DEVICE FOR CLEANING LIQUIDS OR GASEOUS MEDIA AND PRECIPITATING ELEMENT FOR SAID DEVICE

Abstract

A device for cleaning liquids or gaseous media, having a cup-shaped or pot-shaped housing, having an exchangeable interior precipitating element, a medium inlet for medium to be cleaned, a medium outlet for cleaned medium and a housing cover, removably connected to the housing by a connection. The housing has a first circumferential connector and the housing cover has a compatible second circumferential connector, which can be engaged and disengaged by circumferential twisting relative to each other. The first connector or the second connector have at least one interruption extending in the connector axial direction and the precipitating element has at least one positioning arm which, in the installed state of the precipitating element and when the housing cover is connected to the housing, is received at least partially in the at least one connector interruption, in a position and orientation corresponding to the connector interruption.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the German patent application No. 20 2014 104 029.3 filed on Aug. 28, 2014, and of the German patent application No. 10 2015 103 619.3 filed on Mar. 12, 2015, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by way of reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning liquid or gaseous media, having a cup-shaped or pot-shaped housing, having an exchangeable precipitating element situated in the device that separates a raw medium region and a clean medium region in the device from each other, having a medium inlet, opening into the raw medium region, for medium to be cleaned, having a medium outlet, going out from the clean medium region, for cleaned medium, and having a housing cover detachably connected to the housing by a connection, the housing having first circumferential connecting means and the housing cover having second circumferential connecting means fitting thereto, which can be brought into and out of engagement with each other through rotation relative to one another in the circumferential direction. Moreover, the present invention relates to a precipitating element for the device.

A device of the type named above and a precipitating element for the device are known from DE 87 14 656 U1. Specifically, this document describes an oil filter for cleaning lubricant oil, in which the precipitating element is a filter insert. On its end surface oriented toward the medium outlet, the precipitating element has an annular end plate with which it is plugged onto the medium outlet, fashioned as a pipe socket, and is in this way centered there. At its end remote from the medium outlet, the precipitating element has an end plate having a locking element situated at the upper side and having the shape of an undercut round recess, that, in the installed state, stands in detachable locking engagement with tongue-shaped locking elements on the inner side of the housing cover, as a result of which the precipitating element is also centered there.

However, in devices that are not intended to have, or cannot have, block elements of the type described above on the precipitating element and on the housing cover, the centering of the precipitating element at its end remote from the medium outlet is not present, which can result in undesired movements of the precipitating element in this region both in the radial direction and in the circumferential direction, and thus to increased wear or damage at the precipitating element and/or at the housing and housing cover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For the present invention, an object therefore arises of providing a device of the type named above and a precipitating element for said device that avoids the named disadvantages, and in which a centering and fixing of the precipitating element is ensured even without the known locking elements. In addition, the present invention is intended to make it possible to achieve, as needed, further desired and positive properties with a low outlay for production and installation.

The solution of the first part of the object, relating to the device, is achieved according to the present invention by a device of the type named above that is characterized in that the first connecting means or the second connecting means have at least one interruption of the connecting means, running in the axial direction of the connecting means, and that the precipitating element has at least one positioning arm that, in the installed state of the precipitating element and when the housing cover is connected to the housing, is received at least partly in the connecting means interruption in a position and orientation corresponding to the at least one connecting means interruption.

According to the present invention, the means for centering and fixing the precipitating element are placed in a region of the device not previously used for this purpose, namely in the region of the connection between the housing and housing cover of the device. In this way, it is advantageously achieved that when the housing cover is connected to the housing the at least one positioning arm is automatically received in the connecting means interruption, and as a result is fixed in its position, which simultaneously brings about both the desired positioning and centering of the precipitating element and also its locking against an undesired rotation in the circumferential direction. If, during maintenance, the connection between the housing and the housing cover is detached, then at the same time the at least one positioning arm is also free, so that the precipitating element can then be removed unhindered from the device and can be replaced by a new, identical precipitating element having a positioning arm or positioning arms. When installing the precipitating element, attention must merely be paid to ensure that the at least one positioning arm comes to lie in fitting fashion in the associated connecting means interruption. The at least one connecting means interruption and the associated at least one positioning arm are here of course fashioned such that the rotation of the housing and the housing cover relative to one another required to produce and detach the connection between these two parts is not hindered.

In particular, for the purpose of a favorable distribution of forces, it is preferably provided that a plurality of connecting means interruptions are provided distributed over the circumference of the first connecting means or the second connecting means, and that the precipitating element has a plurality of positioning arms situated so as to fit correspondingly with the connecting means interruptions.

In order to prevent, as completely as possible, installation of an unsuitable precipitating element in the device, and functional disturbances caused by this, it is proposed that the connecting means, interruptions of the first connecting means or of the second connecting means, and the positioning arms, form a key-lock coding with one another.

Preferably, for the realization of this key-lock coding, it is provided that the connecting means, interruptions of the first connecting means or of the second connecting means, and the positioning arms, are distributed irregularly in the circumferential direction, and/or that the connecting means interruptions of the first connecting means or of the second connecting means, have different widths from one another in the circumferential direction, and the positioning arms have a different width, fitting thereto, in the circumferential direction.

In order to facilitate the assembly of the device, a development of the device provides that the/each positioning arm is detachably lockable in the associated locking means interruption by interacting locking elements. In this way, an easily realizable pre-assembly of the precipitating element on the housing or on the housing cover is possible, and as a result, installation errors can be avoided to the greatest possible extent.

The positioning arm or arms can be situated in different ways on the precipitating element, which itself can also have different realizations.

