Filter group of air directed to an air aspiration intake of an internal combustion engine

An air filter group for air supply to internal combustion engines of motor vehicles, of a type comprising an external casing provided with an inlet opening of the air to be filtered, and an outlet opening of the filtered air, and a removable cover, the inlet and outlet openings being separated by a removable filter cartridge which comprises a hollow cylindrical filter wall crossed by the air in a centripetal direction, in which the at least a filter cartridge is fixed to the cover in which cover a chamber is present, delimited by a base provided with at least a hole at which the at least a cartridge is fixed, by an opposite wall to the base and by an annular wall located between the base and the opposite wall and comprising the outlet hole of the filtered air, the cover being destined to be inserted sealedly in the casing.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a filter group of air directed to an air intake of an internal combustion engine.

In greater detail, the present invention relates to a filter group which is associated to an internal combustion engine, and which is destined to be located in the engine compartment of the vehicle on which the engine is installed.

PRIOR ART

In order for internal combustion engines to function, both Diesel and petrol engines, the cylinders must be supplied with a certain quantity of air collected from the surrounding environment, to as to supply the oxygen necessary for combustion of the fuel.

The air is usually collected by one or more air intakes which open on the vehicle bodywork, is conveyed towards an aspiration manifold, which communicates directly with the cylinders of the engine through the aspiration valves.

As is known, the air collected from the environment can cause suspension of solid particles having dimensions sufficiently large as to serious damage the engine, should the particles reach the inside of the engine.

In order to prevent this from happening, between the air intake and the aspiration manifold an air filter group is located, which is for treatment of the above-mentioned solid particles.

The filter groups of known type usually comprise a supply conduit which connects the air intakes to the aspiration manifold, along which a filter box is located, generally of large dimensions, able to contain a filter wall made of porous material which retains the solid particles and allows the air part to pass.

During use, the filter wall blocks more or less rapidly, and therefore needs regular maintenance and periodic replacement.

For these reasons, the filter wall and the relative filter box must be located in an easily-accessible position of the engine compartment, and this constitutes a very considerable limitation to the distribution of the available spaces internally of the engine compartment, also in the light of the dimensions of the group itself.

An aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned drawback with a solution that is simple, rational and relatively inexpensive, at the same time providing an advantageous alternative with respect to the above-described prior-art systems.

These aims are attained by the characteristics of the invention as reported in the independent claims. The dependent claims delineate preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the invention discloses a filter cartridge of air in supply to an internal combustion engine of motor vehicles, comprising a filter wall, characterised in that the filter wall is fixed to a support body which comprises a chamber limited by a base, provided with at least a perforated shank at which the at least a filter wall is fixed, and by an upper wall, opposite the base, between which a passage opening of the filtered air is defined.

In a different embodiment of the invention, an air filter group for supply of internal combustion engine of motor vehicles is disclosed, comprising an external casing, provided with an inlet conduit of the air to be filtered, and an outlet conduit of the filtered air, the inlet and outlet conduits being separated by at least a filter wall axially housed internally of the casing, characterised in that the casing comprises an opening occluded by a support body of the filter wall, the support body comprising a chamber delimited by a lower base, provided with at least a hole at which the at least a filter wall is fixed, and by an upper wall, opposite the base, between which an air passage opening is defined, in fluid communication with the air outlet conduit. In a further embodiment an air filter group is provided for supply to internal combustion engines, comprising an external casing, delimiting the outlet conduit of the filtered air and a housing flange connected to the casing and able to delimit an opening occluded by the support body of the filter wall; the support body comprises a chamber delimited by a lower base provided with at least a hole at which at least a filter wall is fixed and by an upper wall, opposite the base, between which an air passage opening is defined, in fluid communication with the outlet conduit. This configuration enables preventing use of the casing delimiting the dirty side of the filter wall, with a consequent advantageous exploiting of the internal spaces of the engine compartment and the filter surface of the tubular walls.

A further embodiment of the invention relates to an air filter group destined to be associated to a cooling radiator of an internal combustion engine, comprising an external casing provided with a distributor for conveying air to be filtered towards at least a housing seating of a filter cartridge, and a manifold able to convey the filtered air towards an outlet conduit, characterised in that the distributor comprises an air inlet opening located above an upper surface of the radiator.

BEST WAY OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figures fromFIG. 1toFIG. 6, in which a first embodiment of the invention is illustrated, an air filter group is illustrated of air in supply to internal combustion engines of motor vehicles, of a type comprising an external casing2, provided with an inlet conduit3of the air to be filtered, and an outlet conduit4of the filtered air, both located on a lateral wall of the casing2.

