Filter Element for an Air Filter Device of a Motor Vehicle, and Air Filter Device

Abstract

A filter element for an air filter device of a motor vehicle includes a frame which surrounds a filter material. The frame has a front wall extending perpendicularly to an insertion direction in which the filter element is insertable in a receiving space of a housing of the air filter device. A securing element is disposed on a front side of the front wall on which securing element a cover of the air filter device configured for closing the receiving space is fixable. The securing element has two holding parts which are engageable with two corresponding holding parts of the cover. The two holding parts of the securing element are configured as wings projecting from a shank of the securing element transversely to the insertion direction and the two holding parts extending from a respective first end region to a respective second end region, facing the front wall, are ramp-shaped.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A filter element (10) for an air filter device of a motor vehicle, comprising: a frame (16) which surrounds a filter material (18) of the filter element (10) at least partially, wherein the frame (16) comprises a front wall (20) which extends perpendicularly to an insertion direction (22) in which the filter element (10) is insertable in a receiving space (14) of a housing (12) of the air filter device; and a securing element (26) disposed on a front side (24) of the front wall (20) on which securing element (26) a cover (34) of the air filter device configured for closing the receiving space (14) is fixable, wherein the securing element (26) has two holding parts (44, 46) distanced from the front side (24) of the front wall (20) which for closing the receiving space (14) by the cover (34) are engageable with two corresponding holding parts (56) of the cover (34); wherein the two holding parts (44, 46) of the securing element (26) are configured as wings projecting from a shank (42) of the securing element (26) transversely to the insertion direction (22) and wherein the two holding parts (44, 46) extending from a respective first end region (48) to a respective second end region (50), facing the front wall (20), are ramp-shaped.

12. The filter element according to claim 11, wherein the securing element (26) is distanced, in a vertical direction (68) of the front wall (20), from a lower edge of the front wall (20), and against the insertion direction (22) projects from the front side (24) such that it is insertable in a sleeve-shaped holding region (66) of a closing element (40) disposed on the cover (34), wherein the securing element (26) when surrounded by the holding region (66) is braceable on the two holding parts (44, 46) by rotating the closing element (40) about a rotation axis (70) with the two corresponding holding parts (56) of the closing element (40) on the cover (34).

13. The filter element according to claim 11, wherein a holding lug (76) projects on a narrow side (72) of the front wall (20) of the filter element (10) and wherein the holding lug (76) is insertable in a retaining recess (80) provided on the housing (12) of the air filter device to secure the filter element (10) against movement.

14. The filter element according to claim 11, wherein the filter element (10) has a supporting spacer (96) that supports the filter material (18) and which extends between two opposite walls of the frame (16) and joins the two opposite walls together.

15. An air filter device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing (12) with a receiving space (14); a closing element (40) disposed on a cover (34); and the filter element (10) according to claim 11, wherein the filter element (10) is disposed in the receiving space (14) of the housing (12); wherein the receiving space (14) is closable by the closing element (40) which is fixable on the two holding parts (44, 46) of the securing element (26) of the filter element (10).

16. The air filter device according to claim 15, wherein the closing element (40) of the cover (34) is rotatable about a rotation axis (70) and has a sleeve-shaped holding region (66) with two holding parts (56) such that the securing element (26) of the filter element is surroundable by the sleeve-shaped holding region (66), and in a closing position of the closing element (40), the two holding parts (56) of the closing element (40) engage with the two holding parts (44, 46) of the securing element (26).

17. The air filter device according to claim 15, wherein the housing (12) of the air filter device has a retaining recess (80) in which a holding lug (76) of the filter element (10) is inserted such that the securing element (26) of the filter element (10) is oriented in a correct position for closing the cover (34) with the closing element (40).

18. The air filter device according to claim 17, wherein the housing (12) of the air filter device has a retaining element (82) configured, as viewed in the insertion direction (22), as upward-sloping, ramp-shaped retaining teeth, which is mounted upstream of the retaining recess (80) in the insertion direction (22).

19. The air filter device according to claim 17, wherein the housing (12) has a ramp (100) which is disposed in a longitudinal direction of extension of the retaining recess (80) next to the retaining recess (80) and wherein the ramp (100) is configured as sloping downwards starting from the retaining recess (80) as viewed in the insertion direction (22).

