Air Filter Adapter Hydrocarbon Trap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines emit hydrocarbons into the atmosphere when turned off, as unburned fuel vaporizes and moves back through the air filter, contributing to air pollution, and existing solutions like enclosing the air box are not always effective.
Innovation Solution
A filter adapter with a hydrocarbon trap that uses absorptive material to capture vaporized hydrocarbons, positioned between the inner and outer walls, allowing access through a gap along the inner wall, effectively reducing evaporative emissions by absorbing hydrocarbon vapors when the engine is turned off.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If an enclosed air box is used to prevent hydrocarbon emissions, then evaporative emissions are reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the air box enclosure is extracted and replaced by a dedicated hydrocarbon trap component. Instead of enclosing the entire air box, only the necessary trapping function is implemented using absorptive material in a compact trap structure, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining emission control effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
Absorptive material with porous structure is used within the hydrocarbon trap to capture vaporized hydrocarbons. The porous nature of the material provides large surface area for absorption while maintaining compact size, effectively reducing emissions without requiring a large enclosed air box structure
2Object-generated harmful factors
If an enclosed air box is used to prevent hydrocarbon emissions, then evaporative emissions are reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expensive enclosure structure is extracted and replaced with a simpler, targeted hydrocarbon trap. The trap uses a small amount of absorptive material in a compact design, significantly reducing manufacturing cost compared to building a full enclosed air box while still achieving emission reduction goals
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrocarbon trap uses relatively inexpensive absorptive material that can be easily manufactured and replaced. This approach is more cost-effective than permanent enclosure structures, allowing for simple manufacturing processes and potential replacement without major system overhaul
3Device complexity
If the air filter is left open, then device complexity is reduced, but hydrocarbon vapors escape into the atmosphere
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrocarbon trap function is merged with the air filter assembly. The absorptive material is positioned within the air filter housing structure, combining filtration and hydrocarbon trapping functions in a single integrated component, maintaining simplicity while preventing emissions
Solution Approach 2:
The absorptive material acts as an intermediary between the air filter and the atmosphere. It intercepts vaporized hydrocarbons that would otherwise escape directly, providing a simple addition to the open filter system that blocks harmful emissions without requiring enclosure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The filter adapter significantly reduces the emission of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere by capturing vaporized fuel before it escapes, thereby minimizing air pollution from internal combustion engines.
Implementation Method 1
an absorptive material is disposed in the space... The hydrocarbon trap therefore captures a desirable amount of the vaporized fuel
Data Source
AI summary
Present embodiments relate to an air filter adapter for use with open style engine air filters. More particularly, but without limitation, present embodiments relate to a filter adapter having a hydrocarbon trap positioned within the adapter.