In detail, the casing2comprises a beaker body20on which the inlet conduit3of the air to be filtered is fashioned, which inlet conduit3is provided with an upper mouth21(FIG. 3) on which a cover22is fixed, provided with an outlet conduit4of the air.

In a variant of the invention, the beaker body20and the cover22might be monolithic.

It is specified that in a variant of the invention, not illustrated, the air inlet conduit might also be positioned on the bottom of the beaker body20.

The casing2comprises an upper opening5(FIG. 5) which enables axial insertion of a filter cartridge6internally of the casing, which is provided with at least a filter wall8. In greater detail, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper opening5is realized on an upper surface24(FIG. 5) of the cover22.

In a variant of the invention, not illustrated, the air inlet conduit might be omitted. In this case the upper opening5would be realized on a housing flange connected to the outlet opening.

In the illustrated embodiment, the filter cartridge6comprises a support body7of two filter walls8having a cylindrical shape which are axially housed internally of the beaker body20.

With particular reference to figures from3to6, the support body7comprises a chamber70delimited by a base71, provided with two perforated lower shanks72, at which the filter walls8are fixed, and by an upper wall73, opposite the base71, between which an air passage opening74is defined, the passage opening74being in fluid communication with the outlet conduit4of the filtered air. The upper wall73is inclined with respect to the lower base71, so that the chamber70exhibits growing sections in a direction towards the passage opening74of the filtered air. Further, at an upper surface730thereof, it exhibits (FIG. 2) a grasping handle731which enables easy inserting and extracting of the filter cartridge6to and from the casing2.

The upper wall73might also be arranged parallel with respect to the base70.

The chamber further exhibits, in this embodiment of the invention, a vertical perimeter wall75which connects the base71with the opposite upper wall73, and is provided with openings76(FIG. 2), and on which the filtered air passage opening74is fashioned.

The body7is sealedly inserted in the passage opening5internally of the casing2, and provided, for example, in particular in the cover22. For this purpose it exhibits, at the base71and the opposite wall73, respectively two annular seatings77and78(FIG. 5), each of which receives a complementary seal gasket79,80.

Further, fins81are positioned between the base71and the upper part73(FIG. 5), which fins81are shaped and configured such as to facilitate the air flow towards the passage opening74.

The functioning of the invention is very simple; the air enters internally of the casing2through the inlet conduit3, crosses the filter walls8, from outside towards inside, and flows towards the outlet conduit4of the filtered air through the two shanks72and the chamber70.

Figures from8to12illustrate a second embodiment of the invention which will be described in the following. It is specified that in the description of the second embodiment of the invention the same reference numerals will be used to indicate identical components already described in the preceding embodiments of the invention.

The figures illustrate an air filter group100destined to be directly associated to a cooling radiator101(FIG. 8) of an internal combustion engine (not illustrated).

The filter group100comprises an external casing102provided with a distributor103(FIGS. 8 and 10), configured so as to convey the air to be filtered towards at least a housing seating104of a filter cartridge, and which comprises at least an inlet opening106of the air located above an upper surface of the radiator101.

In greater detail (FIG. 11) the distributor103is step-conformed and comprises a first portion103a, provided with the air inlet mouth106, which develops in the direction of a horizontal axis A of symmetry of the casing102, and a second portion103b, perpendicular to the first portion103a, which second portion103bdevelops in a direction of a vertical axis of symmetry B of the casing102, and is destined to be located at a rear vertical surface of the radiator101.

The second portion103bhouses a plurality of vertical walls107(FIG. 11) which have the function of switching the air flow which flows through the distributor103for separating any water particles present in the air. The separated water particles are discharged to outside the casing102thanks to a plurality of passage holes108present on a lower perimeter edge of the casing102(FIG. 11).

In the illustrated embodiment, the distributor103comprises two inlet openings106of the air that are symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane of symmetry which contains the vertical axis of symmetry B of the casing102and is perpendicular to the radiator101.

As mentioned in the foregoing, the casing102also comprises at least a housing seating104of a filter cartridge. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures the casing102comprise two identical housing seatings104, each of which houses a filter cartridge, which are symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane of symmetry, which contains the vertical axis of symmetry B of the casing102, and is perpendicular to the radiator101. In greater detail the seatings104are located at two opposite ends of the casing102, and each thereof is in fluid communication with the second portion103bof the distributor103.

In this embodiment of the invention, each seating104comprises a beaker-shaped portion109, substantially identical to the beaker body described in the first embodiment of the invention, on which a slit110is afforded for passage of the air to be filtered. The beaker portion109(FIG. 11) is provided with an upper mouth on which a cover111(FIG. 10) is fixed, provided with an outlet portion111aof the filtered air in communication with a manifold105configured for conveying the filtered air towards an outlet conduit112.

