Rotary vessel with a spigot having a non-circular outer circumferential cross-section forming an axial movement limiting engagement with a housing closure member

{
  "publication_number": "US11318402B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Rotary vessel with a spigot having a non-circular outer circumferential cross-section forming an axial movement limiting engagement with a housing closure member",
  "abstract": "A rotary vessel for a filter assembly has a rotor body rotatable about an axis of rotation and a spigot with a non-circular cross-section and integral with or coupled to the rotor body. The spigot extends away from the rotor body along the axis of rotation and engages with a bearing. The spigot facilitates transfer of rotary motion between the rotor body and the bearing. A filter assembly has a housing with a main body and a closure member separably attachable to the main body. The rotary vessel is disposed inside the housing. The closure member retains the rotary vessel inside the housing and is separable from the main body to permit removal of the rotary vessel from the housing. The spigot integral with or coupled to the rotor vessel engages with a bearing of the filter assembly to rotatably support the rotary vessel in the housing.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A rotary vessel for a filter assembly, the rotary vessel comprising: a rotor body rotatable about an axis of rotation, the rotor body having: a spigot integral with or fixed onto a first axial end of the rotor body, the spigot arranged on the axis of rotation, the spigot comprising: axially projecting fingers projecting axially outwardly away from the rotor body, the axially projecting fingers arranged about the axis of rotation; wherein the axially projecting fingers include one or more radial protrusions spaced outwardly away from the rotor body and projecting radially outwardly from a radially outer side of the axially projecting fingers; wherein radially outer surfaces of the axially projecting fingers, taken together, form an outer surface of the spigot having a non-circular cross-section configured to engage against a complimentary non-circular radial inner cross-section of the annular inner surface of a bearing such that the bearing rotates together with the rotary vessel.",
    "2. The rotary vessel according to claim 1, wherein the non-circular cross-section of the spigot is a polygonal cross section.",
    "3. The rotary vessel according to claim 1, wherein the axially projecting fingers each comprise a substantially planar radially outer surface defining-the non-circular cross-section of the spigot.",
    "4. The rotary vessel according to claim 3, wherein the axially projecting fingers each taper in a direction away from the rotor body.",
    "5. The rotary vessel according to claim 3, wherein the axially projecting fingers are spaced about the spigot and separated from each other by intermediate gaps.",
    "6. The rotary vessel according to claim 1, wherein the rotor body comprises a drive nozzle configured to emit a pressurized working fluid therefrom to cause rotation of the rotor body by a reactive force so that the rotary vessel is self-powered.",
    "7. The rotary vessel according to claim 1, further comprising: the bearing arranged on the axially projecting fingers of the spigot, the bearing comprising: an annular sleeve, wherein the axially projecting fingers of the spigot are received into an interior of the annular sleeve and engage the annular sleeve such that the annular sleeve rotates together with the rotary vessel; wherein the annular sleeve includes an annular step formed on an annular inner surface of the annular sleeve, the annular step positioned to engage against the one or more radial protrusions of the spigot to inhibit an axial movement of the rotary vessel relative to the bearing; wherein radially outer surfaces of the axially projecting fingers, taken together, form an outer surface of the spigot having a non-circular cross-section configured to engage against a complimentary non-circular radial inner cross-section of the annular inner surface of the annular sleeve of the bearing; wherein the annular inner surface of the annular sleeve has non-circular cross-section cooperating with and engaging the non-circular cross-section of the spigot, such that the annular sleeve of the bearing rotates together with the rotary vessel.",
