Abstract: Enhanced performance fibrous media (60) is provided by orienting filter media fibers (62) dominantly parallel to the fluid flow direction (46). Filter media construction is provided by a sheet (80) having an internal pleated subsheet (88) with pleats (92, 94) engaging and packed against each other sufficiently tightly and bonded (104) such that fluid flows along the flow direction through the pleats in parallel therewith, rather than between the pleats and then transversely therethrough. An extended life two-stage fluid filter assembly includes first and second filter elements (80 and 112), wherein the pleats (114, 116) of a main downstream filter element (112) are spaced from each other along a spacing direction (122) transverse to the flow direction (46) and defining a transverse gap (124) therebetween through which fluid flows, and wherein the pleats (92, 94) of an upstream prefilter element (80) are packed against each other without such transverse gap and blocking fluid flow therebetween.

Abstract: A filter (10) has a housing (12) extending along an axis (18) between first and second axial ends (20 and 22), and has a closed loop primary filter element (24) extending axially in the housing, and a closed loop safety filter element (48) in the hollow interior (30) of the primary filter element. A detent member (60) engages and retains the end cap (54) of the safety filter element independently of the primary filter element to retain the safety filter element in housing upon removal of the primary filter element from the housing.

Abstract: A filter housing (14) has a first inlet (16) for receiving a first fluid such as oil from a machine such as an internal combustion engine (12), a first outlet (20) returning the first fluid to the machine, a second inlet (24) selectively receiving a second fluid from a source of cleaning fluid (28), and a second outlet (30) exhausting the second fluid. The filter housing has a first flow path therethrough from the first inlet through a filter element (40) in one direction to the first outlet, and a second flow path therethrough from the second inlet then through the filter element in the opposite direction then to the second outlet. The first and second inlets and the first and second outlets are all provided at the same axial end of the housing, for modularity. First and second common flow channels (58 and 68) in the housing each carry the first and second fluids in opposite directions. First and second valves (84 and 86) in the housing enable switching between filtration and cleaning modes.

Abstract: A filter (10, 10a) includes a housing (12, 12a) extending along an axis (14). and having an inlet (16, 16a) at one axial end (18, 18a) of the housing and having an outlet (20, 20a) at a distally opposite axial end (22, 22a) of the housing. One or more pleated filter elements (44, 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d) in the housing are pleated along a plurality of bend lines (46, 48) extending axially. The filter element has a plurality of wall segments (50) extending in serpentine manner between the bend lines. The wall segments extend axially between upstream ends (52) and downstream ends (54) and define axial flow channels (58, 62) therebetween. The upstream ends of the wall segments are alternately sealed (56) to each other to defme a first set of flow channels (58) having open upstream ends (60), and a second set of flow channels (62) interdigitated with the first set of flow channels and having closed upstream ends (64).

Abstract: A cleanable backflushable re-usable dual full-flow and bypass filter includes a full-flow filter element providing filtered primary flow therethrough, a bypass filter element providing filtered secondary flow therethrough, a bypass tube conducting flow therethrough from said bypass filter element to said full-flow filter element, a venturi creating a low pressure zone aiding secondary flow through the bypass tube to assist in pulling the secondary flow through the more restrictive bypass filter element, wherein fluid, whether main fluid flow in the filtering direction or backflushing cleansing fluid flow in the opposite direction, flowing from the bypass tube changes direction at the venturi.

Abstract: A filter element (202, 250) includes pleated filter media (26) having a plurality of pleats (28) in a closed annular loop having an outer perimeter (30) defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips (32), an inner perimeter (34) defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips (36), the loop having a hollow interior (38) extending along an axis (40), wherein fluid to be filtered flows laterally through the filter media and flows axially in the hollow interior (38). The filter element has an axial flow passage (56a) along the axis (40) and circumscribing the hollow interior (38) and has a flow perimeter (218) greater than the inner perimeter (34) of the filter element defined by the inner pleat tips (36), and in the preferred embodiment substantially the same as the outer perimeter (30) defined by the outer pleat tips (32), to provide axial flow (58) through the hollow interior (38) and additional axial flow (59 and 59a) through the axial ends (68) of the pleats.