A first realization in this regard is characterized in that the precipitating element has a hollow cylindrical basic shape having a precipitating material body, and two end plates covering this body at its ends, and that the/each positioning arm is connected to or made in one piece with the end plates of the precipitating element, or that the/each positioning arm is connected to the precipitating material body of the precipitating element in positionally fixed fashion in the circumferential and axial direction.

A further realization in this regard proposes that the precipitating element is a precipitating material body having a hollow cylindrical basic shape and having a supporting body situated therein, and that the/each positioning arm is connected to or made in one piece with the supporting body of the precipitating element. In this embodiment, the precipitating element can be realized with or without end plates. Thus, the precipitating element here, for example, can be a fiber separator or winding form that has no end plates and that, for example, can be used in an oil mist separator for the crankcase ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine.

According to a third realization in this regard, it is provided that the precipitating element has a precipitating material body formed from two partial precipitating material bodies, each having a hollow cylindrical basic shape, and that two end faces, facing each other, of the two partial precipitating material bodies are connected to one another by an intermediate plate, and that the/each positioning arm is connected to, or made in one piece with, the intermediate plate of the precipitating element.

In the devices considered here, during operation the housing cover must be connected in medium-tight fashion to the housing, in order to reliably prevent an undesired or even dangerous exit of medium from the device. For this purpose, between the housing and housing cover there is situated a seal that seals these from one another when the housing cover is connected to the housing. In order to ensure tightness even after maintenance, it is usual, or even prescribed, to replace the seal between the housing and housing cover during each maintenance session. Standard practice is to install a fresh seal, e.g., in the form of an O-ring, as a separate individual part in a packaged fresh precipitating element provided as a replacement part, so that together with the precipitating element, the maintenance personnel also exchange the seal. However, in practice it occurs relatively frequently that, due to lack of attention or lack of knowledge, the maintenance personnel replace only the precipitating element but not the seal, or do not correctly install the fresh seal. In order to prevent this, according to the present invention it is provided that the seal, or a bearer that bears the seal, is connected to or made in one piece with at least one positioning arm of the precipitating element. In this way, it is advantageously ensured that the seal is also exchanged automatically every time the precipitating element is changed.

The seal, as a sealing ring, can be situated radially outwardly on the seal bearer or axially on the end face on the seal bearer.

Alternatively, the seal can be molded onto the seal bearer or can be placed onto the seal bearer as a separately produced component.

In addition, there is the possibility that the/each positioning arm, the seal bearer, and the seal are made in one piece with each other from a thermoplastic elastomer. The thermoplastic elastomer has properties that are suitable for a seal.

In the device according to the present invention, the connection between the housing and the housing cover having the first connecting means and the second connecting means is preferably formed through an axial overlap region of the housing and housing cover having interacting screw threadings or interacting bayonet connection elements.

Finally, the device is preferably an oil filter or a fuel filter or an oil mist separator of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. In these concrete embodiments and uses, the advantageous properties of the device according to the present invention are put to particularly good use.

Besides the device, the present invention also relates to a precipitating element for a device of the type described above, the device having a housing and a housing cover detachably connected to the housing, the housing having first circumferential connecting means and the housing cover having second circumferential connecting means fitting thereto, which can be brought into and out of engagement through rotation relative to one another in the circumferential direction, and the precipitating element being received exchangeably in the device.

In order to achieve the second part of the object of the invention, relating to the precipitating element, the present invention proposes that the precipitating element has at least one positioning arm that, in the installed state of the precipitating element and when the housing cover is connected to the housing, can be received in a connecting means interruption that is provided in the first connecting means or in the second connecting means, running in the axial direction of the connecting means. The precipitating element is thus matched to the associated device and is specifically made to fit thereto, in order to prevent the installation of unsuitable foreign precipitating elements in the device.

Preferably, the precipitating element has a plurality of positioning arms that are configured so as to fit correspondingly with a plurality of connecting means interruptions.

In order to enable a key-lock coding between the precipitating element and the rest of the device, it is provided that the positioning arms are distributed irregularly in the circumferential direction and/or that the positioning arms have a different width from one another in the circumferential direction.

In order to make it possible to easily pre-mount the precipitating element on the housing or on the housing cover, the/each positioning arm usefully has locking elements that can be detachably locked with locking elements provided in the associated locking means interruption.

In a development, the precipitating element has a hollow cylindrical basic shape having a precipitating material body and two end plates covering this body at its end faces, and the/each positioning arm is connected to or made in one piece with one of the end plates of the precipitating element, or the/each positioning arm is connected in positionally fixed fashion to the precipitating material body of the precipitating element in the circumferential and axial direction.

A further embodiment in this regard proposes that the precipitating element has a precipitating material body having a hollow cylindrical basic shape and having a supporting body situated therein, and that the/each positioning arm is connected to or made in one piece with the supporting body of the precipitating element. In this embodiment, the precipitating element can be realized with or without end plates and can be, for example, a fiber separator or winding form that does not have end plates and that, for example, can be used in an oil mist separator for the crankcase housing ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine.

In a further alternative, the precipitating element has a precipitating material body formed from two partial precipitating material bodies, each having a hollow cylindrical basic shape, two end faces, facing one another, of the two partial precipitating material bodies being connected to one another by an intermediate plate, and the/each positioning arm being connected to or made in one piece with the intermediate plate of the precipitating element.

In order to obtain an additional use of the precipitating element, it is proposed that a seal, or a seal bearer bearing a seal, be connected to or made in one piece with the at least one positioning arm, the housing and the housing cover being capable of being sealed from one another by the seal when connected to one another in the installed state of the precipitating element.

Here the seal, for example as a sealing ring, can be situated radially externally on the seal bearer or axially on the end face on the seal bearer.

