Oil cooler with integral filter

Abstract

An oil cooler with a integral filter includes first and second elongated tubular headers ( 10, 12 ) in spaced parallel relation together with tube slots in each of the headers with the tube slots facing at an alignment with one another. Elongated flattened tubes ( 14 ) have their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots and are sealed thereto. Fins ( 18 ) extend between the tubes ( 14 ) in thermal conducting relation therewith. A filter housing ( 28 ) is mounted on the oil cooler and an oil filter element ( 40 ) is located within the housing ( 28 ).

1 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    an oil inlet to one of said headers;    an oil outlet from one of said headers;    said headers, said fins and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on one of said headers;    an oil filter element located with said housing;    an inlet to said housing in fluid communication with said oil inlet;    an outlet from said housing for delivering filtered oil to be combined with oil flowing in or from said oil cooling flow path; and    a flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element.    
   
   
       2 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 1  wherein said tubes are flattened tubes.  
   
   
       3 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 1  wherein said filter housing is elongated and tubular and is mounted on one of said headers in generally parallel side by side relation therewith.  
   
   
       4 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 3  wherein said oil inlet is a port in said first header; and a conduit connecting said first header to said filter housing inlet.  
   
   
       5 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 3  wherein said oil inlet is a port connected to said first header, said filter housing is mounted on said first header by a pair of spaced mounting blocks, one near or at each end of said filter housing, one of said mounting blocks having a fluid passage connecting said first header to said housing inlet.  
   
   
       6 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 5  wherein said oil cooling flow path terminates in said oil outlet in turn located in said first header spaced from said oil inlet and the other of said mounting blocks includes an outlet conduit connected to both said oil outlet and said housing outlet; and an outlet port in fluid communication with said outlet conduit.  
   
   
       7 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 6  wherein said outlet port is in said housing.  
   
   
       8 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 6  wherein said outlet port is in said first header adjacent said conduit.  
   
   
       9 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 6  wherein said outlet port is in said other mounting block.  
   
   
       10 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 6  wherein said oil cooling flow path is a multiple pass flow path and includes a partition in said first header between oil inlet and said oil outlet.  
   
   
       11 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 5  wherein said oil outlet is in said second header; an oil conduit extending from said oil outlet to said filter housing and in fluid communication with said housing outlet and an oil outlet port in said filter housing in fluid communication with said conduit and said housing outlet.  
   
   
       12 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 11  wherein said oil conduit is generally parallel to said tubes.  
   
   
       13 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 1  wherein said filter housing has an open end through which said filter element may be introduced into or removed, and a removable cap for closing and sealing said open end, said open end includes a radially inwardly opening, peripheral groove in an inner surface thereof and a removable spring retaining ring in said groove and abutting said cap oppositely of said filter element for removably retaining said cap in said open end.  
   
   
       14 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 13  wherein said cap has a side wall provided with at least one radially outwardly opening groove, and a sealing ring disposed in said groove for sealing engagement with said filter housing.  
   
   
       15 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    an oil inlet to one of said headers;    an oil outlet from one of said headers;    said headers, said fins and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on said oil cooler;    an oil filter element located with said housing;    an inlet to said housing in fluid communication with said oil inlet;    an outlet from said housing for delivering filtered oil to be combined with oil flowing in or from said oil cooling flow path;    a flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element; and    wherein said restriction includes one of said elongated tubes.    
   
   
       16 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 15  wherein a said oil inlet is connected to said first header and said housing inlet is in fluid communication with said first header, and further including a transfer passage extending between said one tube and said filter housing at a location downstream of said filter element.  
   
   
       17 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 16  wherein said transfer passage is defined by a flow director in said first header extending to said location and isolating oil flow in said first header from oil flow from said location to said one tube.  
   
   
       18 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 17  wherein said restriction additionally includes an orifice at or near said location.  
   
   
       19 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 16  wherein said restriction additionally includes an orifice at or near said location.  
   
   
       20 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    an oil inlet to one of said headers;    an oil outlet from one of said headers;    said headers, said fins and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on said oil cooler;    an oil filter element located with said housing;    an inlet to said housing in fluid communication with said oil inlet;    an outlet from said housing for delivering filtered oil to be combined with oil flowing in or from said oil cooling flow path;    a flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element; and    wherein said filter housing is mounted end to end to said first header.    
   
