Air filter

Abstract

The invention discloses an air filter, which is a barrel-shaped filter or a plate-type filter, and comprises a shell, an air inlet, an air outlet, an air inlet, an air outlet, an air inlet, an air outlet, an air inlet, an air outlet and an air outlet, the air inlet is used for introducing air into an inner cavity of the shell, and the air outlet is used for discharging the air in the shell; the filter element is arranged in the inner cavity of the shell and is used for filtering air flowing through the inner cavity of the shell; and the ash discharging mechanism comprises a flexible sealing cover which is connected with the shell so as to seal a to-be-sealed opening formed in the shell. Wherein the flexible sealing cover can generate oscillation under the action of external force and repeatedly generate ash removal airflow in the shell, and the ash removal airflow can flow through the filter element and is discharged out of the shell from the air inlet. The air filter has the advantages of being low in cost, low in failure rate, free of dependence on an air source and wider in application scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of air filters. More specifically, the present invention relates to an air filter. Background Art

[0002] Air filters are key components in equipment such as construction machinery and mining vehicles that frequently operate in harsh dusty environments, protecting the engine from wear and tear. Currently, most existing air filters rely on manual maintenance and cleaning, a labor-intensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive process.

[0003] To address the above issues, some air filters with automatic dust removal functions have emerged in the prior art, such as designs that utilize the pulse backflush principle. This type of design typically includes complex components such as an air reservoir, solenoid valve, and control circuit, using high-pressure gas to blow back the filter element to remove dust. However, the disadvantages of this solution are also very obvious: first, it must rely on an external air source or a system that can generate compressed air on the device itself, which limits its application scenarios; second, its complex structure and numerous components lead to high manufacturing costs and a high failure rate, posing a hidden danger to the stable operation of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an air filter, aiming to solve the problems of high cost, high failure rate, dependence on air source and limited application scenarios of air filters in the prior art.

[0005] According to the present invention, an air filter is provided. The air filter is a barrel filter or a plate filter, comprising: a housing including an air inlet for introducing air into the inner cavity of the housing and an air outlet for discharging the air within the housing; a filter element disposed within the inner cavity of the housing and configured to filter the air flowing through the inner cavity of the housing; and an ash discharge mechanism comprising a flexible cover connected to the housing to seal the opening to be sealed provided in the housing. The flexible cover is capable of oscillating under the action of an external force and repeatedly generating a clean airflow within the housing. The clean airflow is capable of flowing through the filter element and being discharged from the housing through the air inlet.

[0006] Furthermore, the air filter also includes a return spring fixed in the shell and used to support and return the flexible cover. The return spring is configured to be in an uncompressed state before the flexible cover oscillates, and the return spring is a tower-shaped or columnar compression spring.

[0007] Furthermore, the flexible cover includes folds that can expand and recover during vibration.

[0008] Further, the folds are arranged in a circular manner on the flexible cover and are coaxial with the flexible cover.

[0009] Furthermore, the air filter further includes an inertial oscillator fixed at the center of the flexible cover and causing the flexible cover to oscillate.

[0010] Furthermore, the inertial oscillator includes a first block provided on the outer surface of the flexible cover, a second block provided on the inner surface of the flexible cover, and fixing bolts passing through and fixing the first block, the flexible cover and the second block.

[0011] Furthermore, the air filter also includes a rotation source fixed in the shell, a fixing seat fixed at the center of the flexible cover, and a conversion assembly provided in the shell and connecting the rotation source and the fixing seat, wherein the conversion assembly is used to convert the rotational motion of the rotation source into linear motion so that the rotation source drives the flexible cover to oscillate through the conversion assembly.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotation source includes an electric motor, the conversion assembly includes a follower member coaxially connected to the rotation source, a connecting rod eccentrically hinged to the follower member at one end and hinged to the fixed seat at the other end, the fixed seat includes a first plate body provided on the inner surface of the flexible cover and hinged to the connecting rod, a second plate body provided on the outer surface of the flexible cover, and fixing bolts passing through and fixing the first plate body, the flexible cover and the second plate body.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexible cover is made of rubber, silicone or leather, and is fixed to the housing by riveting, bonding or clamping.