20. The air filter device according to claim 19, wherein the ramp (100) has an apex region (102) and wherein a height of the ramp (100) in the apex region (102) is greater than a maximum height of a retaining element (82) and/or the ramp (100), as viewed in the insertion direction (22), is configured as sloping upwards towards the apex region (102).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a filter element for an air filter device of a motor vehicle;

[0040] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of the filter element according to FIG. 1, in which a securing element arranged on a front side of a front wall of a frame of the filter element can be seen more clearly;

[0041] FIG. 3 is a detail of a housing of the air filter device, which is configured to receive the filter element according to FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view of a detail in the region of a receiving opening of the housing, via which the filter element according to FIG. 1 can be pushed into the housing;

[0043] FIG. 5 is a partially sectional side view of insertion of the filter element according to FIG. 1 in the housing according to FIG. 3;

[0044] FIG. 6 is a partially sectional side view of the filter element inserted in a receiving space of the housing, which has reached its end position in the insertion direction;

[0045] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a detail of a front segment of the filter element and of the housing, wherein the front wall of the filter element is located at the level of a retaining recess, which is configured on the housing side;

[0046] FIG. 8 illustrates the lowering of the front wall under the effect of gravity, so that a holding lug of the filter element, configured to be integral with the front wall, engages in the retaining recess;

[0047] FIG. 9 is a front view of a detail of a cover for the housing of the air filter device, wherein the cover has a closing element configured as a rotating closure, which interacts with the securing element of the filter element shown in FIG. 2 for fixing the cover;

[0048] FIG. 10 is a detail of a back view of the cover in the region of the rotating closure;

[0049] FIG. 11 illustrates a first step in dismantling the filter element or in dismounting the filter element, wherein the filter element is raised in the region of the front wall and the holding lug is thus moved out of the retaining recess;

[0050] FIG. 12 is a partially sectional view of sliding a supporting spacer of a plurality of supporting spacers of the frame along ramps arranged on both sides of the retaining recess during extraction of the filter element from the receiving space;

[0051] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the frame of the filter element according to FIG. 1 comprising two supporting spacers without a filter material of the filter element;

[0052] FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the air filter device in the region of the cover, wherein a securing element on the filter side is surrounded by a closing element on the cover side; and

[0053] FIG. 15 is the sectional view according to FIG. 14, wherein the securing element and the closing element are in the closing position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Identical or functionally equivalent elements in the figures are given the same reference symbol.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a filter element 10, which is provided for mounting in a housing 12 (cf. FIG. 3) of an air filter device of a motor vehicle, configured in particular as a lorry. A receiving space 14 is formed in the housing 12 of the air filter device (cf. FIG. 3), into which the filter element 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be inserted or fitted.

[0056] The filter element 10 comprises a frame 16, which surrounds or frames a filter material 18 of the filter element 10. When the filter element 10 is configured as a pleated filter, the filter material 18 may, as shown as an example in the present description, have a plurality of pleats. However, other configurations of the filter material 18, through which air can flow during operation of the filter element 10, are also possible.

[0057] The frame 16, which here completely surrounds or encloses the filter material 18 on the periphery, comprises a front wall 20. The front wall 20 extends perpendicularly to an insertion direction 22, which is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1. In the insertion direction 22, the filter element 10 can be inserted in the receiving space 14, which is formed in the housing 12 or air filter housing (cf. FIG. 3).

[0058] A securing element 26, which is shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, is arranged on a front side 24 of the front wall 20. Here, the frame 16 also comprises two side walls 28, 30, which extend in the insertion direction 22 starting from the front wall 20.

[0059] On its back end, the frame 16 is closed by means of a rear wall 32, which is configured angled here. This is due to the shape of the housing 12, so that in variants of the filter element 10, a differently shaped frame 16 may also be provided. Moreover, the frame 16 need not, as shown as an example here, surround the filter material 18 round the periphery.

[0060] The securing element 26 shown in FIG. 2 serves for fixing or securing a cover element or cover 34 on the housing 12. The cover 34 is shown in FIG. 9 as a detail, in a view of its outer side 36 facing the surroundings of the housing 12.

[0061] A closing element, which is configured here as a rotating closure 40, is held on a body 38 of the cover 34. By means of a lever-like handle part 58, the rotating closure 40 can be turned relative to the body 38 of the cover 34 about a rotation axis 70, as indicated in FIG. 10. The securing element 26 interacts with the rotating closure 40 (cf. FIG. 2), to secure the cover 34 in its closed position.

