Air cleaner for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11655783-B2
Application number	US-202117331140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2021
Priority date	Oct 27, 2020
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

An air cleaner for vehicles includes: a case having an inlet, through which outside air is introduced, and an outlet, through which filtered air is discharged; and a filter installed in an inner space of the case, configured to filter the outside air introduced through the inlet, and including a filtration member, wherein the filtration member is formed in an “∩” shape open downwards and is configured to allow the outside air to pass therethrough in a downward direction and in a lateral direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air cleaner for vehicles, the air cleaner comprising:
a case having an inlet, through which outside air is introduced, and an outlet, through which filtered air is discharged; and
a filter installed in an inner space of the case, configured to filter the outside air introduced through the inlet, and comprising a filtration member,
wherein the filtration member is formed in a “∩” shape open downwards and is configured to allow the outside air to pass therethrough in a downward direction and a lateral direction,
wherein the filter comprises:
a filter frame coupled to the filtration member, and including:
a lower plate supported by a bottom surface of the case, and
a lattice type rod structural member installed at an upper side of the lower plate in a “∩” shape and coupled to the lattice type rod structural member;

a first fixing member coupled to a first end of the filter frame; and
a second fixing member coupled a second end of the filter frame that is located opposite to the first end of the filter frame.

2. The air cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the case comprises:
a body including the inlet and the outlet formed therein;
a filter receiving portion forming an inner space configured to receive the filter;
an enlarged pipe portion forming an inner space configured to receive air filtered by the filtration member, the enlarged pipe portion configured to lead the filtered air toward the outlet; and
a cover coupled to an upper side of the body and configured to hermetically seal an inner space defined in the body.

3. The air cleaner according to claim 2 , wherein
the body further includes a resonator including an inner surface, and
the cover comprises:
a first cover coupled to the body and configured to hermetically seal the inner space of the filter receiving portion in which the filter is received; and
a second cover coupled to the body and configured to hermetically seal the inner space of the enlarged pipe portion and the inner space of the resonator.

4. The air cleaner according to claim 3 , further comprising a support protrusion formed on a bottom surface of the body in the inner space of the enlarged pipe portion,
wherein the second cover is supported by the support protrusion in a state in which the support protrusion is fused to a lower surface of the second cover.

5. The air cleaner according to claim 3 , further comprising a hydrocarbon trap configured to adsorb and collect hydrocarbon in the enlarged pipe portion, and installed at a part of a lower surface of the second cover.

6. The air cleaner according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a fixing protrusion formed on a first side of an inner bottom surface of the body and configured to support a first end of the filter, and
a support rib formed on a second side of the inner bottom surface of the body and configured to support the filter from below.

7. The air cleaner according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a seating recess formed in the fixing protrusion; and
a lower end of the first fixing member located at the first end of the filter,
wherein the lower end of the first fixing member is supported in a state of being seated inside the seating recess.

8. The air cleaner according to claim 7 , further comprising a catching jaw portion formed at a lower surface of the cover and configured to be supported in a state in which an upper end of the first fixing member is inserted and caught in the catching jaw portion.

9. The air cleaner according to claim 7 , further comprising a bent portion formed at a lower surface of the cover and configured to support an upper end of the second fixing member located at a second end of the filter.

10. The air cleaner according to claim 9 , further comprising a catching protrusion formed at the lower surface of the cover and configured to catch the upper end of the second fixing member in a direction opposite to a catching direction of the bent portion,
wherein the upper end of the second fixing member is inserted between the bent portion and the catching protrusion and coupled to the bent portion and the catching protrusion.

11. The air cleaner according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a wall portion formed at the body and configured to partition the inner space of the filter receiving portion and the inner space of the enlarged pipe portion from each other;
a support portion formed at a surface of the wall portion, extending along the wall portion, and abutting the inner space of the filter receiving portion; and
a joining portion formed at the bent portion of the cover and configured to be joined to the support portion in a state in which a sealing member is interposed between the joining portion and the support portion.

12. The air cleaner according to claim 2 , further comprising an air guide configured to guide the filtered air toward the outlet and formed at a bottom surface of the body from the enlarged pipe portion to an outlet side.

13. The air cleaner according to claim 12 , further comprising a leading pipe installed at the outlet and configured to gather and lead the air guided by the air guide to the outlet.

14. The air cleaner according to claim 1 , further comprising a coupling protrusion formed on the lattice type rod structural member, and configured to be inserted inside a folded part of the filtration member, coupled to the folded part of the filtration member, and maintain a shape of the filtration member.

15. The air cleaner according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first coupling plate formed at a first end of the lower plate and configured to extend from the first end of the lower plate; and
a second coupling plate formed at a second end of the lower plate that is located opposite to the first end of the lower plate and configured to extend from the second end of the lower plate;
wherein a first end of the filtration member is fixedly coupled to a lower surface of the first coupling plate and a second end of the filtration member is fixedly coupled to a lower surface of the second coupling plate.

16. The air cleaner according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a guide portion formed on a lower surface of the lower plate; and
a predetermined gap defined between the lower surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of each coupling plate,
wherein the first end of the filtration member is inserted between the first coupling plate and the guide portion and is fixedly coupled to the first coupling plate and the guide portion, and the second end of the filtration member is inserted between the second coupling plate and the guide portion and is fixedly coupled to the second coupling plate and the guide portion.

17. The air cleaner according to claim 1 , further comprising a support stand configured to interconnect the lower plate and the lattice type rod structural member and installed between the lower plate and the lattice type rod structural member.

18. The air cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein:
the case includes:
an inner space of a filter receiving portion configured to receive the filter,
an inner space of an enlarged pipe portion configured such that air filtered by the filtration member of the filter is introduced thereinto and moves toward the outlet,
a wall portion configured to partition the inner space of the filter receiving portion and the inner space of the enlarged pipe portion from each other, and
a pipe-shaped coupling portion formed through the wall portion and projecting toward the inner space of the filter receiving portion;

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Kwak Seong Youn
• Yoon Sung Hyuk
• Yang Sung Min
• Han Ju Ho
• Choi Won Seop

Classifications

• F02M35/0201

  Housings; Casings; Frame constructions; Lids; Manufacturing or assembling thereof · CPC title

• F02M35/02416 Primary

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

• F02M35/0245

  Pleated, folded, corrugated filter elements, e.g. made of paper · CPC title

• F02M35/0204 Primary

  for connecting or joining to other devices, e.g. pipes · CPC title

• F02M35/14

  Combined air cleaners and silencers · CPC title