Cover for a separating area of an air intake duct of an internal combustion engine
In connection with a cover for preventing foreign matters, such as water, dirt, ice, snow and the like, from entering into an air intake duct of an internal combustion engine, which cover covers an opening of the air intake duct at a separation area of the air intake duct in an air-permeable manner, when the separation area of the air intake duct is open, the cover is operatively connected to a mechanism by which the cover is movable from its covering position, in which the opening of the air intake duct is covered, into a withdrawn position, in which the opening of the air intake duct is uncovered so that the air intake duct can be closed at the separation area, and vice versa.
This is a Continuation-In-Part Application of pending International patent application PCT/EP2006/006947 filed Jul. 15, 2006 and claiming the priority of German patent application 10 2005 037 718.1 filed Aug. 10, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a cover for an open separating area of an air intake duct of an internal combustion engine for preventing foreign matter such as water, ice, snow or dirt from entering the air intake duct.
An air supply duct of this type is known from GB 2 055 719A. In this document, an air filter is arranged in a snorkel-like intake air line of a truck which is equipped with a tiltable vehicle cabin to which the intake air lone is attached and in communication with an inlet manifold which leads to the internal combustion engine of the truck. A safety cleaning element which is fixed to the inlet manifold is provided, in order to permit a separation of the intake air line from the inlet manifold and a forward tilting of the vehicle cabin without it being possible for dust to enter the air duct and the internal combustion engine.
The safety cleaning element, however, results in disadvantageous flow and pressure conditions and a reduced efficiency. The possibilities for protection also against larger dirt particles, water, ice, snow and the like are limited and the safety cleaning element must be frequently exchanged or cleaned.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a cover with which, while obtaining advantageous protection against the infiltration of foreign matter such as water, dirt, ice, snow and the like into the open separating area of an inlet duct of a truck with a tiltable cabin, improved flow and pressure conditions can be obtained, and with which fault-free operation over a long period of time is ensured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn connection with a cover for preventing foreign matters, such as water, dirt, ice, snow and the like, from entering into an air intake duct of an internal combustion engine, which cover covers an opening of the air intake duct at a separation area of the air intake duct in an air-permeable manner, when the separation area of the air intake duct is open, the cover is operatively connected to a mechanism by which the cover is movable from its covering position, in which the opening of the air intake duct is covered, into a withdrawn position, in which the opening of the air intake duct is uncovered so that the air intake duct can be closed at the separation area, and vice versa.
The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of two preferred exemplary embodiments on the basis of the drawings:
According to the invention, the cover 20.1 is operatively connected to a mechanism 25.1, by means of which said cover can be moved from its covering position 26, in which the opening 22 of the air guiding duct 21 is covered and in which the opening 22 is covered in an air-permeable manner in order to prevent the infiltration of the foreign bodies, into an open position 27 in which the air guide duct 21 is opened, and vice versa (see double arrow 32).
When the cover 20.1, as shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The cover 20.1, in its covering position 26, is arranged at a small distance 35 from the separating area 23, which distance 35 is preferably smaller than the width 36 of the separation area 23 or the width, or the outer diameter, of the opening 22 of the first air guide duct 21.
The cover 20.1 is angled or bent in edge regions 42.1 and 42.2 which point away from one another. In the exemplary embodiment shown in
Situated in the air filter housing 29 is a filter for cleaning the air sucked in by an internal combustion engine (not shown in
The cover 20.1 is advantageously designed such that, in the covering position 26, the cover 20.1 extends over the edges 24 of the opening 22 of the first air guide duct 21 which are therefore completely covered. The cover 20.1 is expediently formed, on its side 33 pointing away from the separation area 23, with a superficially closed and smooth protective shield 34, in such a way that foreign bodies which come to rest on the protective shield 34 slide to one side adjacent to the filter housing 29 and can in this way be directed away from the separation area 23.
For safety reasons, the mechanism 25.1 is designed such that, when the separation area 23 is opened, the cover 20.1 is automatically, moved from its open position 27 into its covering position 26. For this purpose, the cover 20.1 is operatively connected to a spring (not shown), for example a coil spring which can be arranged in the region of the pivot bearing 31, in such a way that the cover 20.1 is moved from its open position 27 into its covering position 26 by the spring force of the spring of a spring mechanism.
