Air filter assembly with a controlled auxiliary air inlet

Claim 2

In an air filter assembly for an air vacuum source such as an internal combustion engine, the filter assembly including filter means and an enclosure for the filter means, the enclosure having an air inlet and an air outlet extending through the filter means to the air vacuum source whereby the filter means filters the air passing therebetween, air valve apparatus supported by the enclosure for permitting ingress of additional air through the filter means to the air vacuum source under certain vacuum source conditions, the air valve apparatus including a housing supported by the enclosure and having an enlarged section provided with an open end communicating with the exterior of the enclosure, a valve section having an outlet opening therein communicating with the interior of the filter assembly and arranged relative to the filter means so that the air existing from the outlet opening passes through the filter means, a reduced section between the enlarged section and the valve section and the valve section, a cup shaped valve element having the open end thereof facing the enlarged section open end and being movable within the housing between open and closed positions relative to the outlet opening, and control means for the valve means operative in response to the certain vacuum source conditions to cause the valve means to be moved from the closed position to the open position.

Claim 3

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the enlarged section is bell shaped with a relatively large open end and the reduced area section comprises a smaller opening adjacent the enlarged opening so as to produce the venturi effect.

Claim 4

Air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the valve section includes a cylindrical portion having and open end in the cylindrical portion communicating with the reduced area section of the housing and at the other end inwardly extending flanges defining an opening therethrough, and outlet opening means includes a series of spaced apart slots in the periphery of the cylendrical portion of the valve section.

Claim 5

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the air valve element is cup shaped and has an annular flange defining an opening that faces the open end of the enlarged section of the housing and is arranged so that the annular flange facilitates cleaning the air valve apparatus.

Claim 6

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the valve element is provided with an annular flange defining an opening extending towards the open end of the enlarged section of the housing and a dome shaped recess in the end of the valve element opposite the opening therein so that the dome shaped part and the annular flange combine to facilitate cleaning of the air valve apparatus.

Claim 7

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes a motor having a diaphragm coupled to the air valve element and is arranged to communicate with the air vacuum source so that when the suction is increased the motor diaphragm will move air valve element to the open position thereof.

Claim 8

An air valve assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes motor means arranged on the enlarged section of the housing, the motor means having a flexible diaphragm connected to the air valve element and communicating with the air vacuum source, bias means arranged so as to urge the air valve element to the open position thereof when the suction acting on the flexible diaphragm of the motor means attains one certain value and the bias means is overcome when the suction acting on the flexible diaphragm of the motor means attains another certain value so that the valve element is urged to the closed position.

Claim 9

An air valve assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes motor means arranged on the end of the air valve section at the end opposite the open end of the enlarged section, the motor means having a flexible diaphragm connected to the air valve element and communicating with the air vacuum source, bias means arranged so as to urge the air valve element to the open position thereof when the suction acting on the flexible diaphragm of the motor means attains one certain value and the bias means is overcome when the suction acting on the flexible diaphragm of the motor means attains another certain value so that the valve element is urged to the closed position.

Claim 10

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes motor means arranged in the housing and having a flexible diaphragm connected to the air valve elemeNt and bias means arranged to urge the air valve element to the closed position, the motor being connected to an air vacuum source so that when the air suction is of a certain magnitude the bias means is overcome and the air valve element moved to its open position.

Claim 11

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes a spring urging the valve element to the closed position.

Claim 12

An air filter assembly is described in claim 10, wherein the control means includes motor means arranged on the enlarged section of the housing and a diaphragm coupled to the valve element and the motor means is arranged to communicate with the air vacuum so that when suction attains a predetermined amount the bias from the spring and diaphragm will be overcome and the air valve element moved to the open position thereof.

Claim 13

An air valve assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes motor means arranged on the housing and having a flexible diaphragm connected to the air valve element and communicating with the air vacuum source, bias means arranged so as to urge the air valve element to the open position thereof when the suction acting on the flexible diaphragm of the motor means attains one certain value and the bias means is overcome when the suction acting on the flexible diaphragm of the motor means attains another certain value to that the valve element is urged to the closed position.

