Engine air intake filter and crankcase breather oil collection assembly

Claim 2

An engine air intake filter and crankcase breather oil collection assembly which comprises: an enclosed canister having a generally tubular sidewall; an air flow entrance end cap closing a first end of said sidewall and having a plurality of entrance openings adjacent to the periphery thereof; an air flow exit end closing the second end of said sidewall and having a centrally located exit opening; a filter means within said canister between said air flow entrance and exit; an inner wall within and spaced from said sidewall forming an annular space therebetween; at least one crankcase breather fume entrance opening into said annular space; means for directing fumes entering through said breather fume entrance into said annular space in one direction around said annulus while preventing flow of said breather fumes in the opposite direction; at least one condensed oil exit opening spaced from said breather fume entrance opening for discharging oil condensed in said annular space; means for directing breather fumes from said annular space into said canister on the upstream side of said filter at a location spaced around said canister from said breather fume entrance; whereby most of the oil in said breather fumes is condensed in said annular space and exits through said condensed oil exit for return to the engine crankcase while a small portion of said oil substantially continuously and uniformly coats said filter means to aid said filter in trapping very fine particles.

Claim 3

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said filter is configured as the surface of a frustum, having a base at said second end and apex at said first end arranged so that substantially all air entering said entrance openings will pass through said filter means and exit through said exit opening.

Claim 4

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said sidewall is substantially cylindrical.

Claim 5

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said inner wall is substantially uniformly spaced from said side wall.

Claim 6

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for directing breather fumes from said annular space into the interior of said canister is located closely adjacent to said breather fume entrance.

Claim 7

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for directing fumes entering through said breather fume entrance in one direction comprises a plurality of spaced holes in a longitudinal wall between the inner surface of said side wall and said inner wall.

Claim 8

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for preventing flow of said breather fumes in said opposite direction comprises an imperforate longitudinal wall between the inner surface of said side wall and said inner wall.

Claim 9

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said plural entrance openings each has a cross section selected from the group consisting of circular and arcuate segment openings.

Claim 10

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said end cap is removable and replaceable with an end cap having a different entrance opening cross sectional area.

Claim 11

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said breather fume entrance opening is through said sidewall.

Claim 12

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said breather fume entrance opening is through said end cap.

Claim 13

The assembly according to claim 1 wherein said entrance openings having a predetermined total cross sectional area to provide a predetermined pressure drop

Claim 14

An engine air intake filter and crankcase breather oil collection assembly which comprises: a canister having a generally cylindrical sidewall; an air flow entrance end cap closing a first end of said sidewall and having a plurality of entrance openings adjacent to the periphery thereof; an air flow exit end closing the second end of said sidewall and having a centrally located exit opening; a frustum shaped filter means within said canister and having a base at said second end and apex at said first end arranged so that substantially all air entering a said entrance openings will pass through said filter means and exit through said exit opening; an inner wall within and substantially parallel to said sidewall forming an annular space therebetween; at least one breather fume entrance opening into said annular space; means for directing fumes entering through said breather fume entrance into said annular space in one direction around said annulus while preventing flow of said breather fumes in the opposite direction; at least one condensed oil exit opening spaced from said breather fume entrance opening for receiving oil condensed in said annular space; means for directing breather fumes from said annular space at least 270° around said canister from said breather fume entrance into said canister on the upstream side of said filter; whereby most of the oil in said breather fumes is condensed in said annular space and exits through said condensed oil exit for return to the engine crankcase while a small portion of said oil substantially continuously and uniformly coats said filter means to trap very fine particles.

Claim 15

An engine air intake filter and crankcase breather oil collection assembly which comprises: a canister having a generally cylindrical sidewall; an air flow entrance end cap closing a first end of said sidewall and having a plurality of entrance openings adjacent to the periphery thereof; an air flow exit end closing the second end of said sidewall and having a centrally located exit opening; a frustum shaped filter means within said canister and having a base at said second end and apex at said first end arranged so that substantially all air entering a said entrance openings will pass through said filter means and exit through said exit opening; an inner wall within and substantially parallel to said sidewall forming an annular space therebetween; at least one breather fume entrance opening into said annular space; means for directing fumes entering through said breather fume entrance into said annular space in one direction around said annulus while preventing flow of said breather fumes in the opposite direction; at least one condensed oil exit opening spaced from said breather fume entrance opening for receiving oil condensed in said annular space; means for directing breather fumes from said annular space at least 270° around said canister from said breather fume entrance into said canister on the upstream side of said filter; whereby most of the oil in said breather fumes is condensed in said annular space and exits through said condensed oil exit for return to the engine crankcase while a small portion of said oil substantially continuously and uniformly coats said filter means to trap very fine particles.

Claim 16

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said means for directing breather fumes from said annular space into the interior of said canister is located closely adjacent to said breather fume entrance.

Claim 17

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said means for directing fumes entering through said breather fume entrance in one direction comprises a plurality of spaced holes in a longitudinal wall between the inner surface of said side wall and said inner wall.

Claim 18

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said means for preventing flow of said breather fumes in said opposite direction comprises an imperforate longitudinal wall between the inner surface of said side wall and said inner wall.

Claim 19

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said plural entrance openings each has a cross section selected from the group consisting of circular and arcuate segment openings.

Claim 20

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said end cap is removable and replacable with an end cap having a different entrance opening cross sectional area.

Claim 21

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said breather fume entrance opening is through said sidewall.

Claim 22

The assembly according to claim 13 wherein said breather fume entrance opening is through said end cap.