In order to allow the cover 20.1 to pivot back from the covering position 26 into the open position 27, a returning mechanism (not shown) is also provided. Said returning mechanism can, in the simplest case, be a Bowden cable mechanism. As indicated in
The spring mechanism and/or the returning mechanism can advantageously be actuated by means of an electrical, mechanical or pneumatic drive, as a result of which the cover 20.1 is moved from its open position 27 into its covering position 26 and vice versa.
According to a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cover 20.1 can be part of a vehicle, in particular of a utility vehicle, for example of a truck, such as is shown for example in connection with the second exemplary embodiment of a cover 20.2 shown in
In other words, during a tilting movement of the driver's cab, proceeding from its normal position or driving position, a first impetus can take place by means of which the mechanism 25 is triggered such that the cover 20.1 moves from its open position 27 into its covering position 26 on account of spring force, and wherein at the same time or after a delay, the driver's cab (not shown in any more detail in
In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the driver's cab 37 can thus be pivoted, proceeding from the driving position 47 shown in
The cover 20.2 which is embodied as a protective shield and which is supported by the driver's cab 37 is rigidly connected to the driver's cab 37 and is also of substantially rigid design, such that when the driver's cab 37 is tilted about the driver's cab pivot axle 39, the free end 40 of the cover 20.2 is pivoted about the driver's cab pivot axle 39 on a pivot path 44, shown as a dotted line in
A filter housing 29 which is provided with an air filter is fixedly connected to the chassis or to the vehicle frame 45 of the vehicle 38, which filter housing 29 is in this case arranged in the region of the front end of the driver's cab 37, below the latter. In the region of the upper end of the air filter housing 29, a first air guide duct 21 extends from the side of the filter housing and has an upwardly oriented opening 22 in this case.
In the normal position or driving position 47 of the driver's cab 37 shown in
A separation area 23 is formed between the first air guide duct 21 and the corrugated tube 43 which likewise forms an air guide structure. At the separation area 23, the corrugated tube 43 which is detachably connected to the air guide duct 21 can be separated from the air guide duct 21. Such a separation or opening of the separation area 23 can be obtained in that the driver's cab 37, proceeding from the driving position 47 shown in
In order to nevertheless avoid the infiltration of foreign matter such as water, ice, dirt, snow and the like into the air guide system, or, respectively, into the first air guide duct 21 and the air filter 28, when the separation area 23 is opened, the cover 20.2 is provided. The cover 20.2 extends transversely, in this case perpendicularly with respect to, and away from, the base of the driver's cab 37, that is to say when the driver's cab 37 is in its driving position as per
For additional protection against an infiltration of foreign matter in the rearward direction and to the side, the cover 20.2 can, as shown in
Like the cover 20.1, the cover 20.2 is also formed, on its side 33 pointing away from the separation area 23, with a closed, preferably smooth protective shield 34. Said protective shield 34 has an L-shaped or S-shaped cross section in this case. It is self-evident that the protective shield 34 or the covers 20.1 and 20.2 can also have other cross sections, for example a rectangular or an arched or curved cross section, so that foreign bodies which fall onto the cover 20.2 which is in its covering position 26 can be discharged from said cover 20.2 on account of gravity and if appropriate with the assistance of shaking or vibration movements of the driver's cab 37.
Advantageous protection of the open air guide at the separation area 23 against foreign bodies, such as dirt, ice, snow and rain, is obtained with both embodiments of the covers 20.1 and 20.2 without the air guidance and flow being adversely affected in any way when the separation area 23 is closed. It is self-evident that said covers 20.1 and 20.2 can be used not only alternatively but if appropriate also in combination.
In the case of the cover 20.2, the number of parts is minimized in relation to the cover 20.1, and a particularly simple device is provided which has no joints which could become contaminated.
The cover 20.2 can be produced more simply and more cost-effectively than the cover 20.1. In comparison with the cover 20.2, it is possible with the cover 20.1, which can be arranged at a small distance 35 from the separation area 23 and which is preferably smaller than the width 36 of the separation area 23 or the width or outer diameter of the opening 22 of the air guiding duct 21, to obtain improved protection against the infiltration of foreign matter into the air guide system.
