Air cleaner assembly with restriction indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11673086-B2
Application number	US-201816758722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2018
Priority date	Oct 24, 2017
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

An air cleaner assembly with a restriction indicator (14) includes a housing (12) having an exterior surface around an interior volume. The housing includes a bore (42) extending through a portion of the exterior surface of the housing surrounded by a bore wall (38) protruding from the portion of the exterior surface. A receptacle wall of the housing is disposed around the bore wall and is radially spaced from the bore wall to form a channel (44) between the bore wall and the receptacle wall. A restriction indicator (14) measures a restriction in the interior volume and displays an indication of the restriction. The restriction indicator includes a stem (46) that is at least partially insertable into the bore that engages an inner surface of the bore wall. One or more tabs (52) of the restriction indicator are at least partially insertable in the channel and removably couple to the receptacle wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air cleaner assembly comprising:
a housing comprising an exterior surface around an interior volume, the housing comprising:
a bore extending through a portion of the exterior surface of the housing along an insertion axis and surrounded by a bore wall protruding from the portion of the exterior surface along the insertion axis; and
a receptacle wall around the bore wall along the insertion axis and radially spaced from the bore wall to form a channel between the bore wall and the receptacle wall; and

a restriction indicator configured to measure a restriction in the interior volume when coupled to the housing and to display an indication of the restriction, the restriction indicator comprising:
an indication element configured to display the indication of the restriction;
a stem at least partially insertable into the bore along the insertion axis and configured to engage an inner surface of the bore wall when disposed therein; and
one or more tabs at least partially insertable in the channel between the bore wall and the receptacle wall and configured to facilitate removably coupling the restriction indicator to the housing,

wherein each tab is deflectable to couple or uncouple to the receptacle wall.

2. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle wall protrudes outwardly from the exterior surface.

3. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the exterior surface is recessed from a surrounding portion of the exterior surface and the receptacle wall extends between the portion and the surrounding portion of the exterior surface.

4. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein inserting the stem at least partially into the bore using a linear motion along the insertion axis forms a seal between the stem and the bore wall and secures the one or more tabs to the receptacle wall to couple the restriction indicator to the housing.

5. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle wall comprises one or more apertures extending therethrough and the one or more tabs of the restriction indicator each comprise a detent configured to be received in a corresponding aperture to secure the restriction indicator to the housing.

6. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the restriction indicator comprises an at least partially clear cap covering the indication element.

7. The air cleaner assembly of claim 6 , wherein the cap comprises a convex exterior surface to magnify the indication of the restriction.

8. The air cleaner assembly of claim 6 , wherein the restriction indicator further comprises a reset knob and a tortuous fluid communication path between the knob and the cap.

9. The air cleaner assembly of claim 6 , wherein the restriction indicator comprises a torsional spring coupled to the indication element and the cap.

10. The air cleaner assembly of claim 6 , wherein the cap comprises a raised portion adjacent to a low-profile portion of the cap, wherein the raised portion has a steeper slope than the low-profile portion to facilitate viewing from a shallow angle.

11. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the restriction indicator comprises a floating lock pin defining a plurality of indication regions.

12. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more ramp portions on the exterior surface of the housing each near a respective latch portion.

13. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle wall comprises one or more pockets configured to receive the one or more tabs to facilitate removably coupling the restriction indicator to the housing.

14. The air cleaner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the restriction indicator further comprises one or more user engageable tabs extending away from the housing when the restriction indicator is installed in the housing.

15. An air cleaner assembly comprising:
a housing comprising an exterior surface around an interior volume, the housing comprising:
a bore extending through a portion of the exterior surface of the housing along an insertion axis and surrounded by a bore wall protruding from the portion of the exterior surface along the insertion axis; and
a receptacle wall around the bore wall along the insertion axis and radially spaced from the bore wall to form a channel between the bore wall and the receptacle wall; and

a restriction indicator configured to measure a restriction in the interior volume when coupled to the housing and to display an indication of the restriction, the restriction indicator comprising:
an indication element configured to display the indication of the restriction;
a stem at least partially insertable into the bore along the insertion axis and configured to engage an inner surface of the bore wall when disposed therein; and
one or more tabs at least partially insertable in the channel between the bore wall and the receptacle wall and configured to facilitate removably coupling the restriction indicator to the housing,

wherein the receptacle wall comprises one or more apertures extending therethrough and the one or more tabs of the restriction indicator each comprise a detent configured to be received in a corresponding aperture to secure the restriction indicator to the housing.

16. The air cleaner assembly of claim 15 , wherein the restriction indicator comprises:
an outer shoulder of a lower collar portion configured to engage an upper edge of the receptacle wall when the restriction indicator is coupled to the housing; and
a detent shoulder on each detent configured to engage an upper edge of the aperture in the receptacle wall,
wherein a first distance aligned with the insertion axis measured from the outer shoulder and the detent shoulder is greater than or equal to a second distance aligned with the insertion axis measured from the upper edge of the receptacle wall and the upper edge of the aperture.

17. The air cleaner assembly of claim 16 , wherein a third distance aligned with the insertion axis measured from the outer shoulder to a lowest edge of the one or more tabs is less than or equal to a fourth distance aligned with the insertion axis measured from the portion of the exterior surface of the housing to the upper edge of the receptacle wall.

18. The air cleaner assembly of claim 15 , wherein the housing further comprises one or more guide rails extending from the receptacle wall into the channel proximate to the one or more apertures.

19. The air cleaner assembly of claim 18 , wherein two guide rails are proximate to each aperture and a corresponding tab fits between the two guide rails when the restriction indicator is coupled to the housing.

20. An air cleaner assembly comprising:
a housing comprising an exterior surface around an interior volume, the housing comprising:
a bore extending through a portion of the exterior surface of the housing along an insertion axis and surrounded by a bore wall protruding from the portion of the exterior surface along the insertion axis; and
a receptacle wall around the bore wall along the insertion axis and radially spaced from the bore wall to form a channel between the bore wall and the receptacle wall; and

a restriction indicator configured to measure a restriction in the interior volume when coupled to the housing and to display an indication of the restriction, the restriction indicator comprising:
an indication element configured to display the indication of the restriction;
a stem at least partially insertable into the bore along the

Assignees

• Donaldson Co Inc

Inventors

• Lockert Michael J
• Nagel Douglas J
• Manahan Richard P
• Gailloux Mark J
• Campbell Steven K

Classifications

• B01D2265/028

  Snap, latch or clip connecting means · CPC title

• B01D2279/60

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

• B01D46/0086 Primary

  Filter condition indicators · CPC title

• F02M35/09

  Clogging indicators {; Diagnosis or testing of air cleaners (sensors therefore F02M35/10373)} · CPC title

• B01D46/0004

  Details of removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads · CPC title