US 12,233,370 B2
Filter element with integral breather filter
Jason A. Wells, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Larry E. Gerken, Bowling Green, OH (US)
Assigned to Donaldson Company, Inc., Bloomington, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/289,369
Filed by Donaldson Company, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 31, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/059239
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/092824, PCT Pub. Date May 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/754,296, filed on Nov. 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0394102 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B01D 46/00 (2022.01); B01D 46/24 (2006.01); B01D 46/52 (2006.01); B01D 53/26 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 46/0008 (2013.01) [B01D 46/0036 (2013.01); B01D 46/0039 (2013.01); B01D 46/2414 (2013.01); B01D 46/521 (2013.01); B01D 53/261 (2013.01); B01D 2271/027 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A filter element comprising:
a first endcap and a second endcap;
filter media extending between the first endcap and the second endcap, wherein the filter media defines a central opening and is coupled to the first endcap and the second endcap;
a breather filter housing coupled to the first endcap;
a filter cover coupled to the breather filter housing, wherein the breather filter housing and the filter cover mutually define a breather filter cavity; and
a breather filter disposed in the breather filter cavity, wherein the breather filter defines a first flow face and a second flow face, and wherein the breather filter housing defines a first tortuous airflow pathway between an ambient environment and the first flow face, and the filter cover defines a second tortuous airflow pathway between the ambient environment and the second flow face.