Gas separation – Combined or convertible – In motor vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-09
2003-10-07
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Gas separation
Combined or convertible
In motor vehicle
C055S498000, C055S510000, C055SDIG002, C180S219000, C123S19800E
Reexamination Certificate
active
06630007
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, to be used in combination with a carburetor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 9
showing an ordinary air cleaner disposed above a carburetor
115
included in an internal combustion engine, the air cleaner has an air cleaner element
100
(hereinafter referred to simply as “cleaner element”) for filtering air, and an air cleaner case
101
containing the cleaner element
100
. The air cleaner case
101
includes a cover
104
having a top wall
103
, and a bottom wall
105
. The top wall
103
of the cover
104
, a top plate
110
included in the cleaner element
100
, and the bottom wall
105
are fastened together by a bolt
106
set upright on a central part of the bottom wall
105
and extending through the cleaner element
100
and the top wall
103
, and a nut
107
screwed on the bolt
106
. An air outlet pipe
112
is formed integrally with the bottom wall
105
so as to open downward. An L-shaped connecting pipe
113
connects the air outlet pipe
112
to the air inlet of the carburetor
115
. An air inlet pipe
116
is formed integrally with the cover
104
so as to project outward from the side wall of the cover
104
. An intake duct
120
is connected to the air inlet pipe
116
. The open free end, not shown, of the intake duct
120
is located in a space where air scarcely contaminated with dust and water can be taken in.
The cleaner element
100
has a generally annular shape. A clean air chamber surrounded by the cleaner element
100
is connected to the air outlet pipe
112
. An annular space around the cleaner element
100
is connected to the air inlet pipe
116
. The top wall
103
of the cover
104
has a flat upper surface to prevent dust and water from staying on the top wall
103
. An internal engine provided with an air cleaner disposed above a carburetor as shown in
FIG. 9
is disclosed in JU-A No. 5-10772.
The air cleaner shown in
FIG. 9
has the following problems.
(1) Work for removing the cover
104
when cleaning or replacing the cleaner element
100
is troublesome because the intake duct
120
must be disconnected from the cover
104
.
(2) The position of the open free end of the intake duct
120
may be changed according to a type of a work machine or apparatus mounted with the internal combustion engine and, in some cases, the position of the air inlet pipe
116
is changed. However, since the trade name, the manufacturer's name, specifications and the like are often indicated on the top wall
103
of the cover
104
, the direction of letters printed on the top wall
103
deviates from a desired direction when the cover
104
is turned about the axis of the bolt
106
to change the position of the air intake pipe
116
.
(3) Since the top wall
103
has a flat upper surface to prevent dust and water from staying thereon, the nut
107
protrudes upward from the upper surface of the top wall
103
and, consequently, the overall height of the internal combustion engine increases. If it is desired to reduce the overall height of the internal combustion engine, the capacity of the air cleaner must be reduced. It is possible to secure a desired capacity of the air cleaner without increasing the overall height of the internal combustion engine by forming a depression
102
as indicated by imaginary lines in a central part of the top wall
103
so that the nut
107
sinks in the depression
102
. However, dust and water will stay in the depression
102
, the water and dust staying in the depression
102
spoil the appearance of the air cleaner and corrode the bolt
106
and the nut
107
. Consequently, the nut
107
cannot be easily removed from the bolt
106
, which makes the removal of the cover
104
difficult. It is possible that the water or dust collected in the depression
102
will drop through the central hole of the top wall
103
and will adhere to the cleaner element
100
when removing the cover
104
.
(4) The air cleaner case
101
disposed above the carburetor
115
makes difficult the adjustment of a fuel flow adjusting screw
130
, such as an idle adjusting screw. A large space must be formed around the fuel flow adjusting screw
130
and it is difficult to dispose the air cleaner close to the carburetor
115
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, facilitating maintenance work thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air cleaner facilitating work for adjusting a carburetor disposed under the air cleaner.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, combined with a carburetor comprises a cleaner element for cleaning air; and an air cleaner case holding the cleaner element therein; wherein the air cleaner case includes a body having a pair of opposite open ends and provided with an air inlet, a base wall capable of detachably joined to one of the open ends of the body and provided with an air outlet connected to the carburetor, and a cover detachably joined to the other open end of the body.
In the air cleaner according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the cover of the air cleaner case is detachably joined to the body by a screw-type fastening means, the cover has a concave part defining a space for receiving the head of a screw or a nut included in the screw-type fastening means, and drain holes are formed in the concave part to drain water collected in the concave part. Preferably the base wall is provided in its central part with a tubular wall projecting toward the concave part of the cover, and the drain holes are positioned inside the tubular wall. Preferably, the air cleaner case is disposed above the carburetor with the drain holes formed in the concave part of the cover located substantially right above fuel flow adjusting screws included in the carburetor, and a screw operating tool inserted from above the cover in each of the drain holes are able to reach each of the fuel flow adjusting screws.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, combined with a carburetor comprises a cleaner element for cleaning air; and an air cleaner case holding the cleaner element therein; wherein the air cleaner case includes a body, and a cover detachably joined to the body by a screw-type fastening means, the cover has a concave part defining a space for receiving the head of a screw or a nut included in the screw-type fastening means, and drain holes are formed in the concave part to drain water collected in the concave part.
In the air cleaner according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the air cleaner case is provided in its central part with a tubular wall projecting toward the concave part of the cover, and the drain holes are positioned inside the tubular wall. Preferably, the air cleaner case is disposed above the carburetor with the drain holes formed in the concave part of the cover being located substantially right above fuel flow adjusting screws included in the carburetor, and a screw operating tool inserted from above the cover in each of the drain holes are able to reach each of the fuel flow adjusting screws.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the air cleaner case holding the cleaner element therein is a three-part structure including the body having the pair of opposite open ends and provided with the air inlet, the base wall capable of detachably joined to one of the open ends of the body and provided with the air outlet connected to the carburetor, and the cover detachably joined to the other open end of the body. Therefore, the interior of the air cleaner can be inspected, and the c
Hirano Michio
Shirai Tetsuaki
Yoshidome Shinya
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Pham Minh-Chau T.
Simmons David A.
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