It is specified that the cover111, the horizontal portion103aof the distributor103and the manifold105can be realised as a single monolithic body.

The casing2further comprises at least an upper opening113which enables axial insertion of the filter cartridge6internally of the casing and which, in accordance with the present embodiment, is realised in the cover111(FIG. 10).

In this embodiment of the invention, the filter cartridge, which is housed in the respective housing seating104, is further identical to the filter cartridge6described previously, for which reason a detailed description of the filter cartridge will be omitted.

The manifold105is located above the distributor103and is in fluid communication with the outlet portions111a(FIG. 11) of the filtered air. The manifold105also comprises the discharge conduit112, which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is positioned between the two inlet openings106of the air to be filtered and above them.

At the second vertical portion of the distributor103, the casing2comprises a recess114, having an upturned U-shape, which inferiorly connects with the housing seatings4of the filter cartridge6.

The recess114is provided with support means115of a cooling fan (not illustrated) of the radiator. The support means115comprise a perforated annular shank116, connected to the casing2through a plurality of rods117(FIG. 8).

In the functioning of this embodiment of the invention, the air to be filtered enters internally of the distributor103, through the passage openings106, and flows through the first portion103aof the distributor then to enter the second portion103bthereof. In crossing the second portion103bof the distributor the air is deviated by the walls107so as to separate any particles of water present in the flow of air to be filtered. The air flow crosses the filter walls8from outside towards inside, and flows towards the outlet conduit112of the filtered air, passing through the chambers70and the outlet manifold105.

A third embodiment is illustrated in figures from13to15, in which an external casing202is provided with a first portion2021, which has a substantially prismatic and compact shape and extends along a longitudinal axis A.

At an end of the first portion, the external casing202has an inlet conduit203.

At the opposite end, the external casing has two flanges221both lying in a perpendicular plane to the longitudinal axis A, each of which comprises an opening205, having for example a bilobate profile.

Access to two identical seatings220is afforded through the openings205, which seatings220are fashioned internally of the first portion2021and have longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the external casing202.

Each of the seatings220is able to house a filter cartridge206which is axially inserted internally of the first portion2021of the external casing202through the relative opening205.

At the openings205, the external casing202further comprises a second portion2022that provides two further flanges222lying in a parallel plane to the longitudinal axis A.

Each of the flanges222of the second portion2022is located flanked and protrudes substantially projectingly with respect to a respective flange221of the first portion2021, with which it defines a right-angled dihedron in which the corresponding opening205opens.

Each flange222of the second portion2022further comprises a window2221which is placed in fluid communication with an outlet conduit204made in the second portion of the external casing, via a manifold2041which embraces the external perimeter of the flanges222.

Each flange222of the second portion2022is further provided with a pair of guides2222which extend parallel to the longitudinal axis A and which are located by sides of the relative window2221.

In the specific example, the guides2222located between the two windows2221are made in a single wall2223which separates the two flanges222and rises from the first portion2021of the external casing202in the space comprised between the two openings205.

Further, this third embodiment comprises a pair of filter cartridges206, each of which is provided with a support body207and a filter wall208fixed to the support body207.

The support body207comprises a chamber270delimited by a base flange271, an upper wall273, opposite the base flange271, and a vertical perimeter wall275which laterally delimits the chamber270.

The base flange271is provided with two shanks272, at each of which the respective filter wall208is fixed.

The support body207further comprises a passage opening274afforded in the portion of vertical wall275facing the window2221, the passage opening274being in fluid communication with the outlet conduit204of the filtered air. The upper wall273is inclined with respect to the base flange271, so that the chamber270exhibits growing sections in a direction towards the passage opening274of the filtered air. Further, on an external portion thereof, it exhibits a grasping handle731which enables easy inserting and extracting of the filter cartridge206to and from the casing202.

Further, the support body270comprises a flange276, lying on a parallel plane to the longitudinal axis A and located at the passage opening274.

The body207is sealedly inserted in the respective opening205by sliding the flange276into the corresponding guide2222up to bringing the base flange271into abutment against the respective flange221of the first portion2021of the external casing202.

In this way the support body207occludes the opening205and places it in communication with the passage opening274and places the passage opening274in communication with the window2221; in this way the support body207places the inlet conduit203in fluid communication with the outlet conduit204.

The invention as it is conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept.

Further, all the details can be replaced by other technically-equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, can be any according to requirements, without forsaking the scope of protection of the following claims.