Abstract:
A cleaner cover replacing method includes the steps of detaching a first cleaner cover from a cleaner case; placing an attachment into fitted engagement with claw hooking parts of the cleaner case, placing a second cleaner cover on the cleaner case, and causing a bolt to pass through a bolt hole of the second cleaner cover and to threadedly engage with a nut part of the attachment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to an air cleaner and, more particularly, to replacement of an air cleaner cover. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    An internal combustion engine is provided with an air cleaner apparatus for supplying clean air to a combustion chamber of the engine. Such an air cleaner apparatus is comprised of a cleaner case, a cover and a cleaner element enclosed by the cleaner case and the cover. A typical example of such an air cleaner apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-112359 (JP 2006-112359 A). The disclosed air cleaner apparatus will be described in detail below with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5  hereof. 
         [0003]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , an air cleaner apparatus  100  is comprised of a cleaner case  102 , a cover  103  closing an upper opening of the cleaner case  102 , and a cleaner element  101  enclosed by the case  102  and the cover  103 . 
         [0004]    The cleaner case  102  has a tongue part  107  designed to be hooked onto a support pin  104 , a claw part  108  designed to be hooked on a claw hooking part  105 , and a seal holding member  109  that bites into a seal member  106  to thereby provide seal between the cover  103  and the cleaner case  102 . 
         [0005]    With this arrangement, air within the air cleaner apparatus  100  is filtered by the cleaner element  101  and fed through an opening  111  to the engine. 
         [0006]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an operation of the air cleaner apparatus  100  will be described next. For attachment of the cover  103 , the tongue part  107  is brought into engagement with the support pin  104 , as shown by arrow ( 1 ). Then, as shown by arrow ( 2 ), the claw part  108  is lowered until it passes through the claw hooking part  105  and hooked on the latter. 
         [0007]    The air cleaner apparatus  100  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  is of the type in which the cover  103  is secured to the cleaner case  102  by means of the claw part  108  and the claw hooking part  105 . 
         [0008]    Apart from this type of air cleaner apparatus, there is an air cleaner apparatus of another type in which attachment is effected by means of a bolt and a nut, as shown in  FIG. 6 . In the air cleaner apparatus  120  of  FIG. 6 , a cleaner case  121  has a support pin  104  at one end and a nut  122  at an opposite end. The cover  123  has a bolt hole  124  in which a bolt  125  is threadedly engaged. To sum up, in the air cleaner apparatus  120 , the cover  123  is secured to the cleaner case  121  by means of the tongue part  107  and the bolt  125 . 
         [0009]    As can be appreciated from  FIGS. 4 and 6 , there are several different modes of attachment of cleaner covers to cleaner cases. Cleaner covers are aesthetic parts and should have an appealing appearance. End users of air cleaners may wish to replace the cleaner cover  102  of  FIG. 4  with the cleaner cover  123  of  FIG. 6 . There has been developed no technique that can cope with such a situation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a technique that enables replacement of one cleaner cover with another cleaner cover for an air cleaner apparatus. 
         [0011]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaner cover replacing method for an air cleaner apparatus comprising: a box-shaped cleaner case opening on one side; and a first cleaner cover for being mated with the cleaner case to cover the opening of the cleaner case, the cleaner case having support pins provided on one side and claw hooking parts provided on an opposite side, the first cleaner cover having on one side tongue parts for being swingably supported on the support pins of the cleaner case and on an opposite side claw parts designed for hooking engagement with the claw hooking parts of the cleaner case, the method comprising the steps of: providing a second cleaner cover having on one side tongue parts for being swingably supported on the support pins of the cleaner case and a bolt hole on an opposite side; providing an attachment capable of detachable interlocking engagement with the claw hooking parts of the cleaner case and having a nut part at a position aligned with the bolt hole of the second cleaner cover; detaching the first cleaner cover from the cleaner case; placing the attachment into fitted engagement with the claw hooking parts of the cleaner case; placing the second cleaner cover into mated engagement with the cleaner case; and causing a bolt to pass through the bolt hole and to threadedly engage with the nut part. 
         [0012]    In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an attachment for use in replacing a first cleaner cover in an air cleaner including a box-shaped cleaner case opening on one side, the first cleaner cover being mated with the cleaner case to cover the opening of the cleaner case, the cleaner case having support pins on one side and a pair of U-shaped claw hooking parts on an opposite side, the first cleaner cover having on one side tongue parts swingably supported on the support pins of the cleaner case and on an opposite side claw parts placed in hooking engagement with the claw hooking parts of the cleaner case, to a second cleaner cover having on one side tongue parts for being swingably supported on the support pins of the cleaner case and a bolt hole on an opposite side, the attachment comprising: a plurality of insertion pieces designed to be fitted in the claw hooking parts of the cleaner case; a pair of jaw parts having at distal ends hooks to be hooked onto an edge of the respective claw hooking parts; a support part for supporting the insertion pieces and the claw parts; and a nut part provided on the support-part so as to be aligned with the bolt hole of the second cleaner cover. 
         [0013]    By virtue of the attachment, replacement of the first cleaner cover with the second cleaner cover can be accomplished easily and swiftly. Additionally, owing to the attachment, change of one cleaner cover to another which have different modes of attachment is enabled. As a result, increased air cleaner usability is provided. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the insertion pieces are grouped into two each having the plurality of insertion pieces extending from the support part and engaged in the respective U-shaped claw hooking part. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, by way of example only, with the reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1A  is a cross-sectional view showing an air cleaner apparatus according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view showing a replacement cover to replace the cover of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the air cleaner apparatus, illustrating a mode of attachment of the replacement cover; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the air cleaner apparatus with the replacement cover attached; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional air cleaner apparatus; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing an operation of the air cleaner apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a separate conventional air cleaner apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Reference is initially made to  FIG. 1A  showing an air cleaner apparatus  10  having a first or original cover  13 , and to  FIG. 1B  showing a second or replacement cover  30  for replacing the original cover. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 1A , the air cleaner apparatus  10  is comprised of a box-shaped cleaner case  13  for accommodating a cleaner element  11 , and the cover  13  covering an opening of the cleaner case  12 . 