Alternatively, the seal can be molded onto the seal bearer or can be placed onto the seal bearer as a separately manufactured component.

There is also the possibility that the/each positioning arm, the seal bearer, and the seal are formed in one piece with one another from a thermoplastic elastomer. One of the end plates or the intermediate plate can also be included in this one-piece part.

Finally, the precipitating element is preferably an oil filter insert of an oil filter or a fuel filter insert of a fuel filter or an oil mist separator insert of an oil mist separator of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. In these concrete embodiments and uses, the advantageous properties of the precipitating element are particularly well exploited.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained on the basis of a drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a first device for cleaning liquid or gaseous media, in longitudinal section,

FIG. 1a shows the detail circled in FIG. 1 in an enlarged representation,

FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 in cross-section along sectional line II-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a second device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 4 shows the device of FIG. 3 in cross-section along sectional line B-B in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows the device of FIG. 3 in cross-section along sectional line C-C in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 shows a precipitating element of the device of FIG. 3, in an oblique view from the top,

FIG. 7 shows a housing of the device of FIG. 3, in an oblique view from the top,

FIG. 8 shows a third device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 9 shows the device of FIG. 8 in cross-section along sectional line IX-IX in FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 shows a fourth device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 10a shows the detail circled in FIG. 10 in an enlarged representation,

FIG. 11 shows the device of FIG. 10 in cross-section along sectional line XI-XI in FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 shows a fifth device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 13 shows the device of FIG. 12 in cross-section along sectional line XIII-XIII in FIG. 10,

FIG. 14 shows a sixth device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 14a shows the detail circled in FIG. 14 in an enlarged representation,

FIG. 15 shows the device of FIG. 14 in cross-section along sectional line XV-XV in FIG. 14,

FIG. 16 shows a seventh device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 16a shows the detail circled in FIG. 16 in an enlarged representation,

FIG. 17 shows the device of FIG. 16 in cross-section along the sectional line XVII-XVII in FIG. 14,

FIG. 18 shows an eighth device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 19 shows the device of FIG. 18 in cross-section along sectional line XIX-XIX in FIG. 18,

FIG. 20 shows a housing cover of the device of FIG. 18 in an oblique view from below,

FIG. 21 shows a precipitating element of the device of FIG. 18 in an oblique view from above,

FIG. 22 shows a ninth device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 23 shows the device of FIG. 22 in cross-section along sectional line XXIII-XXIII in FIG. 22,

FIG. 24 shows the device of FIG. 22 in a front view,

FIG. 25 shows a precipitating element of the device of FIG. 22 in an oblique view from above,

FIG. 26 shows a housing cover of the device of FIG. 22 in an oblique view from below,

FIG. 27 shows a housing of the device of FIG. 22 in an oblique view from above,

FIG. 28 shows a tenth device without housing cover in a front view,

FIG. 29 shows the device of FIG. 28 in the same representation together with connecting means of the housing cover,

FIG. 30 shows an eleventh device, in a front view,

FIG. 31 shows the device of FIG. 30 in cross-section along sectional line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 30,

FIG. 32 shows a supporting body of the device of FIG. 30 in a top view,

FIG. 33 shows the supporting body of FIG. 32 in longitudinal section,

FIG. 34 shows a twelfth device in longitudinal section,

FIG. 35 shows the device of FIG. 34 in cross-section along sectional line XXXV-XXXV in FIG. 34,

FIG. 36 shows a supporting body of the device of FIG. 34 in a top view, and

FIG. 37 shows the supporting body of FIG. 36 in longitudinal section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of the Figures, identical parts in the various Figures of the drawing are always designated with the same reference characters, in order to avoid having to provide a new explanation for each reference character for each Figure of the drawing.

FIG. 1 of the drawing shows a first device 1 for cleaning liquid or gaseous media, such as lubricant oil, fuel, or crankcase ventilation gas of an internal combustion engine, in longitudinal section. Device 1 has a cup-shaped housing 10 that is sealed at its top side by a housing cover 11. Housing 10 and housing cover 11 are detachably connected to one another by a connection 2 made up of first connecting means 20 on housing 10 and second connecting means 21 on housing cover 11. Concretely, here connection 2 is a screw connection. For the seal between housing 10 and housing cover 11, when they are connected to one another, a circumferential seal 5 is situated between them that lies in axially sealing fashion between a lower edge of housing cover 11 and a sealing collar 16 of housing 10. In this exemplary embodiment, seal 5 is a separate individual part.

In housing 10, a precipitating element 3 is exchangeably situated, which element is made up of a precipitating material body 30 and an upper end plate 31 and a lower end plate 32 that enclose precipitating material body 30 at the end faces. Precipitating element 3 is plugged onto a pipe socket-shaped medium outlet 15, via a central perforation in lower end plate 32. Radially externally from medium outlet 15, in the floor of housing 10 there is provided a medium inlet 12 that opens into a raw medium region 13 radially outside precipitating element 3. A clean medium region 14 is situated radially inward from precipitating material body 30.

Here, a plurality of positioning arms 4 are made in one piece with upper end plate 30, of which one is visible at left in FIG. 1. Positioning arm 4 goes out from the radially external edge of upper end plate 31, and runs first obliquely outward and then vertically downward.

As is shown in FIG. 1 and in the enlarged detail in FIG. 1a, each positioning arm 4 runs through a connecting means interruption 23 in second connecting means 21 on housing cover 11. A free end 40 of positioning arms 4 is here situated at a distance above seal 5 in connecting means interruption 23. Via positioning arms 4, precipitating element 3 is centered inside device 1 and is fixed in rotationally fixed fashion in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 2 shows device 1 of FIG. 1 in a cross-section along sectional line II-II in FIG. 1. Radially outwardly, first housing cover 11 is sectioned. Radially inwardly therefrom, there runs circumferential wall of housing 10. Between housing 10 and housing cover 11 is situated screw connection 2. At locations distributed uniformly around the circumference of device 1, there are situated respective connecting means interruptions 23, through each of which a respective positioning arm 4 runs.

