Air cleaner hose

An air cleaner hose is provided. The air cleaner hose includes a bellows part and a low-rigidity part. The low-rigidity part is in a region between the bellows part and one end of the air cleaner hose. The low-rigidity part is included in a part of the air cleaner hose in a circumferential direction, wherein the low-rigidity part is configured to have a buckling deformation such that a buckling load of the low-rigidity part with respect to a compressive load in an axial direction of the air cleaner hose is smaller than a buckling load of a region other than the low-rigidity part with respect to the compressive load.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-258289 filed on Dec. 22, 2014 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an air cleaner hose.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventionally, when cleaning and exchanging an air cleaner element housed in an air cleaner, it is necessary to dismount an air cleaner cap from an air cleaner case to open the air cleaner.

As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-127425 (JP 2009-127425 A), an air cleaner hose connected with an air cleaner includes a bellows part. In a structure in which an air cleaner hose is connected with an air cleaner cap, when dismounting the air cleaner cap without removing the air cleaner hose from the air cleaner cap, the bellows part is elastically deformed so as to bend the air cleaner hose. For example, the air cleaner hose is bent upwardly, and the air cleaner cap is dismounted upwardly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, when another member such as a cowl is positioned in a space to which the air cleaner cap is dismounted (for example, an upper space), the air cleaner cap interferes with this another member, thus making it difficult dismount the air cleaner cap from the air cleaner case. Thus, an operation for opening the air cleaner becomes complex.

The invention provides an air cleaner hose that realizes an operation for opening an air cleaner while avoiding the air cleaner cap from interfering with another member.

According to one aspect of the invention, an air cleaner hose that is configured to be connected with an air cleaner cap including a bellows part and a low-rigidity part. The low-rigidity part is positioned in a region defined by the bellows part and one end of the air cleaner hose. The low-rigidity part is included in a part of the air cleaner hose in a circumferential direction, wherein the low-rigidity part is configured to have a buckling deformation such that a buckling load of the low-rigidity part with respect to a compressive load in an axial direction of the air cleaner hose is smaller than a buckling load of a region other than the low-rigidity part with respect to the compressive load.

According to the above aspect of the invention, when opening the air cleaner, an operator applies a compressive load to the air cleaner hose in the direction along the hose axis. Once the compressive load reaches the buckling load of the low-rigidity part, the buckling deformation happens in the low-rigidity part between the bellows part and the end part of the hose earlier than the rest of the parts. Thus, bending happens between the bellows part and the end part of the hose, and a linear dimension of the air cleaner hose in the direction along the hose axis is reduced. Then, the air cleaner cap moves in the direction along the hose axis by the reduced amount of the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose. This means that, even if there is another member such as a cowl positioned in a space for the air cleaner cap to dismount from the air cleaner case (for example, an upper space), it is possible to move the air cleaner cap to a position where the air cleaner cap do not face the another member. In this state, the bellows part is elastically deformed to bend the air cleaner hose (for example, bend upwardly). Then, the air cleaner cap is dismounted from the air cleaner case without interfering with another member, and the air cleaner is opened.

According to the above aspect of the invention, the low-rigidity part may be positioned between the bellows part and an end part of the air cleaner hose on a downstream side in an intake flow direction. A rib may be: provided on the air cleaner hose; projecting on a radially outer side of the air cleaner hose; and connected to the low-rigidity part on an upstream side in the intake flow direction.

In this structure, the part where the rib is formed is a part with relatively high rigidity. Generally, the end part of the hose on the downstream side in the intake flow direction is connected with a member having relatively high rigidity, such as an intake pipe. Thus, it is possible to give high rigidity to both sides of the low-rigidity part (both sides in the direction along the hose axis). Because of this, the compressive load is applied easily to the low-rigidity part, and the low-rigidity part has buckling deformation more easily.

According to the above aspect of the invention, rigidity of the rib may be higher than rigidity of the low-rigidity part.

According to the above aspect of the invention, the low-rigidity part may be thinner than the region other than the low-rigidity part in the circumferential direction.

According to this, it is possible to realize the low-rigidity part with a relatively simple structure.

According to the above aspect of the invention, the low-rigidity part may be provided on an upper side of the air cleaner hose.

In the invention, it is possible to reduce the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose in the direction along the hose axis by the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part, thereby making it possible to move the air cleaner cap to a position where the air cleaner cap does not interfere with another member. Therefore, the operation for opening the air cleaner, which is carried out by bending the air cleaner hose due to the elastic deformation of the bellows part, becomes easy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention is explained below based on the drawings.FIG. 1is a perspective view showing a position where an air cleaner1is arranged inside an engine compartment, and a periphery of the position. InFIG. 1, the lower side in the drawing is the front side of a vehicle body.