[0014] Furthermore, the housing includes: an outer cylinder having the opening to be sealed at its top and for connecting to the flexible cover; an inner cylinder coaxially disposed within the outer cylinder, with its bottom serving as the air outlet and its top serving to secure and support the return spring; and an annular wall having the air inlet and connecting the bottom of the inner circumference of the outer cylinder and the outer circumference of the inner cylinder while allowing the inner cylinder to pass therethrough. The filter element is an annular cylinder disposed between the inner and outer cylinders and between the annular wall and the opening to be sealed.

[0015] The air filter of the present invention is capable of oscillating under the action of external force by providing a flexible cover, thereby repeatedly forming a cleaning airflow inside the housing. This cleaning airflow can effectively flow through the filter element and discharge the dust attached to the filter element from the air inlet to the outside of the housing, thereby realizing the automatic cleaning function of the filter element. Compared with the prior art, the present invention not only solves the problem of high cost and high failure rate of traditional back-blowing air filters due to the large number of parts, but also gets rid of the dependence on the back-blowing air source and broadens the application scenarios. In addition, through the oscillation mechanism of the flexible cover, the cleaning process is more efficient and uniform, avoiding the clogging of the filter element due to dust accumulation, thereby extending the service life of the filter element and improving the overall performance and reliability of the air filter.

[0016] In addition, the dust removal mechanism of the present invention is simple in design and highly adaptable, and can directly modify barrel filters and plate filters during use, solving the pain point that it is difficult to use a universal automated dust cleaning solution for filters of different structures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become readily understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, several embodiments of the present invention are shown in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, and the same or corresponding reference numerals represent the same or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an air filter according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an air filter according to embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an air filter according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of an air filter according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0022] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1. Shell; 11. Outer cylinder; 12. Inner cylinder; 13. Annular wall; 14. Air inlet; 15. Air outlet; 2. Filter element; 3. Ash removal mechanism; 31. Flexible cover; 311. Pleats; 32. Return spring; 4. Inertial oscillator; 41. First block; 42. Second block; 43. Fixing bolt; 5. Rotation source; 6. Conversion assembly; 61. Rotating part; 62. Connecting rod; 7. Fixed seat. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0024] Example 1

[0025] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 , this embodiment 1 provides an air filter. The air filter is a barrel filter or a plate filter, wherein the filter element is preferably a honeycomb structure, and includes a shell 1, a filter element 2 arranged in the inner cavity of the shell 1, and an ash removal mechanism 3 for cleaning the filter element 2. The shell 1 includes at least an air inlet 14 for introducing air into the inner cavity of the shell 1, an air outlet 15 for discharging the air in the shell 1 after filtering through the filter element 2, and a port to be closed for being closed by the ash removal mechanism 3. As an example, the shell 1 includes an outer cylinder 11 and an inner cylinder 12 coaxially arranged in the outer cylinder 11, and an annular wall 13 connecting the bottom of the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 11 and the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 12 while allowing the inner cylinder 12 to pass through it. The filter element 2 is roughly an annular cylinder, which is arranged between the inner cylinder 12 and the outer cylinder 11 and is located between the annular wall 13 and the port to be closed. The bottom of the inner cylinder 12 is an open structure and serves as the air outlet 15 of the housing 1, while the annular wall 13 has an air inlet 14. The size and number of the air inlet 14 are not limited and can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual needs.

[0026] During normal operation, under the action of the engine's suction, air can enter the space between the inner cylinder 12 and the outer cylinder 11 through the air inlet 14 of the housing 1 and pass through the filter element 2. The purified air can be discharged outside the housing 1 through the air outlet 15 and enter the engine to meet its operating needs. The dust in the air is blocked on the surface of the filter element 2 at the bottom of the housing 1, near the air inlet 14.

[0027] The dust discharge mechanism 3 includes a flexible cover 31 connected to the shell 1 to close the opening to be closed of the shell 1. In this embodiment, the flexible cover 31 can be made of materials such as rubber, silicone or leather, and can be deformed, especially elastically deformed, under the action of external force. At the same time, the flexible cover 31 can be fixed to the top edge of the outer cylinder 11 by means of clamps, riveting or bonding, and the specific method can be flexibly selected based on cost, sealing requirements and maintenance strategies. Among them, the flexible cover 31 can oscillate under the action of external force and repeatedly generate a cleaning airflow in the shell 1, and the cleaning airflow can flow through the filter element 2 and be discharged to the outside of the shell 1 from the air inlet 14.

[0028] The filter element 2 needs to be cleaned every once in a while (e.g., once a week). The vehicle should ideally be parked and turned off during cleaning. The flexible cover 31 can be manually (e.g., tapped with a hammer) or automatically (as described in the relevant sections of Example 2 or Example 3) to generate an up-and-down oscillation. During this oscillation, the flexible cover 31 causes the air below it to rapidly compress and relax. When the flexible cover 31 rapidly compresses the air below, a cleaning airflow is generated within the housing 1 in the opposite direction of the engine's intake air. This cleaning airflow is high in intensity and can pass through the filter element 2 in the opposite direction, discharging the dust collected by the filter element 2 out of the housing 1 through the air inlet 14, achieving dust removal. When the flexible cover 31 rebounds and relaxes the air below, a relaxation airflow is generated within the housing 1 in the same direction as the engine's intake air. Because this relaxation airflow is less intense than the cleaning airflow and far less intense than the engine's intake air, the relaxation airflow does not trigger further dust collection by the filter element 2. Repeating the above process achieves the desired cleaning effect.

[0029] According to the present invention, the air filter is provided with a flexible cover 31, which can generate oscillations under the action of external force, thereby repeatedly forming a cleaning airflow in the housing 1. This cleaning airflow can effectively flow through the filter element 2 and discharge the dust attached to the filter element 2 from the air inlet 14 to the outside of the housing 1, thereby realizing the automatic cleaning function of the filter element 2. Compared with the prior art, the air filter not only solves the problem of high cost and high failure rate of traditional air filters due to the large number of parts, but also gets rid of the dependence on the back-blowing air source, and broadens the application scenarios. In addition, through the oscillation mechanism of the flexible cover 31, the cleaning process is more efficient and uniform, avoiding the clogging of the filter element due to dust accumulation, thereby extending the service life of the filter element 2 and improving the overall performance and reliability of the air filter.

[0030] In order to make the oscillation and reset of the flexible cover 31 more effective, a reset spring 32 is preferably provided in this embodiment. The reset spring 32 is fixed in the shell 1, preferably between the top of the inner cylinder 12 and the inner surface of the flexible cover 31, for supporting the flexible cover 31 and assisting in its reset. The reset spring 32 is at its natural length in a static state and is not compressed. It only plays a supporting role, ensuring that the flexible cover 31 can oscillate sensitively when subjected to force. The reset spring 32 can be a cylindrical or tower-shaped compression spring, but it is recommended to be a tower-shaped one. Since the diameters of its coils are different, they can be stacked together during compression to achieve a large compression stroke without interference between lines.

[0031] In order to increase the displacement during oscillation and thus generate a stronger cleaning airflow, pleats 311 that can be expanded and restored during the vibration process can be provided on the flexible cover 31. Preferably, the pleats 311 are arranged in a circular manner on the flexible cover 31 and are coaxial with the flexible cover 31 (that is, the central axes of the two overlap). The pleats 311 allow the flexible cover 31 to produce a large axial displacement under a very small force, greatly increasing the volume of air that can be displaced per oscillation, thereby forming a stronger cleaning airflow. In addition, the pleats 311 also help to reduce the excessive stretching of the flexible cover 31 when acted upon by external forces, effectively improving the fatigue resistance and service life of the flexible cover 31. Optionally, the cross-sectional shape of the pleats 311 can be a conventional shape that is easy to form, such as a U-shape, a V-shape or a trapezoid. The number, depth and spacing of the pleats 311 can be designed and optimized according to the required engine intake volume and driving force.

[0032] Example 2

[0033] See also Figure 3 On the basis of the first embodiment, the second embodiment adds an inertial oscillator 4 for inducing the flexible cover 31 to oscillate, and the inertial oscillator 4 is fixed at the center of the flexible cover 31. This solution is particularly suitable for engineering vehicles traveling on bumpy roads. Specifically, the inertial oscillator 4 includes a first block 41 provided on the outer surface of the flexible cover 31, a second block 42 provided on the inner surface of the flexible cover 31, and a fixing bolt 43 passing through and fixing the first block 41, the flexible cover 31 and the second block 42. The sum of the weights of the first block 41 and the second block 42 is preferably 2-5 times the weight of the flexible cover 31, and can induce the flexible cover 31 to oscillate more strongly due to inertial motion.

[0034] In the use of mining areas where materials need to be transported from bottom to top, for example, stripping transportation, mining of coal mines and metal mines, mining vehicles need to pull materials out of the pit. The working characteristics are slow speed, high engine speed, large air intake, and the engine inhales air through the dust-exhaust air filter with strong suction force. When the flexible cover 31 vibrates slightly (caused by slight vehicle bumps), it is not enough to generate a dust-cleaning airflow in the shell 1 that can resist the suction airflow. The collected dust is firmly adsorbed on the filter surface. When the mining vehicle unloads the material and returns to the pit, When the engine is in a low-speed state, the air intake volume is small and the suction force is weak. At this time, the unloaded vehicle has a fast gliding speed and a high degree of vehicle bumping. The inertial oscillator 4 will produce strong up-and-down movement relative to the housing 1, thereby driving the flexible cover 31 to produce continuous and violent oscillations to generate a dust-cleaning airflow in the housing 1 that can resist the air intake flow. This dust-cleaning airflow can flow through the filter element 2 and be discharged from the air inlet 14 to the outside of the housing 1, realizing "follow-up dust removal" during driving without manual intervention or consumption of additional energy. It should be emphasized that the solution of Example 2 is also applicable to knocking dust removal after parking and turning off the engine.

[0035] Example 3

[0036] See also Figure 4 In this third embodiment, a driving mechanism is added to the first embodiment to induce the flexible cover 31 to oscillate, which is an active automatic dust removal solution. This solution is suitable for situations where fixed-point, controllable automatic dust removal is required, such as after a vehicle is shut down.

[0037] The drive mechanism comprises a rotation source 5 (such as an electric motor or pneumatic motor) fixed within the housing 1, a mounting base 7 fixed at the center of the flexible cover 31, and a conversion assembly 6 disposed within the housing 1 and connecting the rotation source 5 and the mounting base 7. The conversion assembly 6 is configured to convert the rotational motion of the rotation source 5 into linear motion, thereby causing the rotation source 5 to drive the flexible cover 31 to oscillate through the conversion assembly 6. Placing the rotation source 5 and conversion assembly 6 within the housing 1 effectively prevents the intrusion of external dust, significantly improving their operational reliability and service life.

[0038] As a preferred example, the conversion assembly 6 includes a rotating member 61 (e.g., an eccentric wheel) coaxially connected to the rotation source 5, and a connecting rod 62 eccentrically hinged to the rotating member 61 at one end and hinged to the fixed base 7 at the other end. When dust cleaning is required, the rotation source 5 is activated, which drives the flexible cover 31 to oscillate up and down via the rotating member 61 and connecting rod 62, thereby achieving active and efficient automatic dust cleaning. It should be noted that in addition to the example used, the conversion assembly 6 can also be a known mechanism such as a gear rack that can convert rotation into linear motion.

[0039] As a preferred example, to achieve the fixation of the fixing base 7 on the flexible cover 31, the structure of the fixing base 7 can be similar to that of the inertial oscillator 4 in the second embodiment, namely, including a first plate body provided on the inner surface of the flexible cover 31 and hingedly connected to the connecting rod 62, a second plate body provided on the outer surface of the flexible cover 31, and fixing bolts 43 passing through and fixing the first plate body, the flexible cover 31, and the second plate body. It should be noted that in addition to the embodiment of the fixing base 7, a block structure directly bonded to the flexible cover 31 and hingedly connected to the connecting rod 62 can also be selected.

[0040] Apart from Figure 4 In addition to the embodiment shown, the driving mechanism may also use an electromagnet to repeatedly attract and drive the flexible cover 31 to oscillate.

[0041] In summary, this air filter has the characteristics and advantages of low cost, low failure rate, no dependence on air source and wider application scenarios.

[0042] In the above description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, terms such as "fixed," "mounted," "connected," or "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, with respect to the term "connected," it can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean internal communication between two elements or an interaction between two elements. Therefore, unless otherwise expressly specified in this application, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] According to the above description of the present application, those skilled in the art may also understand that the terms used below, such as "upper", "lower" and other terms indicating orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings of the present application, and are only for the purpose of facilitating the explanation of the scheme of the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than explicitly or implicitly indicating that the devices or elements involved must have the specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above-mentioned orientation or positional relationship terms cannot be understood or interpreted as limitations on the scheme of the present invention.

[0044] In addition, the terms "first" or "second" used in this application to refer to numbers or ordinal numbers are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as explicitly or implicitly indicating relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three or more, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0045] Although a number of embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Those skilled in the art may devise numerous modifications, variations, and alternatives without departing from the concept and spirit of the present invention. It should be understood that in practicing the present invention, various alternatives to the embodiments of the present invention described herein may be employed. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of the present invention and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. An air filter, wherein the air filter is a barrel filter or a plate filter, characterized in that: It includes: a housing, comprising an air inlet for introducing air into an inner cavity of the housing and an air outlet for exhausting the air in the housing; a filter element disposed in the inner cavity of the housing and configured to filter air flowing through the inner cavity of the housing; and an ash discharge mechanism comprising a flexible cover connected to the shell to close an opening to be closed on the shell; The flexible cover can oscillate under the action of an external force and repeatedly generate a dust-cleaning airflow in the shell. The dust-cleaning airflow can flow through the filter element and be discharged from the air inlet to the outside of the shell.

2. The air filter according to claim 1, characterized in that It also includes a return spring fixed in the shell and used to support and return the flexible cover. The return spring is configured to be in an uncompressed state before the flexible cover oscillates, and the return spring is a tower-shaped or columnar compression spring.

3. The air filter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The flexible cover includes pleats that are capable of expanding and recovering during vibration.

4. The air filter according to claim 3, characterized in that The corrugations are arranged in a circular manner on the flexible cover and are coaxial with the flexible cover.

5. The air filter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The invention also includes an inertial oscillator which is fixed at the center of the flexible cover and causes the flexible cover to oscillate.

6. The air filter according to claim 5, characterized in that The inertial oscillator includes a first block provided on an outer surface of the flexible cover, a second block provided on an inner surface of the flexible cover, and fixing bolts passing through and fixing the first block, the flexible cover, and the second block.

7. The air filter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It also includes a rotation source fixed in the shell, a fixed seat fixed at the center of the flexible cover, and a conversion component provided in the shell and connecting the rotation source and the fixed seat. The conversion component is used to convert the rotational motion of the rotation source into linear motion, so that the rotation source drives the flexible cover to oscillate through the conversion component.

8. The air filter according to claim 7, characterized in that The rotation source includes an electric motor, the conversion assembly includes a rotating part coaxially connected to the rotation source, a connecting rod one end of which is eccentrically hinged to the rotating part and the other end of which is hinged to the fixed seat, the fixed seat includes a first plate body provided on the inner surface of the flexible cover and hinged to the connecting rod, a second plate body provided on the outer surface of the flexible cover, and fixing bolts passing through and fixing the first plate body, the flexible cover and the second plate body.

9. The air filter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The flexible cover is made of rubber, silicone or leather and is fixed to the housing by riveting, bonding or clamping.

10. The air filter according to claim 2, characterized in that The housing comprises: An outer cylinder, having a to-be-sealed opening at its top and being used for connecting to the flexible cover; an inner cylinder, which is coaxially arranged in the outer cylinder, and whose bottom is the air outlet and whose top is used to fix and support the return spring; and an annular wall having the air inlet and connecting the bottom of the inner circumference of the outer cylinder and the outer circumference of the inner cylinder while allowing the inner cylinder to pass therethrough; The filter element is an annular cylinder, which is arranged between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder and located between the annular wall and the opening to be closed.

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