The configuration of connecting means interruption 23 and of positioning arms 4 can be varied within broad limits, and can advantageously be used to form a key-lock coding in order to permit only particular, suitable precipitating elements 3 to be installed in device 1.

Radially inward from the circumferential wall of housing 10 there is situated raw medium region 13, followed, further radially inward, by precipitating material body 13 of precipitating element 3. At left in FIG. 2, a small part of medium inlet 12 is still visible radially outside precipitating element 3. In the center in FIG. 2, clean medium region 14 is situated in the interior of precipitating element 3, and medium outlet 15 is in the background. FIG. 2 illustrates particularly clearly that here precipitating element 3 is received in device 1 in rotationally fixed fashion and is centered therein.

FIG. 3 shows a second device 1, again in longitudinal section. In this device 1 as well, a plurality of positioning arms 4 are provided, distributed around the circumference, of which one is visible at the right in FIG. 3. Positioning arms 4 are here fashioned in one piece with a bearer ring 41 that is fixedly attached on the outer circumference of precipitating material body 30 in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction, in particular by gluing or welding. Positioning arms 4 run through a connecting means interruption 22 that is fashioned in first connecting means 20 on housing 10, as is visible at top right in FIG. 3.

On the radial outer end of positioning arms 4, these arms go over in one piece into a seal bearer 50 on whose downward-oriented side, in the axial direction, there is situated a seal 5 in the form of a sealing ring, which is, for example, molded or glued on. In this exemplary embodiment, seal 5 is thus an integral component of precipitating element 3, so that when precipitating element 3 is exchanged in the context of maintenance of device 1, seal 5 is automatically also changed along with it and renewed while being necessarily correctly positioned.

In its further parts, device 1 corresponds to the exemplary embodiment described above, to whose description reference is accordingly made.

FIG. 4 shows device 1 of FIG. 3 in cross-section according to the sectional line B-B in FIG. 3; here it can be seen that in this exemplary embodiment, a total of four positioning arms 4 are provided distributed around the circumference. Each positioning arm 4 runs through one of the connecting means interruption 22 in housing 10. Radially inwardly, positioning arms 4 are made in one piece with bearer ring 41, which in turn is fixedly attached on the outer circumference of precipitating material body 30. Radially outwardly, positioning arms 4 go over in one piece into seal bearer 50. Radially outwardly from seal bearer 50, housing cover 11 is sectioned. Radially inwardly from seal bearer 50, the section runs through housing 10, and in the center of FIG. 4 medium outlet 15 can be seen in the background.

FIG. 5 shows device 1 of FIG. 3 in cross-section according to second sectional line C-C, running above sectional line B-B, in FIG. 3. Medium outlet 15 is again visible in the background in the center in FIG. 5. Precipitating material body 30 of precipitating element 3 is situated around this outlet. On the outer circumference thereof is seated bearing ring 41, which is made in one piece with positioning arms 4, here visible from above. Housing cover 11 runs radially externally from positioning arms 4. Radially internally therefrom is situated the circumferential wall of housing 10. Between housing 10 and housing cover 11 is situated their connection 2, here as well in the form of a screw connection. In the circumferential direction, the three connecting means interruptions 22, in which positioning arms 4 are situated, are provided in the connection.

FIG. 6 shows precipitating element 3 of device 1 from FIG. 3, in an oblique view from above. At the top, upper end plate 31 is visible, and at bottom lower end plate 32 is visible, between which there extends precipitating material body 30 enclosed by these plates. On the outer circumference of precipitating material body 30, bearing ring 41 is seated, fixed in the circumferential and axial direction, from whose outer circumference positioning arms 4 extend outward in the radial direction, in one piece. Radially externally, positioning arms 4 go over in one piece into annular circumferential seal bearing 50, which bears seal 5 on its downward-pointing side in the axial direction.

FIG. 7 shows housing 10 of device 1 from FIG. 3 in an oblique view from above. Housing 10 is cup-shaped and has on its upper edge region first connecting means 20, in the form of a screw threading, in which the three connecting means interruptions 22 are formed, distributed in the circumferential direction. In this example, connecting means interruptions 22 extend over the entire thickness of the material of housing 10; alternatively, connecting means interruptions 22 can also be realized as grooves extending, from the outside, only over a part of the material thickness of housing 10. Below connecting means 20, sealing collar 16 extends outward in the radial direction, going out from the circumferential wall of housing 10.

FIG. 8 shows a third device, again in longitudinal section. The realization of positioning arms 4 having bearing ring 41, seal bearer 50, and seal 5 corresponds to the example described above. Differing here is the configuration of positioning arms 4. In FIG. 8, these arms are situated further down, in the axial direction, on precipitating material body 30 of precipitating element 3, corresponding to the smaller height of housing 10 and the larger height of housing cover 11, so that positioning arms 4 come to be situated in a fitting manner at the height of the axial region of overlap of housing 10 and housing cover 11. With regard to the further individual parts in FIG. 8, reference is made to the description of the preceding exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows device 1 of FIG. 8 in cross-section according to the sectional line IX-IX in FIG. 8. Radially outwardly in FIG. 9, the section goes through housing cover 11, and seal bearer 50 follows radially inwardly. Seal bearer 50 is made in one piece with the three positioning arms 4 distributed around the circumference of device 1, and with bearing ring 41, which runs around precipitating material body 30 and is connected thereto. Housing 10 is sectioned radially inwardly from seal bearer 50. Positioning arms 4 are each received by a connecting means interruption 22.