Abstract: A filter element (22) includes pleated filter media (26) having a plurality of pleats (28) in a closed annular loop having an outer perimeter (30) defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips (32), and an inner perimeter (34) defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips (36), the closed annular loop having a hollow interior (38) extending along an axis (40), wherein fluid to be filtered flows laterally through the filter media and flows axially (58) in the hollow interior (38). The filter element (22) has an axial flow passage (56) along the axis (40) and circumscribing the hollow interior (38) and has a flow perimeter (60) greater than the inner perimeter (34) of the filter element defined by the inner pleat tips (36). An end cap (66) of resilient compressible material at the axial end (62) of the filter element bears radially between and is radially compressed between an outer liner (102) and a flow tube (90) at the enlarged flow passage (56).

Abstract: An adaptive passive acoustic attenuation system implements control techniques to facilitate practical use of adaptive passive acoustic attenuation in industrial and commercial applications. The system includes multiple banks of multiple adjustable tuners that are used to passively attenuate an acoustic disturbance (e.g. a tone) propagating through an acoustic plant. All of the tuners in one of the banks are contemporaneously adjusted during an adaptation scan while the tuners in the other banks remain stationary. The process is then carried out for the other banks of adjustable tuners. The number of adjustable tuners per bank is chosen so that adaptation scans of the tuners in the respective bank create observable changes in acoustic levels to enable adaptation. Multiple sets of multiple banks of adjustable tuners can be provided to attenuate multiple disturbances propagating through the acoustic plant.

Abstract: An inertial gas-liquid separator includes a housing having an inlet for receiving a gas-liquid stream, and an outlet for discharging a gas stream. Nozzle structure in the housing has a plurality of nozzles receiving the gas-liquid stream from the inlet and accelerating the gas-liquid stream through the nozzles. An inertial collector in the housing in the path of the accelerated gas-liquid stream causes a sharp directional change thereof and in preferred form has a rough porous collection surface causing liquid particle separation from the gas-liquid stream of smaller size liquid particles than a smooth non-porous impactor impingement surface and without the sharp cut-off size of the latter, to improve over all separation efficiency including for smaller liquid particles. Various housing configurations and geometries are provided.

Abstract: A combination in situ oil filter purge and oil replacement system is provided in a lubrication system, including for an internal combustion engine (10). A purge system backflushes the oil filter (12) and re-circulates backflushed used oil. A replacement system supplies fresh oil to the filter (12).

Abstract: A filter element (202, 250) includes pleated filter media (26) having a plurality of pleats (28) in a closed annular loop having an outer perimeter (30) defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips (32), an inner perimeter (34) defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips (36), the loop having a hollow interior (38) extending along an axis (40), wherein fluid to be filtered flows laterally through the filter media and flows axially in the hollow interior (38). The filter element has an axial flow passage (56a) along the axis (40) and circumscribing the hollow interior (38) and has a flow perimeter (218) greater than the inner perimeter (34) of the filter element defined by the inner pleat tips (36), and in the preferred embodiment substantially the same as the outer perimeter (30) defined by the outer pleat tips (32), to provide axial flow (58) through the hollow interior (38) and additional axial flow (59 and 59a) through the axial ends (68) of the pleats.

Abstract: A muffler includes an upstream outer shell, a downstream outer shell, and identical upstream and downstream inner baffles forming in combination an upstream expansion chamber, an inner expansion chamber, and a downstream expansion chamber. The upstream and downstream inner baffles divide the inner expansion chamber therebetween into a main chamber and first and second laterally spaced subchambers. The upstream and downstream inner baffles have respective sets of apertures therethrough laterally offset from each other and aligned with respective subchambers and communicating exhaust from the upstream expansion chamber through the set of apertures in the upstream inner baffle into the first subchamber and then flowing laterally through the main chamber to the second subchamber and then flowing through the second set of apertures into the downstream expansion chamber.

Abstract: A diesel engine crankcase ventilation filter is provided by a flat low profile filter housing having an inlet receiving oil and air from the diesel engine, an outlet returning air to the engine, a drain returning separated oil to the engine, and a flat panel filter element in the housing receiving the oil and air from the inlet, separating the oil from the air, and passing the air to the outlet and passing the oil to the drain.