As shown inFIG. 1, an engine (not shown) is arranged in a central part inside of the engine compartment. In this embodiment, an upper side of the engine is covered by an engine cover2.

The air cleaner1is arranged on the left side of the engine in a vehicle width direction (the right side inFIG. 1). The air cleaner1includes an air cleaner case11fixed to a vehicle body frame (not shown), and an air cleaner cap12mounted on an upper part of the air cleaner case11. The air cleaner case11is a box on the lower side and also referred to as a lower case, and the air cleaner cap12is a box on the upper side, also referred to as an upper case. An air cleaner element13(seeFIG. 6) is housed in a space inside the air cleaner that is formed from the air cleaner case11and the air cleaner cap12. Specifically, the air cleaner element13is housed in a space inside the air cleaner case11, and an upper side of the air cleaner case11is closed by the air cleaner cap12. Flanges14,15, which are formed in outer edges of the air cleaner case11and the air cleaner cap12, respectively, are superimposed on each other, and the flanges14,15are engaged with each other by engaging tools (not shown). An example of the engaging tool is a clamp fitting.

An outside air introduction pipe (not shown) is formed integrally with the air cleaner case11, and an inlet pipe3is connected with the outside air introduction pipe. The inlet pipe3extends to the front of the vehicle body, and a tip section of the inlet pipe3which is in an end part on the front side of the vehicle body is open towards the front of the vehicle body in the vicinity of a radiator (not shown).

Meanwhile, the air cleaner cap12and an intake pipe4of the engine are connected with each other by the air cleaner hose5. A structure of the air cleaner hose5is described later. An outside air outlet pipe16is formed integrally with the air cleaner cap12, and an end part of the air cleaner hose5on the upstream side of an intake flow is connected with the outside air outlet pipe16. An end part of the air cleaner hose5on the downstream side of the intake flow is connected with the intake pipe4of the engine.

Therefore, outside air flown from the inlet pipe3into the air cleaner1is purified by passing through the air cleaner element13when flowing from the space inside the air cleaner case11to the space inside the air cleaner cap12. Thereafter, the outside air goes through the air cleaner hose5and the intake pipe4, and then flows into each cylinder of the engine.

A cowl61projects from an upper end of a dash panel64towards the front of the vehicle body. The dash panel64structures a rear wall of the engine compartment. A front end part of the cowl61covers a part of the upper side, which is an end part of the air cleaner cap12on the rear side of the vehicle body in a state where the air cleaner cap12is mounted on the air cleaner case11, of the air cleaner1.

A battery62is arranged in front of the air cleaner1, and a fuse box63is arranged on a side of the air cleaner1.

The air cleaner hose5is explained below.FIG. 2is a perspective view of the air cleaner hose5. The air cleaner hose5is formed from a rubber-based elastic body or a material such as flexible synthetic resin.

The air cleaner hose5includes an upstream-side fitting part51, a bellows part52, a deformation part53, and a downstream-side fitting part54from an upstream side (the air cleaner1side) through a downstream side (the intake pipe4side) in an intake flow direction, and these parts51to54are formed integrally with each other.

The upstream-side fitting part51is a part that is fitted to the outside air outlet pipe16of the air cleaner cap12. This means that upstream-side fitting part51is fitted to an outer circumference of the outside air outlet pipe16, and fixed to the outside air outlet pipe16by being fastened by a hose band (not shown).

The downstream-side fitting part54is a part fitted to an upstream end of the intake pipe4. This means that the downstream-side fitting part54is fitted to an outer circumference of the upstream end of the intake pipe4, and is fixed to the upstream end of the intake pipe4by being fastened by a hose band (not shown).

The bellows part52is made by forming a plurality of bellows projections, and is elastically deformed for example, curved upwardly, thereby allowing the air cleaner hose5to bend. In the operation for opening the air cleaner1, when dismounting the air cleaner cap12from the air cleaner case11, the bellows part52is elastically deformed upwardly. Thus, the air cleaner hose5is bent upwardly. This means that, by elastically deforming the bellows part52so that a part of the bellows part52on the upstream side in the intake flow direction rises, a part of the air cleaner hose5on the upstream side of the in the intake flow direction rises. Details of the operation for opening the air cleaner1are described later.

