Patent Description:
The present invention relates to air filtration field, especially relates to a plastic connector for dual air cleaners and an air cleaner system with air cleaners in parallel connection bonded with the plastic connector.

Air cleaners are used to filter various impurities in the air, to ensure clean air into the engine. Typically, air flow rate of the air cleaner needs to match with air flow rate of the engine. In practice, sometimes there will be occasions that the air flow rate of the air cleaner is relatively small while the air flow rate of the engine is relatively large, causing the two not matching with each other. To address the issue, one solution used is to have several (e.g., two (<NUM>)) air cleaners with smaller air flow rate in parallel connection as one unitary product, to match with the engine having larger air flow rate. Such solution is widely used in the air cleaner industry due to its flexibility and low costs.

As an example, <FIG> show a dual air cleaner system that is currently used. As shown in the drawings, the air cleaner system <NUM> includes two air cleaners <NUM> in parallel connection, a Y-shaped outlet duct <NUM> connected with one end of each air cleaners <NUM>, and a connector <NUM> securing the two air cleaners <NUM> together. In the example, two ports of the Y-shaped outlet duct <NUM> are connected to respective outlets of the two air cleaners <NUM>, and the third one leads to the engine. A metal connector <NUM> composed of a U-shaped metal plate <NUM>, metal screws <NUM> and metal nuts <NUM> is adopted to bond the two air cleaners <NUM> together.

However, using metal connectors to bond the air cleaners is high in material costs and processing costs. Also, due to space constraint, assembly will become difficult. In addition, coupling of the metal connector and the air cleaner housing is rigid connection. As there is dimensional tolerance between the mounting surface of and the mounting bracket of the air cleaner, issues with respect to flatness and position accuracy between mounting point and mounting bracket of the air cleaner may occur, which may cause the air cleaners in parallel connection to have larger stress when installed, greatly impacting durability of the air cleaners.

Therefore, there is always a need for a novel connector that can secure a plurality of air cleaners in parallel connection together. Such connector can reduce costs, facilitate installation, and have certain ability to self-adjust flatness and position between mounting point and mounting bracket of the air cleaner. A suitable connector is known from <CIT>. Air filters with snap connectors are disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>.

In view of above, an objective of the present invention is to provide a connector for securing a plurality of air cleaners together, to address the issues in connection with high costs, complex installation and less durability of air cleaners due to rigid connection. The present invention adopts the following technical solutions.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a plastic connector for securing air cleaners in parallel connection, including a connector body and a fastener. The connector body has guide rails and frame legs; and the fastener has openings and fastener arms. The openings of the fastener are in snap-fit with the guide rails of the connector body, to enable the connector body and the fastener assembled into the plastic connector. The fastener can slide along the guide rails under force.

Preferably, the openings are in square shape, to match with a cross-section of the guide rails.

Preferably, the connector body further comprises body position limiters extending outwardly from the guide rails to prevent the fastener detaching from the connector body due to deformation.

Preferably, the body position limiter has a curvature that matches with a curvature of a curved side of the fastener, to prevent the fastener detaching from the connector body by pressing against the curved side of the fastener.

Preferably, the fastener further has fastener position limiters extending transversely at certain angle inside the fastener and located under the openings, to press against the guide rails when the plastic connector is pulled, to prevent the fastener arms from popping out of the mounting holes of the mounting bracket so that the plastic connector accidentally got loosened.

Preferably, the fastener has a pair of fastener position limiters extending transversely inside the fastener at certain angle in opposite directions from center of opposite sides of the fastener, respectively.

Preferably, the fastener arms extend outwardly from opposite sides along a short axis of the fastener, with a lead-in angle at an end of the fastener arm.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an air cleaner system with air cleaners in parallel connection using a plurality of plastic connectors, including two or more air cleaners, a multi-branch outlet duct connected to an outlet end of respective air cleaners and any one of the foregoing plastic connector mounted onto mounting brackets.

Preferably, when the plastic connector is directly pressed into the mounting bracket by hand, the fastener arms, guided by the lead-in angle, insert into corresponding mounting holes on the mounting bracket, and the frame legs also insert into their corresponding mounting holes on the mounting bracket, so as to secure the air cleaners in parallel connection.

