Disposable two-stage air cleaner
AssigneeAir-Maze Corporation
InventorsDennis B. Keller, Donald R. Denton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disposable two-stage air cleaner includes a housing forming an air inlet, a separation chamber, a dirt collection chamber, and an air outlet. A filter element is located between the separation chamber and the air outlet. The air inlet moves the air in a circular pattern in the separation chamber, whereby dirt is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force. An air scavenging system is employed in which air laden with dirt from the first-stage separation chamber is scooped into the dirt collection chamber and air from the dirt collection chamber is allowed to recirculate into the separation chamber after the air flow has been slowed so that the dirt falls from the air stream. The air cleaner thus provides performance which is equal to or better than reusable air cleaners of the prior art.
Claims5
An air cleaner, which comprises:
- a housing including a separation chamber, an air inlet to the separation chamber, a dirt collection chamber, and an air outlet;
- a filter element between the separation chamber and the air outlet;
- a flow director associated with the air inlet for moving the air in a circular pattern in the separation chamber, whereby dirt is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force;
- and
- an air scavenging system including
- a first passage for withdrawing dirt laden air from the separation chamber into a dirt collection chamber,
- a flow retarder in the dirt collection chamber for slowing the velocity of the dirt laden air entering the dirt collection chamber through the first passage to allow dirt to fall from the air, and
- a second passage separate from the first passage and located in an annular zone spaced radially inward from said first passage for allowing air in the dirt collection chamber to exit back to the air separation chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.