The air cleaner hose5is characterized in the deformation part53. As shown inFIG. 2, the deformation part53is provided between the bellows part52and the downstream-side fitting part54.FIG. 3is a sectional view of the deformation part53, which is a sectional view taken along the line III-III inFIG. 2, in other words, a sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a hose axis O. In the deformation part53, an upper half region53aand a lower half region53bin a circumferential direction have different thickness dimensions. The upper half region53ais a partial region in the circumferential direction at a location between the bellows part and the end part of the hose according to the invention. The lower half region53bis the other region in the circumferential direction according to the invention. To be specific, a sectional shape of an inner peripheral surface of the deformation part53is a circle shape. On the contrary, in an outer peripheral surface of the deformation part53, the radius of curvature of the upper half region53ais set to be smaller than the radius of curvature of the lower half region53b. In short, steps53c,53care formed between the outer peripheral surface of the lower half region53band the outer peripheral surface of the upper half region53a. The radius of curvature of the lower half region53bfrom the steps53c,53cis larger than the radius of curvature of the upper half region53afrom the steps53c,53c. Therefore, the thickness dimension of the lower half region53bof the deformation part53is set to be relatively larger than the thickness dimension of the upper half region53aof the deformation part53, and thus has higher rigidity. Herein below, the lower half region53bof the deformation part53is referred to as a high-rigidity part53b, and the upper half region53aof the deformation part53is referred to as a low-rigidity part53a. For example, the thickness dimension of the high-rigidity part53bis set to be 5 mm, whereas the thickness dimension of the low-rigidity part53ais set to be 3 mm. These values are not limited to the above values, and are set as appropriate.

Because the low-rigidity part53aand the high-rigidity part53bare formed as stated above, a buckling load relative to a compressive load in a direction along the hose axis O is smaller in the low-rigidity part53athan the high-rigidity part53b. In short, when a compressive load is applied to the air cleaner hose5in the direction along the hose axis O, the low-rigidity part53ahas buckling deformation (elastic buckling deformation) earlier than the high-rigidity part53bonce the compressive load reaches the buckling load of the low-rigidity part53a. Thus, when the low-rigidity part53ahas buckling deformation, a linear dimension of the air cleaner hose5in the direction along the hose axis O is reduced by an amount of the buckling deformation.

As shown inFIG. 2, connected to the deformation part53on the upstream side in the intake flow direction, a rib53d, which projects radially outwardly, is formed integrally along the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. Due to the rib53d, the part of the deformation part53on the upstream side in the intake flow direction has particularly high rigidity.

As stated above, rigidity of the low-rigidity part53ais lower than rigidity of the high-rigidity part53b. Also, a part where the rib53dis formed is a part with higher rigidity than that of the low-rigidity part53a. The downstream-side fitting part54of the air cleaner hose5is connected with the intake pipe4having higher rigidity than that of the low-rigidity part53a. This means that parts with high rigidity are present on both sides (both sides in the direction along the hose axis O) of the low-rigidity part53a. Therefore, if a compressive load acts on the deformation part53in the direction along the hose axis O, the compressive load is easily applied to the low-rigidity part53a.

As shown inFIG. 2, a PCV port55, shown by a virtual line, is connected with the air cleaner hose5. The PCV port55is connected at a position in the high-rigidity part53b.

Next, the operation for opening the air cleaner1according to the embodiment is explained by usingFIG. 4toFIG. 6. The operation for opening the air cleaner1is carried out when the air cleaner element13is cleaned or exchanged.

First of all, an engaged state of the engaging tools is released. The engaging tools engage the flanges14,15, which are formed in the outer edges of the air cleaner case11and the air cleaner cap12, respectively. Thus, the air cleaner cap12is able to move relative to the air cleaner case11.

Then, an operator applies a compressive load to the air cleaner hose5in a direction generally along the hose axis O in a state where the air cleaner cap12or the air cleaner hose5is held. Thus, the compressive load acts on the low-rigidity part53a, and, when the compressive load reaches the buckling load of the low-rigidity part53a, the low-rigidity part53ahas buckling deformation earlier than the high-rigidity part53b.FIG. 4is a schematic view showing a state before the low-rigidity part53ahas buckling deformation.FIG. 5is a schematic view showing a state where the low-rigidity part53ahas the buckling deformation. Due to the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part53a, the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose5is reduced in the direction along the hose axis O. Thus, the air cleaner cap12moves to the front side of the vehicle body (the left side inFIG. 5) by a reduced amount of the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose5.

Due to the movement towards the front side of the vehicle body, the air cleaner cap12is positioned on the front side of a space below the cowl61(seeFIG. 5). This means that a space for the air cleaner cap12to dismount from the air cleaner case11(dismount upwardly) is ensured above the air cleaner cap12.

In this state, the bellows part52is elastically deformed, and the air cleaner hose5is bent upwardly. Then, as shown inFIG. 6, the air cleaner cap12is dismounted from the air cleaner case11(dismounted upwardly) without interfering with the cowl61. Hence, it is possible to remove the air cleaner element13.