Claim 14

An air filter assembly as described in claim 12, wherein the air vacuum source is an internal combustion engine and the suction pressure corresponds to that from the intake manifold thereof so that the suction approaches atmospheric pressure when the engine is under heavy load or during acceleration.

Claim 15

An air valve assembly as described in claim 12, wherein the bias means includes a spring positioned within so as to act on the diaphragm thereof.

Claim 16

An air valve assembly as described in claim 14, wherein the bias means further includes a spring positioned within the air valve section so as to urge the valve element to the closed position.

Claim 17

An air filter assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes motor means arranged in the end of the air valve section at the end opposite the open end of the enlarged section, the motor having a flexible diaphragm connected to the air valve element and bias means arranged to urge the air valve element to the closed position, the motor being connected to an air vacuum source so that when the air suction is of a certain magnitude the bias means is overcome and the air valve element moved to its open position.

Claim 18

An air filter assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the bias means includes a spring positined within the motor so as to act on the diaphragm thereof.

Claim 19

An air filter assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the bias means includes a spring positioned within the air valve section so as to urge the valve element to the closed position.

Claim 20

In an air filter assembly for an air vacuum source such as an internal combustion engine, the filter assembly including filter means and an enclosure for the filter means having an air inlet and an air outlet extending through the filter means to the air vacuum source, air valve apparatus supported by the enclosure for permitting ingress of additional air to the air vacuum source under certain conditions, the air valve apparatus including a housing supported by the enclosure and having an enlarged bell section provided with a relatively large opening and communicating with the exterior of the enclosure, a valve section having cylindrical portions with a series of spaced apart openings therein communicating with the interior of the enclosure and arranged relative to the filter means so that the air exiting from the outlet openings passes through the filtering means, a reduced section between the enlarged section and the valve section and operative to combine with the enlarged section to provide a venturi effect uPon the air flowing therethrough, the cylindrical portion having an open end communicating with the reduced section and at the other end inwardly extending flanges defining an opening therethrough, a valve element slideable within the valve section between open and closed positions relative to the openings in the valve section, the valve element being cup shaped and having an annular flange defining an opening arranged to face the open end of the enlarged section and an opposite closed end with a dome shaped portion for cooperating with the annular flange and the venturi effect to provide self cleaning, and control means maintaining the valve element in the closed position thereof and operative in response to the certain conditions to cause the valve element to be moved to the open position.

Claim 21

In an air filter assembly for an air vacuum source such as an internal combustion engine, the filter assembly including filter means and an enclosure for the filter means having an air inlet and an air outlet extending through the filter means to the air vacuum source, air valve apparatus supported by the enclosure for permitting ingress of additional air to the air vacuum source under certain conditions, the air valve apparatus including a housing supported by the enclosure and having an enlarged bell section provided with a relatively large opening and communicating with the exterior of the enclosure, a valve section having cylindrical portions with a series of spaced apart openings therein communicating with the interior of the enclosure and arranged relative to the filter means so that the air exiting from the outlet openings passes through the filtering means, a reduced section between the enlarged section and the valve section and operative to combine with the enlarged section to provide a venturi effect uPon the air flowing therethrough, the cylindrical portion having an open end communicating with the reduced section and at the other end inwardly extending flanges defining an opening therethrough, a valve element slideable within the valve section between open and closed positions relative to the openings in the valve section, the valve element being cup shaped and having an annular flange defining an opening arranged to face the open end of the enlarged section and an opposite closed end with a dome shaped portion for cooperating with the annular flange and the venturi effect to provide self cleaning, and control means maintaining the valve element in the closed position thereof and operative in response to the certain conditions to cause the valve element to be moved to the open position.

Claim 22

An air filter assembly as described in claim 19, wherein the control means includes motor means operative in response to suction pressure from the air vacuum source to have the valve element to one of the positions thereof.

Claim 23

An air filter assembly as described in claim 19, wherein the control means includes bias means urging the valve element to one of the positions thereof.

Claim 24

An air filter assembly as described in claim 21, wherein the bias means is a spring arranged to urge the valve element to the closed position.