    "8. A filter assembly comprising: a housing comprising a main body and a closure member separably attachable to the main body; the main body and closure member cooperating to enclose an inner chamber of the housing; a rotary vessel having a rotor body disposed within the inner chamber of the housing and having an axis of rotation, the rotary vessel rotatable about the axis of rotation in the housing; wherein the rotary vessel comprises: a spigot integral with or fixed onto the first axial end of the rotor body facing the closure member, the spigot arranged on the axis of rotation of the rotary vessel, the spigot comprising: axially projecting fingers projecting axially outwardly away from the rotor body towards the closure member, the axially projecting fingers arranged about the axis of rotation; wherein the axially projecting fingers include one or more radial protrusions projecting radially outwardly from a radially outer side of the axially projecting fingers; the closure member closing over the inner chamber at a first axial end of the housing and configured to retain the rotary vessel inside the housing; the closure member supporting a bearing, the bearing arranged on and engaging the spigot; the closure member being separable from the main body to permit removal of the rotary vessel from the housing; and wherein the bearing comprises: an annular sleeve, wherein the axially projecting fingers of the spigot are received into an interior of the annular sleeve and engage the annular sleeve such that the annular sleeve rotates together with the rotary vessel; wherein the annular sleeve includes an annular step formed on an annular inner surface of the annular sleeve, the annular step positioned to engage against the one or more radial protrusions of the spigot to inhibit an axial movement of the rotary vessel relative to the closure member; wherein radially outer surfaces of the axially projecting fingers, taken together, form an outer surface of the spigot having a non-circular cross-section configured to engage against a complimentary non-circular radial inner cross-section of the annular inner surface of the annular sleeve; wherein the annular inner surface of the annular sleeve has non-circular cross-section cooperating with and engaging the non-circular cross-section of the spigot, such that the annular sleeve of the bearing rotates together with the rotary vessel.",
    "9. The filter assembly according to claim 8, wherein the closure member is separable from the main body by a rotation of the closure member relative to the main body."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to a rotary vessel. The invention particularly, but not necessarily, relates to a rotary vessel for a filter assembly.\n\nFilter assemblies are known for removing contaminant particles from lubricating oil circuits of internal combustion engines. They are also known for separating particulate matter from liquids, as well as separating liquids of different densities from one another, in a variety of industrial processes. Typically, a filter assembly comprises a housing comprising a rotor supported therein to spin about a spindle, the spindle providing an axis of rotation. A working fluid from which a contaminant is to be removed, e.g. engine oil, is supplied at elevated pressure along the axis of rotation to the rotor. Subsequently, the pressurized fluid is tangentially ejected from the rotor such that the rotor is caused to spin. As the working fluid flows through the spinning rotor, denser contaminants or particles are separated therefrom by centrifugal force and retained in the rotor, typically as a cake adhering to an interior surface of the rotor. Ejected fluid drains to a sump.\n\nAs retained contaminant particles agglomerate in the rotor, it is necessary to replace or service the rotor at suitably regular intervals to ensure the continued cleaning effectiveness of the filter assembly. It is common that servicing of the rotor requires its removal from the housing. Servicing and replacement of the rotor may be time consuming and difficult due to limited available space if the filter assembly is in situ.",
  "cpc": [
    "B04B 5/005",
    "B01D 33/067",
    "B01D 33/11",
    "B01D 35/306",
    "B04B 2001/2041",
    "B04B 7/02",
    "B04B 9/12",
    "F01M 11/00",
    "F01M 11/03",
    "F16B 21/086",
    "F16N 2039/065"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01D 33/067",
    "B01D 33/11",
    "B01D 35/30",
    "B04B 1/20",
    "B04B 5/00",
    "B04B 9/12",
    "F01M 11/03",
    "F16B 21/08",
    "F16N 39/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Mann and Hummel GmbH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tiago Marques",
    "Robin Nash",
    "Angus Rouse",
    "Anthony W. Fell"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-06-05",
  "publication_date": "2022-05-03",
  "grant_date": "2022-05-03",
  "priority_date": "2017-06-05",
  "application_number": "US-201815997834-A",
  "family_id": "59349886",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "DE20100362U1",
    "DE10305960A1",
    "DE202004004215U1",
    "US20150005559A1",
    "GB2517504A"
  ]
}