After clearing or exchange of the air cleaner element13is finished, the air cleaner cap12is mounted on the upper side of the air cleaner case11in a state where the air cleaner element13is housed in the air cleaner case11. In such a case, the air cleaner cap12is mounted on the upper side of the air cleaner case11while the compressive load is acting on the air cleaner hose5, and then the compressive load is released. In this way, the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part53ais released, and the original shape of the air cleaner hose5is restored. Then, the flanges14,15of the air cleaner case11and the air cleaner cap12are engaged with each other by the engaging tools, and then the operation ends.

As explained so far, according to this embodiment, the compressive load in the direction along the hose axis O is used to cause the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part53a, thus reducing the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose5in the direction along the hose axis O. Then, due to the elastic deformation of the bellows part52, the air cleaner hose5is bent in a state where the air cleaner cap12does not interfere with the cowl61, and the air cleaner cap12is dismounted from the air cleaner case11. Thus, it is possible to carry out the operation for opening the air cleaner1easily.

Further, by providing the rib53dconnected to the deformation part53on the upstream side in the intake flow direction, a compressive load in the direction along the hose axis O is easily applied to the low-rigidity part53a. Thus, it is possible to cause the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part53aeasily. Therefore, by applying the compressive load to the low-rigidity part53aeffectively, it is possible to specify the low-rigidity part53aas a place where the buckling deformation is caused.

Next, modified example 1 is explained. In this modified example, the shape of the deformation part53is different from that in the foregoing embodiment. The rest of the structure and the operation for opening the air cleaner1are the same as those in the foregoing embodiment. Therefore, the explanation is given regarding only the shape of the deformation part53.

FIG. 7shows a sectional shape of a deformation part53, which is a sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a hose axis O. As shown inFIG. 7, in this modified example, an angular range of a low-rigidity part53ais set to be larger than an angular range of a high-rigidity part53b. InFIG. 7, the angular range of the low-rigidity part53a, that is angle A in the drawing, is 240°, and the angular range of the high-rigidity part53b, that is angle B in the drawing, is 120°. These values are not limited to the above values, and are set as appropriate.

By setting a large angular range for the low-rigidity part53aas stated above, it becomes possible to cause buckling deformation in the low-rigidity part53awith a smaller compressive load compared to that in the foregoing embodiment, and workability for the operation for opening the air cleaner1is improved.

Next, modified example 2 is explained. In this modified example, the shape of the deformation part53is also different from that in the foregoing embodiment. The rest of the structure and the operation for opening the air cleaner1are the same as those in the foregoing embodiment. Therefore, the explanation is also given regarding only the shape of the deformation part53.

FIG. 8shows a sectional shape of a deformation part53, which is a sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a hose axis O. As shown inFIG. 8, in this modified example, a thick part53eand a thin part53fare provided alternately in a high-rigidity part53bin a circumferential direction. The thick part53eand the thin part53fextend in a longitudinal direction of an air cleaner hose5, which is a direction along the hose axis O. The thickness dimension of the thick part53ein a radial direction is set to be larger than a thickness dimension of the low-rigidity part53a. Also, a thickness dimension of the thin part53fin the radial direction generally coincides with the thickness dimension of the low-rigidity part53a.

With such a structure, rigidity of the high-rigidity part53bis higher than rigidity of the low-rigidity part53a. In other words, rigidity of the low-rigidity part53ais lower than rigidity of the high-rigidity part53b. Therefore, when a compressive load acts on the deformation part53in a direction along the hose axis O, buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part53ahappens, and a linear dimension of the air cleaner hose5in the direction along the hose axis O is reduced by an amount of the buckling deformation.

In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, the low-rigidity part53ais formed in the upper region of the deformation part53. The invention is not limited to this, and the low-rigidity part may be formed in a side region that is a region facing the outer side in the vehicle width direction or a lower region of the deformation part53.

In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, the deformation part53is formed between the bellows part52and the downstream-side fitting part54. However, the deformation part may be formed between the bellows part52and the upstream-side fitting part51. This means that the deformation part53only needs to be formed between the bellows part52and either one of end parts of the air cleaner hose5.

In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, explanation is given regarding the case where the air cleaner cap12is dismounted upwardly from the air cleaner case11. A direction in which the air cleaner cap12is dismounted is not limited to the upward direction. When there is a space secured for the air cleaner cap12to be dismounted on the side by buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part53a, the air cleaner cap12may be dismounted to the side.

In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, the downstream-side fitting part54of the air cleaner hose5is fitted to the intake pipe4, but may also be connected with a throttle body.

The invention is applicable to an air cleaner hose provided in an intake system of an automobile engine.