[0062] For this purpose, the securing element 26 has a shank 42, which in this case is configured like a cylinder with a (optional) slot-shaped recess 62. The shank 42 projects from the front side 24 of the front wall 20 in the insertion direction 22. Two holding parts in the form of a first wing 44 and a second wing 46 extend from the shank 42, in this case substantially perpendicularly to the insertion direction 22.

[0063] From a respective first end region 48 up to a second, opposite end region 50, the respective wing 44, 46 preferably has a ramp-like shape. Accordingly, the respective wing 44, 46 gets thicker starting from the respective first end region 48 towards a height of the respective wing 44, 46 towards the opposite end region 50 of the respective wing 44, 46. The height of the respective wing 44, 46 thus corresponds to a thickness of the respective wing 44, 46 in the insertion direction 22. The ramp formed on the respective wing 44, 46 therefore points towards the front wall 20 of the filter element 10.

[0064] Recesses 52 (cf. FIG. 10), which are formed on an inner side 54 of the cover 34 in the region of the rotating closure 40, correspond to the wings 44, 46. Moreover, the rotating closure 40 according to FIG. 10 has, on its inner side, two holding parts 56, which are configured for engaging with the wings 44, 46 of the securing element 26, when the cover 34 is secured in its closed position, in which the cover 34 closes the receiving space 14 in the region of a receiving opening 64 (cf. FIG. 3). The filter element 10 can be introduced into the receiving space 14 via the receiving opening 64.

[0065] With the wings 44, 46, clamping geometries or holding geometries are provided on the side with the filter element 10, which interact with the holding parts 56 of the rotating closure 40, to secure the cover 34 in its closed position. Here, the rotating closure 40 fitted on the cover 34 thus has the holding parts 56, which correspond to the clamping geometry or holding geometry that is provided by the wings 44, 46.

[0066] The securing element 26, which is preferably joined rigidly to the frame 16 of the filter element 10 or is configured to be integral with the front wall 20, accordingly in this present case provides fixing or fixation of the cover 34 in its closed or closing position in the manner of bayonet locking. In the closed or closing position, the cover 34 closes the receiving space 14 formed in the housing 12 in the region of the receiving opening 64.

[0067] It can also be seen from FIG. 10 that the rotating closure 40 has a sleeve-shaped holding region 66, into which the securing element 26 can be introduced, so that the cover 34 is closed. For this purpose, the recesses 52 of the rotating closure 40 are firstly aligned so that the wings 44, 46 in the region of the recesses 52 can enter the sleeve-shaped holding region 66. The holding region 66 then surrounds the securing element 26. If then, through actuation of the handle part 58 (cf. FIG. 9), the rotating closure 40 is turned or rotated about its rotation axis 70, the holding parts 56 of the rotating closure 40 come into engagement with the wings 44, 46. Owing to the ramp-like shape of the wings 44, 46, the securing element 26 is braced with the rotating closure 40 of the cover 34, and the cover 34 is drawn tightly against the housing 12.

[0068] Owing to the geometry of the recesses 52, which corresponds to the shape of the wings 44, 46, a person who is closing the receiving space 14 of the housing 12 by means of the cover 34 will visually comprehend intuitively the manner of operation of the rotating closure 40. This is advantageous for easy operation of the rotating closure 40.

[0069] For the handle part 58, a stop 92 can be formed on the cover 34 (cf. FIG. 9), which presets an end position of the rotating closure 40 during fixing of the cover 34. In this end position, the holding parts 56 of the rotating closure 40 (cf. FIG. 10) are in engagement with the wings 44, 46 of the securing element 26 (cf. FIG. 2).

[0070] It can also be seen from FIG. 2 that the front wall 20 has an upper narrow side 74. This upper narrow side 74 lies in the vertical direction 68 of the filter element 10, which is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2, opposite a lower narrow side 72 of a plate-shaped body 60 of the front wall 20. In the installed position of the filter element 10, the vertical direction 68 is preferably opposite the direction of gravity.

[0071] In the present case, the filter element 10 has a holding lug 76, distanced from the securing element 26. This holding lug 76 projects above the lower narrow side 72—or bottom edge—of the plate-shaped body 60 of the front wall 20. Here, this holding lug 76 is made integral with the body 60 of the front wall 20. The functions of this holding lug 76 will be explained hereunder, referring to the next figures.

