Filter Element with Venting Function for Suspension on a Filter Head, and a Filter System

Abstract

A filter element for a fluid has a filter medium arranged in annular shape about a longitudinal axis to be flowed through by the fluid to be filtered radially. A coaxial outlet socket is arranged at an end of the filter element facing upwardly in filtering operation. The coaxial outlet socket has a fluid outlet channel for filtered fluid and a venting channel that vents a clean side and/or a raw side of the filter element. The venting channel coaxially surrounds the fluid outlet channel radially and extends at least in sections thereof in axial direction. A filter system is provided with a filter head that has a fluid inlet conduit, a fluid outlet conduit for filtered fluid, and a venting conduit, wherein the filter element is suspended from the filter head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A filter element for a fluid to be filtered, the filter element configured to be suspended from a filter head, the filter element comprising:
 a filter medium arranged in an annular shape relative to a longitudinal axis of the filter element and configured to be flowed through by the fluid to be filtered in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis;   a coaxial outlet socket arranged at an end of the filter element facing upwardly in a vertical direction in a filtering operation of the filter element, wherein the coaxial outlet socket comprises a fluid outlet channel for filtered fluid and a venting channel configured to vent a clean side and/or a raw side of the filter element, wherein the venting channel coaxially surrounds the fluid outlet channel in the radial direction and extends at least in sections thereof in an axial direction of the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial outlet socket comprises, at one end thereof, one or more actuating members configured to actuate a valve body of the filter head, wherein the one or more actuating members extend in the axial direction away from the fluid outlet channel. 
     
     
         3 . The filter element according to  claim 2 , wherein a radial through opening for the filtered fluid is formed at least between two of the one or more actuating members. 
     
     
         4 . The filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the venting channel comprises an inlet side connected by a first capillary channel with the raw side of the filter element, wherein the raw side is arranged in a fluid flow direction upstream of the filter medium, wherein the first capillary channel is delimited in the radial direction inwardly by the coaxial outlet socket and in the radial direction outwardly by a first wall section of a first end disc of the filter element. 
     
     
         5 . The filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein the venting channel at the inlet side is connected by a second capillary channel with the clean side of the filter element, wherein the clean side is arranged in the fluid flow direction downstream of the filter medium. 
     
     
         6 . The filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the second capillary channel is delimited in the radial direction by an end section of a tubular support body of the filter element and, opposite to the end section of the tubular support body, by a second wall section of the first end disc of the filter element, wherein the tubular support body is a central tube of the filter element. 
     
     
         7 . The filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the end section of the tubular support body engages in the axial direction an annular groove of the first end disc, wherein the annular groove is delimited in the radial direction inwardly by the first wall section and outwardly by the second wall section, wherein the first and second wall sections are connected to each other by a back section, and wherein the first and second wall sections and the back section are formed together as one piece. 
     
     
         8 . The filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein the first and second capillary channels are connected in fluid communication to the venting channel by a siphon. 
     
     
         9 . The filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second capillary channels extends at least in sections thereof in the axial direction. 
     
     
         10 . The filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second capillary channels extends at least in sections thereof in a spiral shape about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The filter element according to  claim 3 , further comprising a second end disc, wherein the filter medium is arranged between the first end disc and the second end disc in the axial direction and fastened with end faces thereof to the first end disc and the second end disc. 
     
     
         12 . The filter element according to  claim 11 , wherein the filter medium is glued or welded to the first end disc and the second end disc or arranged so as to be held by being embedded in a material of the first end disc and the second end disc. 
     
     
         13 . The filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial outlet socket is embodied as one piece, or wherein the coaxial outlet socket is of a multi-part configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter element is a filter insert or an enclosed exchangeable filter. 
     
     
         15 . The filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter element comprises at least one bayonet connecting part of a bayonet connection configured to detachably couple the filter element with at least one housing component of a filter system. 
     
     
         16 . The filter element according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one bayonet connecting part is arranged at an end of the filter element that is facing away from the coaxial outlet socket. 
     
     
         17 . The filter element according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one bayonet connecting part points downwardly in the vertical direction in the filtering operation of the filter element. 
     
     
         18 . A filter system for a fluid to be filtered, the filter system comprising:
 a filter head comprising:
 a fluid inlet conduit for the fluid to be filtered, 
 a fluid outlet conduit for the filtered fluid, and 
 a venting conduit; 
   a filter element, configured to be exchangeably connected to the filter head, according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         19 . The filter system according to  claim 18 , wherein the filter head further comprises a valve body arranged in the fluid outlet conduit and configured to be transferred, by connecting the filter element to the filter head, from a closed position that fluid-tightly closes off the fluid outlet conduit into an open position that opens the fluid outlet conduit. 
     
     
         20 . The filter system according to  claim 19 , wherein the filter element comprises a coaxial outlet socket and the coaxial outlet socket comprises, at one end thereof, one or more actuating members configured to actuate the valve body of the filter head. 
     
     
         21 . The filter system according to  claim 19 , wherein the filter head further comprises a spring element acting on the valve body, wherein the valve body is transferable against the force of the spring element from the closed position into the open position. 
     
     
         22 . The filter system according to  claim 19 , wherein the filter head comprises a housing pot and the filter system further comprises a housing cover detachably fastened to the housing pot, wherein the housing cover and the housing pot together form a filter housing in which the filter element is arranged. 
     
     
         23 . The filter system according to  claim 22 , wherein the housing cover is configured to be screwed into the housing pot or screwed onto the housing pot. 
     
     
         24 . The filter system according to  claim 21 , wherein the filter element comprises a bayonet connecting part and is coupled detachably with the bayonet connecting part to at least one corresponding bayonet connecting part provided at the housing cover of the filter system.