JP2001173531A - Air cleaner device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air cleaner device to reduce the number of part items, and constrain a filter element in a prescribed position through simple structure. SOLUTION: Case constituting parts 4 and 5 are butted against each other to form a case body 8, and an opening 6 is formed in a part thereof. An air cleaner device 1 comprises a cleaner case 2 provided at the inside of the opening 6 with a seal surface 5b making a round of the inner wall of a case body 8; and a filter element 3 at the periphery of which a packing 23 adhered to the seal surface 5b is situated and which is inserted through the opening 6 in the case body 8. By including a hinge part 10a rotating around a cover body 10 to close the opening 6 and serve as a fulcrum, molding is effected integrally with one case constituting part 4. A cover constraining part 5c to constrain the cover body 10 in a closed position is molded integrally with the other case constituting part 5. A constraining part 11 to constrain the rear end part 3b of the filter element 3 in a given position in the case body 8 is molded integrally with the cover body 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an air cleaner device used for an intake system of an internal combustion engine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an air cleaner device disposed in an intake system of an automobile engine, a slit-shaped opening through which a panel-shaped filter element can be inserted is provided in a case body.
In some cases, the filter element is inserted into the case from the opening, and the posture of the filter element is changed in the case to press the surrounding packing against the sealing surface (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 9-122417, 9).
JP-2010509, JP-A-9-234321).

[0003]

In the above-described air cleaner device, the filter element is assembled to a holding component manufactured in a separate process to form a sub-assembly product, which is mounted in a filter case and integrated with the holding component. The opening of the case is closed by the lid. Therefore, it is necessary to separately prepare a holding member in addition to the cleaner case and the filter element, and the number of parts increases and the manufacturing cost increases.

In Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-57349, a lid for closing an opening of a case is prepared separately from the case body and the filter element, and after the filter element is inserted, the lid is closed to close the opening. There is disclosed an air cleaner device in which a filter element is pressed against a predetermined wall surface in a case main body by a leaf spring-like component provided inside a lid body. However, this device requires at least three resin molded products including a pair of case components and a detachable lid body as components for forming the case main body, and the number of components is not sufficiently reduced. It is. Since a leaf spring-shaped component is attached to the back surface of the lid and the inner surface of the case to hold down the filter element, the number of components further increases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an air cleaner device capable of reducing the number of parts and restraining a filter element at a predetermined position with a simple structure.

[0006]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are added in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an air cleaner device according to the present invention has a case body (8) formed by a pair of case components (4, 5) butted against each other, and a part of the case body (8). An opening (6) is provided on the inside, and a cleaner case (2) provided with a sealing surface (5b) surrounding the inner wall of the case main body inside the opening, and a cleaner case (2) for making close contact with the sealing surface. A packing element (23) provided on the periphery, a filter element (3) that can be inserted into the case body from the opening of the case body, and one of the pair of case constituent parts (4). ), A lid (10) for closing the opening is integrally formed including a hinge portion (10a) as a rotation fulcrum, and the other case component (5) is engaged with the lid to engage with the lid. The lid A lid restraining portion (5c) that can be restrained at a position is formed integrally with the case component, and at least a rear end portion (3b) of the filter element in the insertion direction is attached to the lid body by a predetermined attachment in the case body. Element restraining part (11, 3) for restraining to position
1, 32) are integrally formed.

According to the air cleaner device of the present invention, the lid is formed integrally with the case components including the hinge portion,
Since the lid restraint for holding the lid in the closed position is also formed integrally with the case components, the air cleaner device can be configured without preparing a separate member other than the cleaner case and the filter element, and the number of parts can be reduced. Can be reduced to a minimum. The case component is generally a resin molded product, but there may be a part other than the resin that is partially integrated by an insert molding method or the like. The entire filter element may be constrained by the element constraining portion, or the distal end in the insertion direction of the filter element may be constrained by another constraining means.

In the present invention, the element restricting portions (11, 31) are so arranged that the filter element is pushed toward the sealing surface when the lid is closed.
Is preferably provided. If you do this,
By simply closing the lid, the filter element is pushed into the sealing surface and a predetermined sealing performance is obtained.

[0010] A pair of reaction force receiving portions (12, 4f) are provided on the lid and the case main body so as to receive a reaction force when the filter element is pushed toward the sealing surface and engage with each other. You may be. With this configuration, the reaction force is not applied to the hinge portion, and the hinge portion is protected. That is, when the lid and the case component are integrated, the hinge portion is intentionally formed to have a lower strength than other portions of the lid, such as being formed as thin as possible to be a pivot point. If the reaction force for pressing the filter element is not applied to the hinge portion, the life of the hinge portion is improved.

