HIGH PERFORMANCE AIR INTAKE SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a heat shield with an integrated air filter assembly is disclosed. Wherein the air filter assembly comprising a filter material circumferentially extending such that the filter material surrounds at least a portion of an interior cavity of the air filter, a distal end cap affixed to a distal end of the filter material, and a wire support extending along at least a portion of an exterior surface of the filter material; and wherein the heat shield is configured to direct cooler air into an air intake conduit extending from an intake portion of an automobile engine for combustion.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An air filtration system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an air filter assembly disposed within an engine bay; a heat shield partially surrounding the air filter assembly; a conduit coupled between the air filter assembly and an air intake of the engine; a first gasket disposed along a top of the heat shield; and a second gasket disposed along a bottom of the heat shield.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first gasket is configured to contact an inner surface of a hood.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second gasket is configured to insulate the heat shield from engine bay heat.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are configured to hinder heat transfer to the heat shield.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the heat shield comprises a mount portion and a housing portion.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the mount portion is configured for mounting the heat shield to an interior of the engine bay.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the mount portion comprises a plurality of structural supports configured to increase the rigidity of the mount portion.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of structural supports comprises a plurality of ribs.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the mount portion includes a fastening means for mounting the heat shield.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are respectively disposed on upper and lower edges of the heat shield.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the housing portion is configured to support the air filter assembly and provide an interface between the air filter assembly and the conduit.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the housing portion comprises a plurality of structural members configured to increase the rigidity of the housing portion.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of structural members comprises a plurality of ribs.

29. A method for filtering an airstream entering an internal combustion engine, comprising: disposing an air filter assembly within an engine bay; positioning a heat shield around the air filter assembly; coupling a conduit between the air filter assembly and an air intake of the engine; disposing a first gasket along a top of the heat shield; and disposing a second gasket along a bottom of the heat shield.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the heat shield comprises partially surrounding the air filter assembly by way of the heat shield.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the heat shield includes mounting the heat shield to an interior of the engine bay.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the heat shield includes causing the first gasket to contact an inner surface of a hood.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the heat shield includes coupling the air filter assembly with a flange comprising the conduit.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein disposing the first gasket and disposing the second gasket include respectively disposing the first gasket on an upper edge of the heat shield and disposing the second gasket on a lower edge of the heat shield.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein coupling the conduit includes disposing portions of the conduit between the air filter assembly and the air intake.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The drawings refer to embodiments of the present invention in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a heat shield with an integrated air filter assembly;

[0019] FIG. 2A is a lower perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a heat shield;

[0020] FIG. 2B is an upper perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a heat shield;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of elements of a conduit;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of elements of a conduit; and

[0023] FIG. 5 is a side plan view of an exemplary embodiment of elements of a conduit.

[0024] While the present invention is subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The invention should be understood to not be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

DETAILED DISCUSSION

[0025] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known components or methods have not been described in detail but rather in a block diagram, or a schematic, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention. Further specific numeric references such as “first gasket,” may be made. However, the specific numeric reference should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order but rather interpreted that the “first gasket” is different than a “second gasket.” Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. The specific details may be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The term “coupled” is defined as meaning connected either directly to the component or indirectly to the component through another component.

[0026] In general, the present invention describes an apparatus and a method for a heat shield with an integrated air filter to communicate air flow from an exterior of the air filter to an intake portion of an automobile engine. The air filter comprises a filter material circumferentially extending such that the filter material surrounds at least a portion of an interior cavity of the air filter. An end cap is affixed to a distal end of the filter material, and a wire support extends along at least a portion of the exterior surface of the filter material. The distal end cap and the wire support are configured to retain the filter material in a desired configuration and support the air filter.

[0027] The heat shield comprises a housing portion and a mount portion. A front surface of the housing portion includes a conduit configured to receive an air intake conduit extending from the intake portion of the automobile engine. A back surface of the housing portion includes a recess configured to receive a proximal end of the filter material. The housing portion is configured to direct air drawn through the filter material into the interior cavity of the air filter and then through the conduit into the intake portion of the automobile engine. The mount portion is configured to support the heat shield and the air filter, once installed, within an interior of an automobile engine bay.