The covers 20.1 and 20.2 can for example be produced from plastic and/or metal.
Claims
1. A cover (20.1, 20.2) for preventing the infiltration of foreign matter into an air intake duct (21) of an internal combustion engine of a utility vehicle, the air intake duct (21) having a separation area (23) with an opening (22), said cover (20.1, 20.2) covering the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21) at the separation area (23) of the air intake duct (21) in an air-permeable manner in order to prevent the infiltration of the foreign matter, when the separation area (23) of the air guide duct (21) is open, said cover (20.1, 20.2) being operatively connected to a mechanism (25.1, 25.2), for moving the cover (20.1, 20.2) from its covering position (26), in which the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21) is covered into a withdrawn position (27) in which the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21) is opened but in which the separation area (23) is closed, and vice versa.
2. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover (20.1, 20.2) is operatively connected to a mechanism (25.1, 25.2), by means of which, during the closure of the separation area (23), the cover (20.1, 20.2) is movable from its covering position (26) into its open position (27), and by means of which, upon the opening of the separation area (23), the cover (20.1, 20.2) is movable from its withdrawn position (27) to its covering position (26).
3. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein, during closure of the separation area (23), said cover is in a withdrawn position (27) in which air can pass through the air intake duct (21) in a manner completely unrestricted by the cover (20.1, 20.2).
4. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in its covering position (26), said cover extends across the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21), an air cleaning device disposed in an air filter housing (29) being arranged between the opening (22) and the internal combustion engine.
5. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is mounted so as to be pivotable, from its withdrawn position (27) to its covering position (26) and vice versa, about a pivot axis (30) of a pivot bearing (31) which is fastened to, and supported by, one of the filter housing (29) and the air intake duct (21) which is fixedly connected thereto.
6. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in its covering position (26), said cover is arranged at a distance (35) from the separation area (23).
7. The cover as claimed in claim 6, wherein the distance (35) is smaller than the width (36) of either one of the separation area (23) and the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21).
8. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is movable from its withdrawn position (27) into its covering position (26) by a spring force of a spring mechanism, and is movable from its covering position (26) into its withdrawn position (27) by means of a return mechanism.
9. The cover as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spring mechanism and the return mechanism are operable by means of an electrical, mechanical or pneumatic drive means for moving the cover (20.1) from its withdrawn position (27) into its covering position (26) and vice versa.
10. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening and closing of the separation area (23) and the movement of the cover (20.1, 20.2) from its withdrawn position (27) into its covering position (26) and vice versa takes place as a result of, and during, a tilting movement of a driver's cab (37) of the vehicle (38) about a driver's cab pivot axle (39) which is fixedly connected to the vehicle (38).
11. The cover as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cover is fixedly connected to, and supported by, the driver's cab (37), so that as the driver's cab (37) is tilted about the driver's cab pivot axle (39), said cover is pivoted together with said driver's cab (37) about the driver's cab pivot axle (39).
12. The cover as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cover extends transversely with respect to, and away from, a base of the driver's cab (37).
13. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a maximum tilted position of the drivers cab (37), the cover (20.2) fully covers the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21).
14. The cover as claimed in claim 13, wherein said cover has a flexible covering apron (41) in the region of its free end (40).
15. The cover as claimed in claim 14, wherein, during a tilting movement of the driver's cab (37) together with the cover (20.2) about the driver's cab pivot axle (39), the position of the covering apron (41) relative to the cover (20.2) varies on account of gravity.
16. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in its covering position (26), said cover extends laterally over, and projects laterally beyond, the opening (22) of the air intake duct (21).
17. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is formed at a side (33) thereof pointing away from the separating area (23) with a smooth protective shield (34), which is closed at the top.
18. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover is angled in one of an edge region (42.1, 42.2) and the region of one of its free ends (40).
19. The cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in its withdrawn position (27), said cover is arranged transversely with respect to the separation area (23).
20. The cover as claimed in claim 19, wherein said cover, in its withdrawn position (27), extends at one side of, and across, the separation area (23).
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 8, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 2, 2008
Inventors: Eberhard Mayer (Wendlingen), Stefanie Schwingenschlogl (Filderstadt)
Application Number: 12/069,449
International Classification: F24F 13/08 (20060101);