Abstract: A corrugated axial filter (148) has a plurality of flow channels (178, 180, 182, 184, 208, 212) extending axially from the upstream dirty frontside (146) of the filter to the downstream clean backside (160) of the filter. Each channel has an upstream opening (186) at the upstream dirty frontside and has top and bottom walls (188 and 190) and right and left sidewalls (192 and 194) extending from the opening rearwardly toward the downstream clean backside. The right and left sidewalls taper towards each other as they extend rearwardly to define a triangular shaped flow channel. Right and left sidewalls of adjacent flow channels are a single continuous sheet of filter material (130) in a zig-zag pattern (134) with a plurality of fold lines including a first set of fold lines (136, 138, 140, 142, 144) at the upstream dirty frontside and a second set of fold lines (150, 152, 154, 156, 158) at the downstream clean backside.

Abstract: A fastener retention system, including for a filter housing, applies an axial retention force in a plastic molded structure having a bore in a standing tower extending along an axis. A fastener extends axially in the bore and has a first axial end retained in the bore in snap fit relation, and a second distally opposite axial end extending axially beyond the bore for mating with a retaining member holding a cover on a base in a filter application in assembled condition. The fastener is secured to the tower in permanent snap fit relation. The fastener is axially slid into the bore before crystallization and hardening of the plastic. The fastener is axially trapped in the bore between spaced facing abutments, and is anti-rotationally keyed thereto.

Abstract: An air filter (102) is provided by a housing (104) having an air inlet (106) and an air outlet (108), a main filter element (110) in the housing, a plastic outlet tube (116) having a sidewall (118) with a pressure tap opening (120) therethrough, a plastic fitting tube (122) extending from the plastic outlet tube at the pressure tap opening for receiving a pressure sensor connector (126), and an internal reinforcement member (128,146) in the plastic fitting tube resisting breakage of the latter.

Abstract: A combined power steering hydraulic fluid reservoir and cooling unit (12, 112) includes a housing (14, 114) having a reservoir tank (16, 116) for receiving and collecting hydraulic fluid from a power steering gear (18) and holding the hydraulic fluid in readiness for supply to a hydraulic pump (20). The housing has a heat exchanger (22, 122) with a cooling liquid flow path therethrough in heat transfer relation with the hydraulic fluid, eliminating a hydraulic fluid cooler otherwise connected in series between the power steering gear and the reservoir tank, and eliminating two extra hose connections therefor.

Abstract: A filter element (22) includes pleated filter media (26) having a plurality of pleats (28) in a closed annular loop having an outer perimeter (30) defined by a plurality of outer pleat tips (32), and an inner perimeter (34) defined by a plurality of inner pleat tips (36), the closed annular loop having a hollow interior (38) extending along an axis (40), wherein fluid to be filtered flows laterally through the filter media and flows axially (58) in the hollow interior (38). The filter element (22) has an axial flow passage (56) along the axis (40) and circumscribing the hollow interior (38) and has a flow perimeter (60) greater than the inner perimeter (34) of the filter element defined by the inner pleat tips (36). An end cap (66) of resilient compressible material at the axial end (62) of the filter element bears radially between and is radially compressed between an outer liner (102) and a flow tube (90) at the enlarged flow passage (56).

Abstract: A fluid filter assembly (20) includes an axially extending tubular housing shell (24) having an integral closed end (26), a distally opposite integral open end (28), and a sidewall (30) extending integrally between the ends. An annular filter cartridge (32) is in the housing shell. An adapter plate (48) has a first set of threads (50) thread mounting the adapter plate to the machine (22) from which fluid is filtered, and a second set of threads (54) engaging the threads (56) of the open end of the housing shell in thread tightened engagement. The housing shell is a singular one-piece member of sufficient stock and thickness at the open end to be internally threaded and to structurally support direct threaded engagement with the adapter plate without an intermediate structural support member.

Abstract: A muffler (12) has first and second outer shell members (14 and 16), and first and second inner baffle members (18 and 20). The inner baffle members are identical to each other and parallel to each other and rotated 180.degree. relative to each other about an axis (22) perpendicular to such parallel extension. The baffle members have oppositely facing laterally offset formed expansion chambers (32 and 34) partially overlapped to provide exhaust flow communication therebetween. The structural combination enables usage of identical components (18 and 20), which improves manufacturing efficiency and provides a cost reduction.