Filter assembly with mounting

A filter assembly, including an air cleaner assembly for an internal combustion engine in an underhood engine compartment, includes a mounting bracket with a flow passage therethrough. In one form, a combination air filter element and base is provided for an air cleaner assembly. In a further form, a filter assembly includes a filter element integrally and permanently mounted to the base for removal and replacement as a single unit.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The invention relates to filter assemblies, including air cleaner assemblies for an internal combustion engine in an underhood engine compartment.

Filter assemblies including air cleaner assemblies for internal combustion engines in an underhood engine compartment are known in the prior art. The filter assembly is mounted in the underhood engine compartment and supplies clean filtered combustion air to the engine.

The present disclosure arose during continuing development efforts in the above technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a portion of an engine compartment20including an internal combustion engine22and a firewall24. Schematically shown at box26is a typical location for mounting an air cleaner assembly for supplying clean filtered combustion air to the engine, e.g. to the compressor portion of a turbocharger such as28, all as is known.

Referring toFIGS. 2-5, an air cleaner assembly30,FIG. 3, includes a bracket32mounted to a designated component in the underhood engine compartment. In one embodiment, such component is one or more of the mounting rails or platforms such as34,36provided by the engine manufacturer,FIGS. 1,2. These mounting rails or platforms may be along the engine valve cover38. In alternate embodiments, the air cleaner assembly may be mounted to one or more other designated components in the underhood engine compartment. Bracket32forms a combustion air flow passage40therethrough. An air filter42includes a housing44mounted to bracket32, to be further described, and having a dirty air inlet46and a clean air outlet48. A combustion air duct50,FIGS. 3,5, has an inlet52receiving clean filtered combustion air through bracket32and supplying the clean combustion air to the engine. The clean air outlet48of the filter housing and the inlet52of combustion air duct50are each sealed at bracket32,FIG. 6, such that clean filtered air exits the air filter at clean air outlet48of the filter housing and flows through the combustion air flow passage40of bracket32and through inlet52of combustion air duct50as clean combustion air supplied to the engine.

Referring toFIG. 6, clean air outlet48of the filter housing and inlet52of combustion air duct50are each sealed to bracket32at combustion air flow passage40. A clamp54, such as a band clamp, provides clamping sealing pressure to at least one interface between combustion air flow passage40of bracket32, clean air outlet48of the filter housing, and inlet52of combustion air duct50. Bracket32has a sidewall56,FIGS. 5,6, defining combustion air flow passage40. Sidewall56has first and second distally oppositely facing surfaces58and60. Clean air outlet48of the filter housing engages first surface58in sealing relation. Inlet52of combustion air duct50engages second surface60in sealing relation. Air flows axially along an axial flow direction62through combustion air flow passage40of bracket32. One of the noted first and second surfaces of sidewall56, e.g. first surface58, faces radially inwardly towards combustion air flow passage40. The other of the first and second surfaces of sidewall56, e.g. second surface60, faces radially outwardly away from combustion air flow passage40.

Each of clean air outlet48of the filter housing, sidewall56of combustion air flow passage40of bracket32, and inlet52of combustion air duct have respective axial extension sections64,66,68,FIGS. 5,6, axially overlapping each other at an overlap region70. Axial extension section66of sidewall56of combustion air flow passage40of bracket32is sandwiched radially between axial extension section64of clean air outlet48of the filter housing and axial extension section68of inlet52of combustion air duct50at overlap region70. Band clamp54circumscribes axial extension section68of inlet52of combustion air duct50and axial extension section66of sidewall56of combustion air flow passage40of bracket32and axial extension section64of clean air outlet48of the filter housing at overlap region70.

Clamp54is a first clamp located at a first clamping location72,FIG. 6. A second clamp74is located at a second clamping location76and clamping and mounting the filter housing to bracket32. First and second clamping locations72and76are spaced and separate locations. A floating radial seal77is provided between axial extension section66of sidewall56of combustion air flow passage40of bracket32and axial extension section64of clean air outlet48of the filter housing. In one embodiment, floating radial seal77is a resilient rubber or the like O-ring in a concave recess formed in surface58of sidewall56and permitting axial movement of axial extension sections64and66relative to each other. The filter housing has a first flange78extending radially outwardly from axial extension section64of clean air outlet48of the filter housing. Bracket32has a second flange80extending radially outwardly from axial extension section66of sidewall56of combustion air flow passage40of bracket32. First and second flanges78and80are axially spaced by an axial air gap82reducing heat transfer therebetween.