   
       21 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 20  wherein said restriction includes one of said elongated tubes.  
   
   
       22 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 21  wherein a said oil inlet is connected to said first header and said housing inlet is in fluid communication with said first header, and further including a transfer passage extending between said one tube and said filter housing at a location downstream of said filter element.  
   
   
       23 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 22  wherein said transfer passage is defined by a flow director in said first header extending to said location and isolating oil flow in said first header from oil flow from said location to said one tube.  
   
   
       24 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 23  wherein said restriction additionally includes an orifice at or near said location.  
   
   
       25 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 20  wherein said transfer passage is defined by a partition extending from said filter housing into said first header generally medially thereof to a second location past said one tube and terminating in a transverse section sealed to the interior of said header at said second location and between said one tube and others of said tubes.  
   
   
       26 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 25  wherein said transverse section is a baffle disposed in a wall of said header at said location and engaging and sealed to said partition.  
   
   
       27 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 25  wherein said partition and said transverse section are integrally formed.  
   
   
       28 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 25  wherein said partition and an adjacent end of said one tube are spaced from one another.  
   
   
       29 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 25  wherein said partition abuts an adjacent end of said one tube, and a side of said one tube facing said filter housing, at said adjacent end, includes a port formation to allow ingress of oil from said filter housing to enter said one tube.  
   
   
       30 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    an oil inlet to one of said headers;    an oil outlet from one of said headers;    said headers, said fins and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on said oil cooler;    an oil filter element located with said housing;    an inlet to said housing in fluid communication with said oil inlet;    an outlet from said housing for delivering filtered oil to be combined with oil flowing in or from said oil cooling flow path;    a flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element; and    wherein said filter housing is mounted on said first header in end to end relation by a fitting connected to an upper end of said first header and to said filter housing.    
   
   
       31 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 30  further including a dome-like element extending from said fitting into said filter housing at the lower end thereof, said dome-like element having an upper, centering protuberance adapted to enter and center the lower end of a central passage in said oil filter element, and a seat surrounding said protuberance, and an apertured skirt surrounding and depending from said seat.  
   
   
       32 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 31  wherein said dome-like element is a separate element mounted on said fitting.  
   
   
       33 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 31  wherein said dome-like element is integrally formed on an upper end of said fitting.  
   
   
       34 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 30  further including a spider-like disc located in a lower end of said filter housing, said disc having a central, upwardly extending protuberance for receipt in a lower end of a central passage in said oil filter element, a seat surrounding said protuberance and legs extending outwardly from said seat toward an interior wall of said filter housing.  
   
   
       35 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 34  wherein said legs extend radially outward.  
   
   
       36 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 35  wherein said legs also extend downwardly.  
   
   
       37 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    an oil inlet to one of said headers;    an oil outlet from one of said headers;    said headers, said fins and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on said oil cooler;    an oil filter element located with said housing;    an inlet to said housing in fluid communication with said oil inlet;    an outlet from said housing for delivering filtered oil to be combined with oil flowing in or from said oil cooling flow path;    a flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element;    wherein said first header and said filter housing are generally cylindrical and are in side-by-side, generally parallel relation, and a strip-like mounting bracket mounting said filter housing to said first headers said mounting bracket having alternating concave sections along its length, some facing and receiving said filter housing and others facing and receiving said first header, and bonding material bonding said concave section to the one of said filter housing and said first header that they face and receive.    
   
   
       38 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 37  wherein said first header, said mounting bracket and said filter housing are metal, and said bonding material is a braze metal cladding on said first header and on a side of said mounting bracket facing said filter housing.  
   
   
       39 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 37  wherein one of said concave sections facing said first header includes a first port surrounded by a first flange, said first flange being snugly received in an aligned aperture in said first header and sealed thereto and a second port in said filter housing aligned with said first port and surrounded by second flange snugly received in and sealed to said first port.  
   
   
       40 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 37  wherein one of said concave sections facing said first header includes a first port surrounded by a first flange, said first flange being snugly received in an aligned aperture in said first header and sealed thereto and a second port in said filter housing aligned with said first port and surrounded by second flange snugly received in and sealed to said first port, said sealing provided by said braze metal cladding on said first header and said side of said mounting bracket.  
   
