Cartridge for cleaning compressed air in compressed air supply systems of motor vehicles

1. A cartridge for cleaning compressed air to be used in compressed air supply systems of motor vehicles, comprising:

a housing;

a pre-filter, said pre-filter being arranged in said housing;

a deposit chamber, said deposit chamber being located downstream of said pre-filter, said deposit chamber being filled with a treating substance;

a coalescing filter, said coalescing filter being arranged downstream of said pre-filter and upstream of said deposit chamber during a load phase of said cartridge;

a bypass conduit, said bypass conduit being designed and arranged to bypass said coalescing filter and not to bypass said pre-filter; and

a check valve, said check valve being arranged in said bypass conduit in a way that it opens during regeneration of said cartridge.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said coalescing filter is arranged in said housing at a substantially vertical orientation, said coalescing filter has an exit side, a collecting chamber being located at the exit side and being designed and arranged to collect deposited particles of a comparatively large size, said collecting chamber being connected to said bypass conduit.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising an insert, said coalescing filter being arranged in said insert.

4. The cartridge of claim 2 , further comprising an insert, said coalescing filter being arranged in said insert.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 , further comprising a second check valve, said second check valve being arranged in the region of said coalescing filter and being designed and arranged to prevent a partial flow of compressed air from flowing through said coalescing filter during regeneration of said cartridge.

6. The cartridge of claim 2 , further comprising a second check valve, said second check valve being arranged in the region of said coalescing filter and being designed and arranged to prevent a partial flow of compressed air from flowing through said coalescing filter during regeneration of said cartridge.

7. The cartridge of claim 3 , further comprising a second check valve, said second check valve being arranged in the region of said coalescing filter and being designed and arranged to prevent a partial flow of compressed air from flowing through said coalescing filter during regeneration of said cartridge.

8. The cartridge of claim 4 , further comprising a second check valve, said second check valve being arranged in the region of said coalescing filter and being designed and arranged to prevent a partial flow of compressed air from flowing through said coalescing filter during regeneration of said cartridge.

9. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a threaded connection and a seal being designed and arranged to be connected to other components to form an air dryer in a way to be replaceable.

10. The cartridge of claim 2 , wherein said housing includes a threaded connection and a seal being designed and arranged to be connected to other components to form an air dryer in a way to be replaceable.

11. The cartridge of claim 5 , wherein said housing includes a threaded connection and a seal being designed and arranged to be connected to other components to form an air dryer in a way to be replaceable.

12. The cartridge of claim 6 , wherein said housing includes a threaded connection and a seal being designed and arranged to be connected to other components to form an air dryer in a way to be replaceable.

13. A method of cleaning compressed air to be used in a compressed air supply system of a motor vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

directing the compressed air containing impurities, water and oil though a pre-filter in a load phase;

removing larger particles of impurities and water from the compressed air in the pre-filter;

directing the compressed air though a coalescing filter, after directing the compressed air through the pre-filter during the load phase;

collecting oil from the compressed air in the coalescing filter to form larger oil particles and removing the larger oil particles from the compressed air downstream of the coalescing filter;

directing the compressed air though a deposit chamber after directing the compressed air through the coalescing filter during the load phase, the deposit chamber being filled with a treating substance;

removing water from the compressed air in the deposit chamber; and

during a regeneration phase transferring the larger oil particles located downstream of the coalescing filter into the atmosphere by a flow of regeneration air while bypassing the coalescing filter and not bypassing the pre-filter; and

during the regeneration phase transferring the larger particles of impurities and water located in the pre-filter into the atmosphere by a flow of regeneration air directed though the pre-filter.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the larger oil particles located downstream of the coalescing filter are transferred into the atmosphere by the flow of regeneration air flowing through the pre-filter.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the regeneration air flows through the coalescing filter at a lower velocity than through the pre-filter.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the regeneration air flows through the coalescing filter at a lower velocity than through the pre-filter.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the regeneration air is directed though a check valve being arranged parallel to the coalescing filter.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the regeneration air is directed though a check valve being arranged parallel to the coalescing filter.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the regeneration air is directed though a check valve being arranged parallel to the coalescing filter.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the regeneration air is directed though a check valve being arranged parallel to the coalescing filter.