Gas separation – With separating media bypass or system gas pressure relief
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-06-26
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Gas separation
With separating media bypass or system gas pressure relief
C055S385300, C055S418000, C055SDIG002, C123S19800E
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251151
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air cleaners used in conjunction with engines. More particularly, the present invention concerns air cleaners which utilize ram air pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-96261 entitled “Air cleaner for vehicles” discloses an air cleaner of the type which utilizes ram air pressure. Such types of air cleaners are well known. With reference to
FIGS. 8-10
, ram air is introduced into an intake passage
206
and the air having passed through the intake passage
206
enters into a lower case
210
through an inlet
209
. The air then passes from the lower case
210
through an element
207
. The clean air that has passed through the element
207
is guided into an upper case
208
, and introduced into a carburetor
202
connected to a lower portion of the upper case
208
. The ram air is utilized to produce a ram pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The ram pressure is applied to the carburetor
202
to supply a high-density air-fuel mixture into an engine
201
for thereby increasing the air-fuel mixture charging efficiency of the engine
201
to increase the output power thereof when the vehicle runs at a high speed.
As shown in
FIG. 10
, the lower case
210
has left and right inlets
209
with respective intake passages
206
connected thereto. The structure of the lower case
210
and the intake passages
206
, as shown in
FIG. 8
, is of a general nature. With the above structure, air flows introduced from the inlets
209
collide with each other in the center of the lower case
210
. Though the ram pressure, higher than the atmospheric pressure, is generated utilizing the ram air, a sufficient ram pressure may not be applied to the carburetor
202
. Furthermore, the air flows introduced from the inlets
209
develop vortex flows at the bottom or sides of the lower case
210
(As will be discussed in relation to
FIG. 7
a
, hereinafter). When a vortex flow loss is caused, the ram air cannot effectively be introduced into the carburetor
202
because the resistance in the flow passages is increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an air cleaner which is arranged to improve air flows such that sufficient ram pressure is applied to a carburetor.
According to the present invention, there is provided an air cleaner of the type wherein an air cleaner element is housed in an air cleaner case. Air, introduced from an air inlet defined in the air cleaner case, is passed through an air cleaner element after the direction of flow of the air is changed 90 degrees or substantially 90 degrees. The air cleaner is characterized in that the air cleaner case has a curved guide surface for smoothly guiding the air introduced from the air inlet toward the air cleaner element. The curved guide surface smoothly guides the air introduced from the air inlet toward the air cleaner element, and thereby reduces vortex flows generated by the air introduced from the air inlet.
The air cleaner may also have the curved guide surface formed as a detachable piece. A reverse side of the detached piece and the air cleaner case may define an air branch chamber. A filter is disposed in the air branch chamber and held by a filter presser extending from the detachable piece. The air branch chamber allows part of the air introduced from the air inlet can be led out of the air cleaner case via the detachable piece, through the filter. Preferably, a filter presser extending from the detachable piece holds the filter, so that the number of parts used can be reduced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2365328 (1944-12-01), Bell
patent: 5582146 (1996-12-01), Linsbauer et al.
patent: 5609658 (1997-03-01), Takemura et al.
patent: 996261 (1997-04-01), None
Dazai Masayuki
Kobayashi Koki
Nishimoto Kenichi
Nishizawa Kenichi
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Hopkins Robert A.
Simmons David A.
LandOfFree
Air cleaner having a curved guide surface for airflow to an... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Air cleaner having a curved guide surface for airflow to an..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Air cleaner having a curved guide surface for airflow to an... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2460330