The present invention adopts a two-piece plastic connector assembly to connect and secure air cleaners in parallel connection. Comparing with the existing method for securing dual air cleaners, such as by way of metal connectors, the present invention has advantages, including:.

This summary is an overview of some of the teachings of the present application and is not intended to be an exclusive or exhaustive treatment of the present subject matter. Further details are found in the detailed description and appended claims. Other aspects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description and viewing the drawings that form a part thereof, each of which is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope herein is defined by the appended claims.

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiments of the present invention, brief description of the accompanying drawings is provided below. It would be obvious that the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in the field, other embodiments can be obtained according to these embodiments without any creative work.

In order to elaborate the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention, detailed description is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for illustrative and not restrictive.

In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention relates to an air cleaner system with air cleaners in parallel connection using plastic connector(s) for bonding, comprising two or more air cleaners, an air outlet multi-branch tube and plastic connectors.

<FIG> shows a dual air cleaner system. As shown, air outlet ends <NUM> of respective air cleaners <NUM> are in parallel connection through corresponding ports of an Y-shaped outlet duct <NUM>, and the other port of the Y-shaped outlet duct <NUM> leads to an engine. In this embodiment, the Y-shaped outlet duct <NUM> is fixed to the air outlet end <NUM> of respective air cleaner <NUM> through a clamp <NUM> at the port.

In addition, there are four plastic connectors <NUM> provided between the two air cleaners <NUM>. When the dual air cleaner system is positioned in a direction as shown in <FIG>, only two plastic connectors <NUM> are visible, one at left side and one at right side. The plastic connectors <NUM> are installed on corresponding mounting bracket <NUM> of the air cleaner <NUM>, respectively, for connecting and securing the two air cleaners <NUM>. Number of the plastic connectors <NUM> used for the air cleaner system with air cleaners in parallel connection can be adjusted based on the size and shape of specific cleaners and operating condition, etc..

Attention now is directed to <FIG>, which shows a structural perspective view of the plastic connector <NUM> according to the present invention. The plastic connector <NUM> comprises a connector body <NUM> and a fastener <NUM>, the two in snap-fit to constitute the connector assembly. Preferably, the connector body <NUM> and the fastener <NUM> each are prepared by injection molding process. In one embodiment, the connector body <NUM> can use nylon plus glass fiber material, while the fastener <NUM> can use POM (acetal resin) material. In another embodiment, both of the connector body <NUM> and the fastener <NUM> can use PP (polypropylene) plus glass fiber material, to further reduce costs.

The connector body <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, comprises guide rails <NUM>, frame legs <NUM> and body position limiters <NUM>, symmetrically positioned. The frame legs <NUM> are respectively located at two sides of the connector body <NUM>. When pressing down the plastic connector <NUM>, the frame legs <NUM> will be pushed into mounting holes of the mounting brackets.

The fastener <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, is preferably in oblong shape, such as O shape, with certain elasticity (or flexibility), and can be deformed under pressure. In this embodiment, the oblong/O shape exhibits a pair of generally parallel straight sides coupled with a pair of opposite curved sides, when no external force is applied. Of course, other shapes suitable for the present invention are also possible.

The fastener <NUM> has openings <NUM> on the generally straight sides. In the embodiment, four (<NUM>) openings <NUM> are shown, two on each side, symmetrically arranged along the short axis of the oblong fastener. Number of the openings <NUM> and distances therebetween match the guide rails <NUM> of the connector body <NUM>. In addition, the openings <NUM> shown in this embodiment are in square shape, to facilitate holding the guide rails <NUM>. It shall be noted that other shapes of the openings are also possible, as long as the shape of openings would match the shape of the guide rails <NUM> so that the guide rails can slide therethrough.

When the connector body <NUM> is in snap-fit with the fastener <NUM>, the fastener <NUM> will deform to expand under the force, until the guide rails <NUM> of the connector body <NUM> snap into the openings <NUM> of the fastener <NUM>. Here, the guide rails <NUM> pass through the openings <NUM> (see <FIG>), and the fastener <NUM> having the openings <NUM> can expand and contract along the guide rails <NUM> as force applies. For different views of the connector body <NUM> in snap-fit with the fastener <NUM>, please see <FIG>.