An end face (4f) of the case component facing the opening may function as a reaction force receiving portion on the case body side. With this configuration, the reaction force receiving portion can be easily provided using the opening. The reaction force receiving portion (12) on the lid side may be configured to be inserted inside from the opening.

Further, in the present invention, the element restricting portions (11, 32) may be provided so that the filter element is pushed into the insertion direction deeper from the opening when the lid is closed. Thereby, rattling of the filter element can be prevented.

When the filter element is inserted into the case body and the lid is closed, the distal end (3a) of the filter element in the insertion direction is inserted into the sealing surface (5).
b) and a case-side constraining portion (4d) provided on the inner wall of the case component to oppose thereto, and the rear end (3b) in the insertion direction of the fill element is inserted into the sealing surface (5b). ) And the element restricting portions (11, 31). With this configuration, the packing at the tip end in the insertion direction of the filter element can be reliably pressed against the sealing surface.

Further, the sealing surface (5b) is provided on the other case component (5), and the filter element in a direction away from the sealing surface is provided on an inner wall of the one case component (4). A fall prevention unit (4e) for preventing the fall of the vehicle may be provided. In this way, there is no possibility that the filter element 3 will fall down in the case 2 and it will be difficult to take it out.

The term "integral molding" as used in the present invention means that the case component is molded in the same process as the case component, and no assembling operation using fixing means such as bolts is required in the process after molding. Means

[0016]

1 to 3 show a first embodiment of an air cleaner device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal structure, and FIG. 2 is a vicinity of an opening for attaching and detaching a filter element. FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the lid is being closed. In the following description, the vertical direction of the air cleaner device is defined according to the vertical direction in FIG.
This does not limit the vertical relationship when the air cleaner device is used.

As shown in FIG. 1, an air cleaner 1
Has a cleaner case 2 and a filter element 3 mounted therein. The cleaner case 2 includes a case main body 8 and a lid 10. The case body 8 is configured by joining an inlet case 4 and an outlet case 5 as a pair of case components on a dividing plane indicated by a line PP in the figure. The inlet case 4 and the outlet case 5 are both resin molded products, and may be molded by various molding methods such as injection molding and blow molding. For joining the cases 4 and 5, welding means such as ultrasonic welding or friction welding is preferably used.

The cross-sectional shape of the inlet case 4 and the outlet case 5 (a shape on a cross section orthogonal to the paper surface) is generally rectangular, but may be cylindrical or other various shapes. The inlet case 4 is provided with an inlet pipe 4a for guiding air into the case 2, and the outlet case 5 is provided with an outlet pipe 5a for extracting air from the case 2. An unillustrated intake duct or the like is connected to the pipes 4a and 5a.

An opening 6 through which the filter element 3 can pass is formed on the upper surface 4b of the inlet case 4 so as to retreat from a joint position with the outlet case 5. The opening 6 has a shape similar to a cross-sectional shape (typically a rectangular shape) in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction of the filter element 3, and has a size slightly larger than the cross-section. A rib 4d is provided on the inner wall on the bottom surface 4c side of the inlet case 4 as a case-side restricting portion for restricting the lower end portion (the front end portion in the insertion direction) 3a of the filter element 3. A rib 4e is provided on the inner wall on the upper surface 4b side of the inlet case 4 as a fall prevention portion for preventing the filter element 3 inserted into the case 2 from falling. At least one rib 4d, 4e is provided. Since the ribs 4d and 4e are formed integrally with the inlet case 4, they do not cause an increase in the number of components of the air cleaner device 1. The case-side restraining portion and the fall prevention portion are not limited to the rib-shaped portions, and may be variously changed as long as they can be integrally formed with the case component 4 or 5 such as a projection shape or a plate shape.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, a lid 10 for closing the opening 6 is provided on the upper surface 4b of the entrance case 4. The lid 10 is connected to the entrance case 4 via a hinge 10a, and the opening 6 is pivotally connected to the hinge 10a.
Can be rotated between a position (closed by a solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2) and a position (opened by an imaginary line in FIGS. 1 and 2) that opens the opening 6. The lid 10 is formed integrally with the entrance case 4 including the hinge portion 10a.
The hinge portion 10a is formed by setting its thickness to be thinner than other portions of the lid 10. As described above, if the lid 10 is formed integrally with the inlet case 4, it is necessary to prepare the lid as a component separate from the case components 4 and 5, or to provide the lid to the filter element 3 which is a replacement part. And the lid can be provided at the lowest cost.

