Twist fit connection for air cleaners
AssigneeSiemens Canada Limited
InventorStephen F. Bloomer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air cleaner housing system with an detachable air cleaner tube and a method of doing same. The air cleaner housing system includes the air cleaner tube, an air cleaner housing including an aperture, an air filter disposed inside the air cleaner housing, an attachment mechanism comprising a first portion disposed on the air cleaner tube and a second portion disposed on the air cleaner housing, and a first seal disposed between the air filter and the air cleaner tube. The attachment mechanism is a radial twist fit connector which moves between a first rotational position to attach the air cleaner tube to the air cleaner housing, and a second rotational position to detach the air cleaner tube from the air cleaner housing. Alternately, the attachment mechanism is an axial twist fit connector.
Claims21
An air cleaner system, comprising:
- an air cleaner tube extending along a central axis;
- air cleaner housing including an aperture, wherein the aperture size and shape is configured to receive one end of the air cleaner tube;
- and
- a twist fit connector having a first portion disposed around the air cleaner tube and a second portion positioned on the air cleaner housing;
- wherein the first portion includes a first plurality of spaced-apart flanges cinturing a substantially circular first edge thereof and the second portion includes a second plurality of spaced-apart flanges cinturing a corresponding substantially circular first edge thereof, the first plurality of flanges configured to be inserted in the spaces between the second plurality of flanges to engage the air cleaner housing and tube together when in a first rotational position and configured to detach the air cleaner tube from the air cleaner housing when in a second rotational position.
An air cleaner for the combustion air of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an air cleaner tube extending along a central axis;
- an air cleaner box having an opening to partially receive the air cleaner tube;
- a removable air filter disposed inside the air cleaner box;
- a first portion of a twist fit connector disposed around the air cleaner tube, having a first plurality of spaced-apart flanges encircling a substantially circular first edge thereof and a locking element disposed on a second edge thereof;
- a second portion of the twist fit connector disposed on the air cleaner box, having a second plurality of spaced-apart flanges encircling a substantially circular first edge thereof and a receiving element disposed on a second edge thereof,
- wherein the twist fit connector moves between a first position, in which the first plurality of flanges is configured to be inserted in the spaces between the second plurality of flanges and the locking element engages and abuts the receiving element to hold the air cleaner box and tube together, and a second position, in which the first plurality of flanges is configured to be disengaged from the second portion via the spaces between the second plurality of flanges and the locking element disengages from the receiving element to detach the air cleaner tube from the air cleaner box;
- and
- a first seal disposed between the air filter and the air cleaner tube, whereby dirty air passes through the air filter before exiting the air cleaner box when the twist fit connector is in the first position.
A method of assembling an air cleaner, comprising:
- (a) inserting one end of an air cleaner tube into an opening of an air cleaner housing;
- (b) aligning a locking element disposed on the air cleaner tube with a receiving element disposed on the air cleaner housing along a central axis extending along the air cleaner tube and housing;
- (c) inserting a first plurality of flanges encircling the air cleaner tube in between the corresponding spaces between a second plurality of flanges disposed on the air cleaner housing;
- (d) contacting the locking and receiving elements;
- and
- (e) rotating the locking element relative to the receiving element around the central axis extending along the air cleaner tube and housing till further rotation in either direction is prevented by the locking element abutting a section of the receiving element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.