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment 100 of a heat shield 105 with an integrated air filter assembly 130. With reference to FIG. 1, the heat shield 105 comprises a housing portion 112 and a mount portion 116. The heat shield 105 preferably is comprised of a material which is sufficiently durable and temperature resistant to retain its configuration during installation and operation when coupled with the air intake system of an automobile.

[0029] Preferably, the heat shield comprises a substantially metallic material, including by way of non-limiting example, aluminum, titanium, steel, and the like. In some embodiments, a thermal coating may also be disposed on one or more surfaces of the heat shield 105, so as to provide further reflective and/or heat resistant capabilities. It should be understood that the heat shield 105 may vary in size, shape and general configuration depending on the automobile, and especially the automobile's particular engine configuration. In general, the heat shield 105 is configured so as to direct cooler air into the engine for combustion. It should be appreciated that cooler air results in more oxygen being communicated to the combustion chamber, thereby desirably increasing the engine's performance.

[0030] The heat shield 105 generally is of a partially open variety, rather than being a fully enclosed configuration, such that the air intake assembly may be partially exposed to the elements. It should be appreciated that once the hood of the automobile is closed, the hood may come in contact with a top edge of the heat shield 105, so as to sealingly engage with a first gasket 110. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the open heat shield 105 improves airflow to the air filter assembly 130, and thus decreases air resistance to the intake portion of the automobile engine, thereby improving engine performance beyond that otherwise possible with conventional enclosures.

[0031] The mount portion 116 generally is configured to be mounted, or fastened, to the interior of an automobile engine bay. It is envisioned that the mount portion 116 is to include a suitable fastening means to facilitate installing the heat shield into the engine bay, such as, by way of example, suitably designed holes, brackets, molded shaped portions, protrusions, extensions, straps, hardware fasteners, or other any similar device for holding the heat shield fixed within the engine bay. It will be recognized that the particular fastening means will vary according to the specific make and model of the automobile with which the heat shield is to be used. As shown in FIG. 1, a first and second gasket 110, 112 may also be disposed on the upper and/or lower regions of the heat shield 105 so as to insulate the heat shield from engine bay heat.

[0032] The housing portion 112 generally is configured to support the air filter assembly 130 and provide an interface between the air filter assembly 130 and an intake portion of an automobile engine. An air intake conduit 118 extending to the intake portion of the automobile engine is also provided, and generally comprises arm 115, transition 120 and cylindrical region 125. Preferably, the transition 120 provides a molded connection between the conduit 118 and the housing portion 112, although other forms of connections will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The transition 120 generally positions a curved, longitudinal dimension of the conduit 118 at an angle relative to the housing portion 112. In one embodiment, the angle between the conduit 120 and the housing portion 112 is substantially 90-degrees. In other embodiments, the value of the angle between the conduit 120 and the housing portion 112 depends upon the particular automobile for which the heat shield 105 is to be utilized. It will be appreciated that a wide variety of different angles and shapes of the conduit 120 may be incorporated into other embodiments of the heat shield 105 without detracting from the present invention.