In order to prevent the fastener <NUM> unintentionally detaching from the connector body <NUM> upon buckled (for instance, the guide rails <NUM> departs from the openings <NUM> due to deformation of the fastener <NUM>), the connector body <NUM> further is provided with body position limiters <NUM> extending outwardly from the guide rails <NUM>. In the embodiment, the body position limiters <NUM> are generally round, as shown in <FIG>, the curvature of which approximately matches with that of the curved sides of the fastener <NUM>. The body position limiters <NUM> press against the curved sides of the fastener <NUM> to prevent further deformation of the fastener <NUM>, so as to prevent the fastener <NUM> unintentionally detaching from the connector body <NUM>.

The fastener <NUM> further has fastener arms <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, which preferably extend outwardly along the short axis of the fastener <NUM>. Preferably, the fastener arm <NUM> has a lead-in angle <NUM> (see also <FIG>). In this embodiment, the lead-in angle is about <NUM> degrees. Preferably, the lead-in angle can be in the range of <NUM>°-<NUM>°. Upon the fastener <NUM> in snap-fit with the connector body <NUM> to assemble into the connector <NUM>, the connector <NUM> is then installed onto the mounting bracket by pressing. Under the push-down force, the elastic fastener <NUM> contracts, with the guide of the lead-in angle <NUM> on the fastener <NUM>, the fastener arms <NUM> and frame legs <NUM> would insert into respective mounting holes on the mounting bracket.

The fastener <NUM> further has fastener position limiters <NUM>, extending transversely at certain angle inside the O-shaped fastener <NUM>, and located under the openings <NUM>. In this embodiment, there are two fastener position limiters <NUM> extending in opposite directions from respective fastener arms <NUM> at an angle inside the O-shaped fastener <NUM>. When there is a pulling force on the connector <NUM>, the fastener position limiters <NUM> will press against the guide rails <NUM> of the connector body <NUM> (<FIG>), to prevent the fastener arms <NUM> popping out of the mounting holes of the mounting bracket <NUM> so that the connector <NUM> would accidentally got loosened.

<FIG> schematically show position of connector <NUM> relative to mounting bracket <NUM> before and after pushing down the connector <NUM> to lock onto the mounting bracket <NUM>. For clarity, <FIG> are shown in cross sectional views. During installation, the two air cleaners are placed side by side, and the connector <NUM> is push to lock by hand. Here, the lead-in angle <NUM> on the elastic fastener <NUM> generates an inward component force on the mounting bracket <NUM>, and the elastic fastener <NUM> contracts inwardly under such component force. The connector <NUM> continues to go downwardly under the push-down force, until the fastener arms <NUM> of the fastener <NUM> insert into the mounting holes of the mounting bracket <NUM> and the frame legs <NUM> of the connector body <NUM> also insert into their corresponding mounting holes of the mounting bracket <NUM>. Upon installation, the two air cleaners are secured together. The whole operation process does not need any tool assistance.

Claim 1:
A plastic connector (<NUM>) for bonding and connecting air cleaners (<NUM>), wherein the plastic connector (<NUM>) comprises a connector body (<NUM>) and a fastener (<NUM>);
wherein the connector body (<NUM>) has guide rails (<NUM>) and frame legs (<NUM>), said frame legs being arranged at two sides of the connector body (<NUM>); and
wherein the fastener (<NUM>) is elastic and is generally oblong shaped, comprising a pair of generally parallel straight sides coupled with a pair of opposite curved sides, and has openings (<NUM>) on the generally parallel straight sides and fastener arms (<NUM>) extending outwardly along a short axis of the fastener (<NUM>); and
wherein the openings (<NUM>) of the fastener (<NUM>) are in snap-fit with the guide rails (<NUM>) of the connector body, so that the connector body (<NUM>) and the fastener (<NUM>) form the plastic connector (<NUM>), and wherein the fastener (<NUM>) is slidable along the guide rails (<NUM>).