1. A filter element comprising:
a fitting; and
a filtering member coupled to said fitting, said filtering member includes a plurality of flutes defined in an outer surface of said filtering member.
2. A filter element in accordance with claim 1, wherein each flute has a cross-sectional shape that is at least one of a pie-shape, a U-shape and a V-shape.
3. A filter element in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filtering member is made of at least one of sintered bronze, sintered brass, sintered nickel and sintered stainless steel.
4. A filter element in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an element passageway defined within said filtering member and said fitting, said element passageway extends substantially axially within said filtering member and said fitting.
5. A filter element in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filtering member is configured to filter particles that have a diameter between 0.10 \u03bcm to about 500 \u03bcm.
6. A filter element in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filtering member has a cross-sectional shape that is at least one of star-shaped and gear shaped.
7. A filter element in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of flutes extends substantially axially along said outer surface of said filtering member.
8. A filtering system comprising:
a housing that includes a cavity defined therein;
a housing cap that is threadably coupled to said housing; and
a filter element comprising a fitting and a filtering member coupled to said fitting, said filtering member includes a plurality of flutes defined in an outer surface of said filtering member, said filter element is threadably coupled to said housing cap and is positioned substantially within said cavity such that a substantially annular space is defined between said filter element and said housing.
9. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said housing further comprises an inlet aperture and an inlet passageway defined within said housing, wherein said cavity is coupled in flow communication to said inlet aperture using said inlet passageway.
10. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8 further comprising an element passageway that is defined within said fitting and said filtering element such that said element passageway extends substantially axially within said filter element.
11. A filtering system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said housing cap further comprises an outlet aperture and an outlet passageway defined in said housing cap, said outlet aperture and said outlet passageway are coupled in flow communication to said element passageway.
12. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8, wherein each flute has a cross-sectional shape that is at least one of a pie-shape, a U-shape and a V-shape.
13. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said filtering member is made of at least one of sintered bronze, sintered brass, sintered nickel and sintered stainless steel.
14. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8, further comprising an element passageway defined within said filtering member and said fitting, said element passageway extends substantially axially within said filtering member and said fitting.
15. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said filtering member is configured to filter particles that have a diameter between 0.10 \u03bcm to about 500 \u03bcm.
16. A filtering system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said plurality of flutes extends substantially axially along said outer surface of said filtering member.
17. A method of assembling a filtering system, said method comprising:
molding metal powder into a filtering member;
positioning a receiving end of a fitting at least partially within the metal powder;
heating the metal powder to a temperature that is substantially less than a melting temperature of the metal powder such that the metal powder couples to the fitting to form a filter element; and
coupling the filter element within a cavity defined within a housing.
18. A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising:
threadably coupling the filter element is a housing cap; and
threadably coupling the housing cap to the housing such that at least a portion of the filter element is positioned within a cavity defined by the housing.
19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein forming a filter element further comprises:
heating the metal powder such that a filtering member is formed that includes a plurality of flutes defined within an outer surface of the filtering member and extend substantially axially along the outer surface.
20. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein forming a filter element further comprises:
forming a plurality of flutes that have a cross-sectional shape that is at least one of a pie-shape, a U-shape and a V-shape.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for selecting leases to optimize an investment portfolio comprising the steps of:
receiving data regarding an equipment purchase price, an equipment sale price, a number of units, a lease purchase price, a life of lease, a lease acquisition fee, an accelerated depreciation of change, and a yearly payment;
calculating by computer a total purchase price by adding the lease purchase price to the lease acquisition fee;
calculating by computer an accelerated depreciation result by multiplying the equipment purchase price by the number of units;
calculating by computer a rate of return by subtracting from the yearly payment the total purchase price and the accelerated depreciation result and dividing by the lease purchase price; and
selecting a lease based on the rate of return being greater or equal to a predetermined value and using the selected lease to create lease backed financial instrument derivatives and optimize the investment portfolio.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of
calculating a fair market value at the end of lease by multiplying the equipment sale price by the number of units;
calculating a residual at end of lease by subtracting 100 from the accelerated depreciation of change and multiplying by the equipment sale price and the number of units; and
calculating a straight line depreciation amount by subtracting the total purchase price from the fair market value at end of lease and dividing the result by the life of lease.
3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of calculating a straight line depreciation result by multiplying the equipment purchase price by the number of units and adding the lease acquisition fee and subtracting the straight line depreciation amount.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value is dependent on an investment grade rating of a type of instrument.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the type of instrument is one of venture capital, private equity, public equity, andor debt instruments.
6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting the lease based on a length of the lease.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of leases are selected to create the lease backed financial instrument derivatives.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the investment structure is applied to a venture capital environment, private equity, public equity, andor debt instruments.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of leases are selected to create a type of trading exchange.
10. An apparatus for facilitating a selection of leases to optimize an investment portfolio, comprising:
a storage device;
a processor connected to the storage device, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor, wherein the processor operates with the program for receiving data regarding an equipment purchase price, an equipment sale price, a number of units, a lease purchase price, a life of lease, a lease acquisition fee, an accelerated depreciation of change, and a yearly payment; calculating a total purchase price by adding the lease purchase price to the lease acquisition fee;
calculating an accelerated depreciation result by multiplying the individual purchase price by the number of units;
calculating a rate of return by subtracting from the yearly payment the total purchase price and the accelerated depreciation result and dividing by the lease purchase price; and selecting a lease based on the rate of return being greater or equal to a predetermined value and using the selected lease to create lease backed financial instrument derivatives and optimize the investment portfolio.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor further operates with the program for
calculating a fair market value at end of lease by multiplying the equipment sale price by the number of units; calculating a residual at end of lease by subtracting 100 from the accelerated depreciation of change and multiplying by the equipment sale price and the number of units; and
calculating a straight line depreciation amount by subtracting the total purchase price from the fair market value at end of lease and dividing the result by the life of lease.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor further operates with the program for calculating a straight line depreciation result by multiplying the equipment purchase price by the number of units and adding the lease acquisition fee and subtracting the straight line depreciation amount.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined value is dependent on an investment grade rating of a type of instrument.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the type of instrument is one of venture capital, private equity, public equity, andor debt instruments.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the processor further operates with the program for selecting the lease based on a length of the lease.
16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of leases are selected to create the lease backed financial instrument derivatives.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the investment structure is applied to a venture capital environment, private equity, public equity, andor debt instruments.
18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of leases are selected to create a type of trading exchange.