[0033] In one embodiment, the conduit 118 comprises a flange and an opening. The opening serves the function of conducting air drawn through the air filter assembly 130 into an interior cavity of the filter into the air intake of the automobile engine. It will be appreciated that the flange has a configuration and the opening has a diameter suitable to accept the air intake conduit of the automobile engine. For example, the flange may comprise any of a variety of additional ridges, or raised portions, so as to optimally engage the air intake conduit of the automobile engine. The specific configuration of the flange and the diameter of the opening depend upon the particular make and model of the engine for which the heat shield 105 is to be utilized, and thus a wide variety of configurations and diameters may be incorporated into the heat shield 105 without straying beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0034] It is envisioned that a user of the heat shield 105 may periodically clean the air filter assembly 130 rather than replacing the air filter assembly 130, as is typically done with conventional air filter systems. One embodiment of a method for cleaning the air filter assembly 130 comprises removing the air intake conduit 132 of the automobile from the conduit 118, inserting a water hose through the opening 133 into the interior cavity 134 of the filter, and spraying water so as to flush contaminants from the filter material. It is envisioned that the water and filter contaminants drain from a bottom portion of the air filter assembly and exit the engine bay. In another embodiment of the method for cleaning the air filter assembly 130, a high pressure air hose may be utilized in lieu of the water hose. In still another embodiment of the method for cleaning the air filter assembly 130, water may be sprayed onto the top of the filter, such that the water and contaminants drain from the bottom portion of the filter and exit the engine bay. Other cleaning methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0035] As best shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, the mount portion 116 comprises a plurality of structural supports 160. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2B, the structural supports 160 are ribs that increase the rigidity of the mount portion 116, as well as the connection between the mount portion 116 and the housing portion 112, thereby endowing the heat shield 105 with a resistance to warping when fastened within the engine bay. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the structural supports 160 operate to keep the air filter assembly 130 advantageously positioned within the engine bay without requiring an enclosed heat shield. In one embodiment, the housing portion 112 may comprise a plurality of structural members that are substantially similar to the structural members 160. In still other embodiments, the housing portion 112 may comprise a plurality of structural members that are different than the structural members 160. Various embodiments of the structural supports 160 other than the ribs shown in FIGS. 2A-2B will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, a gasket 110 may be disposed on one or more edges of the heat shield 105, so as to prevent vibrations and provide sealing engagement with one or more surfaces of the automobile.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the filter material circumferentially surrounds the interior cavity 134 such that the filter material creates an exterior perimeter of at least a portion of the interior cavity 134. As mentioned above, the exterior shape may be generally circular, oval, conical, or otherwise shaped to improve the surface area available for air flow passage for a given volume of the interior cavity 136. The shape may be consistent along a longitudinal length or may vary along the length. For example, the outer profile may taper from the proximal end to the distal end cap.

[0037] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the filter material provides a surface area through which to pass an air stream and trap particulate matter and other contaminates so as to prevent them from entering into the air intake of the automobile engine. The filter material may be comprised of paper, foam, cotton, spun fiberglass, or other known filter materials, woven or non-woven material, synthetic or natural, or any combination thereof. The filter material may be pleated or otherwise shaped or contoured to increase the surface area for passing the air stream to be cleaned. In other embodiments, the filter material may comprise a combination of materials to create a hybrid filter medium. In still other embodiments, the filter material may further comprise oil to enhance the air cleaning properties of the filter material. Other embodiments may include a depth loading feature which gives the air filter assembly 130 a high airflow with a low restriction while providing large contaminant holding capacities.

[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, elements of the air intake conduit 118 that extend to the intake portion of the automobile engine are shown. The air intake conduit 118 generally comprises arm 115, transition 120 and cylindrical region 125. Preferably, elements of the air intake conduit 118 comprise of any of various molded plastics, synthetic materials, silicones and/or metals. In one embodiment, a carbon fiber tube may also be used. As shown, the arm 115, transition 120 and cylindrical region 125 may comprise a plurality of ribs 114 circumferentially disposed thereon, so as to couple with the transition 120 and cylindrical region 125. The ribs 114 may be disposed at various locations in varying number and widths as appropriate. It should be understood that elements of the air intake conduit 118 may be coupled together using any of various fastening means 121, such as, by way of example, suitably designed holes, brackets, molded shaped portions, protrusions, extensions, straps, hardware fasteners, or other any similar device for retaining purposes.

[0039] Although shown in a generally modular arrangement comprising molded elements, the air intake conduit 118 may also comprise a unitary construction. As shown in FIG. 3, the arm 115 comprises a substantially 30-degree bend, whereas the transition 120 and cylindrical region 125 comprise a 90-degree bend. However, as shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the arm 115, transition 120 and cylindrical region 125 are configured so as to comprise substantially straight portions, without any bends. Finally, as shown in FIG. 5, the arm 115 comprises a hybrid construction, such that certain portions of the arm 115 are plastic, whereas other comprise metal. Furthermore, as shown, arm 155 comprises a substantially straight region without any bends. Transition 120 is shown as comprising a substantially 45-degree bend, whereas cylindrical region 125 comprises a substantially 90-degree bend. It should be appreciated that elements of the air intake conduit 118 may comprise any degree of bends as necessary depending on the application.

[0040] While some specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown the invention is not to be limited to these embodiments. For example, most functions performed by electronic hardware components may be duplicated by software emulation. Thus, a software program written to accomplish those same functions may emulate the functionality of the hardware components in input-output circuitry. The present invention is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein, but only by scope of the appended claims.