Sealed Air Intake Assembly With Clamp-Seated Filter Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air intake assemblies for internal combustion engines face challenges in efficiently separating intake air from other air in the engine compartment while also requiring easy installation and maintenance, with open-element filter housings being less efficient but easier to install, and sealed filter housings being more efficient but harder to maintain.
Innovation Solution
The development of an air intake assembly featuring a sealed filter housing with a multi-component coupling interface that allows for a clearance engineering fit between the air filter and intake tube, eliminating the need for fastening hardware and simplifying installation and maintenance by using a lip around the aperture to form a clamp seat and deformable lip pieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealed filter housing is used to improve air separation efficiency, then the reliability of filtered air supply is improved, but the ease of maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing is divided into separate components (housing body, lid, coupling interface) that can be easily detached from each other. This segmentation allows the air filter element to be accessed and replaced by simply separating the housing components without requiring complete disassembly, thus maintaining high air separation efficiency while improving maintenance ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The air filter element is nested within the sealed filter housing, allowing the housing to provide a complete seal for reliable air separation while the nested configuration enables the filter element to be removed as a single unit for maintenance. The coupling interface allows the nested components to be easily connected and disconnected.
2Ease of operation
If an open-element filter housing is used to simplify installation and maintenance, then the ease of operation is improved, but the air separation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling interface merges the sealing function and the connection function into a single integrated component. This allows the filter housing to provide complete sealing for high air separation efficiency while the integrated coupling mechanism enables easy installation and maintenance by combining multiple functions into one easy-to-operate interface.
3Device complexity
If a multi-component coupling interface is used to eliminate fastening hardware, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling interface uses standardized clearance fit parameters (e.g., H7/g6 tolerances) that balance the reduction of fastening hardware with manageable manufacturing precision requirements. By optimizing the clearance dimensions and tolerances, the design eliminates the need for separate fastening hardware while maintaining manufacturability and assembly ease.
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
This design enhances the efficiency of air separation while providing easier installation and maintenance by eliminating the need for fastening hardware and ensuring a secure, airtight seal, thus preventing unfiltered air entry and maintaining airflow.
Implementation Method 1
The lip pieces are configured to deform toward a central axis of the filter housing socket when a clamp in the clamp seat is tightened
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are air intake assemblies for internal combustion engines. In some embodiments, an air intake assembly includes an air filter configured to produce filtered air, a sealed filter housing configured to house the air filter therein, and an intake tube configured to convey the filtered air to an internal combustion engine. The filter housing includes an air intake port configured to provide intake air to the air filter. The air filter is configured to remove particulate matter from the intake air and produce the filtered air. The air filter includes a multi-component coupling interface configured to accept an intake-end portion of the intake tube in the coupling interface. The filter housing includes an aperture configured to accept the coupling interface of the air filter in the aperture. Also disclosed herein are methods of the air intake assemblies.