   
       41 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 an oil inlet;    an oil outlet;    first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    said headers, said fins, and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on said oil cooler in generally parallel relation to said tubes, said filter housing mounted on both of said headers and/or a component of the oil cooler extending between said headers, said filter housing defining an oil filtering flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    an oil filter element located within said housing in said oil filtering flow path; and    at least one flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element.    
   
   
       42 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 41  wherein said filter housing includes a chamber for receiving said oil filter element and an oil return passage extending parallel to said chamber between said oil filtering flow path and said oil outlet.  
   
   
       43 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 42  further comprising a tube extending between a downstream opening in said filter housing and a downstream opening in one of said headers, and another tube extending from said oil inlet to said filter housing to direct said small minority of oil thereto.  
   
   
       44 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 43  wherein said filter housing is mounted to said component, and said component comprises a side piece extending parallel to said tubes.  
   
   
       45 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 42  wherein said filter housing is mounted directly to each of said headers.  
   
   
       46 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 45  wherein an open end of one of said headers is connected directly to an opening in said filter housing, and an open end of the other of said headers is connected directly to another opening in said filter housing.  
   
   
       47 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 42  wherein said filter housing comprises an aluminum extrusion, and said chamber and oil return passage are formed in said aluminum extrusion.  
   
   
       48 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 41  wherein said at least one flow restriction comprises an orifice located adjacent a downstream end of said filter housing.  
   
   
       49 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 41  wherein said filter housing is mounted to said component, and said component comprises a side piece extending parallel to said tubes.  
   
   
       50 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 41  wherein said filter housing is mounted directly to each of said headers.  
   
   
       51 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 an oil inlet;    an oil outlet;    first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    said headers, said fins, and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on said oil cooler in generally parallel relation to said tubes, said filter housing mounted on both of said headers, said filter housing defining an oil filtering flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    an oil filter element located within said housing in said oil filtering flow path; and    at least one flow restriction located downstream from said oil inlet to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said filter housing and flow substantially directly through said oil cooling flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element.    
   
   
       52 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 51  wherein said filter housing includes a chamber for receiving said oil filter element and an oil return passage extending parallel to said chamber between said oil filtering flow path and said oil outlet.  
   
   
       53 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 52  wherein said filter housing comprises an aluminum extrusion, and said chamber and oil return passage are formed in said aluminum extrusion.  
   
   
       54 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 51  wherein an open end of one of said headers is connected directly to an opening in said filter housing, and an open end of the other of said headers is connected directly to another opening in said filter housing.  
   
   
       55 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 51  wherein said at least one flow restriction comprises an orifice located adjacent a downstream end of said filter housing.  
   
   
       56 . An oil cooler with integral filter, comprising: 
 an oil inlet;    an oil outlet;    first and second elongated tubular headers in spaced parallel relation;    tube slots in each of said headers with the tube slots in the first header facing and in alignment with the tube slots in the second header;    elongated tubes having their ends in aligned ones of the tube slots in the first and second headers and sealed thereto, and extending between the headers to provide fluid communication therebetween;    fins extending at least between adjacent tubes and in thermal conducting relation therewith;    said headers, said fins, and said tubes defining an oil cooler having an oil cooling flow path between said oil inlet and said oil outlet;    a filter housing mounted on the oil cooler, said filter housing defining an oil filtering flow path between said oil inlet and at least one of said first and second headers, and an oil filter bypassing flow path between said oil inlet and said at least one of said first and second headers;    an oil filter element located within said filter housing in said oil filtering flow path; and    at least one flow restriction element in said filter housing to cause a substantial majority of oil introduced into said oil inlet to bypass said oil filter element by flowing through said oil filter bypassing flow path with only a small minority of oil introduced into said oil inlet flowing through said oil filter element via the oil filtering flow path.    
   
   
       57 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 56  wherein said at least one flow restriction element comprises an orifice plate, said orifice plate including at least one orifice located in said oil filter bypassing flow path.  
   
   
       58 . The oil cooler with integral filter of  claim 57  wherein said orifice plate is located downstream from said oil filter element.