FIG. 10 shows a fourth device 1, also in longitudinal section. This embodiment of device 1 corresponds substantially to the exemplary embodiment described above, differing in that, in the example according to FIG. 10, positioning arms 4 have no connection to seal bearer 50, which in FIG. 10a is also illustrated by the detail circled in FIG. 10, in an enlarged view. Positioning arms 4 however also here provide a centering and a fixing of precipitating element 3 in the circumferential direction of device 1.

Here, seal bearer 50 forms a separate unit together with seal 5.

FIG. 11 shows device 1 of FIG. 10 in cross-section according to the sectional line XI-XI in FIG. 10. Housing cover 11 is sectioned radially outwardly, followed radially inwardly by seal bearer 50. Radially inwardly from this, the circumferential wall of housing 10 is sectioned. Positioning arms 4 are situated in connecting means interruptions 22 of the circumferential wall of housing 10, which arms go over radially inwardly in one piece into bearing ring 41 which is attached and fixed on the outer circumference of precipitating material body 30. In the center of FIG. 11, medium outlet 15 for medium cleaned in device 1 is again visible in the background.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a fifth device in longitudinal section, and in cross-section according to sectional line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. For this exemplary embodiment, it is characteristic that precipitating material body 30 is formed here from two partial precipitating material bodies 30′, 30″. Upper and lower end plate 31, 32 are provided at the top and bottom respectively. In addition, precipitating element 30 has an intermediate plate 33 to which the downward-pointing end face of upper partial precipitating material body 30′ and the upward-pointing end face of the lower partial precipitating material body 30″ are connected.

Here, a plurality of, specifically three, positioning arms 4, distributed around the circumference, are realized in one piece with intermediate plate 33, which arms extend radially outward through connecting means interruptions 22 in first connecting means 20 of housing 10, and which center precipitating element 3 in device 1 and fix it in the circumferential direction.

Radially outwardly, positioning arms 4 go over in one piece into seal bearer 50, which bears seal 5 on its lower side. In the assembled state of device 1, seal 5 with seal bearer 50 is clamped in axially sealing fashion between housing cover 11 and sealing collar 16 on housing 10.

FIGS. 14, 14a, and 15 show a sixth device 1 in longitudinal section in an enlarged detail and in cross-section according to sectional line XV-XV in FIG. 14. Characteristic for this example is that a plurality of, here five, positioning arms 4 are provided that are made in one piece with lower end plate 32 of precipitating element 3. Here, positioning arms 4 run through connecting means interruptions 23 in second connecting means 21 on housing cover 11. The one-piece unit made up of lower end plate 32, positioning arms 4, and seal 5 is here usefully made of a thermoplastic elastomer that combines the necessary mechanical properties and sealing properties.

FIGS. 16, 16a, and 17 show a seventh device 1 in longitudinal section, in an enlarged detail, and in cross-section according to sectional line XVII-XVII in FIG. 16. In this example, positioning arms 4 are connected to lower end plate 32 of precipitating element 3; concretely, they are glued or welded by means of bearing ring 41. Bearing ring 41 and positioning arms 4 are here fashioned in one piece with each other.

Positioning arms 4 here run in the direction from bottom to top through connecting means interruptions 22 in connecting means 20 on housing 10. At their upward-pointing end region, positioning arms 4 are realized in one piece with circumferential seal bearer 50, which for its part bears on its upper side seal 5, which seals housing 10 and housing cover 11 from one another when they are connected to one another.

FIGS. 18 through 21 show an eighth device, shown in longitudinal section in FIG. 18 and shown in FIG. 19 in cross-section according to sectional line XIX-XIX in FIG. 18. In FIG. 20, housing cover 11 of device 1 is shown in an oblique view from below, and in FIG. 21 precipitating element 3 of device 1 is shown in a front view.

Characteristic for this exemplary embodiment is that only a single positioning arm 4 is provided, which here is realized in one piece with upper end plate 31 of precipitating element 3, and extends at first obliquely and then vertically downward therefrom. Here, positioning arms 4 run through a connecting means interruption 23 in connecting means 21 on the inner circumference of housing cover 11.

In precipitating element 3, specifically in the interior of precipitating material body 30, here there is situated a hollow cylindrical, grid-shaped supporting body 34 that protects precipitating material body 30 from collapsing during operation when there is a flow in the radial direction from the outside to the inside.

Annular peripheral seal bearer 50 is connected in one piece to the axially lower end region of positioning arm 4, said bearer having on its outer circumference seal 5 in the form of a sealing ring having a rectangular cross-section. In the assembled state of device 1, visible in FIG. 18, seal 5 is situated in an axially sealing fashion between sealing collar 16 of housing 10 and housing cover 11. Here as well, the single positioning arm 4 provides a centering of precipitating element 3 in device 1 and provides a rotational securing of precipitating element 3 in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 20 illustrates the situation of connecting means 21 on the inner circumference of housing cover 11, with the single connecting means interruption 23 situated therein.

FIG. 21 illustrates, in particular, the one-piece realization of upper end plate 31 of precipitating element 3 with the single positioning arm 4, and with seal bearer 50 made in one piece therewith. Here, seal 5 is situated on the outer circumference of seal bearer 50, either in floating fashion or alternatively in fixed fashion, being, for example, glued or welded thereon.