A pressing rib 11 is provided on the back surface 10b of the lid 10 as an element restricting portion for pushing the filter element 3 in. One corner of the pressing rib 11 (the corner facing the tip 10c of the lid 10). In the part, a curved part 11a rounded in an arc shape is formed. The base end of the back surface 10b of the lid 10 functions as a positioning portion for preventing displacement of the lid 10, and also functions as a reaction force receiving portion for receiving a sealing reaction force applied to the lid 10. An auxiliary rib 12 is provided. These ribs 11,
Since 12 is formed integrally with the lid 10, it does not cause an increase in the number of parts of the air cleaner device 1. Lid 1
A groove 10d is formed at 0 so as to be continuous with the curved portion 11a of the holding rib 11. Further, flat packings 13 and 14 are attached to the back surface 10 b of the lid 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outlet case 5 has a sealing surface 5b formed substantially parallel to the dividing plane PP. The sealing surface 5 b is provided so as to go around the inner wall of the outlet case 5. A substantially horizontal flange 5c is formed at the upper end of the outlet case 5. This flange 5
c functions as a lid restricting portion that restricts the lid 10 to the closed position.

The filter element 3 has a filter medium 20 and a resin frame 21 surrounding the filter medium 20. Filter media 2
0 is folded and formed in a rectangular panel shape.
However, the present invention is not limited to the crimped filter medium 20, and various filter media can be used. An element holding flange 22 is provided on an upper surface 21 a of the frame 21. The flange 22 can abut on the holding rib 11 of the lid 10. A packing 23 is provided on one side surface of the frame 21 so as to go around the frame 21. The packing 23 can be in close contact with the sealing surface 5b over its entire length. That is, the packing 23 and the sealing surface 5b are provided so as to draw substantially the same rectangle.

The filter element 3 is mounted on the cleaner case 2 in the following procedure. First, as shown by imaginary lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid 10 is raised to open the opening 6.
The filter element 3 is inserted through the opening 6, and the lower end 3a is inserted into the gap between the rib 4d and the sealing surface 5b. Subsequently, the cover 10 is placed above the filter element 3, and the claw 10e provided at the tip 10c is hooked on the lower surface side of the flange 5c to restrict the cover 10 to the closed position.

The size of the gap between the rib 4d and the sealing surface 5b is set to a range in which the packing 23 can be properly tightened. Just by inserting the lower end 3a of the filter element 3 into this gap, the packing 23 of the lower end 3a is pressed against the sealing surface 5b with a sufficient pressure. Case 2
When the filter element 3 inserted therein falls down in the direction away from the sealing surface 5b (the direction of the arrow A in the figure), its upper end 3b (rear end in the insertion direction) comes into contact with the rib 4e, and the filter element further increases. 3 is prevented from falling. Thereby, there is no possibility that the filter element 3 is turned over in the case 2 and becomes difficult to take out.

When the cover 10 is closed, as shown in FIG. 3, the curved portion 11a of the holding rib 11 abuts on the flange 22 of the frame 21, whereby the filter element 3 is moved from the opening 6 to the inside of the cleaner case 2 (see FIG. 3). At the same time as it is pushed toward the sealing surface 5b. When the lid 10 is completely closed, the upper end of the flange 22 fits into the groove 10d, and the upper end 3
At b, the packing 23 is pressed against the sealing surface 5b with an appropriate pressure. At the same time, the filter element 3 is constrained in the vertical direction, so that rattling of the filter element 3 in the cleaner case 2 is prevented.

In the process of closing the lid 10, the auxiliary ribs 12 enter the case 2 while contacting the end face 4 f facing the opening 6 of the entrance case 4. Therefore, the front-back direction of the lid 10 (FIG. 1)
(Left and right directions). Lid 1
The pushing reaction force (seal reaction force) of the filter element 3 transmitted from the flange 22 to the holding rib 11 when closing 0 is received by the auxiliary rib 12 constituting the reaction force receiving portion and the end face 4f, and the hinge portion 10a is pushed in. Protected from reaction. Thereby, the life of the thin hinge portion 10a is improved.

