Air cleaner bypass assembly and method of operating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017173-B2
Application number	US-202017599897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

An air cleaner assembly includes a precleaner assembly. In one aspect, the precleaner assembly incudes a bypass arrangement that is operated to bypass a portion of air around the precleaner assembly. The bypass arrangement can be operated by a controller based on at least one input signal corresponding to one or more of a vehicle speed, a vehicle engine speed, a vehicle engine load, an operator input, a vehicle location, an air pressure drop across a filter element, an air pressure drop across the precleaner assembly, an acoustic level, a vibration level, a change or cleaning frequency of the filter element, a total number of filter element changes, an identity of the filter element, an identity of the engine, an identity of the vehicle, an air flow rate through the precleaner assembly or through the filter element, and a weather condition parameter identified through data received locally or from a weather service.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a precleaner having a bypass system for an air cleaner assembly having a filter cartridge located downstream from the precleaner, the method comprising:
a) providing a precleaner assembly including at least one particle separator tube for separating particulates from an airflow stream;
b) providing a bypass assembly, wherein the bypass assembly is operable between a first state and a second state, the first state corresponding to a condition in which the entirety of the airflow stream is directed through the at least one particle separator tube before the airflow stream is delivered to an inlet of the filter cartridge, the second state corresponding to a condition in which at least a portion of the airflow stream bypasses the at least one particle separator tube before the airflow stream is delivered to the inlet of the filter cartridge;
c) receiving, at an electronic controller, at least one input signal for controlling the bypass assembly, wherein the at least one input signal corresponds to one or more of a vehicle speed, a vehicle engine speed, a vehicle engine load, an operator input, a vehicle location, an air pressure drop across the filter cartridge, an air pressure drop across the precleaner assembly, an acoustic level, a vibration level, a change or cleaning frequency of the filter cartridge, a total number of filter cartridge changes, an identity of the filter cartridge, an identity of an engine, an identity of a vehicle, an air flow rate through the precleaner assembly or through the filter cartridge, and a weather condition parameter identified through data received locally or from a weather service; and
d) operating the bypass assembly between the first and second states, with the electronic controller, based on the at least one input signal; and
e) delivering air from the precleaner, including air that has passed through the at least one particle separator tube and any air bypassed around the at least one particle separator tube, to the filter cartridge.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes a vehicle location input, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the vehicle location input corresponds to a location inside or outside of a predetermined geographic area.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes one or more of a vehicle speed, a vehicle engine speed, and a vehicle engine load input, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the one or more of a vehicle speed, a vehicle engine speed, and a vehicle engine load exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes an input corresponding to one or both of an air pressure drop across the precleaner assembly and the filter cartridge, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the air pressure drop exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes an input corresponding to one or both of an acoustic input and a vibration input, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the acoustic input or vibration input exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes an input corresponding to one or both of a change or cleaning frequency of the filter cartridge and a total number of filter cartridge changes, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the change or cleaning frequency input or the total number of filter cartridge changes input exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes an input corresponding to one or more of an identity of the filter cartridge, an identity of an engine, and an identity of a vehicle, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly to the first or second state based on the identity of one or more of the filter cartridge, the engine, and the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes an input corresponding to one or both of an air flow rate through the precleaner assembly and an air flow rate through the filter cartridge, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the air flow rate exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one input signal includes a weather condition parameter identified through data received from a weather service, wherein the electronic controller operates the bypass assembly between the first and second states when the weather condition parameter exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein air flowing through the bypass assembly flows in a direction that is parallel to a direction of air flowing through the at least one particle separator tube.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein air flowing through the bypass assembly flows in a direction that is parallel to a direction of air flowing through the at least one particle separator tube and that is parallel to a direction of air flowing through the filter cartridge.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bypass assembly operates in the second state without blocking air flow through the at least one particle separator tube.

Assignees

• Donaldson Co Inc

Inventors

• Little Dan
• Brown Scott M

Classifications

• F02M35/082

  By-pass means · CPC title

• F02M35/0223

  by centrifugal forces, e.g. cyclones · CPC title

• F02M35/0216 Primary

  arranged in series, e.g. pre- and main filter in series · CPC title

• B01D46/525

  which comprises flutes · CPC title

• B01D46/446

  by pressure measuring · CPC title