[0072] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the receiving opening 64 is delimited at the bottom by a wall 78. This wall 78 is shown in FIG. 4 as a partially sectional detail.

[0073] In particular, it is clear from FIG. 4 that a retaining recess 80 is formed in the wall 78, corresponding in dimensions, here in particular with respect to a depth in the insertion direction 22 and a width perpendicular to the insertion direction 22, to the dimensions of the holding lug 76. Accordingly, the holding lug 76 of the filter element 10 can be inserted in the retaining recess 80, which is provided on the housing 12 side of the air filter device. When the filter element 10 is located in its assembled position in the receiving space 14 of the housing 12 (cf. FIG. 8), the holding lug 76 is then engaged in the retaining recess 80.

[0074] The holding lug 76 or catch, which is formed on the lower edge of the frame 16, thus functions like an abutment of the filter element 10. Accordingly, the holding lug 76 prevents the filter element 10 sliding out of the receiving space 14. This is in particular advantageous when the insertion direction 22 in the concrete assembled situation of the filter element 10 is not horizontal, but inclined.

[0075] Furthermore, the holding lug 76 serves for presetting of the filter element 10 with respect to the cover 34. Thus, when the holding lug 76 is located in the retaining recess 80, the securing element 26 or retaining element is also oriented in the correct position, i.e., so that the rotating closure 40 (cf. FIG. 9 and FIG. 10) can interact with the opposite securing element 26.

[0076] In the present case, the securing element 26 is arranged in the width direction or transverse direction of the front wall 20, i.e., viewed perpendicularly to the insertion direction 22, substantially centrally on the front side 24 of the front wall 20. This produces very uniform pressing of the cover 34 against the housing 12, when the rotating closure 40 is actuated and is thus rotated about the rotation axis 70.

[0077] Moreover, the two large-area ramps of the securing element 26, provided in the region of the wings 44, 46, ensure very robust fixing of the cover 34 on the filter element 10.

[0078] During bracing of the closing element 40 with the securing element 26 through actuation of the rotating closure 40, the front side 24 of the filter element 10 connected via the holding lug 76 comes up against retaining elements, which in the present case are configured in the manner of ramp-shaped retaining teeth 82 (cf. FIG. 4), and which are located upstream of the retaining recess 80 in the insertion direction 22. The retaining recess 80 and the retaining elements 82 thus form the abutment for bracing the cover 34 and filter element 10 by means of their respective closure element 40 or securing element 26.

[0079] In the present case, the retaining teeth 82, viewed in the insertion direction 22, are upward-sloping, so that the holding lug 76, on sliding along the retaining teeth 82, first moves in the vertical direction 68, when the filter element 10 is pushed into the receiving space 14 via the receiving opening 64. In FIG. 5, this pushing of the filter element 10 into the receiving space 14 is indicated by an arrow 84, the direction of which is the same as the insertion direction 22.

[0080] FIG. 6 now shows the situation in which the filter element 10 has reached its horizontal end position in the receiving space 14. Accordingly, the rear wall 32 of the frame 16 is located in the vicinity of a wall 86 of the housing 12 that delimits the receiving space 14 at the back. In particular, a seal 88 arranged on the rear wall 32 of the frame 16 may in this case abut against the wall 86.

[0081] In FIG. 7, another arrow 90 indicates how, after passing over the retaining teeth 82 (cf. FIG. 4) and reaching the retaining recess 80, the holding lug 76 drops down under the effect of gravity. Thus, under the effect of gravity, the holding lug 76 goes into the retaining recess 80, configured as a slot. Then the frame 16 of the filter element 10 drops down under the effect of gravity, as soon as the holding lug 76 is located at the level of the retaining recess 80 in the insertion direction 22.

[0082] FIG. 8 shows this assembled situation, in which the holding lug 76 engages in the retaining recess 80. In the extraction direction, i.e., opposite the insertion direction 22, the holding lug 76 is therefore undercut with the housing 12. Then the securing element 26 is also in its correct position, in which after folding down of the cover 34 or with a corresponding swivelling of the cover 34 about a swivel axis provided on the housing 12 side, the rotating closure 40 can interact with the securing element 26.

