 8 wherein said first sealing surface is sealed by axial compression, and said second sealing surface is sealed by lateral deflection.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 39 words

The invention according to claim 9 wherein said second sealing surface comprises a cantilever arm laterally outward of said perimeter border frame on the opposite side thereof from said media and deflectable laterally inwardly toward said perimeter border frame.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 66 words

The invention according to claim 9 wherein said gasket comprises first and second cantilever arms in inverted V-shaped relation laterally outward of said perimeter border frame on the opposite side thereof from said media, said first cantilever arm being laterally outward of said second cantilever arm and deflectable laterally inwardly toward said second cantilever arm, said second sealing surface being provided by said first cantilever arm.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 76 words

The invention n according to claim 9 wherein said gasket has a first portion mounted to said perimeter border frame, a second portion extending laterally horizontally from said first portion beyond said perimeter border frame, and a third portion laterally spaced from said perimeter border frame, wherein at least one of said first and second portions of said gasket provides said first sealing surface, and said third portion of said gasket provides said second sealing surface.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention according to claim 12 wherein said first portion of said gasket provides said first sealing surface.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention according to claim 12 wherein said second portion of said gasket provides said first sealing surface.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

The invention according to claim 12 wherein both of said first and second portions of said gasket provide said first sealing surface.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

The invention according to claim 12 wherein said perimeter border frame has a recessed pocket facing vertically and receiving said first portion of said gasket therein and mounting said gasket to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 139 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, wherein said flat panel filter element has upper and lower oppositely facing planar faces spanning along the horizontal plane of said flat panel filter element between first and second distally opposite ends and first and second distally opposite sides, said first and second ends and said first and second sides defining a primary perimeter section, and wherein said flat panel filter element comprises an extended auxiliary perimeter section comprising and third and fourth sides extending from said first end to a third end spaced from said first end by a gap therebetween.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 139 words

A flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, wherein said flat panel filter element has upper and lower oppositely facing planar faces spanning along the horizontal plane of said flat panel filter element between first and second distally opposite ends and first and second distally opposite sides, said first and second ends and said first and second sides defining a primary perimeter section, and wherein said flat panel filter element comprises an extended auxiliary perimeter section comprising and third and fourth sides extending from said first end to a third end spaced from said first end by a gap therebetween.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 17 words

The invention according to claim 17 wherein said perimeter border frame extends along said primary perimeter section.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 25 words

The invention according to claim 18 wherein said perimeter border frame extends only along said primary perimeter section, and not along said auxiliary perimeter section.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 19 words

The invention according to claim 18 comprising a gasket extending along both of said primary and auxiliary perimeter sections.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 62 words

The invention according to claim 20 wherein each of said primary and auxiliary perimeter sections has an inner and an outer periphery, said inner periphery of said primary perimeter section supports and seals said media, and said gasket extends along said outer periphery of said primary perimeter section and along both of said inner and outer peripheries of said auxiliary perimeter section.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 16 words

The invention according to claim 17 wherein said gap is open and unspanned by said media.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 71 words

A method for filtering blow-by gas, including oil mist and air, from a diesel engine crankcase comprising providing a flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, providing said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame, and passing flow downwardly through said flat panel filter element.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 71 words

A method for filtering blow-by gas, including oil mist and air, from a diesel engine crankcase comprising providing a flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, providing said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame, and passing flow downwardly through said flat panel filter element.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 81 words

The method according to claim 23 comprising providing said flat panel filter element with multiple layers including an upper region, a middle region, and a lower region, and comprising pre-filtering said flow in said upper region with medium efficiency media relative to said middle and lower regions, removing oil mists in said middle region with finer, higher efficiency media than said upper region, and coalescing and draining oil from said lower region with coarser, lower efficiency media than said upper region.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method according to claim 23 comprising providing said media with a central spanning pillow portion and an outer peripheral portion, and compressing said outer peripheral portion to a flattened portion of substantially smaller vertical height than said central spanning pillow portion.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method according to claim 25 comprising providing multiple layers in said flat panel filter element, including in said central spanning pillow portion and said outer peripheral flattened portion, and heat sealing said layers at said outer peripheral flattened portion to each other.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method according to claim 25 comprising providing multiple layers in said flat panel filter element, including in said central spanning pillow portion and said outer peripheral flattened portion, and heat sealing said layers at said outer peripheral flattened portion to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method according to claim 25 comprising providing a plastic said perimeter border frame, providing multiple layers in said flat panel filter element, including in said central spanning pillow portion and said outer peripheral flattened portion, and heat sealing said layers at said outer peripheral flattened portion to each other and to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method according to claim 23 comprising securing a gasket to said perimeter border frame for creating a seal with said housing.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method according to claim 29 comprising molding said gasket to said perimeter border frame.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method according to claim 29 comprising axially sealing said gasket along a first sealing surface to said housing in an axial direction perpendicular to said horizontal plane, and laterally sealing said gasket along a second sealing surface to said housing along a lateral direction parallel to said horizontal plane.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method according to claim 31 comprising axially compressing said gasket at said first surface, and laterally deflecting said gasket at said second surface.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 142 words

A method for making a flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, comprising forming said flat panel filter element having upper and lower oppositely facing planar faces spanning along the horizontal plane of said flat panel filter element between first and second distally opposite ends and first and second distally opposite sides, said first and second ends and first and second sides defining a primary perimeter section, and forming said flat panel filter element with an extended auxiliary perimeter section comprising third and fourth sides extending from said first end to a third end spaced from said first end by a gap therebetween.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 142 words

A method for making a flat panel filter element for a diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter having a flat low profile filter housing extending in a horizontal plane, said flat panel filter element comprising media, including coalescing media, spanning a horizontal supporting and sealing perimeter border frame passing flow downwardly therethrough, comprising forming said flat panel filter element having upper and lower oppositely facing planar faces spanning along the horizontal plane of said flat panel filter element between first and second distally opposite ends and first and second distally opposite sides, said first and second ends and first and second sides defining a primary perimeter section, and forming said flat panel filter element with an extended auxiliary perimeter section comprising third and fourth sides extending from said first end to a third end spaced from said first end by a gap therebetween.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method according to claim 33 comprising providing said perimeter border frame along said primary perimeter section.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method according to claim 34 comprising providing said perimeter border frame only along said primary perimeter section, and not along said auxiliary perimeter section.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method according to claim 34 comprising securing a gasket to said perimeter border frame for creating a seal with said housing, and extending said gasket along both of said primary and auxiliary perimeter sections.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method according to claim 36 wherein each of said primary and auxiliary perimeter sections has an inner and an outer periphery, and comprising supporting and sealing said media along said inner periphery of said primary perimeter section, and extending said gasket along said outer periphery of said primary perimeter section and along both of said inner and outer peripheries of said auxiliary perimeter section.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method according to claim 33 comprising leaving said gap open

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-11-11	2006-05-13	2006-11-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-11-11	2010-05-13	2010-11-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-11-11	2014-05-13	2014-11-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Multi-peripheral perimeter sealed flat panel coalescing filter element

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