System and method for improving mass air flow signal quality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11207631-B2
Application number	US-201916552409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2019
Priority date	Apr 17, 2014
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A filter assembly includes a conditioning device that conditions a flow of air upstream of a mass air flow sensor. The filter assembly includes a support frame. The filter assembly further includes a filter media coupled to the support frame, the filter media having a dirty side configured to receive a stream of air and a clean side configured to output a stream of air that has been filtered through the filter media. The filter assembly includes a conditioning device coupled to the support frame, the conditioning device positioned in a downstream direction from the clean side of the filter media with respect to the stream of air, the conditioning device offset from the clean side of the filter media by a separation distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter assembly comprising:
a support frame;
a filter media coupled to the support frame, the filter media having a dirty side configured to receive a stream of air and a clean side configured to output a stream of air that has been filtered through the filter media;
a conditioning device coupled to the support frame, the conditioning device possessing a two-dimensional fractal structure or three-dimensional fractal structure, the conditioning device positioned in a downstream direction from the clean side of the filter media with respect to the stream of air, the conditioning device offset from the clean side of the filter media by a separation distance.

2. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a circle fractal perforation arrangement.

3. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a triangular star fractal perforation arrangement.

4. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a three dimensional higher order square fractal perforation arrangement including two spaced apart perforated conditioners.

5. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a three dimensional rooted square fractal perforation arrangement based on rotated squares positioned on two spaced apart perforated conditioners.

6. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device comprises two plates, each of the two plates arranged in series with one another such that, as air passes through the two plates, the perforation arrangement on the second plate in series is different from the perforation arrangement on the first plate in series.

7. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the conditioning device comprises two plates, each plate of the two plates arranged in series with one another such that, as air flow through the two plates, perforations on the second plate in series are smaller than perforations on the first plate in series.

8. A method of filtering a stream of air, the method comprising:
providing a filter assembly including a support frame, a filter media coupled to the support frame, and a conditioning device coupled to the support frame and positioned in a downstream direction from a clean side of the filter media with respect to the stream of air, wherein the conditioning device is offset from the clean side of the filter media by a separation distance;
providing a mass air flow sensor positioned downstream of the conditioning device with respect to the stream of air;
routing the stream of air through the filter media;
after passing through the filter media routing the stream of air through the conditioning device, the conditioning device possessing a two-dimensional fractal structure or three-dimensional fractal structure; and
routing at least a portion of the stream of air past the mass air flow sensor.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing, by the mass air flow sensor, a feedback signal to an engine control module relating to a characteristic of the air stream.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a circle fractal perforation arrangement.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a triangular star fractal perforation arrangement.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a three dimensional higher order square fractal perforation arrangement including two spaced apart perforated conditioners.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning device possesses a three dimensional rooted square fractal perforation arrangement based on rotated squares positioned on two spaced apart perforated conditioners.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning device comprises two plates, each of the two plates arranged in series with one another such that, as air passes through the two plates, the perforation arrangement on the second plate in series is different from the perforation arrangement on the first plate in series.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conditioning device comprises two plates, each plate of the two plates arranged in series with one another such that, as air flow through the two plates, perforations on the second plate in series are smaller than perforations on the first plate in series.

Assignees

• Cummins Filtration Ip Inc

Inventors

• Li Miao
• Herman Peter K
• Lukasavitz John C
• Shimpi Abhijit
• Hoverson Gregory W
• Braun Thomas J
• Bannister Robert A

Classifications

• F02M35/02416

  Fixing, mounting, supporting or arranging filter elements; Filter element cartridges · CPC title

• B01D2279/60

  for the intake of internal combustion engines or turbines · CPC title

• F02M35/10386

  for flow rate (air flow meters in air cleaners F02M35/021; circuit arrangements for generating control signals by measuring intake air flow F02D41/18) · CPC title

• F02M35/10249

  Electrical or electronic devices fixed to the intake system; Electric wiring (electric heaters F02M31/12; sensors F02M35/10373) · CPC title

• F02M35/021

  Arrangements of air flow meters in or on air cleaner housings · CPC title