IP Library › Granted Patent US 12685953
Granted Patent B2
US 12685953 · App. 18/785,983 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Filter element, housing for a filter system, and filter system comprising a filter element and a housing

Inventors: Pascal Neef (Trossingen, DE); Friedrich Kupfer (Marklkofen, DE); Arthur Sudermann (Steinheim, DE)
Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbH
B01D46/0005B01D46/0004B01D46/2414B01D46/522B01D2265/021B01D2265/026B01D2279/60F02M35/0201F02M35/02416F02M35/0245F02M35/02483
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12685953
App. No.
18/785,983
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A filter element for filtering a fluid has a filter bellows arranged about the longitudinal axis of the filter element and enclosing an interior of the filter element. A first end disk open toward the interior is arranged at a first end of the filter element. A second closed end disk is arranged at a second end of the filter element. The second end is oppositely positioned to the first end in a direction of the longitudinal axis. The filter bellows has folds with radially outer fold edges positioned on an outer circumferential surface of the filter bellows. The filter bellows is provided with a notch at least at one of the first and second ends. The notch has an axial length in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The axial length is shorter than a length extension of the filter bellows in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

Claims (50)

1 . A filter element comprising:

a first end;

a second end; and

a filter bellows arranged between the first end and the second end and comprising a filter media having folds with outer fold edges;

wherein the folds are oriented such that the folds extend between the first end and the second end with adjacent outer fold edges being separated a distance apart;

wherein the first end comprises a first notch having a length along the filter bellows from the first end towards the second end;

wherein the first notch comprises a first outer fold edge and an adjacent second outer fold edge being separated a first distance at the first end, the first distance being greater than a second distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge at the length of the first notch; and

wherein a distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge tapers down from the first distance at the first end to the second distance at the length of the first notch; and

wherein the length of the first notch extends to a fixation element arranged around the filter bellows.

2 . The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the first end comprises a first end disk.

3 . The filter element according to claim 2 , wherein the first end disk comprises a first end disk notch.

4 . The filter element according to claim 3 , wherein the first end disk notch aligns with the first notch such that the first distance corresponds with a width of the first end disk notch.

5 . The filter element according to claim 4 , wherein the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge extend to the first end disk notch.

6 . The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the outer fold edges are deflected by the first notch.

7 . The filter element according to claim 1 , wherein the filter bellows are supported by a support tube.

8 . The filter element according to claim 7 , wherein the support tube comprises a notch structure.

9 . The filter element according to claim 8 , wherein the notch structure is arranged to support the first notch at the first end.

10 . The filter element according to claim 9 , wherein the notch structure is wedge-shaped.

11 . The filter element according to claim 9 , wherein the notch structure is arranged to cause the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge to be separated the first distance at the first end.

12 . The filter element according to claim 11 , wherein the notch structure is arranged to cause the distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge to taper down from the first distance at the first end to the second distance at the length of the first notch along the filter bellows from the first end towards the second end.

13 . A filter system comprising:

the filter element according to claim 1 ; and

a housing configured to enclose the filter element;

wherein the housing comprises a counter element configured to interact with the first notch.

14 . The filter system of claim 13 , wherein

the housing further comprises a first pin; and

the filter element comprises a second pin configured to interact with the first pin.

15 . The filter system of claim 14 , wherein the first pin and the second pin comprise corresponding locking elements.

16 . The filter element of claim 1 , wherein a second notch is arranged at the second end.

17 . The filter element of claim 16 , wherein the second end comprises a second end disk and a second end disk notch configured to align with the second notch.

18 . A filter element comprising:

a first end;

a second end; and

a filter bellows arranged between the first end and the second end comprising a filter media having folds with outer fold edges;

wherein the folds are oriented such that the folds extend between the first end and the second end with adjacent outer fold edges a distance apart;

wherein the first end comprises a first notch having a length along the filter bellows from the first end towards the second end;

wherein the first notch comprises a first outer fold edge and an adjacent second outer fold edge separated a first distance at the first end, the first distance greater than a second distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge at the length of the first notch;

wherein a distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge tapers down from the first distance at the first end to the second distance at the length of the first notch;

wherein the length of the first notch extends to a fixation element arranged around the filter bellows;

wherein a plurality of the outer fold edges are deflected by the first notch; and

wherein the plurality of the outer fold edges cease being deflected at least after interaction with the fixation element arranged around the filter bellows, the fixation element being arranged at least at the length of the first notch along the filter bellows from the first end towards the second end.

19 . A filter element comprising:

a first end;

a second end; and

a filter bellows arranged between the first end and the second end comprising a filter media having folds with outer fold edges;

wherein the folds are oriented such that the outer fold edges of the folds of the filter bellows extend between the first end and the second end with adjacent outer fold edges a distance apart;

wherein the first end comprises a first notch having a length extending from the first end towards the second end;

wherein the first notch comprises a first outer fold edge and an adjacent second outer fold edge separated a first distance at the first end, the first distance greater than a second distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge at the length of the notch;

wherein a distance between the first outer fold edge and the adjacent second outer fold edge tapers down from the first distance at the first end to the second distance at the length of the first notch along the filter bellows from the first end towards the second end; and

wherein a plurality of the outer fold edges are deflected by the first notch.