Air intake system with an air filter

Details Air intake system with an air filter Air intake system with an air filter

2002-04-24

2004-03-16

Kamen, Noah P. (Department: 3747)

Internal-combustion engines

Accessories

Covers, trays, vibrators, corrosion inhibitors, air filters

C123S184550, C181S229000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06705272

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of international patent application no. PCT/EP00/09718, filed Oct. 5, 2000, designating the United States of America, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Priority is claimed based on Federal Republic of Germany patent application no. DE 199 51 408.9, filed Oct. 26, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an intake system, in particular for the intake air of an internal combustion engine, having a filter cartridge and a plurality of intake fittings, at least one of which may be closed by a flap.
Intake systems of this type are known from the prior art. For example, published Japanese patent application no. JP 6-159072 describes an air filter system for an internal combustion engine which has a plurality of intake fittings
22
,
24
,
26
(see
FIG. 1
of the cited document). The intake fittings open respectively into additional duct sections
44
,
46
,
48
, in which air filter elements
50
are respectively fitted. The individual air filters and their appurtenant intake fittings may be connected or disconnected by opening or closing flaps
62
,
64
,
66
,
68
,
70
,
72
, depending on the operating state of the internal combustion engine. In particular, the intake noise of the associated internal combustion engine may thus be reduced. The volumetric requirements of the intake system, such as shunt resonators, for example, which otherwise would be a factor may be dispensed with, resulting in a smaller installation space requirement for the intake system.
However, the proposed solution also has disadvantages. The numerous individually switched flaps and the use of a plurality of air filters means a large number of individual components, so that the proposed solution presents a problem for economical production. In addition, the various air filter elements are impinged upon differently by air to be filtered, depending on the switching of the flaps. Thus, each filter element has a different service life, requiring the filters to be replaced at different times. The costs of operating the intake system are also increased, which is disadvantageous for the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an improved air intake system for an internal combustion engine.
Another object of the invention is to provide an air intake system with a filter that has a low flow resistance in small installation spaces.
A further object of the invention is to provide an intake system with a filter in which the filter is uniformly impinged upon by air to be filtered.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an intake system which can be constructed with a low number of individual components.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an intake system which achieves favorable acoustic properties.
These and other objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing an air intake system comprising a housing having a plurality of inlets and an outlet, a filter cartridge arranged in the housing between the inlets and the outlet such that a fluid drawn in through the inlets flows through the filter cartridge to the outlet, a plurality of intake fittings each attached to a respective inlet and having an intake opening upstream the attached inlet, and at least one flap valve situated between the intake opening of an intake fitting and the attached inlet for selectively opening and closing the intake fitting, in which the plurality of inlets all open into a common air chamber in the housing upstream of the filter cartridge.
The intake system according to the invention has a plurality of intake fittings which open into inlets in the filter housing. The intake fittings may be closed at least partially by flaps, thereby influencing the acoustics of the intake system depending on the operating conditions. The inlets all open into the same air chamber, which directly adjoins the filter cartridge of the intake system. A single filter cartridge may be mounted in the housing. However, it is also possible to operate a plurality of filter cartridges in parallel. The filter cartridges have smaller dimensions in proportion to the required filter surface, so that their stability with regard to pressure losses at the filter cartridge as well as pressure pulse oscillation may be improved.
The number of components required is advantageously reduced by use of the common air chamber. In addition, flow losses are decreased since economy in the number of partitions may be realized in the region of the common air chamber. Regardless of the position of the flap, and thus the number of closed intake fittings, the fluid to be filtered may be freely dispersed in the air chamber in order to subsequently penetrate the filter cartridge. This allows a more uniform impingement on the filter cartridge, with the loading of deposited particles being statistically distributed over the entire surface of the filter cartridge. The service life of the filter cartridge is thereby increased, since the pressure drop across the filter element which occurs as the result of the threshold loading is delayed. Because of the reduced number of components and the increased service life of the filter, the proposed solution is particularly economical in production as well as during operation.
In accordance with one specific embodiment of the invention, the air chamber has a wedge-shaped design. The filter cartridge, which in this case is flat, forms one side of the air chamber. The air chamber thus tapers corresponding to the reduction in the volumetric air flow which moves across the filter cartridge. This geometry is particularly advantageous for the flow. Hence, the fluid can flow through the intake system substantially free from separation, thereby minimizing the flow losses and intake noise which arise. In addition, such a geometry offers a particular economy of space due to the fact that the minimum required cross-sectional area is available on all sides of the air chamber, so that there is no unused volume.
A further improvement of the flow characteristics in the intake system may be realized when all the inlets are accommodated in the same housing wall section of the air chamber. The inlets are then aligned essentially parallel, thereby achieving unidirectional fluid flow in the air chamber. To absolutely minimize sudden changes in the cross-sectional area of the inlets to the air chamber, according to a specific embodiment of the invention, the housing wall section has a rectangular configuration, with the inlets occupying almost the entire surface of this wall section. It is advantageous if the inlets also have a rectangular configuration and are adjacently arranged. The housing wall section is thus entirely broken up by the inlets, up to the end faces of the walls of the intake fittings which form the inlets. The filter cartridge is then situated at least substantially opposite the inlets, thereby enabling the fluid to flow unhindered through the filter cartridge. This arrangement may be achieved in particular by use of the aforementioned wedge-shaped air chamber. In a wedge-shaped air chamber, the filter is disposed obliquely with respect to the inlets.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the intake fittings may be connectors which allow the filter housing to be connected to continuing duct structures, with the duct structures forming the intake openings for the air which is drawn in. These connectors preferably have a circular design. With this design, commercially available tubes may be affixed to the system as additional duct structures without any difficulty. A large design space is thereby created which permits the described components to be used in different applications. Using identical parts for different applications results in savings particularly in machining costs, thus making the individual solutions more economical.
It is advantageous if sensors for controlling the flaps are provided as part of the intake system. These sens

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