         [0025]    The cleaner case  12  comprises a base part  14 , brim parts  15  provided at a right end of the base part  14 , support pins  16  provided at the brim parts  15  for swingably supporting the first cover  13 , U-shaped hooks  17  provided at locations opposite from the support pins  16 , a sealing member  19  for supporting the cleaner element  11  with an inner peripheral surface thereof, and a hole  21  formed through an undersurface of the base part  14  for allowing passage of air filtrated by the cleaner element  11 . Designated by reference numeral  18  is a projection for preventing displacement of the sealing member  19 . The sealing member  19  is shown as a part of the cleaner case  12  but may be an independent member. 
         [0026]    The first or original cover  30  is comprised of tongue parts  24  provided at a right end thereof and hooked onto the respective support pins  16 , claw parts  25  (only one shown) provided at an opposite end thereof and interlocked with the U-shaped hooks  17 , and a sealing member holding part  26  biting into the sealing member  19  to thereby provide sealing between the base part  14  and the first cover  13 . 
         [0027]    The first cover  13  is detachable from the cleaner case  12 . For detaching the first cover  13  from the cleaner case  12 , the claw parts  25  are pressed in a direction away from the Figure to be released from hooks  17 . Then, the first cover  13  is lifted to a predetermined height. Finally, the tongue parts  24  are released from the support pins  16  to thereby complete detachment of the first cover  13  from the cleaner case  12 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1B , the second or replacement cover  30  is comprised of a tongue part  31  located at a right end and hooked onto the respective support pins  16 , a bolt hole  32  located at a left end and designed to receive a bolt to be discussed in detail below, and a sealing member holding part  33  biting into a sealing member  19  to thereby provide sealing between the base part  14  and the second cover  30 . 
         [0029]    In accordance with the present invention, the thus-arranged second cover  30  can be attached to the cleaner case  12  in place of the original cover  13 . A mode of attachment or replacement of the second cover  30  will be explained next with reference to  FIG. 2  wherein the cleaner element  11  and the sealing member  19  are removed for clarity. 
         [0030]    For attachment of the second cover  30 , an attachment  40  is provided. The attachment  40  is comprised of a plurality of insertion pieces  41  designed to be inserted into the U-shaped hooks  17 ,  17 , right and left jaw parts  42 ,  42  having at distal ends hooks to be hooked onto the U-shaped hooks  17 ,  17 , and a support part  43  for supporting the jaw parts  42 ,  42  and the insertion pieces  41  thereon, with a nut part  44  formed at a position corresponding to the bolt hole  32  of the second cover  30 . 
         [0031]    The attachment  40  may desirably formed of a synthetic resin so that it may be formed easily and light in weight. 
         [0032]    The nut part  44  may desirably be formed integrally with support part  43 . Alternatively, the nut part  44  may be formed in the support part  43  by making a hole in the latter so that a nut can be fitted therein. 
         [0033]    After provision of the attachment  40 , the first cover  13  is detached in the manner described in relation to  FIGS. 1A and 1B . Then, the attachment  40  is press-fitted into the U hooks  17 ,  17  from below. Press-fitting of the attachment  40  causes the jaw parts  42 ,  42  to warp toward the insertion pieces  41  and then to be hooked onto or lockingly engaged with the hooks  17 ,  17 . The attachment  40  is attached to the U hooks  17 ,  17  in this manner. 
         [0034]    For each hook  17 , the insertion pieces  41  extend from the support part  43  as a group and engage with the hook  17  as the group. By thus causing the insertion pieces  41  to contact at many points with the cleaner case  12 , the attachment  40  can be firmly secured to the cleaner case  12   
         [0035]    Next, the tongue parts  31 ,  31  of the second cover  30  are brought into engagement with the support pins  16 ,  16 . Then, the second cover  30  is placed on the cleaner case  12 . At this time, the bolt hole  32  is aligned with the nut part  44 . 
         [0036]    Finally, a bolt  45  is threadedly engaged in the nut part  44  as shown in  FIG. 3 . This completes the mounting of the second cover  30  to thereby provide an air cleaner  50 . As is now clear from the foregoing discussion, the second cover  30  is secured to the cleaner case  12  by means of the tongue parts  31 , bolt  45  and the attachment  40 . 
         [0037]    For attaching the first cover  13  to the cleaner case  12  again, the above-described processes should be followed backwardly. Namely, the bolt  45  is released from the nut part  44  and bolt hole  32 . Then, the second cover  30  is lifted to a predetermined height. Thereafter, the tongue parts  31  are detached from the support pins  16  to thereby release the second cover  30  from the cleaner case  12 . Finally, the jaw parts  42  are pressed toward the nut part  44  to thereby release the attachment  40  from the cleaner case  12 , followed by attaching the first cover to the case  12 . 
         [0038]    Use of the attachment  40  enables replacement of the first cover  13  with the second cover  30 . Since the first cover  13  and the second cover  30  that have different modes of attachment can be attached to the one and same cleaner case  12 , air cleaners are rendered versatile and useful. 
         [0039]    Although plural insertion pieces may desirably be provided to ensure firm attachment of the attachment to the cleaner case, a single insertion piece may also achieve the object of the present invention. 
         [0040]    Obviously, various minor changes and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teaching. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.