Abstract:
This invention relates to an automotive air filter assembly, in particular, an assembly which includes an air flow chamber portion and a liquid reservoir portion. The air flow portion includes a panel filter for filtering air flowing to an engine. The panel filter includes air filtration media and hydrocarbon absorption media to inhibit release of hydrocarbon vapours to the air on engine shut down. The air flow portion also may include resonance chambers for acoustic silencing purposes. The liquid reservoir portion can include a pump for delivery of fluid such as windshield washer fluid.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims benefit from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/559,954 filed Apr. 7, 2004 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to automobile components, in particular the invention relates to air filter assemblies for use with internal combustion engines and in particular, air filtration assemblies which serve multiple functions.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Internal combustion engines require a source of clean air and accordingly, it is typical in automotive applications to provide a housing which contains a replaceable air filtration cartridge. Such assemblies are placed in the engine compartment where they can be conveniently ducted to the engine air inlet point. The space in the engine compartment under the hood is typically at a premium. Accordingly, it is desirable that the housing serve other functions where possible.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In accordance with the present invention, an automotive air filtration assembly comprises an air flow chamber portion and a liquid reservoir portion. The air flow chamber portion defines an air flow inlet for ambient air and an air flow outlet for supply of clean air to the engine. The air flow chamber portion defines a suitable slot for receiving a panel filter and includes means for providing replacement of the panel filter in connection with routine maintenance. The fluid reservoir portion includes a fluid filler conduit, a fluid chamber for holding fluid and a fluid outlet. Most conveniently, the fluid reservoir portion is utilized for storage of fluid such as windshield washer fluid. In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the housing may also define a clip, the clip locating an additional liquid reservoir such as a power steering fluid reservoir.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     A better understanding of the invention may be had from reference to the attached figures which illustrate an air filter assembly in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention and in which:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the embodiment, and  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The air filter assembly, indicated generally at  10 , includes an air flow chamber portion  12  and a liquid reservoir portion  14 .  
         [0009]     The air flow chamber portion  12  defines an air flow inlet  20  and an air flow outlet  22  ( FIG. 2 ). An air flow inlet snorkel  24  is attached to the air flow inlet  20 . The air flow inlet snorkel  24  may include a subsidiary branch inlet  25  for connection to an acoustic resonator. Conveniently, a corrugated air flow outlet duct, illustrated generally as  26 , is attached to the air flow outlet  22 . The air flow outlet duct  26  may be of any suitable configuration and length so that it may be attached to the motor air flow inlet. That inlet may be of any type depending upon the vehicle fuelling system.  
         [0010]     The air flow chamber portion  12  defines a slot  30  for housing a panel filter assembly  32 . The slot  30  extends downwardly and forwardly toward the air flow outlet, thereby providing a generally wedge shaped inlet area on the intake side of the panel filter assembly, The panel filter assembly  32  includes a generally U-shaped, injection molded, housing  34  which contains a replaceable filter media  36  and a handle/retainer  38 . The handle/retainer  38  is received within air flow filter chamber portion clips  40  located on the air flow chamber portion  12  opposite either side of the slot  30 . The clips  40  and the handle/retainer  38  function to permit replacement of the filter media  36  as part of routine maintenance.  
         [0011]     Air induction systems for automobiles require acoustic considerations in design. Typically, the air flow chamber portion  12  defines at least one acoustic chamber  50  for attenuation of sound waves in the air induction system. Advantageously, there may be a second acoustic chamber  52  which also serves to help in sound attenuation. While the shape and configuration of the acoustic chambers  50  and  52  are open for design and selection by the designer, the requirement for such chambers is one of the significant space issues in designing the assembly of the present invention. Sufficient space must be made available to permit the acoustic design necessary. Acoustic considerations may also require use of a resonator which may be ducted to the snorkel  24 . A duct connection  25  may be incorporated into the snorkel  24  for this purpose.  
