Air filter intelligent waterproof system for hybrid off-road vehicle and control method of air filter intelligent waterproof system

Abstract

The invention relates to an air filter intelligent waterproof system for a hybrid off-road vehicle and a control method thereof.The air filter intelligent waterproof system comprises an air filter which comprises an air filter shell, an air filter element located in the air filter shell, an electronic drain valve for discharging accumulated water in the air filter shell and an electronic vent valve for introducing air into the air filter shell; the water level sensor is used for monitoring the height of the water level in the air filter shell; the water level sensor, the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve are all electrically connected with the vehicle control unit, and the vehicle control unit is used for obtaining water level height information, monitored by the water level sensor, of accumulated water in the air filter shell and controlling opening or closing of the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve according to the water level height information. By utilizing the characteristic that the electronic drain valve is not influenced by the negative pressure of the cavity of the air filter, the smoothness and reliability of the drain channel under various complex working conditions are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive safety technology, and in particular to an intelligent waterproof air filter system and its control method for hybrid off-road vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of automotive technology and changes in social culture, hybrid off-road vehicles have become a key focus of major OEMs' technology research and development and market layout due to their abundant power output, rapid response speed, and superior adaptability to all-terrain conditions, and are highly favored by users. At the same time, the popularization of off-road culture has broadened the user's driving scenarios, with deep and extreme wading conditions such as water floating, rainstorm crossing, or river surfing becoming increasingly common.

[0003] For hybrid off-road vehicles, the engine not only needs to provide direct driving force, but also plays a crucial role in maintaining the power battery's charge and compensating for insufficient peak battery power output during off-road driving. Therefore, the engine usually needs to run continuously during water wading off-roading. This poses a serious challenge to traditional air intake systems: when wading in deep water, splashing water, waves, or surface fluctuations can easily be sucked into the air intake pipes through the air intake and eventually accumulate inside the air filter chamber.

[0004] Currently, conventional solutions for water accumulation in air filter chambers in the industry mainly rely on passive mechanical drainage designs. Common implementations include gravity-operated mechanical drain valves / windows and drain holes / channels. However, these existing technologies have significant inherent drawbacks in complex off-road scenarios. For example, they are prone to clogging and failure in muddy or sandy environments, and the high intake suction force generated when the engine is running at high power can create negative pressure, leading to insufficient or untimely drainage capacity. Furthermore, they lack early warning and active control mechanisms.

[0005] The most representative air filter chamber drainage technology currently available is a passive mechanical drainage scheme based on the principle of gravity. Its core idea is to provide an outlet at the lowest point of the air filter chamber, relying on the gravity or flow of the accumulated water to achieve drainage. This includes a gravity-driven mechanical drain valve / window: a one-way valve or drain valve is installed at the lowest point of the air filter chamber, relying on the gravity of the accumulated water to open the valve plate or squeeze the valve for drainage. It also includes drain holes / guide channels: small holes are directly opened at the bottom of the housing or a flow path is designed to allow the liquid to flow out naturally under gravity.

[0006] Existing technical solutions are all passive drainage systems, which suffer from problems such as inability to detect risks, limited and unreliable drainage capacity, and a lack of active control and emergency mechanisms. The reason for the inability to detect risks is that they lack water level monitoring capabilities and cannot issue warnings before the water level becomes too high and is about to be sucked into the engine.

[0007] Reasons for limited and unreliable drainage capacity: When the engine is under high load and intake creates strong negative pressure, the drain window / check valve may not open effectively; the drain hole is also easily blocked. It cannot handle large amounts of water entering the system in a short period (such as surges). Reasons for lack of active control and emergency mechanisms: When passive drainage fails or is insufficient to drain water, the system has no backup means to ensure the engine's intake needs, leaving the risk to escalate into a malfunction. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This application provides an intelligent waterproof system for air filters in hybrid off-road vehicles and its control method, in order to solve the problems in related technologies where air filter cavity drainage is passive, resulting in the inability to detect risks, limited and unreliable drainage capacity, and a lack of active control and emergency mechanisms.

[0009] The first aspect of this application provides an intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles, comprising: An air filter, comprising an air filter housing and an air filter element located within the air filter housing, an electronic drain valve for draining water accumulated in the air filter housing, an electronic vent valve for introducing air into the air filter housing, and a water level sensor for monitoring the water level height within the air filter housing; The vehicle controller is equipped with a water level sensor, an electronic drain valve, and an electronic vent valve, all of which are electrically connected to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller is used to acquire the water level information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing monitored by the water level sensor, and to control the opening or closing of the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve according to the water level information.

[0010] In some embodiments: the air filter housing includes a lower housing and an upper housing that are interlocked with each other, an air intake pipe is connected to the side wall of the lower housing, an exhaust pipe is connected to the top of the upper housing, and the air filter element is located at the top opening of the lower housing; The electronic drain valve is installed at the bottom of the lower housing, the water level sensor is located inside the lower housing and fixed on the side wall of the lower housing, and the electronic vent valve is installed at the top of the lower housing and below the air filter.

[0011] In some embodiments: the bottom of the lower housing is further provided with a one-way drain valve, the air inlet of the air inlet pipe is provided with a drain window, the end of the air inlet pipe near the lower housing is provided with a guide groove, and a one-way drain hole is opened in the guide groove.

[0012] In some embodiments: the vehicle controller is also connected to the vehicle instrument panel. The vehicle controller acquires the water level information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing monitored by the water level sensor, and sends the water level information to the vehicle instrument panel. The vehicle instrument panel displays the water level information to warn the driver of the current water level.

[0013] In some embodiments: the vehicle controller is also connected to an engine, the vehicle controller acquires the water level information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing monitored by the water level sensor, and controls the operating load of the engine according to the water level information.

[0014] In some embodiments: the vehicle controller is also connected to a BMS battery management unit. The vehicle controller obtains the remaining power information of the power battery through the BMS battery management unit. The vehicle controller controls the operating load or shutdown of the engine according to the vehicle's required power, water level information and remaining power information.

[0015] In some embodiments: the vehicle controller stores multiple liquid level calibration heights, and each of the multiple liquid level calibration heights corresponds to a control strategy for controlling the electronic drain valve, the electronic vent valve, and the engine; The vehicle controller compares the acquired water level information with multiple liquid level calibration heights, and controls the electronic drain valve, electronic vent valve and engine to perform actions according to the control strategy based on the liquid level calibration height corresponding to the water level information.

[0016] In some embodiments: when the vehicle controller controls the engine to stop, the vehicle controller starts the electric drive assembly, and the power battery supplies pure electric power to the electric drive assembly to drive the vehicle.

[0017] In some embodiments: when the vehicle controller controls the engine to stop, the vehicle controller controls both the engine's intake manifold and exhaust manifold to be closed, or controls both the engine's intake valve and exhaust valve to be closed.

[0018] A second aspect of this application provides a control method for an intelligent waterproof system for an air filter in a hybrid off-road vehicle. The method uses the intelligent waterproof system for an air filter in a hybrid off-road vehicle as described in any of the commercially available embodiments, and includes: The water level sensor monitors the water level inside the air filter housing in real time and sends the water level information to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller acquires the water level information and compares it with multiple stored liquid level calibration heights for judgment. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has risen to the first liquid level calibration value, it controls the electronic drain valve to open and drain the water accumulated in the air filter housing. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has risen to the second liquid level calibration value, it controls both the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve to open, accelerating the discharge of water accumulated in the air filter housing. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has risen to the third liquid level calibration value, it controls both the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve to open, and controls the engine to operate with reduced load. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has risen to the fourth calibrated height, it controls the electronic drain valve to open, closes the electronic vent valve, and controls the engine to stop. The vehicle is then driven purely by the electric drive assembly, and the vehicle's instrument panel sends an alarm message to the driver. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has dropped to the third calibrated height, it controls both the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve to open, and limits the engine's operating load based on the vehicle's required power and remaining battery power. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has dropped to the second liquid level calibration value, it controls both the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve to open, thereby releasing the restriction on the engine's operating load. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has dropped to the first liquid level calibration value, it controls the electronic drain valve to open and the electronic vent valve to close, thus controlling the engine to be in a normal operating load state. When the vehicle controller determines that the water level has dropped to zero, it closes both the electronic drain valve and the electronic vent valve, keeping the engine in normal operating load mode.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided in this application include: This application provides an intelligent waterproof air filter system and its control method for hybrid off-road vehicles. The system includes an air filter housing, an air filter element located within the housing, an electronic drain valve for draining water from the housing, an electronic vent valve for introducing air into the housing, and a water level sensor for monitoring the water level inside the housing. A vehicle controller is also included. The water level sensor, electronic drain valve, and electronic vent valve are all electrically connected to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller acquires the water level information from the water level sensor and controls the opening and closing of the electronic drain valve and electronic vent valve based on this information.

[0020] Therefore, the intelligent waterproofing system for air filters in hybrid off-road vehicles of this application utilizes a water level sensor installed inside the air filter housing to measure the water level within the housing. The vehicle controller acquires the water level information from the sensor, enabling real-time perception and assessment of the risk level. Based on the water level information, the vehicle controller controls the opening and closing of the electronic drain valve and electronic vent valve, resolving the problems associated with passive gravity valves or drain holes. By utilizing the characteristic that the electronic drain valve is unaffected by negative pressure in the air filter cavity, the fatal flaw of traditional gravity valves—which cannot effectively open due to strong negative pressure during high engine load operation—is solved. Furthermore, its non-mechanically open design fundamentally avoids the problem of drain holes being easily clogged by mud and sand, ensuring the unobstructed and reliable drainage channels under various complex operating conditions.

[0021] Furthermore, an electronic vent valve controlled by the vehicle controller is added to the top of the air filter housing cavity. The vent inlet of the electronic vent valve is positioned high. When the water level inside the air filter housing rises to a set height, opening the electronic vent valve allows the air filter to drain water while simultaneously introducing a backup clean air source to the engine. This effectively balances the negative pressure within the air filter housing cavity, assists in drainage, and, most importantly, prevents engine power loss or stalling due to flooding of the air filter or obstructed airflow. This provides a crucial "lifeline" for maintaining vehicle power or escaping from deep water. This application can perceive and assess risk levels in real time, completely changing the passive situation of traditional solutions that only discover problems after they occur. It provides drivers with valuable progressive risk information and operational buffer time, significantly improving the active safety performance of vehicles driving in unknown waters. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent waterproof air filter system for a hybrid off-road vehicle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a structural block diagram of an intelligent waterproof air filter system for a hybrid off-road vehicle, according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure label: 10. Air filter; 11. Air filter housing; 12. Air filter element; 13. Electronic drain valve; 14. Electronic vent valve; 15. Water level sensor; 16. One-way drain valve; 17. Intake duct; 18. Drain window; 19. Air guide channel; 20. Vehicle controller; 21. Automotive instrument panel; 22. BMS battery management unit; 23. Engine; 24. Electric drive assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] This application provides an intelligent waterproof air filter system and its control method for hybrid off-road vehicles, which can solve the problems of passive drainage of air filter chambers in related technologies, which have the problems of not being able to detect risks, limited and unreliable drainage capacity, and lack of active control and emergency mechanisms.

[0027] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first aspect of this application provides an intelligent waterproofing system for an air filter in a hybrid off-road vehicle, comprising: An air filter 10 includes an air filter housing 11 and an air filter element 12 located inside the air filter housing 11, an electronic drain valve 13 for draining water accumulated inside the air filter housing 11, an electronic vent valve 14 for introducing air into the air filter housing 11, and a water level sensor 15 for monitoring the water level inside the air filter housing 11.

[0028] The vehicle controller 20 is electrically connected to the water level sensor 15, the electronic drain valve 13, and the electronic vent valve 14. The vehicle controller 20 is used to obtain the water level information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing 11 monitored by the water level sensor 15, and to control the opening or closing of the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 according to the water level information.

[0029] The intelligent waterproof system for air filters in hybrid off-road vehicles according to this application embodiment uses a water level sensor 15 installed inside the air filter housing 11 to measure the water level inside the air filter housing 11. The vehicle controller 20 is used to obtain the water level information of the water accumulated inside the air filter housing 11 monitored by the water level sensor 15, so as to perceive and assess the risk level in real time.

[0030] The vehicle controller 20 controls the opening or closing of the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 based on the water level information, which can solve the problem of passive gravity valves or drain holes. This embodiment of the application utilizes the characteristic that the electronic drain valve 13 is not affected by the negative pressure in the air filter 10 cavity, thus solving the fatal defect of traditional gravity valves that cannot be effectively opened due to strong negative pressure when the engine is running under high load.

[0031] Meanwhile, due to the non-mechanically open design of the electronic drain valve 13, the problem of the drain hole of the air filter 10 being easily blocked by mud and sand is fundamentally avoided, ensuring the smooth and reliable drainage channel of the air filter 10 under various complex working conditions.

[0032] In addition, in this embodiment of the application, an electronic vent valve 14 controlled by the vehicle controller 20 is added to the top of the cavity of the air filter housing 11. The vent pipe inlet of the electronic vent valve 14 is located at a high position. When the water level in the air filter housing 11 rises to a set height, by opening the electronic vent valve 14, the air filter 10 can introduce a backup clean air source to the engine 23 while draining water.

[0033] The electronic vent valve 14 also effectively balances the negative pressure in the air filter housing 11, assists in drainage, and most importantly, prevents engine power loss or stalling due to flooding of the air filter element 12 or obstruction of air intake, providing a vital "lifeline" for the vehicle to maintain power or get out of trouble in deep water.

[0034] The vehicle controller 20 in this embodiment can perceive and assess the risk level in real time, completely changing the passive situation of "discovering the fault only after it occurs" in the traditional solution. It provides the driver with valuable progressive risk information and operation buffer time, and significantly improves the active safety performance of the vehicle when driving in unknown waters.

[0035] In some alternative embodiments: see Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this application embodiment provides an intelligent waterproof air filter system for a hybrid off-road vehicle. The air filter housing 11 of the intelligent waterproof air filter system includes a lower housing and an upper housing that are interlocked. An intake pipe 17 is connected to the side wall of the lower housing, and an exhaust pipe is connected to the top of the upper housing. The exhaust pipe is used to connect to the intake manifold of the engine 23. The air filter element 12 is located at the top opening of the lower housing.

[0036] An electronic drain valve 13 is installed at the bottom of the lower housing to quickly drain water that has entered the air filter housing 11. A water level sensor 15 is located inside the lower housing and fixed to the side wall of the lower housing. An electronic vent valve 14 is installed at the top of the lower housing and below the air filter element 12. A one-way drain valve 16 is also provided at the bottom of the lower housing. The air inlet of the air intake pipe 17 is provided with a drain window 18. A guide groove 19 is provided at one end of the air intake pipe 17 near the lower housing, and a one-way drain hole is opened in the guide groove.

[0037] In this embodiment, both the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 are controlled by the vehicle controller 20, enabling automatic opening and closing to automatically drain water from the air filter housing 11 and automatically introduce air into the air filter housing 11. The electronic vent valve 14 is installed at the top of the lower housing and below the air filter element 12. The air introduced by the electronic vent valve 14 must be filtered by the air filter element 12 before entering the intake manifold of the engine 23.

[0038] The drain window 18 is used to promptly drain accumulated water entering from the air intake port of the air intake duct 17, preventing it from entering the air filter housing 11 along the air intake duct 17. The one-way drain valve 16 is used to drain rainwater or condensate from the air filter housing 11 when the vehicle is not in water. A guide groove 19 is provided at one end of the air intake duct 17 near the lower housing to intercept accumulated water entering the air filter housing 11 and drain it out of the air intake duct 17 using a one-way drain hole.

[0039] In some alternative embodiments: see Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment provides an intelligent waterproofing system for air filters in hybrid off-road vehicles. The vehicle controller 20 of this intelligent waterproofing system is also connected to the vehicle instrument panel 21. The vehicle controller 20 acquires the water level information monitored by the water level sensor 15 inside the air filter housing 11, and sends the water level information to the vehicle instrument panel 21. The vehicle instrument panel 21 displays the water level information to warn the driver of the current water level.

[0040] The vehicle controller 20 is also connected to the engine 23. The vehicle controller 20 acquires water level information from the water level sensor 15 monitoring the water level inside the air filter housing 11, and controls the operating load of the engine 23 based on this information. The vehicle controller 20 is also connected to the BMS battery management unit 22. The vehicle controller 20 acquires the remaining battery power information through the BMS battery management unit 22, and controls the operating load of the engine 23 or shuts it down based on the vehicle's required power, water level information, and remaining battery power information. When the vehicle controller 20 shuts down the engine 23, it starts the electric drive assembly 24, and the vehicle is driven purely electric by the power battery.

[0041] In this embodiment, the vehicle controller 20 acquires the water level information monitored by the water level sensor 15 inside the air filter housing 11, executes a strategy of "reducing engine operating load," and coordinates with the power battery to increase power output to meet the driver's power needs. Part of the load is temporarily transferred from the engine 23 to the electric drive assembly 24. This not only directly reduces the negative pressure in the intake manifold, greatly aiding drainage, but is also an intelligent vehicle energy management and risk avoidance strategy, protecting the engine 23 while maximizing the vehicle's driving capability.

[0042] In some alternative embodiments: see Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in the illustration, this application provides an intelligent waterproofing system for an air filter in a hybrid off-road vehicle. The vehicle controller 20 of this system stores multiple liquid level calibration heights, each corresponding to a control strategy for controlling the electronic drain valve 13, electronic vent valve 14, and engine 23. The vehicle controller 20 compares the acquired water level information with the multiple liquid level calibration heights and controls the electronic drain valve 13, electronic vent valve 14, and engine 23 to perform actions according to the control strategy based on the corresponding liquid level calibration height.

[0043] When the vehicle controller 20 controls the engine 23 to stop, the vehicle controller 20 controls the intake manifold and exhaust manifold of the engine 23 to be closed, or controls the engine intake valve and engine exhaust valve of the engine 23 to be closed, thereby preventing water from outside the vehicle from flowing into the engine through the intake manifold and exhaust manifold when the vehicle is wading through deep water.

[0044] In this embodiment, the vehicle controller 20 stores multiple liquid level calibration heights, each corresponding to a control strategy that controls the electronic drain valve 13, the electronic vent valve 14, and the engine 23. This control strategy can sense and assess the risk level in real time. The control strategy includes a complete closed-loop control logic from draining, venting, and reducing load to finally closing the electronic vent valve 14 to prevent backflow and shutting down the engine 23 to prevent water from entering the cylinders, as well as gradually restoring the engine 23 after the water level has receded.

[0045] This embodiment of the application can not only respond to risks step by step, but also automatically shut down the engine 23 and close the electronic vent valve 14 to cut off potential backflow paths when the risk is highest, and intelligently and smoothly restore to normal state after the risk is eliminated. This forms a full-cycle, automated safety protection system of "early warning-protection-isolation-recovery", which greatly reduces the possibility of human error and the risk of water damage to the engine 23.

[0046] See Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a second aspect of this application provides a control method for an intelligent waterproof system for an air filter in a hybrid off-road vehicle. The method uses the intelligent waterproof system for an air filter in a hybrid off-road vehicle described in any of the commercially available embodiments, and the method includes: Step 101: The water level sensor 15 monitors the water level inside the air filter housing 11 in real time and sends the water level information to the vehicle controller 20.

[0047] Step 102: The vehicle controller 20 acquires the water level height information and compares and judges it with multiple liquid level calibration heights stored therein.

[0048] Step 103: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has risen to the first liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 to open and drain the water accumulated in the air filter housing 11.

[0049] Step 104: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has risen to the second liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 to open, accelerating the discharge of water accumulated in the air filter housing 11.

[0050] Step 105: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has risen to the third liquid level calibration value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 to open, and controls the engine 23 to reduce the load operation, thereby reducing the negative pressure in the intake manifold and greatly assisting in drainage.

[0051] Step 106: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has risen to the fourth liquid level calibration value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 to open and the electronic vent valve 14 to close, preventing water from outside the vehicle from flowing back into the air filter housing 11 through the electronic vent valve 14. It also controls the engine 23 to stop to prevent water from entering the engine 23. The vehicle is then driven purely by the electric drive assembly 24, and the vehicle instrument panel 21 sends a warning message to the driver.

[0052] Step 107: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has dropped to the third liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 to open, and limits the operating load of the engine 23 according to the vehicle's required power and remaining power information.

[0053] Step 108: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has dropped to the second liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 to open, thereby releasing the restriction on the operating load of the engine 23.

[0054] Step 109: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has dropped to the first liquid level calibration value, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 to open, closes the electronic vent valve 14, and controls the engine 23 to be in normal operating load state.

[0055] Step 110: When the vehicle controller 20 determines that the water level has dropped to zero, it controls the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 to close, and controls the engine 23 to be in normal operating load condition.

[0056] Working principle This application provides an intelligent waterproof air filter system and control method for hybrid off-road vehicles. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles in this application is equipped with an air filter 10, which includes an air filter housing 11 and an air filter element 12 located inside the air filter housing 11, an electronic drain valve 13 for draining water accumulated inside the air filter housing 11, an electronic vent valve 14 for introducing air into the air filter housing 11, and a water level sensor 15 for monitoring the water level inside the air filter housing 11.

[0057] The vehicle controller 20 is electrically connected to the water level sensor 15, the electronic drain valve 13, and the electronic vent valve 14. The vehicle controller 20 is used to obtain the water level information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing 11 monitored by the water level sensor 15, and to control the opening or closing of the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 according to the water level information.

[0058] Therefore, the intelligent waterproof system for air filters in hybrid off-road vehicles of this application uses a water level sensor 15 installed inside the air filter housing 11 to measure the water level inside the air filter housing 11. The vehicle controller 20 is used to obtain the water level information of the water accumulated inside the air filter housing 11 monitored by the water level sensor 15, so as to perceive and assess the risk level in real time.

[0059] The vehicle controller 20 controls the opening and closing of the electronic drain valve 13 and the electronic vent valve 14 based on the water level information, thus solving the problems associated with passive gravity valves or drain holes. Utilizing the characteristic that the electronic drain valve 13 is unaffected by the negative pressure in the air filter 10 chamber, it overcomes the fatal flaw of traditional gravity valves that cannot effectively open due to strong negative pressure during high engine load operation. Simultaneously, its non-mechanically normally open design fundamentally avoids the problem of drain holes being easily blocked by mud and sand, ensuring the unobstructed and reliable drainage channels under various complex operating conditions.

[0060] In addition, an electronic vent valve 14 controlled by the vehicle controller 20 is added to the top of the cavity of the air filter housing 11. The vent pipe inlet of the electronic vent valve 14 is located at a high position. When the water level in the air filter housing 11 rises to a set height, by opening the electronic vent valve 14, the air filter 10 can introduce a backup clean air source to the engine 23 while draining water.

[0061] This effectively balances the negative pressure in the air filter housing 11 cavity, assists in drainage, and most importantly, prevents the engine 23 from losing power or stalling due to the air filter element 12 being flooded or air intake being blocked, providing a vital "lifeline" for the vehicle to maintain power or get out of trouble in deep water.

[0062] This application can perceive and assess risk levels in real time, completely changing the passive situation of traditional solutions that "discover the problem only after it occurs". It provides drivers with valuable progressive risk information and operational buffer time, significantly improving the active safety performance of vehicles when driving in unknown waters.

[0063] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0064] It should be noted that in this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0065] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. An intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles, characterized in that, include: An air filter (10) includes an air filter housing (11) and an air filter element (12) located inside the air filter housing (11), an electronic drain valve (13) for draining water accumulated inside the air filter housing (11), an electronic vent valve (14) for introducing air into the air filter housing (11), and a water level sensor (15) for monitoring the water level inside the air filter housing (11). The vehicle controller (20) is electrically connected to the water level sensor (15), the electronic drain valve (13) and the electronic vent valve (14). The vehicle controller (20) is used to obtain the water level height information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing (11) monitored by the water level sensor (15), and to control the opening or closing of the electronic drain valve (13) and the electronic vent valve (14) according to the water level height information.

2. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The air filter housing (11) includes a lower housing and an upper housing that are interlocked. An air intake pipe (17) is connected to the side wall of the lower housing, and an exhaust pipe is connected to the top of the upper housing. The air filter element (12) is located at the top opening of the lower housing. The electronic drain valve (13) is installed at the bottom of the lower housing, the water level sensor (15) is located inside the lower housing and fixed on the side wall of the lower housing, and the electronic vent valve (14) is installed at the top of the lower housing and below the air filter (12).

3. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the lower housing is also provided with a one-way drain valve (16), the air inlet of the air inlet pipe (17) is provided with a drain window (18), the end of the air inlet pipe (17) near the lower housing is provided with a guide groove (19), and a one-way drain hole is provided in the guide groove (19).

4. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle controller (20) is also connected to the vehicle instrument panel (21). The vehicle controller (20) obtains the water level information of the water accumulated in the air filter housing (11) monitored by the water level sensor (15), and sends it to the vehicle instrument panel (21) according to the water level information. The vehicle instrument panel (21) displays the water level information to warn the driver of the current water level.

5. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle controller (20) is also connected to the engine (23). The vehicle controller (20) obtains the water level information of the water level sensor (15) monitoring the water level in the air filter housing (11), and controls the operating load of the engine (23) according to the water level information.

6. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The vehicle controller (20) is also connected to a BMS battery management unit (22). The vehicle controller (20) obtains the remaining power information of the power battery through the BMS battery management unit (22). The vehicle controller (20) controls the operating load or shutdown of the engine (23) according to the vehicle's required power, water level information and remaining power information.

7. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The vehicle controller (20) stores multiple liquid level calibration heights, and each of the multiple liquid level calibration heights corresponds to a control strategy for controlling the electronic drain valve (13), the electronic vent valve (14), and the engine (23); The vehicle controller (20) compares the acquired water level height information with multiple liquid level calibration heights, and controls the electronic drain valve (13), electronic vent valve (14) and engine (23) to perform actions according to the control strategy based on the liquid level calibration height corresponding to the water level height information.

8. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: When the vehicle controller (20) controls the engine (23) to stop, the vehicle controller (20) starts the electric drive assembly (24), and the power battery powers the electric drive assembly (24) to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode.

9. The intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles as described in claim 8, characterized in that: When the vehicle controller (20) controls the engine (23) to stop, the vehicle controller (20) controls the intake manifold and exhaust manifold of the engine (23) to be closed, or controls the engine (23) intake valve and engine (23) exhaust valve of the engine (23) to be closed.

10. A control method for an intelligent waterproof air filter system for a hybrid off-road vehicle, characterized in that, The method uses the intelligent waterproof air filter system for hybrid off-road vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the method includes: The water level sensor (15) monitors the water level inside the air filter housing (11) in real time and sends the water level information to the vehicle controller (20). The vehicle controller (20) acquires the water level height information and compares the water level height information with its stored multiple liquid level calibration heights to make a judgment; When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has risen to the first liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) to open and drain the water accumulated in the air filter housing (11); When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has risen to the second liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) and the electronic vent valve (14) to open, thereby accelerating the discharge of water accumulated in the air filter housing (11); When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has risen to the third liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) and the electronic vent valve (14) to open and controls the engine (23) to reduce the load. When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has risen to the fourth liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) to open, closes the electronic vent valve (14), and controls the engine (23) to stop. The electric drive assembly (24) drives the vehicle to run in pure electric mode, and the vehicle instrument (21) sends an alarm message to the driver. When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has dropped to the third liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) and electronic vent valve (14) to open, and limits the operating load of the engine (23) according to the vehicle's required power and remaining power information; When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has dropped to the second liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) and the electronic vent valve (14) to open, thereby releasing the restriction on the operating load of the engine (23); When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has dropped to the first liquid level calibration height value, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) to open, closes the electronic vent valve (14), and controls the engine (23) to be in normal operating load state. When the vehicle controller (20) determines that the water level has dropped to zero, it controls the electronic drain valve (13) and the electronic vent valve (14) to close, and controls the engine (23) to be in normal operating load state.

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