Car Engine Air Filter Box with Curved Filters and Acoustic Gasket

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current air filtering devices for internal combustion engines in cars face challenges in reducing noise emissions and maintaining performance due to space constraints in the engine compartment, especially in cars with central engines where noise regulations are stringent and space is limited.

Innovation Solution

A filtering device with a compact air-box design featuring two curved filters and a single outlet chamber, optimized for low pressure drop and noise reduction, utilizing a tubular-shaped inlet chamber and a 'Greek theatre' styled outlet chamber with a removable lid and elastic gasket for acoustic insulation, allowing for efficient air flow and reduced bulk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the air-box size is increased to reduce pressure drop and improve engine performance, then the pressure drop is reduced, but the space available in the engine compartment is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure dropVSAvoidair-box volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The air-box is divided into multiple independent cavities (first cavity and second cavity), each with its own filter element. This segmentation allows the total filtering surface area to be distributed across multiple smaller volumes, reducing the overall space requirement while maintaining sufficient free passage area to limit pressure drop.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement by stacking cavities vertically and arranging them in parallel. The outlet chambers are positioned at different levels (first outlet opening at top, second outlet opening at bottom), efficiently using available engine compartment space while maintaining adequate airflow paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the air-box is adequately soundproofed to reduce noise emissions, then the noise is reduced, but the complexity and cost of the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise emissionVSAvoidsoundproofing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The soundproofing function is merged with the structural walls of the air-box cavities. The same walls that define the cavities and house the filters also serve as acoustic barriers, eliminating the need for separate soundproofing layers and reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The air-box structure itself, which is necessary for housing the filtering elements, is converted into the soundproofing mechanism. The walls and partitions that are structurally necessary also provide acoustic insulation, turning a potential source of noise into a noise-reducing feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If a single cavity with two filters is used as described in prior art, then the filtering is achieved, but the device complexity and production cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltering performanceVSAvoidproduction simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The air-box is segmented into separate cavities for each filter element, with each cavity being a simple, self-contained unit. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by allowing each cavity to be produced independently and assembled, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable filtering performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution effectively minimizes noise emissions, allows for easy installation in cars with central engines, and maintains high performance by optimizing air flow paths and reducing pressure losses, while being economical and easy to produce.

Implementation Method 1

elastic gasket for acoustic insulation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic insulation: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentEP3726045B1Filtering device for the air taken in by the engine of a car and car provided with the filtering device
Publication Date: 2023.03.29 BMC SRL
  • EP3726045B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3726045B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3726045B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A filtering device (6) for the air taken in by an internal combustion heat engine (4) of a car (1) ; the filtering device (6) has: an air-box (9), which comprises, on the inside, one single cavity (10) having two opposite inlet openings (11) towards the outside and one single outlet opening (8) towards the internal combustion heat engine (4); and two filters (13), which are arranged inside the cavity (10) and divide the cavity (10) into one single outlet chamber, which is arranged downstream of the filters (13) and communicates with the internal combustion heat engine (4) through the outlet opening (8), and into two inlet chambers, which face opposite sides of the outlet chamber, are arranged upstream of the respective filters (13) and communicate with the outside through the respective inlet openings (11).