In some embodiments, filter housing44includes a cover84,FIG. 3, detachably mounted to a base86at a third clamp88at a third clamping location90. Base86is mounted to bracket32by second clamp74. Third clamping location90is spaced and separate from first and second clamping locations72and76. In some embodiments, dirty air inlet46is in cover84,FIG. 4, and clean air outlet48is in base86. An air filter element92, in one embodiment having an inverted V-shape, though other air filter elements may be used, has an upstream dirty side94receiving dirty air from dirty air inlet46, and a downstream clean side96delivering clean filtered air to clean air outlet48. Air filter element92is integrally and permanently mounted to base86in one embodiment and defines a clean filtered air plenum98therebetween. In this embodiment, base86and air filter element92are removed and replaced as a single unit from and to the filter housing. Air flows through the air filter element along a first flow path into clean filtered air plenum98and then flows along a second flow path to clean air outlet40. InFIG. 4, the first flow path is shown at arrows102, and the second flown path is shown at arrow104. First and second flow paths102and104are in the same direction. While in the clean air plenum98, the flow may also extend along a transverse direction into and out of the page inFIG. 4, which transitional flow path is shown at106inFIG. 7.

In another embodiment,FIGS. 8-10, the first flow path is shown at102aflowing into dirty air inlet46ato be filtered by filter element92ain filter housing44a, whereafter the clean filtered air flows along a second flow path104ato clean air outlet48a. In this embodiment, air flows through air filter element92aalong first flow path102ainto clean filtered air plenum98aafter passing through filter element92aand then flows along second flow path104ato clean air outlet48a. In this embodiment, first and second flow paths102aand104aare normal to each other. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 8-10, the filter housing may have a door such as108which may be removed to enable servicing of filter element92a, e.g. by pulling filter element92ahorizontally leftwardly inFIG. 8through open or removed door108, and then insertion of a replacement filter element horizontally rightwardly into the housing. Bracket32amay include a combustion air flow passage40awith sidewall56asandwiched between clean air outlet48aof the filter housing and inlet52aof combustion air duct50a, clamped by band clamp54a, comparably to that above described forFIG. 6.

The system provides a combination air filter element92and base86for an air cleaner assembly30for an internal combustion engine22in an underhood engine compartment20. The air cleaner assembly has a bracket32mounted to a designated component, e.g.34and/or36, in the underhood engine compartment. Bracket32forms a combustion air flow passage40therethrough. The combination air filter element and base92,86, is part of an air filter42including a housing44having a cover84detachably mounted to a base86. The housing is mounted to bracket32and has a dirty air inlet46and a clean air outlet48. The combination air filter element and base includes an air filter element92having an upstream dirty side94receiving dirty air from dirty air inlet46, and a downstream clean side96delivering clean filtered air to clean air outlet48. In one embodiment, air filter element92is integrally and permanently mounted to base86and defines a clean filtered air plenum98therebetween. The combination air filter element and base92,86is removed and replaced as a single unit from and to the filter housing. A combustion air duct50having an inlet52receives clean filtered combustion air through bracket32and supplies the clean combustion air to the engine. Clean air outlet48of the filter housing and inlet52of combustion air duct50are each sealed at bracket32, such that clean filtered air exits the combination air filter element and base92,86at clean air outlet48of the filter housing and flows through combustion air flow passage40of bracket32and through inlet52of combustion air duct50as clean filtered combustion air supplied to the engine.

In further embodiments, the system provides a filter assembly42including a housing44having a cover84detachably mounted to a base86. The filter housing has a dirty fluid inlet46and a clean fluid outlet48. A filter element92has an upstream dirty side94receiving dirty fluid from inlet46, and a downstream clean side96delivering clean filtered fluid to outlet48. Filter element92is integrally and permanently mounted to base86and defines a clean filtered fluid plenum98therebetween. Base86and filter element92are removed and replaced as a single unit from and to housing44.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different configurations, systems, and method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination with other configurations, systems and method steps. It is to be expected that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. Each limitation in the appended claims is intended to invoke interpretation under 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, only if the terms “means for” or “step for” are explicitly recited in the respective limitation.