Abstract:
An air cleaner for engines includes a fender provided on the side of the air inlet and the air passage, and a hollow tube adapted to the air inlet to prevent weeds, dust, and pebbles from entering into the air cleaner for enabling clean air to be delivered to the engine continuously and protecting the carburetor from being contaminated by foreign matter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (a) Technical Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is related to an air cleaner for an engine adapted to a power mower, and more particularly, to one that prevents foreign matter such as weeds, dust, and pebbles from being sucked into the air cleaner to enable clean air to be fed to the engine continuously and prevent the foreign matter from contaminating the carburetor of the engine.  
         [0003]     (b) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     The air cleaner for engines adapted to power mowers generally available in the market functions to introduce fresh air to be mixed with fuel for combustion and explosion in the engine to generate power. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the accompanying drawings, the power mower  1  is essentially comprised of a body  11 , two front wheels  12 , two rear wheels  13 , an engine  14 , a fuel tank  15  and a handle  16 . Wherein, a cutting cylinder (not illustrated) is provided at the bottom of the body  11 ; both pairs of front wheels  12  and rear wheels  13  are respectively provided in the front and the rear of the body  11 ; the engine  14  and the fuel tank  15  are mounted on the top of the body  11 ; the handle  16  extends upwards from the rear of the body  11 ; a speed controller  151  is provided to the handle  16 ; and a conductor  152  is used to connect the speed controller  16  to the engine  14 . Once the power mower operates, the fresh air is introduced through an air cleaner  2  into a carburetor  3  to mix with the fuel. The mixture is then imported into the engine  14  for combustion and explosion to create power to drive the cutting cylinder to revolve with the speed to be controlled by the speed controller  151 , thus for the user to steer the handle  16  for mowing.  
         [0005]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the air cleaner  2  includes a case  21 , an air cleaner element  22  and a cover  23 . Wherein, on one side of the case  21  which is closer to the carburetor  3  is provided with an air inlet  211 , and a supplementary air inlet  212 . In addition to admitting the air, the supplementary air inlet  212  also functions as a drain. A locking member  213  in a long oval shape extends upwards from the center of the case  21 . An air outlet  214  is provided on the bottom of the locking member  213  and two locking posts  215  are each provided on both sides inside the locking member  213 . The locking post  215  relates to a hollow pillar and is internally threaded. Furthermore, an air passage  216  connecting through the carburetor  3  is disposed below the case  21 .  
         [0006]     The air cleaner element  22  has a hollow center at its bottom for the insertions of the locking member  213  and both locking pillars  215  from the case  21 . A trap  221  in the form of a piece of filtration cotton or paper is provided to the peripheral of the air cleaner element  22 . A resilient washer  222  is provided on the lower circumference of the air cleaner element  22 , and a locking hole  223  is disposed above the air cleaner element  22  at where in relation to the location of the locking pillar  215 .  
         [0007]     The cover  23  is a rectangular shape to cover up the case  21  and a through hole  231  is provided on top of the cover  23  in relation to the location of the locking pillar  215  to permit insertion of a fastener  24  for locking purposes.  
         [0008]     As illustrated in  FIG. 3  for the assembly of the air cleaner  2  of the prior art, the air cleaner element  22  is placed on the locking member  213  inside the case  21  with the locking holes  223  on the air cleaner element  22  located in relation to the locking post  215  and the resilient washer  222  below the air cleaner element  22  flushed to the case to prevent overflow of clean air. The cover  23  is then placed upon the case with the through hole  231  on top of the cover  23  located in relation to the locking hole  223  of the air cleaner element  22 . The fastener  24  is inserted through the locking hole  223  of the air cleaner element  22  via the through hole  231  and locked to the locking post  215 .  
         [0009]     When the engine  14  is operating as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the ambient air enters into the case  21  through the air inlet  211  and the supplementary air inlet  212 . Vapor and foreign matter carried by the air are filtered with the trap  221  for the vapors to condensate into drops to be drained out of the case  21  through the supplementary air inlet  212 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the clean air passing through the trap  221  enters into the air passage  216  through the air outlet  214  to mix with the fuel by the carburetor  3  for keeping the engine  14  running.  
         [0010]     However, foreign matter including weeds, dust and pebbles are usually present in the air fed to the power mower in operation. When the air around the air cleaner  2  enters into the case  21  through the air inlet  211  and the supplementary air inlet  212 , the foreign matter will be usually sucked into the case  21  at the same time, and weeds and dust of a smaller size may pass through the air inlet  211  and the supplementary air inlet  212  may be intercepted by the trap  221 ; but larger sized matter may block the air inlet  211  resulting in a higher concentration of air-fuel mixture to discharge the higher volume of exhaust. Furthermore, it requires the user to remove the air cleaner  2  for cleaning. In serious cases, the engine will fail and the foreign matter will contaminate the carburetor  3 .  
