Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to a motor vehicle air cleaner assembly that is field or end user convertible to another variety of air cleaner having secondary air induction. The air cleaner is pre-configured to enable a field modification to provide for secondary air induction for admitting heated secondary air to the air cleaner and air filter to aid in melting snow or ice blockage of the air filter and permitting the vehicle to operate in snow and ice air filter blockage conditions.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to an air cleaner assembly for a motor vehicle and, more specifically, to an air cleaner assembly that is convertible to an air cleaner having secondary air induction. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Internal combustion engines require a source of combustion air. A typical source for combustion air is outside air which commonly includes particulate contaminants. An air cleaner including an air filter element is normally provided to capture these particulate contaminants before combustion air is delivered to the vehicle engine. When operated in colder climates where heavy or blowing snow is common, snow may be drawn into the air cleaner and lead to eventual blockage of the air filter element, thereby cutting off the supply of combustion air and leading to poor engine performance. 
         [0003]    In the prior art, air cleaners are known that include a secondary air inlet having a movable damper or power operated valve operable to open a secondary air supply to the air cleaner when the primary air supply becomes obstructed by snow. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,939 which discloses an air cleaner equipped with a slideable valve including mechanical linkage extending into the operator cabin and operable by a vehicle operator to admit secondary air into the air cleaner in the event the normal air inlet becomes blocked by snow. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,048 discloses an air cleaner having an annular door with an open window that is rotatable between a first and a second position. In the first position outside air is admitted to the air cleaner. In the second position warmer under the hood air is provided to the air cleaner and the normal outside air inlet is blocked. The door is rotated by a mechanical actuator. 
         [0005]    As can be understood from the above, many varieties of air cleaners equipped for secondary air induction are known. As can be seen from the prior art, air cleaners equipped for secondary air induction have a number of moving parts, are more complex and are therefore more costly that similar air cleaners lacking secondary air adaptations. 
         [0006]    As can be appreciated, at the time of manufacture the ultimate service condition of the vehicles are not typically known and therefore the proper air cleaner type and configuration can not be predetermined. Only a portion of manufactured vehicles find service in northern frigid environments in which heavy snows and air cleaner snow pack conditions can be expected. Providing all manufactured vehicles with more costly secondary air equipped air cleaners is unnecessary and undesirable. Also as can be understood, known air cleaners are either secondary air equipped or are not so equipped. Known air cleaners are not configured for end user conversion to add secondary air induction to an air cleaner after market or in the field. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention generally relates to an air cleaner assembly for a motor vehicle and, more specifically, to an air cleaner assembly that is field or end user convertible to another variety of air cleaner having secondary air induction. Conversion of the air cleaner is particularly advantageous in locales where weather conditions may result in blockage of the air filter with snow, ice or moisture. For use in such environments the air cleaner is pre-configured to enable a field modification to provide for secondary air induction for admitting heated secondary air to the air cleaner and air filter to aid in melting snow or ice blockage of the air filter snow and permitting the vehicle to operate in snow and ice air filter blockage conditions. 
         [0008]    In one aspect of the present invention, an air cleaner for a motor vehicle includes a housing having at least one peripheral wall defining an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a chamber therein. An air filter element is received into the chamber with the air filter interposed between and separating the air inlet from the air outlet. The air inlet opening is in air flow communication with the primary air portion of the dirty air face of the filter. The air outlet opening is in air flow communication with the clean air face of the air filter. The peripheral wall or walls define at least a potential secondary air opening that is in communication with a secondary air portion of the dirty air face of the filter. A closure member is provided closing over the secondary air opening. The closure member is removable to convert the air cleaner to an air cleaner fitted for secondary air induction. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the invention, the air cleaner includes a baffle extending between the spaced apart peripheral walls and the dirty air face of the air filter. The baffle divides the dirty air face into the primary air portion and the secondary air portion. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the invention, the removable closure member is provided in the peripheral wall or walls. 
         [0011]    In another aspect of the invention, the closure member is a knock-out member formed into or molded in one piece with the peripheral wall. The knock-out member is peripherally surrounded by a weakened region formed into the peripheral wall that is configured and adapted to preferably rupture by the application of force onto the knock-out member, thereby releasing the knock-out member and unblocking the secondary air opening. 
         [0012]    In another aspect of the invention, the closure member is a removable captured elastic plug. The plug is sized to be received into the secondary air opening and includes flexible resilient flanges positioned at opposing ends of the plug that are spaced apart to enable the flanges to be sealably and retentively received onto opposing surfaces of the peripheral wall, thereby closing out and prevent air flow through the secondary air opening. 
         [0013]    In another aspect of the invention, the air cleaner includes a secondary air inlet fitting having a bore in air flow communication with the secondary air opening. The secondary air inlet fitting includes a first end configured and adapted for air flow connection to a secondary air supply, such as an air induction tube or flexible hose. The secondary air inlet fitting has a second end secured onto an exterior surface of the housing peripheral wall. 
         [0014]    The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a  2 D schematic representation of an improved motor vehicle air cleaner  10 , consistent with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 2A  depicts an interior view of one embodiment of an air inlet portion of an air cleaner housing consistent with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2B  depicts a side view of the air inlet portion illustrated in  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2C  schematically depicts a partial sectional side view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the secondary air fitting is secured to the peripheral wall and a removable knock-out member is formed into the peripheral wall; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2D  schematically depicts a partial sectional side view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the removable closure member of  FIG. 1  is implemented using a removable captured elastic plug; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 2E  schematically depicts a partial sectional side view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the removable closure member of  FIG. 1  is implemented using a threaded cap. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Disclosed herein is an improved motor vehicle air cleaner that is end user or field convertible for secondary air induction. The present invention provides an air cleaner that is internally preconfigured to secondary air and field convertible by an end user to add secondary air induction for providing warm secondary air induction to the air cleaner for vehicle operation in cold climates where heavy or blowing snow is expected. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a 2D schematic representation of an improved motor vehicle air cleaner  10 , consistent with the present invention. The improved air cleaner  10  includes a housing  12  having peripheral walls  36  defining a chamber  38  within. An air filter element  20  is received into the chamber  38  and divides the chamber  38  into a dirty side  40  and a clean side  42 . A baffle  18  extends between the peripheral walls  36  and substantially mates against the dirty air face  24  so as to divide the dirty air face  24  of the air filter  20  into a primary air portion  44  and a secondary air portion  46 . An inlet air opening  14  is provided through the peripheral wall or walls. An inlet air stream  76  enters the air cleaner  10  through the air inlet opening  14 . The air inlet opening  14  is in air flow communication with the primary air portion  44  of the dirty air face  24  of the air filter  20 . A baffle  18  substantially blocks the flow of the inlet air stream  76  from reaching the secondary portion  46  of the air filter  20 , therefore contaminants (such as snow) that may be present in the inlet air stream  76  do not reach or contaminate the secondary inlet portion  46  of the dirty air face  24  of the air filter  20 . 
         [0023]    An air outlet opening  16  is provided in the housing  12  and extends through the peripheral wall or walls  36  at the clean side  42  of the chamber  38 , with the air outlet opening  16  in air flow communication with the clean air face  22  of the air filter  20 . The air outlet opening  16  is connected through a clean air duct  50  to deliver filtered combustion air to a motor vehicle engine  52 . 
         [0024]    To permit the air cleaner  10  to be adapted for use in cold climates where adverse weather conditions may cause snow to accumulate in the primary air portion of the air filter and result in blockage, the air cleaner  10  is equipped with a closed off secondary air inlet  26 . The secondary air inlet  26  includes a removable closure member  32  that closes over the secondary air inlet  26 . In conditions where snow blockage is anticipated, the closure member  32  is removable to open the bore  60  of the secondary air inlet  26  and permit warm air from the vehicle engine compartment to reach the secondary air portion  46  of the air filter element  20 , thereby providing combustion air to the engine  52  even when the primary air portion  44  of the air filter is blocked by packed snow  72 . 
         [0025]    In motor vehicles, the air cleaner is typically installed under the hood in the engine compartment which is significantly warmer than ambient air outside the motor vehicle. The air intake for primary air is typically drawn from the outside air rather than using the warmer engine compartment air, and for good reason. The warmer the air temperature becomes in the engine air induction system, the engine charging temperature is thereby increased. An elevated engine charging temperature results in degradation in engine performance, reduction in fuel economy and loss of engine horsepower. This being the case, it is typical vehicle engineering practice to configure the air intake duct to draw engine intake air from outside of the vehicle and not from the engine compartment. Air induction systems that draw in outside air are exposed to the outside elements and may draw airborne particulates such as snow, ice and moisture particles into the air cleaner. As a result, the air filter element  20  may become blocked, starving the engine for combustion air and eventually stalling the engine. Additionally, as air flow is reduced into the engine, the reduced air flow results in a higher developed vacuum at the clean side  42  of the air induction system and thereby within the engine crankcase that may damage engine seals and increase oil blow by. The severity of winter conditions vary by locale, and therefore it is not always necessary or even desirable to provide an air cleaner pre-equipped for warm secondary air intake into the air induction system. Additionally, providing air cleaners equipped for secondary air induction that utilize a movable closure member that can be operated to open and close the secondary air inlet results in increased air cleaner cost and complexity and is therefore undesirable. The present invention provides a field convertible motor vehicle air cleaner that is pre-configured for easy modification in the field to provide a secondary air inlet  26  on the air cleaner housing  12  in those locales in which snow blockage of the air filter element  20  is a problem. By providing this adaptation, the air cleaner is end user convertible to another variety of air cleaner, specifically an air cleaner configured to secondary air induction. 
         [0026]    Air cleaner housings are often formed in two mating portions and may be aligned and mated to form the closed air filter housing. The mating portions are separable to allow access to and replacement of the air filter element.  FIGS. 2A and 2B  depicts an air inlet portion of one embodiment of an air cleaner housing consistent with the present invention; this is the mating portion of the air filter housing at the dirty air side or air inlet side of the air filter.  FIG. 2A  depicts the interior of the air inlet portion  54  of an air cleaner housing.  FIG. 2B  depicts a side view of the air inlet portion  54  shown in  FIG. 2A . The air inlet housing portion  54  includes an air inlet opening  14  that communicates the inlet air stream  76  into the primary air portion  44 . The air filter element  20  may include a resilient seal member about its periphery portions. The air inlet housing portion  54  includes a seal face  56  configured to sealably close against the filter seal member so as to prevent inlet air stream  76  from bypassing the air filter element  20 . A baffle  18  extends between the peripheral walls  36  and is configured to close against the dirty air side  24  of the air filter element  20  so as to substantially block the flow of inlet air stream  76  from reaching the secondary portion  46  of the air filter  20  (see  FIG. 1 ). Therefore, contaminants (such as snow) that may be present in the inlet air  76  do not contaminate the secondary inlet portion  46  of the air filter  20 , as discussed previously with  FIG. 1 . 
         [0027]    A secondary air fitting  148  is secured at one end  130  to an outside surface of a peripheral wall  36  and positioned to be openable into the secondary air portion  46 . An opposing end  128  of the secondary air fitting  148  may be configured to join to a secondary air conduit such as an air duct or flexible tube  64  (see  FIG. 2C ) providing warm secondary air from a secondary air supply  70 , such as heated air within the vehicle engine compartment. The secondary air inlet fitting  148  includes a bore  60  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) extending between opposing ends  128  and  130  of the secondary air fitting  148  for the communication of secondary air flow therebetween. A knock-out member  158  (see  FIG. 2C ) is formed into a portion of the peripheral wall  36  and aligned with the bore  60  of the secondary air fitting  148 . The knock-out member  158  separates the bore  60  from the secondary air portion  46  preventing potential air flow of secondary air from entering the air inlet portion  54  of the cleaner housing. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2C  schematically depicts a partial sectional side view of a particular embodiment of the present invention in which the secondary air fitting  148  is secured to the peripheral wall  36  with the knock-out member  158  formed in one piece with the peripheral wall  36 . The knock-out member  158  is one specific embodiment of the removable closure member  32  discussed with  FIG. 1 . A localized indentation  162  is formed in the peripheral wall  36  about the periphery of the knock-out member  158  providing a weakened region in the wall  36  that may be advantageously ruptured by the application of force onto the knock-out member  158 , thereby facilitating removal of the knock-out member  158  from the peripheral wall  36  of the housing and enabling secondary air flow entrance into the secondary air portion  46  through the bore  60  of the secondary air fitting  148 . The secondary air fitting is configured and adapted such that an air duct or flexible tube  64  for delivery of heated secondary induction air may be received over and secured onto the secondary air fitting  148 . The air duct or flexible tube  64  may be routed in the vehicle to receive warm air from within the engine compartment of the vehicle or other heated air source. The knock-out  158  and secondary air fitting  148  are configured to be field configurable to allow conversion of the air cleaner  10  into an air cleaner configured for secondary air induction. As discussed earlier, this is particularly advantageous in locales where weather conditions warrant the modification but is an unnecessary modification in other locales. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2D  schematically depicts a partial sectional side view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the removable closure member of  FIG. 1  is implemented using a removable captured elastic plug  166 . The elastic plug  166  preferably includes flexible resilient flanges  168  at its opposing ends that are spaced apart to be sealably received onto opposing surfaces of the peripheral wall  36  so as to retain the elastic plug  166  in position. The elastic plug may be removed by application of force against the plug or by prying upon one of the flanges  168  of the plug  166 . Once removed, the elastic plug  166  may be re-inserted at a later time if it is desired to again block off secondary air flow into the air cleaner, if so desired although this is not necessary. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2E  schematically depicts a partial sectional side view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the removable closure member of  FIG. 1  is implemented using a cap  74  that is threadably and removably secured onto an end of the secondary air inlet fitting  248 , thereby closing off the bore  60 . The cap  74  may be removed to configure the air cleaner for secondary air induction. 
         [0031]    While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.