US 12,226,722 B2
Fluid filter anti-prefill device
Jon Tyler Immel, Chillicothe, IL (US)
Assigned to CATERPILLAR INC., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by CATERPILLAR INC., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on May 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/738,412.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356122 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B01D 35/153 (2006.01); B01D 29/13 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 35/153 (2013.01) [B01D 29/13 (2013.01); B01D 2201/0446 (2013.01); B01D 2201/291 (2013.01); B01D 2201/302 (2013.01); B01D 2201/4092 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An endcap, comprising:
a central, radial disk portion configured to be mounted and molded to an axial end of an annular filter medium positioned around a center tube of a filter element in a filter system, the central, radial disk portion including:
a radially outer circumferential lip extending in a first direction toward the center tube and annular filter medium and configured to overlap and engage with an outer circumferential periphery of the annular filter medium, and
a radially inner circumferential lip extending in the first direction and configured to seat against an inner circumferential periphery of the center tube; and
an anti-prefill device disposed at a radially central portion of the endcap, extending from the central, radial disk portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction and designed to prevent the filling of unfiltered fluid into a radially inner side of the annular filter medium, the anti-prefill device including:
a first, annular, fluid receiving portion including an externally threaded engagement surface configured to be threadingly engaged with a central, internally threaded boss of a filter base of the filter system at the axial end of the annular filter medium,
an annular concave recess defined by the first, annular, fluid receiving portion and open upwards in the second direction toward the filter base of the filter system, the filter base being configured to engage with a canister adapted to contain the filter element, and
a second, annular, fluid blocking portion configured as a cylindrical cap overlapping a radially central tubular portion of the first, annular, fluid receiving portion that projects in the second direction from a radially inner extent of the central, radial disk portion, the second, annular fluid blocking portion being oriented with a concave recess of the cylindrical cap open downwards in the first direction toward the first, annular, fluid receiving portion.