         [0011]     As described above, the air inlet  211  is vulnerable to being blocked by weeds and dust resulting in an insufficient supply of fresh air to the carburetor  3  to discharge higher volume of exhaust. Frequent maintenance of the air filter also presents an inconvenience for the user.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an engine air cleaner for a power mower to supply clean air continuously to the carburetor and prevent weeds, dust, and pebbles from being sucked into the air cleaner and thereby contaminating the carburetor. To achieve this purpose, a fender is provided on the side of the air inlet and air passage of the air cleaner to prevent weeds, dust, and chisels from being sucked into the air filter.  
         [0013]     The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.  
         [0014]     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a power mower of the prior art.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of an air cleaner used in an engine of the power mower of the prior art.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing a local part of the air cleaner of the prior art.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of an air cleaner of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing a local part of the air cleaner of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the present invention adapted to a power mower.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , an air cleaner  4  adapted to an engine  61  is essentially comprised of a case  41 , an air cleaner element  42  and a cover  43 . The case  41  and the cover  43  define a space to accommodate the air cleaner element  42 . An air inlet  411  is provided on the side at where close to a carburetor  5 . A hollow tube  412  extends externally from the peripheral of the case  41 . A supplementary air inlet  413  is provided at the bottom of the case  41  to admit air and to function as a drain. A long oval locking member  414  extending upward from the center of the case  41  has at its bottom disposed with an air outlet  415  and two hollow locking posts  416  each internally threaded respectively provided on both sides of the locking member  414 . An air passage  417  is connecting through a carburetor  5  is provided below the case  41 . The air passage relates to a hollow tube  419  integrated with the case  41  at its below, and a fender to screen the case  41  is provided by the air passage  417  below the case  41 .  
         [0023]     The air cleaner element  42  has a hollow center bottom to merely receive the placement of the locking member  414  and the locking pillars  416  of the case  41 . A trap  421  usually in the form of a piece of filtration cotton or paper is provided to the peripheral of the air cleaner element  42 . A resilient washer is mounted to the lower circumference of the air cleaner element  42  and a locking hole  423  is provided on top of the air cleaner element  42  at where in relation to the locking pillar  416 .  
         [0024]     The rectangular cover  43  properly covers up the case  41  and a through hole  431  is provided on top of the cover  43  at where in relation to the locking pillar  416  to permit the insertion of a fastener  44  for locking purpose.  
         [0025]     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , upon assembling the air cleaner  4  of the present invention, the air cleaner is mounted to the locking member  414  inside the case  41 ; the locking hole  423  on top of the air cleaner element  42  is disposed at where in relation to the locking pillar  46  while the resilient washer  422  below the air cleaner element  42  is flushed on the case  41  to avoid overflow of the clean air; the cover  43  is placed on the case  41  with the through hole  431  on top of the cover  43  located at where in relation to the locking hole  423  of the air cleaner element  42 ; and the case  41  is secured to the locking post  416  with the fastener  44  inserted through the locking hole  423  of the air cleaner element  42  via the through hole  431 .  
         [0026]     When the engine  61  is operating as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the ambient air enters into the case  41  through the air inlet  411  and the supplementary air inlet  413  from the hollow tube  412  extending externally from the peripheral of the air inlet  411  of the case  41 . Vapors and foreign matters carried by the air are filtered through the trap  421  of the air cleaner element  42  for the vapors to condensate into drops to be drained out of the case  41  through the supplementary air inlet  413  that functions also as drainage. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the clean air passing through the trap  421  enters into the air passage  417  through the air outlet  415  of the case  41  to be mixed with the fuel at the carburetor  5 , thus to keep the engine  61  running.  
         [0027]     Now referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , when the present invention is used in a power mower, weeds, dust, and chisels ejected during the mowing are stopped from entering into the air cleaner  4  by the fender  418  provided on the side of the air passage  417  below the case  41 . As stopped by the fender  418 , weeds, dust, and chisels are prevented from an easy ingression into the air inlet  411 , and in turn, the air inlet  411  is protected from being blocked. The fender  418  shields the carburetor  5  to prevent from being contaminated by weeds, dust, and chisels. Furthermore, when those weeds, dust, and chisels attempt to enter together with the air into the air cleaner  4 , they are stopped by the hollow tube  412  of the case  41 , thus to maintain normal operation of the engine.  
         [0028]     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.  
         [0029]     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.