In the previously described exemplary embodiments, connecting means 20 on housing 10 and connecting means 21 on housing cover 11 are interacting screw threadings. In FIGS. 22 through 29, exemplary embodiments are shown in which connecting means 20 and 21 are formed by bayonet connection elements instead of screw threadings. Connecting means 20, 21 realized as bayonet connection elements are also situated in the region of overlap of housing 10 and housing cover 11, and form their connection 2, which can be produced and detached through rotation relative to one another. Differently than shown here, the bayonet connection means can also extend respectively over the entire circumference of the region of overlap of the housing and housing cover.

Here, three positioning arms 4, distributed around the circumference, are provided; the number of these arms can of course also be smaller or greater. Positioning arms 4 are fashioned in one piece with bearing ring 41, which is fixed on the outer circumference of precipitating material body 30 of precipitating element 3. In addition, a holding arm 42 is assigned to each positioning arm 4, and is made in one piece therewith, the holding arm extending upward in the axial direction from positioning arm 4 up to upper end plate 31 of precipitating element 3, and being connected to the edge thereof, for example by welding or gluing or locking.

Each positioning arm 4 here extends through a connecting means interruption 22 in connecting means 20 on housing 10, as can be seen at the upper right in FIG. 22.

Here, the separate, annular seal bearing 50 having seal 5 attached on its lower side runs radially externally from positioning arms 4, without being connected thereto.

Alternatively to the representation shown in FIG. 22, positioning arms 4 can also be connected to seal bearer 50 or can be made in one piece therewith, if a unit of precipitating element 3 and seal 5, so that they can be exchanged together, is desired.

FIG. 23 shows device 1 of FIG. 22 in a cross-section along sectional line XXIII-XXIII in FIG. 22, running through sealing collar 16 of housing 10. Radially inward therefrom is situated raw medium region 13, followed further inward by precipitating material body 30 of precipitating element 3. In the center thereof is situated clean medium region 14, with outlet 15 visible in the background. At the far right, in the interior of housing 10 a small part of medium inlet 12 situated under precipitating element 3 is still visible.

FIG. 24 shows assembled device 1 in an external view, housing 10 being visible at bottom and housing cover 11 being visible at top. Concealed between these there is situated their connection 2, which can be detached by a rotation relative to one another.

FIG. 25 shows precipitating element 3 of device 1 according to FIGS. 22 through 24, as an individual part. Precipitating material body 30 is enclosed at the top by upper end plate 31 and at the bottom by lower end plate 32. Bearing ring 41 is fastened on the outer circumference of precipitating material body 30, which ring is made in one piece with positioning arms 4 and holding arms 42. Holding arms 42 extend up to the radially external edge of upper end plate 31 and are connected thereto.

Seal bearer 50 with seal 5 runs radially externally to positioning arms 4. Seal bearer 50 and seal 5 can form a separate unit not connected to positioning arms 4. Alternatively, seal bearer 50 can be connected to or made in one piece with positioning arms 4.

FIG. 26 shows housing cover 11 of device 1 from FIG. 22, in an oblique view from below, so that the view extends into the interior of housing cover 11, where two elements of the bayonet connection elements are visible on the inner circumference of the housing cover, as second connecting means 21 of connection 2 between housing 10 and housing cover 11.

FIG. 27 shows housing 10 of device 1 from FIG. 22, in an oblique view from above, no precipitating element 3 being installed here. In the upper edge region of housing 10, forming the region of overlap to housing cover 11, above radially externally situated sealing collar 16 the first connecting means 20 can be seen as bayonet connection elements, which essentially run in the circumferential direction. Transverse to first connecting means 20, and partly intersecting these, connecting means interruptions 22 for receiving positioning arms 4, which form a part of precipitating element 3 (not installed here), run in the axial direction.

FIGS. 28 and 29 show a modification of device 1 from FIGS. 22 through 27, having installed precipitating element 3, but without housing cover 11, in a front view.

Connecting means interruptions 22, running in the axial direction, here intersect first connecting means 20, running essentially in the circumferential direction, these connecting means here again being realized as bayonet connection elements, as is shown in FIG. 28. Positioning arms 4 are here again made in one piece with a respective holding arm 42, each running in the axial direction up to the radially external edge of upper end plate 31. On the outward-pointing side of holding arms 42, in each case there is integrally formed a ramp 43 that runs at an angle, that, when precipitating element 3 is installed, forms a contour that is continuous with first connecting means 20 on housing 10.

Via this continuous contour formed by ramp 43 and first connecting means 20, when housing cover 11 is attached and is rotated relative to housing 10, in each case the second connecting means 21 situated in housing cover 11 can be guided into their position corresponding to the closed position of housing cover 11, as is illustrated in FIG. 29 with second connecting means 21 depicted therein.

FIG. 30 shows an eleventh device 1, again in longitudinal section. This device 1 has a cup-shaped housing 10 that is sealed at the top by a housing cover 11. Housing 10 and housing cover 11 are detachably connected to one another by a connection 2 made up of first connecting means 20 on housing 10 and second connecting means 21 on housing cover 11. Specifically, here connection 2 is also a screw connection. For the seal between housing 10 and housing cover 11, when they are connected to each other, between these there is situated a circumferential seal 5 that lies in axially sealing fashion between a lower edge of housing cover 11 and a sealing collar 16 of housing 10. In this exemplary embodiment, seal 5 is a separate sealing ring.

In housing 10, a precipitating element 3 is exchangeably situated that is made up of a hollow cylindrical precipitating material body 30, here not having end plates. Radially externally to medium outlet 15, in the floor of housing 10 there is provided a medium inlet 12 that opens into a raw medium region 13 radially outside precipitating element 3. Radially inwardly from precipitating material body 30 there is situated a clean medium region 14.

