[001] The embodiments herein generally relate to an air cleaner assembly of internal combustion engines. More particularly to a method for testing leakage and a sealing device for air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with the internal combustion engines.
BACKGROUND
[002] Air is mixed with fuel at a proper ratio to form the admixture for combustion in the engine cylinder to generate power for keeping the engine running. However, the ambient air usually carries water vapor, foreign matters and dust. Foreign matters and dust may pass through the filter element while the water vapor may condense into water drops to log inside the outflow chamber. When the water logging is observed in the pipe, the jacket is removed to drain out the water. Excessive logging of air vapor and fuel vapor can kill the engine particularly when driving for a long distance on watered fields or creek beds, and it is very difficult to get the engine to start again.
[003] Utility vehicles such as agricultural tractors and plant machinery are often required to work in dusty environments. In order to avoid dust particulates entering the air intake of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle it is well known to provide a means of filtering the air upstream of the engine. Great difficulty is encountered in keeping air cleaners of tractor engines sufficiently clean so that an accumulation of dirt and grit is not drawn through a filter or filters of the air cleaner and into the engine resulting in considerable damage to the engine.
[004] Such known air intake systems comprise a pre-filter attached in series (in terms of airflow) with a main filter unit. The former serves to provide a preliminary means to remove the larger dust particles from the airflow whilst the main filter unit has a filter for removing smaller

particulates. Without the pre-filter the main filter unit would clog up in an unacceptably short time. The pre-filter arrangement in the air cleaner assembly may not facilitate in determining any possible air leakage.
[005] Conventionally, the air leakage testing is performed manually by removing the air cleaner glass or cap to close a main body assembly of the air cleaner assembly with one hand until the engine is shut off. This result in huge fatigue to operator hand. Thus, testing the air cleaner assembly involves strict adherence to testing guidelines which is often skipped by the operator.
[006] Therefore, there exists a need for a sealing device for an air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with internal combustion engines. Furthermore, there exists a need for a method of testing leakage of air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with internal combustion engines that eliminates the aforementioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
[007] The principal object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a sealing device for an air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with internal combustion engines.
[008] Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a method for testing leakage in an air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with internal combustion engines.
[009] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be

made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] The embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts atop view of a sealing device, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0012] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the sealing device, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting a method of fabricating a leakage testing apparatus for an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion engine, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting a method for leakage testing in an air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with internal combustion engine, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0016] The embodiments herein achieve a sealing device for oil bath air cleaners used in conjunction with internal combustion engines. Further, embodiments herein achieve a method for testing leakage of oil bath air cleaners used in conjunction with internal combustion engines. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 4, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures there are shown embodiments.
[0017] In an embodiment, the internal combustion engine (not shown) used for description is a tractor engine. However, any type of engine can be used along with the embodiments as discussed herein. Further, the embodiments herein relate to air cleaner assembly of the tractor engine through which the intake air for fuel combustion is received.
[0018] In an embodiment, the sealing devicelOO includes at least one first sealing member 102 having a through hole 110, an inner end 102a, and an outer end 102b, and at least one second sealing member 104 disposed on a top surface 102c of the first sealing member 102.

[0019] FIG. 1 depicts a top view of a sealing device 100, according
to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein. The sealing device
100 includes the first sealing member 102 which is configured to be
circular in shape. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to
5 provide any shape for the first sealing member without otherwise deterring
the intended function of aiding sealing as can be deduced from the description and corresponding drawings. The first sealing member 102 includes a central through hole 110. The through hole 110 extends from a top surface 102c to a bottom surface 102d of the first sealing member 102.
10 The through hole defines an inner diameter (not shown) of the first sealing
member 102. Further, the first sealing member 102 includes the inner end 102a and the outer end 102b. The outer end 102b defines a predetermined outer diameter D1 of the first sealing member 102. The first sealing member 102 is made up of a flexible material. The flexible material of said
15 first sealing member 102 is selected from a group consisting of PVC sheet,
rubber, fiber, elastomers and the like.
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the sealing device 100, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein. The sealing device 100 further includes the at least one second sealing member
20 104. The second sealing member 104 is configured to be circular in shape.
However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide any shape for the second sealing member without otherwise deterring the intended function of aiding sealing as can be deduced from the description and corresponding drawings. The second sealing member 104 includes a
25 central through hole (not shown). The through hole (not shown) extends
from a top surface (not shown) to a bottom surface (not shown) of the second sealing member 104. The through hole (not shown) defines an inner diameter (not shown) for the second sealing member 104. Further, the second sealing member 104 includes the inner end 104a and the outer
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end 104b. The outer end 104b defines a predetermined outer diameter D2
of the second sealing member 104. The second sealing member 104 is
made up of a foam material. The first sealing member 102 and the second
sealing member 104are disposed one above the other and are disposed
5 concentric to each other.
[0021] In an alternate embodiment, the sealing device 100 may includes at least two second sealing members 104. The at least two second sealing members 104 may include different inner diameters and different outer diameters. For example, the two second sealing members 104 may be
10 disposed concentrically on the top surface of the first sealing member 102
as shown in FIG. 2. The two second sealing members 104 are made up of foam material. In an embodiment, the first sealing member 102, and said second sealing member 104 are unitary. The first sealing member 102 and the second sealing member 104 are affixed to each other. An adhesive may
15 be used for affixing the second sealing member 104 to the first sealing
member 102. For example, a rubber adhesive may be used to fix the second sealing member 104 to the first sealing member 102.
[0022] Further, the sealing device 100 includes at least one slit 106 formed along its radius at a predetermined position. The sealing device 100
20 is provided with the slit 106 so that the sealing device 100 can be twisted
along the slit 106 to dispose the sealing device 100 on a main body (not shown) of the air cleaner assembly as the sealing device 100 is made up of flexible material. Furthermore, the sealing device 100 includes at least one vent hole 108. The at least one vent hole 108 is configured to decrease a
25 pressure in a dust collector chamber of the air cleaner assembly, after
suction stroke of the IC engine. Air from the atmosphere passes through the vent hole 108 for a predetermined time to decrease the pressure inside the dust collector chamber. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide any number of vent holes for the sealing device
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without otherwise deterring the intended function of aiding pressure drop as can be deduced from the description and corresponding drawings.
[0023] FIG. 3is a flowchart depicting a method 300 of fabricating a
sealing device 100 for an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion
5 engine, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein.
In an embodiment, the method 300 of fabricating a sealing device 100 for
an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion engine includes
providing at least one first sealing member 102 having a through hole 110,
an inner end 102a, and an outer end 102b, (step 302) and disposing at least
10 one second sealing member 104 on a top surface 102c of said first sealing
member 102 (step 304). In an embodiment, the first sealing member 102, and said second sealing member 104 are unitary. The sealing device 100 includes at least one slit 106 formed along its radius at a predetermined position. The first sealing member 102 includes at least one vent hole 108.
15 [0024] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting a method 400 for leakage
testing in an air cleaner assembly used in conjunction with internal combustion engine, according to the embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the method 400 for testing leakage of an air cleaner assembly in an internal combustion engine (IC engine), said
20 air cleaner assembly having a dust collector and a main body, the method
400 includes twisting a sealing device 100 to dispose said sealing device 100 around said main body of said air cleaner assembly (step 402). The method 400 further includes pushing said sealing device 100 towards a bottom vent defined at a bottom surface of said dust collector (step 404).
25 Further, the method 400 includes sealing said bottom vent of said dust
collector by said sealing device 100 (step 406). Furthermore the method 400 includes switching on said IC engine to perform a suction stroke (step 408). Also, the method 400 includes allowing engine to run for a predetermined period to create vacuum in said dust collector during suction
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stroke of said IC engine (step 410). Moreover, the method 400 includes determining a condition of said air cleaner assembly being one of leaky and not leaky by monitoring said engine running condition (step 412). The determining condition of the air cleaner assembly by monitoring the engine running condition includes one of air cleaner assembly being leaky when the engine is running after integrating the sealing device 100 to the bottom vent of the dust collector and not leaky when the engine is turned off or shut off after integrating the sealing device 100 to the bottom vent of the dust collector.
[0025] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

We claim,

A sealing device 100 for testing leakage in an air cleaner assembly, said sealing devicelOO comprising:
at least one first sealing member 102 defining a through hole 110, an inner end 102a and an outer end 102b; and
at least one second sealing member 104 disposed on a top surface 102c of said first sealing member 102;
wherein,
said sealing devicelOO includes at least one slit 106 formed along its radius at a predetermined position; and
said first sealing member 102 includes at least one vent hole 108.
The sealing device 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sealing member 102 includes a first predetermined outer diameter Dl and said second sealing member 104 includes a second predetermined outer diameter D2, said first predetermined outer diameter Dl is greater than said second predetermined outer diameter D2.
The sealing device 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sealing member 102 and said second sealing member 104 are disposed concentrically.
The sealing device 100 as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first sealing member 102 and said second sealing member 104 are unitary.
The sealing device 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first sealing member 102 and said second sealing member 104 are made up of a flexible material.

The sealing device 100 as claimed in claim 2, wherein said flexible material of said first sealing member 102 is selected from a group consisting of PVC sheet, rubber, fiber, and elastomers.
The sealing device 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second sealing member 104 is made up of foam material.
A method 300 of fabricating a leakage testing device for an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion engine, said method comprising:
providing at least one first sealing member 102 having a through hole 110, an inner end 102a and an outer end 102b; and
disposing at least one second sealing member 104 on a top surface 102c of said first sealing member 102,
wherein
said sealing device 100 includes at least one slit 106 formed along its radius at a predetermined position; and
said first sealing member 102 includes at least one vent hole 108.
A method 400 for testing leakage in an air cleaner assembly of an internal combustion engine, said air cleaner assembly having a dust collector and a main body, said method comprising:
twisting a sealing device 100 to dispose said sealing device 100 around said main body of said air cleaner assembly;
pushing said sealing device 100 towards a bottom vent defined at a bottom surface of said dust collector;
sealing said bottom vent of said dust collector by said sealing device 100;
switching on said IC engine to perform a suction stroke;

allowing engine to run for a predetermined period to create vacuum in said dust collector during suction stroke of said engine; and
determining a condition of said air cleaner assembly being one of leaky and not leaky by monitoring said engine running condition.
The method 400 as claimed in claim 9, wherein said determining a condition of said air cleaner assembly by monitoring said engine running condition includes one of air cleaner assembly being leaky when said engine is running after integrating said sealing device 100 to said bottom vent of said dust collector and not leaky when said engine is turned off after integrating said sealing device 100 to said bottom vent of said dust collector.
The method 400 as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first sealing member 102 including providing said slit 106 along its radius, where said slit is configured to be twisted to form an opening to dispose said sealing device 100 on said main body of said air cleaner assembly.
The method 400 as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first sealing member 102 and said second sealing member 104 are made up of a flexible material.