Air filter assembly for motorcycle

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an "Air filter assembly for motorcycle" and more particularly, to the design of air intake adapted to restrict the entry of water with un-cleaned air.

Background of the invention

In the conventional air filter design the pre-filter air chamber is prone to entry of water through the air intake, which may even pass on to the combustion chamber resulting in a number of problems such as improper combustion of charge, and rusting of parts. Thus, it is desirable to incorporate a mechanism to block entry of water through the pre-filter air chamber.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air filter arrangement for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle incorporating a means to separate the air and water from the intake flow.

Brief description the invention

The present invention relates to an air filter arrangement for an internal combustion engine comprising an air filter case, a filter element housed in said air filter case and dividing the interior of the air filter case into an pre-filter air chamber and filtered air chamber, an inlet to said case communicating with said pre-filter air chamber and an outlet to said case communicating with said filtered air chamber is provided. The said outlet is connected to the carburettor and the air intake is exposed to outside environment. In the present invention at least one partition wall is disposed in said pre-filter air chamber defining a drain chamber. The air first enters the drain chamber and passing through the drain chamber enters the pre-filter air chamber through arr opening provided in the partition wall. The air follows a substantially undulating path from the air inlet to the pre-filter air chamber owing to the positioning of the air inlet and the opening in the partition wall. Due to gravitational force the water droplets that enter with the air gets collected in the drain chamber as air follows a substantfally undulating path. Consequently, water, which*enters the filtered air chamber, remains so low that entry of larger quantities of water, which are critical in terms of damage to the internal combustion engine, is excluded. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of drawings

Figure 1 is the pictorial representation of a step-through, two-wheeled vehicle embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is the pictorial representation of an engine attached along with the induction system mounted on a vehicle frame.

Figure 3 is the cross-sectional view of the air filter assembly.

Figure 4 is the cross-sectional view of the air filter assembly illustrating the intake air path along the line AA.

Figure 5 is the cross-sectional view of the air filter assembly illustrating the positioning of drain nozzle.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

Figure 1 illustrates a two-wheeled motor vehicle, indicated by reference numeral 01, that is a step through type two-wheeled motor vehicle mainly composed of a body frame 02, a front fork 08 attached to a head pipe 03 of the body frame 02, a front wheel 07 secured to the front fork 08 and a handle bar 11 further attached to the front fork. Furthermore, an engine along with induction system 09 is mounted to a rear portion of the body frame 02, a rear wheel 06 is secured to the body frame 02 in a vertically swing able manner using a swing arm 05. In addition, rear cushion units 10 suspend a rear end portion of the swing arm 05 from the body frame 02.

Figure 2 illustrates the engine with induction system 09 secured to the body frame 02 of motor vehicle 01, that includes an air filter 12 to provide clean air to the carburettor 13 that mixes the fuel with the air, and finally the air fuel mixture is discharged to the intake ports of the engine 14. Figure 3 illustrates the air filter 12, of the present embodiment, a filter element 04 is fitted in an air filter case 15, and the filter element 04 extends from the upper part to the bottom of the case 15. This filter element 04 separates a pre-filter air chamber 16, in which the combustion air still contaminated by particles flows in via the air intake 17 during the induction phase, from a filtered air chamber 18 into which the combustion air passes in a cleaned form after streaming through the filter element 04.

As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 a partition wall 20 placed inside the pre filter air chamber 16 to define a drain chamber 21. The upper edge of the partition wall 20 is adapted to form a louvered opening 22 for allowing the intake air entered into the drain chamber 21 from the air inlet 17, to pass on to the pre filter air chamber 16. The air inlet 17 is "L" shaped tubular structure that directs the intake air towards the bottom portion of the drain chamber 21. The air from the drain chamber 21 enters the pre-filter air chamber 16 through the louvered opening 22 formed by the partition wall 20. Due to positioning of louvered opening 22 the air follows a substantially undulating path 23 consequently the water owing to higher density settles down in the drain chamber 21 which is subsequently disposed off through a drain hole 24 provided in the drain chamber 21. Thus, the entry of larger quantities of water, which are critical in terms of damage to the internal combustion engine, is excluded. The partition wall 20 also provides plurality of fixed slates 25 perpendicular to the louvered opening to guide the intake air uniformly. It should be understood that the foregoing description is that of a preferred embodiment of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. Further any shape and configuration of the extended surface is possible within the ambit of appended claims.

Claims We claim:

1. An air cleaner comprising:

an air cleaner case;

a filter element housed in said air cleaner case and dividing the interior of the air cleaner case into an pre-filter air chamber and filtered air chamber, an inlet to said case communicating with said pre-filter air chamber and an outlet to said case communicating with said filtered air chamber;

at least one partition disposed in said pre-filter air chamber defining a drain chamber;

said partition having an opening into the pre-filter air chamber defining an undulating flow path in the pre-filter air chamber for guiding the introduced air; and said drain chamber having a drain hole.

2. An air cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said partition comprises a wall having a louvered opening into the pre-filter air chamber wherein said louvered opening having a plurality of fixed slats.

3. A motorcycle having the air cleaner as claimed in claim 1.