Air filter arrangement to permit cleaning without removing element

Claim 2

An air filter assembly including an outer housing having a peripheral wall defining a chamber having a central axis and first and second end walls extending generally transverse to the central axis, at least the first end wall being removable, said outer housing having an air inlet and an outlet adapted for connection to an air intake of an engine, filter element means interposed between said inlet and outlet and of a type to filter air passing from said inlet to said outlet without rotation of the filter element means, said outlet being defined by a tube, means to rotatably mount said tube on the first end wall of said outer housing about an axis substantially aligned with the central axis, said filter element means comprising an annular filter ring mounted for rotation with said tube and surrounding the axis of the tube, and means sealing said filter ring relative to the tube to cause air moving from said inlet to said outlet to pass through said filter element means, and motor means mounted on the exterior of the second end wall and having an output shaft extending into the interior of said chamber and substantially aligned with the axis of said tube, coupling means to releasably connect the filter ring to the output shaft, and means to selectively power the motor to thereby rotate said filter element means at a rate sufficient to cause dirt on the exterior of said annular filter ring to be dislodged by centrifugal force.

Claim 3

The filter assembly as specified in claim 1 wherein said annular filter ring is mounted for rotation with said tube with means including a radial flange mounted on said tube and positioned in the interior of said housing, and shoulder means on said flange of size to fit within said annular filter ring to support said annular filter ring.

Claim 4

The filter assembly of claim 2 further comprising a bracket fixed to said flange, a stud attached to said bracket and mounted substantially concentric with said tube, a pilot plug mounted within said ring at an end thereof opposite from the flange, means on said stud to urge said pilot plug inwardly toward said flange to pilot and center the opposite end of said ring and to thereby support the filter ring on the flange, said coupling means being on the free end of the stud.

Claim 5

The filter assembly of claim 3 further comprising means connected to said pilot plug to prevent said plug from moving toward said flange more than a desired amount, the interior of said ring being closed for air movement from the inlet to outlet of the housing except through the filter element means.

Claim 6

The filter assembly of claim 4 wherein said means connected to said plug comprises a radially extending member that extends outwardly toward the outer surface of said annular ring, and fan blade means connected to said radially extending element to generate a flow of air when the filter element means is rotated.

Claim 7

The filter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a dust outlet opening defined in the housing at the lower side thereof.

Claim 8

The filter assembly as specified in claim 1 further comprising a bearing support housing fixed on the at least one end wall of the outer housing and surrounding and rotatably supporting said tube, and seal means to prevent airflow outwardly from said housing between said bearing support and said tubular member.

Claim 9

The filter assembly of claim 2 further comprising a first annular seal portion mounted on said first end wall, and a second annular seal portion mounted on the flange and aligned with the first seal portion, and a low friction annular ring sealingly fitted between the seal portions, said seal portions and said low friction ring forming a substantially airtight seal surrounding said tube.

Claim 10

An air filter assembly for use with internal combustion engines or the like comprising an outer generally cylindrical housing having a central axis, and having at least one removable end wall extending transverse to the axis of the outer housing, said outer housing having an opposite end wall closing the outer housing, and said outer housing having an air inlet, filter element means within said outer housing, said filter element means having a central opening, means for rotatably mounting said filter element means in the interior of said outer housing including a support assembly comprising a tubular member rotatably mounted on said at least one removable end wall, said tubular member defining an outlet from said housing, and a radially extending flange mounted on said tubular member and positioned adjacent said at least one removable end wall of said housing, means mounting the filter element means onto said flange for movement therewith with the central opening thereof aligned with the tubular member, motor means mounted on the housing adjacent the opposite end wall thereof from said at least one removable end wall and having an output shaft, means to connect said motor means output shaft to said filter element means, and control means to permit selectively energizing said motor means to thereby rotate the output shaft of the motor means and said filter element means at a speed sufficient to cause dust on the filter element means to be dislodged by centrifugal force during rotation of the filter element means, and means forming a dust outlet in the housing for permitting dust dislodged from the filter element means during rotation to be removed from the housing.

Claim 11

An air filter assembly for use with internal combustion engines or the like comprising an outer generally cylindrical housing having a central axis, and having at least one removable end wall extending transverse to the axis of the outer housing, said outer housing having an opposite end wall closing the outer housing, and said outer housing having an air inlet, filter element means within said outer housing, said filter element means having a central opening, means for rotatably mounting said filter element means in the interior of said outer housing including a support assembly comprising a tubular member rotatably mounted on said at least one removable end wall, said tubular member defining an outlet from said housing, and a radially extending flange mounted on said tubular member and positioned adjacent said at least one removable end wall of said housing, means mounting the filter element means onto said flange for movement therewith with the central opening thereof aligned with the tubular member, motor means mounted on the housing adjacent the opposite end wall thereof from said at least one removable end wall and having an output shaft, means to connect said motor means output shaft to said filter element means, and control means to permit selectively energizing said motor means to thereby rotate the output shaft of the motor means and said filter element means at a speed sufficient to cause dust on the filter element means to be dislodged by centrifugal force during rotation of the filter element means, and means forming a dust outlet in the housing for permitting dust dislodged from the filter element means during rotation to be removed from the housing.

Claim 12

The air filter assembly of claim 9 wherein said tubular member is rotatably mounted in a mounting housing, a conduit surrounding said mounting housing and adapted to be connected to the intake of an internal combustion engine, the filter element means comprising an annular filter defining an interior central chamber comprising the central opening, an annular shoulder defined on said flange on a side facing away from said at least one removable end wall of the outer housing, said central opening being of size to fit closely over said shoulder.

Claim 13

The air filter assembly of claim 10 further comprising stud means connected to said flange and extending substantially concentric with said axis of said annular filter toward an end of the outer housing opposite from the at least one removable end wall, and means to seal the end of the interior central chamber opposite from the annular shoulder including a plug mounted on said stud means and positioned in the interior central chamber, said means to connect comprising coupling means drivably coupling the motor means output shaft to said stud means.