In the interior of precipitating material body 30 there is situated a supporting body 34 that protects precipitating material body 30 from collapsing during operation when there is a flow radially from the outside to the inside. At its upper end face, supporting body 34 is closed by an end wall 35, which here is made in one piece with the rest of supporting body 34. With the lower end of supporting body 34, precipitating material body 30 is plugged onto a pipe socket-shaped medium outlet 15 that is situated centrally at bottom in housing 10.

Here, a plurality of positioning arms 4 are made in one piece with the upper end of supporting body 34, of which arms one is visible at left in FIG. 30. Positioning arm 4 goes out from the axially upper edge of supporting body 34, and runs first radially outward and then radially outward from precipitating material body 30 axially downward.

Each positioning arm 4 runs through a connecting means interruption 23 in second connecting means 21 on housing cover 11. An outer end of positioning arms 4 here lies immediately above seal 5 in connecting means interruption 23. Via positioning arms 4, precipitating element 3 is centered in device 1, and is fixed in rotationally fixed fashion in the circumferential direction.

At its free end, positioning arms 4 go over in one piece into an annular circumferential seal bearer 50 that bears seal 5 on its outer circumference.

FIG. 31 shows device 1 of FIG. 30 in cross-section according to sectional line XXXI-XXXI in FIG. 30. Housing cover 11 is sectioned radially outwardly. Radially inwardly therefrom, there runs the circumferential wall of housing 10. Between housing 10 and housing cover 11 is situated screw connection 2. Connecting means interruptions 23 are situated at each of five locations distributed uniformly around the circumference of device 1, and one of the positioning arms 4 runs through each of these interruptions.

In this embodiment of device 1 as well, the configuration of connecting means interruptions 23 and positioning arms 4 interacting there with can be varied within broad limits, and can advantageously be used to form a key-lock coding in order to permit the installation only of particular, suitable precipitating elements 3 in device 1.

Radially inwardly from the circumferential wall of housing 10 there is situated raw medium region 13, followed radially further inward by precipitating material body 30 of precipitating element 3. In the center of FIG. 31, clean medium region 14 is situated in the interior of precipitating element 3, and medium outlet 15 is situated in the background. FIG. 31 shows that here as well, precipitating element 3 is received in rotationally fixed fashion in device 1 and is centered therein, even when precipitating element 3 does not have end plates.

FIG. 32 shows supporting body 34 of device 1 of FIG. 30 in a top view. The five positioning arms 4 go outward in the radial direction from the end of supporting body 34 that faces the observer and is sealed by end wall 35, and these arms then bend downward. At their free ends, positioning arms 4 go over into annular, circumferential seal bearer 50.

FIG. 33 shows the supporting body of FIG. 32 in longitudinal section. In the installed state, supporting body 34 lies with its central, grid-shaped part against the inner circumference of precipitating material body 30 of precipitating element 3. Positioning arms 4 go outward in the radial direction from the upper end of supporting body 34, sealed by end wall 35, and then bend downward. At their free, lower ends, positioning arms 4 go over in one piece into annular, circumferential seal bearer 50.

FIG. 34 shows a twelfth device 1, in longitudinal section, which is a modification of device 1 according to FIG. 30. Differing here is that in the embodiment according to FIG. 34 end wall 35, which seals supporting body 34, is countersunk in the upper, pipe-shaped part of supporting body 34.

FIG. 35 shows device 1 of FIG. 34 in cross-section according to sectional line XXXV-XXXV in FIG. 34. With regard to the parts visible in FIG. 35, reference is made to the description of FIG. 31, which to this extent agrees therewith.

FIG. 36 shows supporting body 34 of device 1 of FIG. 34 in a top view, in which end wall 35 is countersunk in supporting body 34.

FIG. 37 shows a supporting body 34 of FIG. 36 in longitudinal section. Here as well, it is clearly visible that end wall 35 is countersunk in the pipe-shaped upper part of supporting body 34.

In other respects, the example shown in FIGS. 34 through 37 corresponds to the example of FIGS. 30 through 33, to whose description reference is made.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

• 1 device
• 10 housing
• 11 housing cover
• 12 medium inlet
• 13 raw medium region
• 14 clean medium region
• 15 medium outlet
• 16 sealing collar on 10
• 2 connection between 10 and 11
• 20 first connecting means on 10
• 21 second connecting means on 11
• 22 connecting means interruption in 20
• 23 connecting means interruption in 21
• 24 locking element in 23
• 3 precipitating element
• 30 precipitating material body
• 30′, 30″ partial precipitating material body
• 31 (upper) end plate at the cover
• 32 (lower) end plate remote from the cover
• 33 intermediate plate
• 34 supporting body in 3
• 35 end wall
• 4 positioning arm(s)
• 40 free end of 4
• 41 bearer ring
• 42 holding arms between 31 and 41
• 43 ramp
• 44 locking element on 4
• 5 seal
• 50 seal bearer

Claims

1-26. (canceled)

27. A device for cleaning liquid or gaseous media, comprising:

a cup-shaped or pot-shaped housing, having an exchangeable precipitating element situated in the device, which element separates a raw medium region and a clean medium region in the device from one another, having a medium inlet, opening into the raw medium region, for medium to be cleaned, having a medium outlet, going out from the clean medium region, for cleaned medium,

a housing cover detachably connected to the housing by a connection, the housing having first circumferential connecting means and the housing cover having second circumferential connecting means fitted thereto, which connecting means can be brought into and out of engagement through rotation relative to one another in the circumferential direction,

wherein, one of the first connecting means or the second connecting means has at least one connecting means interruption running in the connecting means axial direction, and

wherein the precipitating element has at least one positioning arm that, in the installed state of the precipitating element and when the housing cover is connected to the housing, is received at least partly in the connecting means interruption, running in a position and orientation corresponding to the at least one connecting means interruption.

28. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein a plurality of connecting means interruptions are provided distributed around the circumference of one of the first connecting means or the second connecting means, and wherein the precipitating element has a plurality of positioning arms configured so as to fit correspondingly to the connecting means interruptions.

29. The device as recited in claim 28, wherein the connecting means interruptions of one of the first connecting means or the second connecting means and the positioning arms form a key-lock coding with each other.

30. The device as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one of:

the connecting means interruptions of one of the first connecting means or the second connecting means and the positioning arms are irregularly distributed in the circumferential direction, or

the connecting means interruptions of one of the first connecting means or the second connecting means have different widths from one another in the circumferential direction, and the positioning arms have a differing width, fitting thereto, in the circumferential direction.

31. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein each at least one positioning arm is detachably lockable in the associated connecting means interruption by interacting locking elements.

32. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein the precipitating element has a hollow cylindrical basic shape having a precipitating material body and having two end plates sealing this body at its ends, and wherein either

each at least one positioning arm is one of connected to, or made in one piece with, one of the end plates of the precipitating element, or

each at least one positioning arm is connected to the precipitating material body of the precipitating element in positionally fixed fashion in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction.

33. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein the precipitating element has a precipitating material body having a hollow cylindrical basic shape and having a supporting body situated therein, and wherein each at least one positioning arm is either connected to, or made in one piece with, the supporting body of the precipitating element.

34. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein the precipitating element has a precipitating material body formed from two partial precipitating material bodies, each having a hollow cylindrical basic shape, and wherein two end faces, facing one another, of the two partial precipitating material bodies are connected to one another via an intermediate plate, and wherein each at least one positioning arm is either connected to, or made in one piece with, the intermediate plate of the precipitating element.

35. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein between the housing and the housing cover there is situated a seal that seals these from each other when the housing cover is connected to the housing, and wherein one of the seal, or a seal bearer that bears the seal, is one of connected to, or made in one piece with, the at least one positioning arm.

36. The device as recited in claim 35, wherein the seal is situated, as a sealing ring, either radially externally on the seal bearer or axially at the end face on the seal bearer.

37. The device as recited in claim 36, wherein the seal is either molded onto the seal bearer, or is placed onto the seal bearer as a separately produced component.

38. The device as recited in claim 35, wherein each at least one positioning arm, the seal bearer, and the seal are formed in one piece with one another from a thermoplastic elastomer.

39. The device as recited in claim 27, wherein the connection between the housing and the housing cover having the first connecting means and the second connecting means is formed by an axial region of overlap of the housing and housing cover having one of interacting screw threadings or interacting bayonet connection elements.

40. The device as recited in claim 27, comprising one of an oil filter, a fuel filter, or an oil mist separator of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle.

41. A precipitating element for a device as recited in claim 27, the device having a housing and having a housing cover connected detachably to the housing, the housing having first circumferential connecting means and the housing cover having second circumferential connecting means fitting thereto, which can be brought into and out of engagement through rotation relative to one another in the circumferential direction, and the precipitating element configured to be received exchangeably in the device,

wherein the precipitating element has at least one positioning arm that, in the installed state of the precipitating element and when the housing cover is connected to the housing, is configured to be received in a connecting means interruption that is provided in one of the first connecting means or the second connecting means, running in the axial direction of the connecting means.

42. The precipitating element as recited in claim 41, wherein the precipitating element has a plurality of positioning arms that are configured so as to fit correspondingly to a plurality of connecting means interruptions.

43. The precipitating element as recited in claim 42, wherein the positioning arms are at least one of distributed irregularly in the circumferential direction have a different width from one another in the circumferential direction.

44. The precipitating element as recited in claim 41, wherein each at least one positioning arm has locking elements that are detachably lockable with locking elements provided in the associated connecting means interruption.

45. The precipitating element as recited in claim 41, wherein the precipitating element has a hollow cylindrical basic shape having a precipitating material body and two end plates that cover this body at its ends, and wherein each at least one positioning arm is one of connected to, made in one piece with one of the end plates of the precipitating element, or connected in a positionally fixed fashion to the precipitating material body of the precipitating element in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction.

46. The precipitating element as recited in claim 41, wherein the precipitating element has a precipitating material body having a hollow cylindrical basic shape and having a supporting body situated therein, and that each at least one positioning arm is either connected to, or made in one piece with, the supporting body of the precipitating element.

47. The precipitating element as recited in claim 41, wherein the precipitating element has a precipitating material body formed from two partial precipitating material bodies each having a hollow cylindrical basic shape, and wherein two end faces, facing one another, of the two partial precipitating material bodies are connected to one another via an intermediate plate, and that each at least one positioning arm is either connected to, or made in one piece with, the intermediate plate of the precipitating element.

48. The precipitating element as recited in claim 27, wherein either a seal, or a seal bearer that bears a seal, is either connected to, or made in one piece with, the at least one positioning arm, the housing and the housing cover being sealable against one another by the seal when they are connected to one another in the installed state of the precipitating element.

49. The precipitating element as recited in claim 48, wherein the seal is situated, as a sealing ring, either radially externally on the seal bearer or axially at the end face on the seal bearer.

50. The precipitating element as recited in claim 49, wherein the seal is either molded onto the seal bearer or is placed onto the seal bearer as a separately produced component.

51. The precipitating element as recited in claim 48, wherein each at least one positioning arm, the seal bearer, and the seal are formed in one piece with one another from a thermoplastic elastomer.

52. The precipitating element as recited in claim 27, comprising one of an oil filter insert of an oil filter, a fuel filter insert of a fuel filter, or an oil mist separator insert of an oil mist separator, of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle.