Patent Publication Number: US-9890751-B2

Title: Air cleaner hose

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-258289 filed on Dec. 22, 2014 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an air cleaner hose. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventionally, when cleaning and exchanging an air cleaner element housed in an air cleaner, it is necessary to dismount an air cleaner cap from an air cleaner case to open the air cleaner. 
     As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-127425 (JP 2009-127425 A), an air cleaner hose connected with an air cleaner includes a bellows part. In a structure in which an air cleaner hose is connected with an air cleaner cap, when dismounting the air cleaner cap without removing the air cleaner hose from the air cleaner cap, the bellows part is elastically deformed so as to bend the air cleaner hose. For example, the air cleaner hose is bent upwardly, and the air cleaner cap is dismounted upwardly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     However, when another member such as a cowl is positioned in a space to which the air cleaner cap is dismounted (for example, an upper space), the air cleaner cap interferes with this another member, thus making it difficult dismount the air cleaner cap from the air cleaner case. Thus, an operation for opening the air cleaner becomes complex. 
     The invention provides an air cleaner hose that realizes an operation for opening an air cleaner while avoiding the air cleaner cap from interfering with another member. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an air cleaner hose that is configured to be connected with an air cleaner cap including a bellows part and a low-rigidity part. The low-rigidity part is positioned in a region defined by the bellows part and one end of the air cleaner hose. The low-rigidity part is included in a part of the air cleaner hose in a circumferential direction, wherein the low-rigidity part is configured to have a buckling deformation such that a buckling load of the low-rigidity part with respect to a compressive load in an axial direction of the air cleaner hose is smaller than a buckling load of a region other than the low-rigidity part with respect to the compressive load. 
     According to the above aspect of the invention, when opening the air cleaner, an operator applies a compressive load to the air cleaner hose in the direction along the hose axis. Once the compressive load reaches the buckling load of the low-rigidity part, the buckling deformation happens in the low-rigidity part between the bellows part and the end part of the hose earlier than the rest of the parts. Thus, bending happens between the bellows part and the end part of the hose, and a linear dimension of the air cleaner hose in the direction along the hose axis is reduced. Then, the air cleaner cap moves in the direction along the hose axis by the reduced amount of the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose. This means that, even if there is another member such as a cowl positioned in a space for the air cleaner cap to dismount from the air cleaner case (for example, an upper space), it is possible to move the air cleaner cap to a position where the air cleaner cap do not face the another member. In this state, the bellows part is elastically deformed to bend the air cleaner hose (for example, bend upwardly). Then, the air cleaner cap is dismounted from the air cleaner case without interfering with another member, and the air cleaner is opened. 
     According to the above aspect of the invention, the low-rigidity part may be positioned between the bellows part and an end part of the air cleaner hose on a downstream side in an intake flow direction. A rib may be: provided on the air cleaner hose; projecting on a radially outer side of the air cleaner hose; and connected to the low-rigidity part on an upstream side in the intake flow direction. 
     In this structure, the part where the rib is formed is a part with relatively high rigidity. Generally, the end part of the hose on the downstream side in the intake flow direction is connected with a member having relatively high rigidity, such as an intake pipe. Thus, it is possible to give high rigidity to both sides of the low-rigidity part (both sides in the direction along the hose axis). Because of this, the compressive load is applied easily to the low-rigidity part, and the low-rigidity part has buckling deformation more easily. 
     According to the above aspect of the invention, rigidity of the rib may be higher than rigidity of the low-rigidity part. 
     According to the above aspect of the invention, the low-rigidity part may be thinner than the region other than the low-rigidity part in the circumferential direction. 
     According to this, it is possible to realize the low-rigidity part with a relatively simple structure. 
     According to the above aspect of the invention, the low-rigidity part may be provided on an upper side of the air cleaner hose. 
     In the invention, it is possible to reduce the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose in the direction along the hose axis by the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part, thereby making it possible to move the air cleaner cap to a position where the air cleaner cap does not interfere with another member. Therefore, the operation for opening the air cleaner, which is carried out by bending the air cleaner hose due to the elastic deformation of the bellows part, becomes easy. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a position where an air cleaner is arranged inside an engine compartment, and a periphery of the position; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an air cleaner hose; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in  FIG. 2 , 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view for explaining an operation for opening the air cleaner, and is a view showing a state before buckling deformation happens in a low-rigidity part of the air cleaner hose; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view for explaining the operation for opening the air cleaner, and is a view showing a state where buckling deformation has happened in the low-rigidity part of the air cleaner hose; 
         FIG. 6  is a view corresponding to  FIG. 1 , showing a state where an air cleaner element is removed; 
         FIG. 7  is a view corresponding to  FIG. 3 , showing an air cleaner hose according to modified example 1; and 
         FIG. 8  is a view corresponding to  FIG. 3 , showing an air cleaner hose according to modified example 2. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of the invention is explained below based on the drawings.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a position where an air cleaner  1  is arranged inside an engine compartment, and a periphery of the position. In  FIG. 1 , the lower side in the drawing is the front side of a vehicle body. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , an engine (not shown) is arranged in a central part inside of the engine compartment. In this embodiment, an upper side of the engine is covered by an engine cover  2 . 
     The air cleaner  1  is arranged on the left side of the engine in a vehicle width direction (the right side in  FIG. 1 ). The air cleaner  1  includes an air cleaner case  11  fixed to a vehicle body frame (not shown), and an air cleaner cap  12  mounted on an upper part of the air cleaner case  11 . The air cleaner case  11  is a box on the lower side and also referred to as a lower case, and the air cleaner cap  12  is a box on the upper side, also referred to as an upper case. An air cleaner element  13  (see  FIG. 6 ) is housed in a space inside the air cleaner that is formed from the air cleaner case  11  and the air cleaner cap  12 . Specifically, the air cleaner element  13  is housed in a space inside the air cleaner case  11 , and an upper side of the air cleaner case  11  is closed by the air cleaner cap  12 . Flanges  14 ,  15 , which are formed in outer edges of the air cleaner case  11  and the air cleaner cap  12 , respectively, are superimposed on each other, and the flanges  14 ,  15  are engaged with each other by engaging tools (not shown). An example of the engaging tool is a clamp fitting. 
     An outside air introduction pipe (not shown) is formed integrally with the air cleaner case  11 , and an inlet pipe  3  is connected with the outside air introduction pipe. The inlet pipe  3  extends to the front of the vehicle body, and a tip section of the inlet pipe  3  which is in an end part on the front side of the vehicle body is open towards the front of the vehicle body in the vicinity of a radiator (not shown). 
     Meanwhile, the air cleaner cap  12  and an intake pipe  4  of the engine are connected with each other by the air cleaner hose  5 . A structure of the air cleaner hose  5  is described later. An outside air outlet pipe  16  is formed integrally with the air cleaner cap  12 , and an end part of the air cleaner hose  5  on the upstream side of an intake flow is connected with the outside air outlet pipe  16 . An end part of the air cleaner hose  5  on the downstream side of the intake flow is connected with the intake pipe  4  of the engine. 
     Therefore, outside air flown from the inlet pipe  3  into the air cleaner  1  is purified by passing through the air cleaner element  13  when flowing from the space inside the air cleaner case  11  to the space inside the air cleaner cap  12 . Thereafter, the outside air goes through the air cleaner hose  5  and the intake pipe  4 , and then flows into each cylinder of the engine. 
     A cowl  61  projects from an upper end of a dash panel  64  towards the front of the vehicle body. The dash panel  64  structures a rear wall of the engine compartment. A front end part of the cowl  61  covers a part of the upper side, which is an end part of the air cleaner cap  12  on the rear side of the vehicle body in a state where the air cleaner cap  12  is mounted on the air cleaner case  11 , of the air cleaner  1 . 
     A battery  62  is arranged in front of the air cleaner  1 , and a fuse box  63  is arranged on a side of the air cleaner  1 . 
     The air cleaner hose  5  is explained below.  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the air cleaner hose  5 . The air cleaner hose  5  is formed from a rubber-based elastic body or a material such as flexible synthetic resin. 
     The air cleaner hose  5  includes an upstream-side fitting part  51 , a bellows part  52 , a deformation part  53 , and a downstream-side fitting part  54  from an upstream side (the air cleaner  1  side) through a downstream side (the intake pipe  4  side) in an intake flow direction, and these parts  51  to  54  are formed integrally with each other. 
     The upstream-side fitting part  51  is a part that is fitted to the outside air outlet pipe  16  of the air cleaner cap  12 . This means that upstream-side fitting part  51  is fitted to an outer circumference of the outside air outlet pipe  16 , and fixed to the outside air outlet pipe  16  by being fastened by a hose band (not shown). 
     The downstream-side fitting part  54  is a part fitted to an upstream end of the intake pipe  4 . This means that the downstream-side fitting part  54  is fitted to an outer circumference of the upstream end of the intake pipe  4 , and is fixed to the upstream end of the intake pipe  4  by being fastened by a hose band (not shown). 
     The bellows part  52  is made by forming a plurality of bellows projections, and is elastically deformed for example, curved upwardly, thereby allowing the air cleaner hose  5  to bend. In the operation for opening the air cleaner  1 , when dismounting the air cleaner cap  12  from the air cleaner case  11 , the bellows part  52  is elastically deformed upwardly. Thus, the air cleaner hose  5  is bent upwardly. This means that, by elastically deforming the bellows part  52  so that a part of the bellows part  52  on the upstream side in the intake flow direction rises, a part of the air cleaner hose  5  on the upstream side of the in the intake flow direction rises. Details of the operation for opening the air cleaner  1  are described later. 
     The air cleaner hose  5  is characterized in the deformation part  53 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the deformation part  53  is provided between the bellows part  52  and the downstream-side fitting part  54 .  FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the deformation part  53 , which is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in  FIG. 2 , in other words, a sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a hose axis O. In the deformation part  53 , an upper half region  53   a  and a lower half region  53   b  in a circumferential direction have different thickness dimensions. The upper half region  53   a  is a partial region in the circumferential direction at a location between the bellows part and the end part of the hose according to the invention. The lower half region  53   b  is the other region in the circumferential direction according to the invention. To be specific, a sectional shape of an inner peripheral surface of the deformation part  53  is a circle shape. On the contrary, in an outer peripheral surface of the deformation part  53 , the radius of curvature of the upper half region  53   a  is set to be smaller than the radius of curvature of the lower half region  53   b . In short, steps  53   c ,  53   c  are formed between the outer peripheral surface of the lower half region  53   b  and the outer peripheral surface of the upper half region  53   a . The radius of curvature of the lower half region  53   b  from the steps  53   c ,  53   c  is larger than the radius of curvature of the upper half region  53   a  from the steps  53   c ,  53   c . Therefore, the thickness dimension of the lower half region  53   b  of the deformation part  53  is set to be relatively larger than the thickness dimension of the upper half region  53   a  of the deformation part  53 , and thus has higher rigidity. Herein below, the lower half region  53   b  of the deformation part  53  is referred to as a high-rigidity part  53   b , and the upper half region  53   a  of the deformation part  53  is referred to as a low-rigidity part  53   a . For example, the thickness dimension of the high-rigidity part  53   b  is set to be 5 mm, whereas the thickness dimension of the low-rigidity part  53   a  is set to be 3 mm. These values are not limited to the above values, and are set as appropriate. 
     Because the low-rigidity part  53   a  and the high-rigidity part  53   b  are formed as stated above, a buckling load relative to a compressive load in a direction along the hose axis O is smaller in the low-rigidity part  53   a  than the high-rigidity part  53   b . In short, when a compressive load is applied to the air cleaner hose  5  in the direction along the hose axis O, the low-rigidity part  53   a  has buckling deformation (elastic buckling deformation) earlier than the high-rigidity part  53   b  once the compressive load reaches the buckling load of the low-rigidity part  53   a . Thus, when the low-rigidity part  53   a  has buckling deformation, a linear dimension of the air cleaner hose  5  in the direction along the hose axis O is reduced by an amount of the buckling deformation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , connected to the deformation part  53  on the upstream side in the intake flow direction, a rib  53   d , which projects radially outwardly, is formed integrally along the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. Due to the rib  53   d , the part of the deformation part  53  on the upstream side in the intake flow direction has particularly high rigidity. 
     As stated above, rigidity of the low-rigidity part  53   a  is lower than rigidity of the high-rigidity part  53   b . Also, a part where the rib  53   d  is formed is a part with higher rigidity than that of the low-rigidity part  53   a . The downstream-side fitting part  54  of the air cleaner hose  5  is connected with the intake pipe  4  having higher rigidity than that of the low-rigidity part  53   a . This means that parts with high rigidity are present on both sides (both sides in the direction along the hose axis O) of the low-rigidity part  53   a . Therefore, if a compressive load acts on the deformation part  53  in the direction along the hose axis O, the compressive load is easily applied to the low-rigidity part  53   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a PCV port  55 , shown by a virtual line, is connected with the air cleaner hose  5 . The PCV port  55  is connected at a position in the high-rigidity part  53   b.    
     Next, the operation for opening the air cleaner  1  according to the embodiment is explained by using  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6 . The operation for opening the air cleaner  1  is carried out when the air cleaner element  13  is cleaned or exchanged. 
     First of all, an engaged state of the engaging tools is released. The engaging tools engage the flanges  14 ,  15 , which are formed in the outer edges of the air cleaner case  11  and the air cleaner cap  12 , respectively. Thus, the air cleaner cap  12  is able to move relative to the air cleaner case  11 . 
     Then, an operator applies a compressive load to the air cleaner hose  5  in a direction generally along the hose axis O in a state where the air cleaner cap  12  or the air cleaner hose  5  is held. Thus, the compressive load acts on the low-rigidity part  53   a , and, when the compressive load reaches the buckling load of the low-rigidity part  53   a , the low-rigidity part  53   a  has buckling deformation earlier than the high-rigidity part  53   b .  FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing a state before the low-rigidity part  53   a  has buckling deformation.  FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a state where the low-rigidity part  53   a  has the buckling deformation. Due to the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part  53   a , the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose  5  is reduced in the direction along the hose axis O. Thus, the air cleaner cap  12  moves to the front side of the vehicle body (the left side in  FIG. 5 ) by a reduced amount of the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose  5 . 
     Due to the movement towards the front side of the vehicle body, the air cleaner cap  12  is positioned on the front side of a space below the cowl  61  (see  FIG. 5 ). This means that a space for the air cleaner cap  12  to dismount from the air cleaner case  11  (dismount upwardly) is ensured above the air cleaner cap  12 . 
     In this state, the bellows part  52  is elastically deformed, and the air cleaner hose  5  is bent upwardly. Then, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the air cleaner cap  12  is dismounted from the air cleaner case  11  (dismounted upwardly) without interfering with the cowl  61 . Hence, it is possible to remove the air cleaner element  13 . 
     After clearing or exchange of the air cleaner element  13  is finished, the air cleaner cap  12  is mounted on the upper side of the air cleaner case  11  in a state where the air cleaner element  13  is housed in the air cleaner case  11 . In such a case, the air cleaner cap  12  is mounted on the upper side of the air cleaner case  11  while the compressive load is acting on the air cleaner hose  5 , and then the compressive load is released. In this way, the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part  53   a  is released, and the original shape of the air cleaner hose  5  is restored. Then, the flanges  14 ,  15  of the air cleaner case  11  and the air cleaner cap  12  are engaged with each other by the engaging tools, and then the operation ends. 
     As explained so far, according to this embodiment, the compressive load in the direction along the hose axis O is used to cause the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part  53   a , thus reducing the linear dimension of the air cleaner hose  5  in the direction along the hose axis O. Then, due to the elastic deformation of the bellows part  52 , the air cleaner hose  5  is bent in a state where the air cleaner cap  12  does not interfere with the cowl  61 , and the air cleaner cap  12  is dismounted from the air cleaner case  11 . Thus, it is possible to carry out the operation for opening the air cleaner  1  easily. 
     Further, by providing the rib  53   d  connected to the deformation part  53  on the upstream side in the intake flow direction, a compressive load in the direction along the hose axis O is easily applied to the low-rigidity part  53   a . Thus, it is possible to cause the buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part  53   a  easily. Therefore, by applying the compressive load to the low-rigidity part  53   a  effectively, it is possible to specify the low-rigidity part  53   a  as a place where the buckling deformation is caused. 
     Next, modified example 1 is explained. In this modified example, the shape of the deformation part  53  is different from that in the foregoing embodiment. The rest of the structure and the operation for opening the air cleaner  1  are the same as those in the foregoing embodiment. Therefore, the explanation is given regarding only the shape of the deformation part  53 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a sectional shape of a deformation part  53 , which is a sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a hose axis O. As shown in  FIG. 7 , in this modified example, an angular range of a low-rigidity part  53   a  is set to be larger than an angular range of a high-rigidity part  53   b . In  FIG. 7 , the angular range of the low-rigidity part  53   a , that is angle A in the drawing, is 240°, and the angular range of the high-rigidity part  53   b , that is angle B in the drawing, is 120°. These values are not limited to the above values, and are set as appropriate. 
     By setting a large angular range for the low-rigidity part  53   a  as stated above, it becomes possible to cause buckling deformation in the low-rigidity part  53   a  with a smaller compressive load compared to that in the foregoing embodiment, and workability for the operation for opening the air cleaner  1  is improved. 
     Next, modified example 2 is explained. In this modified example, the shape of the deformation part  53  is also different from that in the foregoing embodiment. The rest of the structure and the operation for opening the air cleaner  1  are the same as those in the foregoing embodiment. Therefore, the explanation is also given regarding only the shape of the deformation part  53 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a sectional shape of a deformation part  53 , which is a sectional view in a direction orthogonal to a hose axis O. As shown in  FIG. 8 , in this modified example, a thick part  53   e  and a thin part  53   f  are provided alternately in a high-rigidity part  53   b  in a circumferential direction. The thick part  53   e  and the thin part  53   f  extend in a longitudinal direction of an air cleaner hose  5 , which is a direction along the hose axis O. The thickness dimension of the thick part  53   e  in a radial direction is set to be larger than a thickness dimension of the low-rigidity part  53   a . Also, a thickness dimension of the thin part  53   f  in the radial direction generally coincides with the thickness dimension of the low-rigidity part  53   a.    
     With such a structure, rigidity of the high-rigidity part  53   b  is higher than rigidity of the low-rigidity part  53   a . In other words, rigidity of the low-rigidity part  53   a  is lower than rigidity of the high-rigidity part  53   b . Therefore, when a compressive load acts on the deformation part  53  in a direction along the hose axis O, buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part  53   a  happens, and a linear dimension of the air cleaner hose  5  in the direction along the hose axis O is reduced by an amount of the buckling deformation. 
     In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, the low-rigidity part  53   a  is formed in the upper region of the deformation part  53 . The invention is not limited to this, and the low-rigidity part may be formed in a side region that is a region facing the outer side in the vehicle width direction or a lower region of the deformation part  53 . 
     In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, the deformation part  53  is formed between the bellows part  52  and the downstream-side fitting part  54 . However, the deformation part may be formed between the bellows part  52  and the upstream-side fitting part  51 . This means that the deformation part  53  only needs to be formed between the bellows part  52  and either one of end parts of the air cleaner hose  5 . 
     In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, explanation is given regarding the case where the air cleaner cap  12  is dismounted upwardly from the air cleaner case  11 . A direction in which the air cleaner cap  12  is dismounted is not limited to the upward direction. When there is a space secured for the air cleaner cap  12  to be dismounted on the side by buckling deformation of the low-rigidity part  53   a , the air cleaner cap  12  may be dismounted to the side. 
     In the embodiment and the respective modified examples explained above, the downstream-side fitting part  54  of the air cleaner hose  5  is fitted to the intake pipe  4 , but may also be connected with a throttle body. 
     The invention is applicable to an air cleaner hose provided in an intake system of an automobile engine.