Air box with integrated filter media
View Patent ↗An apparatus and a method are provided for an air box with an integrated air filter to communicate air flow from an exterior of the air filter to an air intake of an automobile engine. The air filter comprises a filter material that 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 air box comprises a housing portion and a mount portion. The housing portion is configured to direct air drawn through the filter material into the interior cavity of the air filter and then into the air intake of the automobile engine. The mount portion is configured to support the air box and the air filter once installed within an automobile engine bay.
1. An apparatus for an air box with an integrated air filter, the apparatus comprising:
the air filter 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
a housing portion and a mount portion of the air box, where a front surface of the housing portion comprises a conduit with an opening and a transition that are configured to receive an air intake conduit, and a back surface of the housing portion comprises a ridge and a recess configured to fixedly receive a proximal end of the filter material, such that air drawn through the filter material into the interior cavity is drawn through the opening of the conduit, wherein the mount portion extends from the housing portion toward the distal end of the filter material;
wherein the mount portion further comprises a plurality of ribbed structural supports configured to increase a rigidity of the mount portion, and wherein the housing portion is configured to support the air filter, and wherein a first subset of the ribbed structural supports extends in a first plane that intersects the air filter and in a first direction toward the air filter and a second subset of the ribbed structural supports extends in the first plane and in a second direction away from the air filter.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air filter is fastened to the housing portion such that the air filter is irremovable from the air box.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air box is comprised of a material that is configured so as to retain its configuration during installation and operation.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mount portion includes a suitable fastening means to facilitate installing the air box.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transition provides a connection between the conduit and the housing portion.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the transition comprises a molded portion between the conduit and the housing portion.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the transition positions a longitudinal dimension of the conduit at an angle relative to the housing portion.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the opening has a diameter suitable to accept the air intake conduit of the automobile engine.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a flange has a configuration suitable to accept the air intake conduit.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein fasteners are used to affix the proximal end within the recess.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ridge is crimped such that it folds onto and retains the wire support and the filter material of the air filter.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air box and the air filter are configured such that the air filter may be periodically cleaned without removing the air filter from the air box.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing portion comprises a plurality of structural members.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the structural members are ribs configured to increase the rigidity of the housing portion.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distal end cap is comprised of a material that is configured so as to retain the filter material in a desired configuration and support the air filter when coupled to the housing portion.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distal end cap is crimped around its peripheral edge such that it folds onto and retains the wire support and the filter material.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wire support is positioned on an outer surface and an inner surface of the filter material.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the wire support comprises a first wire support positioned on an outer surface and a second wire support positioned on an inner surface of the filter material.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein 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.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter material is comprised of paper, foam, cotton, spun fiberglass, woven or non-woven material, synthetic or natural, or any combination thereof.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter material is pleated or otherwise shaped or contoured to increase surface area of the filter material for passing an air stream to be cleaned.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter material comprises oil to enhance the air cleaning properties of the filter material.
23. A method for providing an air box with an integrated air filter to communicate air flow from an exterior of the air filter, the method comprising:
extending a filter material circumferentially so as to form at least a portion of an interior cavity of the air filter;
extending a wire support along at least a portion of the filter material;
affixing a distal end cap to a distal end of the filter material, such that the wire support is retained along the at least a portion of the filter material and the air filter retains its shape during operation and cleaning;
forming a housing portion and a mount portion of the air box, wherein the mount portion further comprises a plurality of ribbed structural supports configured to increase a rigidity of the mount portion and a first subset of the ribbed structural supports extends in a first plane that intersects the air filter and in a first direction toward the air filter and a second subset of the ribbed structural supports extends in the first plane and in a second direction away from the air filter, wherein a front surface of the housing portion comprises a conduit with an opening and a transition to receive an air intake conduit extending from the air intake portion of the automobile engine, and such that a back surface of the housing portion comprises a ridge and a recess to fixedly receive a proximal end of the filter material; and
configuring the mount portion to be installed within an interior of an automobile engine bay.