         [0012]     One of the major advantages of the present invention, is that it provides for a panel filter to be contained within the slot  30 . The panel filter may include a single function filtration media suitable for the purpose of filtering incoming air to the requisite degree of cleanliness. However, another important aspect of pollution control requirements now being mandated, is to ensure that the amount of hydrocarbon back flow from an engine on shut down be minimized. Accordingly, the panel filter may include addition media such as hydrocarbon adsorbers which will help diminish any reverse flow of hydrocarbon vapors from the engine fuelling system after engine shut down. Such systems work by absorbing the hydrocarbons that might pass upstream from the engine fuelling system and are retained on the adsorber. When the engine is started again, incoming air is drawn through the adsorber and the hydrocarbons are drawn back into the engine for normal combustion.  
         [0013]     Advantageously, the air flow chamber portion  12  and the panel filter housing  34  are injection molded. The injection molded parts can then be made with sufficient accuracy to ensure appropriate sealing so that there is no escape of hydrocarbon vapors from the assembly, nor is there any unwanted air inlet leakage.  
         [0014]     The liquid reservoir portion  14  of the assembly  10  comprises an internal closed chamber for retaining of liquids. The liquid reservoir portion  14  is advantageously made in a blow molding operation, a manufacturing process which is particularly suited to making hollow articles. The liquid reservoir portion  14  comprises an upstanding boss  70  having an inlet aperture  72 . The air flow chamber portion  12  includes an upstanding boss  74  with an inlet aperture  76 . In the assembled condition, the aperture  76  of boss  74  is aligned over aperture  72  of boss  70  to provide a fluid communication conduit to the chamber of liquid reservoir portion  14 . The liquid handling system advantageously includes a liquid filler pipe  80  having an openable and closable cap  82 . The liquid filler pipe  80  works together with a seal  84  to sealingly engage the aperture  76  to provide a leak-free fluid communication between the cap  82  and the chamber within the liquid reservoir portion  14 .  
         [0015]     The liquid reservoir portion  14  may also include an outstanding and preferably downwardly extending boss  90 . The outstanding boss  90  may include a pump  92  together with a liquid level sensor  94 . The pump  92  can deliver fluid from the chamber within the liquid reservoir portion  14  under pressure. Most preferably, the liquid reservoir portion  14  can be utilized to contain disposable fluid such as windshield washer fluid. As the chamber is emptied, more fluid can be filled into the container through the cap  82 .  
         [0016]     The liquid reservoir portion  14  advantageously includes a recess  35  to receive the lower end of the panel filter assembly  32  when the unit is assembled and the filter panel assembly is put in place.  
         [0017]     Advantageously, the air flow chamber portion  12  may define a retention clip  100 . The retention clip  100  may then be used to position an additional liquid reservoir  102 . In this case, the additional liquid reservoir  102  may be used for other automobile fluids such as power steering fluid.  
         [0018]     The air flow chamber portion  12  and the liquid reservoir portion  14  are affixed together as an assembly by means of a plurality of screws  110  which may be placed around the periphery of a flange  112  of the air flow chamber portion  12 . The plurality of screws  110  engage a plurality of bosses  120  formed in the periphery of the liquid reservoir portion  14 .  
         [0019]     The assembly  10  may be affixed to the vehicle by means of outstanding flanges such as those illustrated at  130  and  132 . The flanges  130  and  132  are positioned as necessary so that the assembly may be fixed to the vehicle at convenient mounting points.  
         [0020]     The embodiment illustrated in the figures, thus provides an assembly of several components. The assembly defines the air flow path for the vehicle from inlet through a filter to a clean air delivery duct and provides appropriate space and configuration to meet the vehicle inlet air flow considerations including acoustic requirements as well as providing an appropriate seal to minimize reverse flow of hydrocarbon vapors on engine shut down. The housing defines a slot for use with a panel type filter cartridge which may include suitable media for air cleaning and vapor retention. In addition, the assembly provides a liquid reservoir with a refill cap and pump mounting. In addition, in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the assembly includes an additional reservoir for including an additional liquid such as power steering fluid. This whole assembly can be assembled prior to delivery of the assembly to the typical automobile assembly plant thereby reducing the amount of assembly required at the automotive assembly plant while still providing an assembly meeting a plurality of engine compartment requirements.