When the lid 10 is closed, the packings 13 and 14 come into close contact with the upper surface of the flange 5c or the upper surface 4b of the entrance case 4, respectively. Thereby, the sealing performance of the cleaner case 2 is improved.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the air cleaner device of the present invention. However, portions common to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the air cleaner device 30 of the present embodiment, instead of the pressing rib 11 of FIG. 1, a first pressing rib 31 which contacts the end face 21a of the frame 21 of the filter element 3, and a frame 21 And second pressing ribs 32, 32 that are in contact with the upper surface 21b of the second pressing member.
The first holding rib 31 sandwiches the filter element 3 in cooperation with the sealing surface 5 b, and a curved portion 31 a is formed at a corner portion of the first holding rib 31 which comes into contact with the frame 21 similarly to the holding rib 11. On the other hand, the second holding rib 32 restrains the filter element 3 in the vertical direction. The flange 22 is omitted from the frame 21, and the groove 10 d is removed from the lid 10. Other parts are the same as those in FIG. 1 described above. The auxiliary rib 12 may be omitted, and the first pressing rib 31 may be brought into contact with the end face 4f (see FIG. 2) to function as a reaction force receiving portion.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, the lid may be provided on the outlet case. A sealing surface may be formed on a case component (entrance case 4) provided with a lid, and the filter element may be pushed into the hinge side by the element restraining portion of the lid. The case body may be configured by joining three or more case components to each other. The air cleaner device may be integrated with other intake system components, electrical components, and the like.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the lid is formed integrally with the case component including the hinge portion, and the lid restraining portion for holding the lid in the closed position is also the case component. Since it is formed integrally with the air cleaner device, the air cleaner device can be configured without preparing another member other than the cleaner case and the filter element. for that reason,
It is possible to provide an air cleaner device that can reduce the number of parts and can restrain the filter element at a predetermined position with a simple structure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal structure of an air cleaner device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view near an opening for attaching and detaching a filter element.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a lid is being closed.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal structure of an air cleaner device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air cleaner device 2 Cleaner case 3 Filter element 3a Lower end part (front end part in insertion direction) 3b Upper end part (rear end part in insertion direction) 4 Inlet case (case component parts) 4d Rib (case side restraining part) 4e Rib (fall prevention part) 4f End surface (reaction force receiving portion) 5 Outlet case (case component) 5b Seal surface 5c Flange (lid restraining portion) 6 Opening 8 Case body 10 Lid 10a (Hinge) 10b Back surface of lid 10c Tip 10d Groove 10e Claw part 11 Holding rib (element restraining part) 12 Auxiliary rib (reaction force receiving part) 23 Packing 30 Air cleaner device 31 First holding rib (Element restraining part) 32 Second holding rib (Element restraining part)

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A case main body is formed by abutting a pair of case constituent parts, an opening is provided in a part of the case main body, and a seal surrounding the inner wall of the case main body is provided inside the opening. A cleaner case provided with a surface, a packing provided around the seal surface so as to make close contact with the seal surface, and a filter element which can be inserted into the case main body from the opening of the case main body; Among the components, a lid closing the opening is integrally formed on one of the case components including a hinge portion as a pivot, and the other case component is engaged with the lid to form the lid. A lid restraining portion capable of restraining the body at the closed position is formed integrally with the case component, and the cover has at least a rear end in the insertion direction of the filter element in the case. An air cleaner device, wherein an element restraining portion for restraining a predetermined mounting position in the body is integrally formed. 2. The air cleaner device according to claim 1, wherein the element restricting portion is provided so that the filter element is pushed toward the sealing surface when the lid is closed. 3. A pair of reaction force receiving portions, which are engaged with each other so as to receive a reaction force when the filter element is pushed toward the sealing surface, are provided on the lid body and the case body. The air cleaner device according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The air cleaner device according to claim 3, wherein an end surface of the case component facing the opening functions as a reaction force receiving portion on the case body side. 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the filter element is provided so that the filter element is pushed inward in the insertion direction from the opening when the cover is closed. An air cleaner device according to any one of the above. 6. When the filter element is inserted into the case main body and the lid is closed, a distal end in the insertion direction of the filter element is provided on an inner wall of the case component in opposition to the sealing surface. The rear end of the fill element in the insertion direction is constrained between the sealing surface and the element constraining portion, the cap being constrained between the case-side constraining portion provided. The air cleaner device according to any one of the above. 7. The sealing surface is provided on the other case component, and an inner wall of the one case component is provided on an inner wall of the one case component.
The air cleaner device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a fall prevention unit that prevents the filter element from falling in a direction away from the seal surface.