Vehicle exhaust filtration system and method
AssigneeThe Majestic Companies, Ltd.
InventorsMichael Hecker, Adrian Corbett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Vehicle Exhaust Filtration System and Method is disclosed. Also disclosed is a system and method that reduces the airborne contaminants leaving the exhaust pipe of any internal combustion engine to which the system is attached. Furthermore, the method and system involves the use of recyclable cartridges that can be exchanged on a planned maintenance program. Still further, the disclosed system and method prohibits engines failing to have acceptably clean filter/converters from being started. It is another aspect of the present invention that the method and system provide an alert to the user, and potentially to external individuals, that the change out deadline is approaching.
Claims20
A system for removing undesirable particulate and chemical contaminants from the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine, said engine producing said exhaust stream from an exhaust manifold pipe, the system comprising:
- a filter/purifier assembly attached to said exhaust manifold pipe, said assembly comprising:
- a particle filtration means cartridge for filtering particulates out of said exhaust stream;
- a gas converter means cartridge for removing chemical contaminants from said exhaust stream, said gas converter means aligned in series with said particle filtration means cartridge;
- cartridge tracking indicia displayed on each said cartridge;
- and
- a master tracking system configured to cooperate with said cartridge tracking indicia to maintain status and history data for each said cartridge.
An improved contaminant removal assembly for removing undesirable particulate and chemical contaminants from the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine, the assembly comprising:
- particle filtration means for filtering particulates out of said exhaust stream;
- gas converter means for removing chemical contaminants from said exhaust stream, said gas converter means aligned in parallel with said particle filtration means;
- and
- a lower hub assembly from which extends an actuating handle, said actuating handle configured to cooperate with said lower hub assembly, said particle filtration means and said gas purification means to alternatively lock said particle filtration means and said gas purification means into an in-service position and release said particle filtration means and said gas purification means to an out-of-service position.
A method for removing undesirable particulate and chemical contaminants from the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:
- passing said exhaust stream through a filter/purifier assembly, said assembly comprising a particle filter cartridge and a gas converter cartridge;
- monitoring the performance of said cartridges;
- generating an alert perceptible to the human senses responsive to said monitoring;
- deactivating said cartridges;
- replacing said cartridges responsive to said alert;
- and
- restoring said cartridges to service.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.