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US 4,067,749 AGranted
Apparatus and method for cleaning air filter elements
OwnerLee R. McKinneyinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerLee R. McKinneyinventor
Estimating the term…
An apparatus and method for cleaning air filter elements of the type used in heavy duty internal combustion engines. The apparatus includes a frame to support air filter elements in position for rotation, a blower for forcing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, an agitator operatively associated with the frame for loosening dust which entered the housing during use of the filter, a suction for drawing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, and a pair of rollers to drive the filter element for rotation. The method includes supporting the filter element in position for rotation, forcing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, agitating the filter and the element for loosening dust which entered the housing during use of the filter, drawing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, and driving the filter element for rotation. By utilizing these combinations of features, dust accumulated in the air filter element during use can highly effectively be removed for cleaning the filter with the method and apparatus.
A method of cleaning a generally cylindrical air filter having a housing with concentric inner and outer perforate shell casings and a perforate filter element contained between the casings with an annular arrangement of longitudinally and radially extending folds, wherein the method comprises supporting the filter in position for rotation about the housing axis, forcing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, the air being forced through narrow and elongated surface portions of one of the casings brought successively opposite the air as the housing is rotated, agitating the filter and the element for loosening dust which entered the housing during use of the filter as the housing is rotated, drawing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, the air being drawn through narrow and elongated surface portions of the other of the casings brought successively opposite the air as the housing is rotated, and driving the filter for rotation about the housing axis whereby the forcing, agitating and drawing steps cooperate to loosen and remove dust accumulated in the folds of the perforate filter element during use for cleaning the generally cylindrical air filter.
An apparatus for cleaning a generally cylindrical air filter having a housing with concentric inner and outer perforate shell casings and a perforate filter element contained between the casings with an annular arrangement of longitudinally and radially extending folds, wherein the apparatus comprises a frame to support the filter in position for rotation about the housing axis, blower means for forcing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, the blower means including a nozzle having a pair of elongated lips defining an elongated air outlet parallel to the axis and adjacent the path of rotation of the housing for direct proximate exposure to narrow and elongated surface portions of one of the casings brought successively opposite the outlet as the housing is rotated, one of the elongated lips comprising a flexible seal projecting into the path of rotation of the one casing at the side of the outlet toward which the casing rotates, the seal being adapted to be flexed by the one casing in the direction of rotation thereof and to remain in surface sealing engagement therewith and the lips at all times being spaced apart in the direction of casing rotation, agitation means operatively associated with the frame for loosening dust which entered the housing during use of the filter, suction means for drawing air through the filter and the element in a direction opposite the direction of air and dust entering the housing during use of the filter, the suction means including a nozzle having a pair of elongated lips defining an elongated air inlet parallel to the axis and adjacent the path of rotation of the housing for direct proximate exposure to narrow and elongated surface portions of the other of the casings brought successively opposite the inlet as the housing is rotated, one of the elongated lips comprising a flexible seal projecting into the path of rotation of the other casing at the side of the inlet toward which the casing rotates, the seal being adapted to be flexed by the other casing in the direction of rotation thereof and to remain in surface sealing engagement therewith and the lips at all times being spaced apart in the direction of casing rotation, and a pair of rollers engageable with one of the casings to drive the filter for rotation about the housing axis whereby the blower means, agitation means and suction means cooperate to loosen and remove dust accumulated in the folds of the perforate filter element during use for cleaning the generally cylindrical air filter with the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.