[0083] Removal of the filter element 10 from the receiving space 14 will be explained by referring to FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. First, the frame 16 of the filter element 10 is raised in the region of the front wall 20, so that the holding lug 76 is no longer located in the retaining recess 80. This moving of the holding lug 76 out of the retaining recess 80 is indicated in FIG. 11 with an arrow 104, the direction of the arrow being opposite to the arrow 90 shown in FIG. 7. Otherwise the orientation of the filter element 10 relative to the housing 12 shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to the orientation of the filter element 10 relative to the housing 12 shown in FIG. 11.

[0084] Next, the filter element 10 is pulled out of the receiving space 14 against the insertion direction 22. This movement is indicated in FIG. 12 with an arrow 94. In addition, FIG. 12 shows a partial sectional view of supporting spacers 96 of the frame 16.

[0085] It can be seen from FIG. 13 that in the present case the frame 16 of the filter element 10 has two such supporting spacers 96. Here, the supporting spacers 96 join the side walls 28, 30 together, but may also join the front wall 20 and the rear wall 32 together, depending on in which direction the filter element 10 is to be supported. This is necessary in particular if the extent of the filter area in one direction is very large, and therefore instability of filter element 10 arises.

[0086] Furthermore, the supporting spacers 96 have a plurality of projections formed in the manner of teeth 98 of a comb. These teeth 98, which project upwards or in the vertical direction 68 from an in this case strip-shaped back of the respective supporting spacers 96, engage at the bottom in the pleats of the filter material 18 (cf. FIG. 1). In this way, in particular the teeth 98 of the supporting spacers 96, which get narrower towards a free end, support the filter material 18. Provision of the supporting spacers 96 and the teeth 98 ensures great dimensional stability of the frame 16 and in particular of the filter material 18, even if the filter element 10 is of comparatively long configuration in the insertion direction 22. The latter may be the case in particular when using the filter element 10 for an air filter device of a lorry.

[0087] The supporting spacers 96 ensure in particular that solids that have been deposited on the filter material 18 during operation of the air filter device can easily be tapped or shaken from the filter material 18, without in this case affecting the pleats of the filter material 18.

[0088] It can clearly be seen from FIG. 12, especially when viewed in conjunction with FIG. 4, that during extraction of the filter element 10 from the receiving space 14 against the insertion direction 22, an underside of the supporting spacers 96 is led along respective ramps 100. The ramps 100 thus serve as starting slopes for the filter element 10 during extraction of the filter element 10 from the receiving space 14.

[0089] In the present case, two ramps 100 are formed on the wall 78, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of extension of the retaining recess 80 or in the longitudinal direction of the slot-shaped retaining recess 80 alongside the retaining recess 80 (cf. FIG. 4).

[0090] Starting from an apex region 102 of the respective ramp 100, which is located roughly at the height of a front edge of the retaining recess 80, the ramps 100, viewed in the insertion direction 22, are configured as sloping downwards. In the apex region 102, the ramps 100 have in the present case a height that is greater than a maximum height of the retaining teeth 82. During extraction of the filter element 10 from the receiving space 14 against the insertion direction 22, in particular this prevents the supporting spacers 96 getting hooked on the retaining teeth 82 or catching on the retaining teeth 82 (cf. FIG. 12).

[0091] Moreover, the ramps 100, viewed in the insertion direction 22, are configured as sloping upwards towards the apex region 102, as also are the retaining teeth 82 (cf. FIG. 4). Accordingly, the ramps 100 also prevent the filter element 10 hooking on the retaining teeth 82 during insertion of the filter element 10 in the receiving space 14.

[0092] The ramps 100 additionally prevent the rear wall 32 of the frame 16 in particular hooking on the retaining teeth 82 during extraction of the filter element 10 from the receiving space 14, and prevent the filter material 18 being damaged during removal of the filter element 10 from the receiving space 14.

[0093] The sectional view through the cover 34 shown in FIG. 14 shows the situation in which the holding parts or wings 44, 46 of the securing element 26 are not yet engaged with the holding parts 56 of the rotating closure 40.

[0094] Turning the rotating closure 40 relative to the securing element 26 ensures, as shown in FIG. 15, that the holding parts 56 engage with the wings 44, 46. The corresponding rotating movement of the rotating closure 40 is also indicated in FIG. 15 with a curved arrow, which shows the direction of rotation 106.