Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for an air filter configured to be mounted onto an air inlet of an internal combustion engine. The air filter comprises a first end cap configured to couple with a base which is configured to support a conventional air filter and provide an interface between the conventional air filter and the air inlet. A filter medium which is relatively thicker than the conventional air filter is configured to remove particulate matter and other contaminates from an incoming airstream. A second end cap is configured to couple with a cover which is configured to fasten the conventional air filter and the base onto the air inlet, such that the incoming airstream is directed through the filter medium. The air filter is configured to be installed in place of the conventional air filter without necessitating alteration of the base and cover.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) home air filter to remove airborne molecular contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air within residential spaces. The HVAC home air filter comprises a supportive frame having a shape and size suitable to orient the HVAC home air filter within a residential HVAC system. A filter medium is retained within the supportive frame to remove the airborne molecular contaminants and VOCs from air flowing through the residential HVAC system. The filter medium comprises a combination of media layers configured to exhibit a relatively high filtration efficiency and a low air pressure drop across the filter medium. The supportive frame comprises a plurality of elongate sections and corner sections disposed along perimeter edges of the filter medium to support the filter medium within the residential HVAC system so as direct air through the filter medium.

Abstract: A filter oil composition and a method for removing airborne molecular contaminants from air are provided. The composition includes a first portion comprising paraffinic oil by volume of the composition, a second portion comprising polyalphaolefin (PAO) by volume of the composition, and a third portion comprising red dye by volume of the composition. Applying the filter oil composition to a cotton air filter material causes tackiness throughout the air filter material, thereby enhancing filtration of air passing through the filter. The composition generally is substantially non-reactive, has an excellent oxidation stability, possesses good thermal stability, and retains a suitable viscosity at a normal operating temperatures of an automobile engine. In an embodiment, the composition comprises 96.74% paraffinic oil by volume, 3.20% polyalphaolefin (PAO) by volume, and 0.06% red dye by volume. A viscosity of the composition at 100 degrees-C ranges between substantially 7.2 and 7.6 centistokes (cSTs).

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for an air box configured to cool an engine control unit (ECU) by way of an airstream being communicated to an air intake system of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The air box is comprised of a housing to support an air filter within an interior of the housing. An opening in the housing fixedly receives at least one surface of the ECU to transfer heat from the ECU to the airstream. A mount portion within the housing receives the air filter. A conduit to a clean side of the air filter is configured to be coupled with the air intake system. An inlet to the housing is configured to couple with an air inlet duct of the vehicle so as to direct the airstream into the interior of the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for a flangeless air filter configured to be mounted onto a flat surface within an air intake system of an internal combustion engine. The flangeless air filter is comprised of a cone-shaped filter medium, retained between a base and a cap, that is fabricated to remove contaminants and particulate matter from an intake airstream. The base includes a pliable seal that forms an airtight connection between the flangeless air filter and the flat surface of the air intake system. A mounting bracket and fasteners may be used to attach the base to the flat surface, compressing the seal there between. In some embodiments, the mounting bracket may be incorporated into, and made a part of the base. A cap is disposed on a top of the flangeless air filter and configured to direct the intake airstream around the cap and toward the filter medium.

Abstract: A reusable air filter and methods are provided for filtering air being conducted to an air intake of an internal combustion engine. The reusable air filter comprises a filter medium configured to pass an airstream and entrap particulates flowing within the airstream. The filter medium is comprised of cotton gauze disposed in a sinusoidal arrangement that provides a filtration surface area that is larger than a perimeter area of the filter medium. An end cap and base may be configured to retain the filter medium therebetween. The base provides an interface between the air filter and an air inlet of the engine. The filter medium may be disposed in a flat, panel shape that is bordered by a supportive tray. Support rods may be embedded within the tray to prevent bowing of the tray due to air pressure when coupled with an air box of the engine.

Abstract: A combined mass airflow sensor and hydrocarbon trap is provided for absorbing evaporative hydrocarbon emissions from an air intake duct of an internal combustion engine. The combined mass airflow sensor and hydrocarbon trap comprises a duct that supports a hydrocarbon absorbing sheet in an unfolded configuration within a housing. The duct communicates an airstream from an air filter to the air intake duct during operation of the internal combustion engine. An opening in the housing receives a mass airflow sensor into the duct, such that the mass airflow sensor is disposed within the airstream. Guide vanes extending across the duct reduce air turbulence within the airstream passing by the mass airflow sensor. Ports disposed along the duct allow the evaporative hydrocarbon emissions to be drawn into the interior and arrested by the hydrocarbon absorbing sheet when the internal combustion engine is not operating.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a crankcase breather vent assembly to direct blow-by gases out of an engine crankcase. A vent base comprising a generally cylindrical vessel communicates received blow-by gases into an interior cavity of a breather vent that comprises a filter medium. Baffles disposed within an interior cavity of the vent base capture oil carried along with the blow-by gases. The captured oil is directed to an oil sump of the engine by way of a suitable hose. A bonnet fastenably receives the breather vent and is configured to reduce a buildup of oil residue on nearby engine components. An outer profile of the breather vent is tapered along a longitudinal dimension of the filter medium to facilitate unrestricted air flow through the filter medium when the bonnet is installed onto the breather vent.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) home air filter to remove airborne molecular contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air within residential spaces. The HVAC home air filter includes a supportive frame having a shape and size suitable to orient the HVAC home air filter within a residential HVAC system. A filter medium is retained within the supportive frame to remove the airborne molecular contaminants and VOCs from air flowing through the residential HVAC system. The filter medium includes a combination of media layers configured to exhibit a relatively high filtration efficiency and a low air pressure drop across the filter medium. The supportive frame includes a plurality of elongate sections and corner sections disposed along perimeter edges of the filter medium to support the filter medium within the residential HVAC system so as direct air through the filter medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for an aircharger air intake system for filtering and conducting an airstream to an air intake of an engine. The aircharger air intake system includes an air filter comprising a filter medium configured to entrap particulates flowing within the airstream. An air box comprising one or more sidewalls and a mount wall is configured to support the air filter within an engine bay. The air box is configured to be mounted, or fastened, onto the engine. An intake tube is coupled with the air filter and configured to conduct the airstream to the air intake of the engine. The intake tube is configured to be coupled with an air temperature sensor or a mass air sensor of the engine. An adapter is configured to couple the intake tube with the air intake.

Abstract: An air filter including an open end, a closed end, and a filter area there between. The open end frictionally engages and seals an air port, while the closed end mates with the housing to secure the filter to the housing. The filter area is reinforced to provide a durable, reusable filter. The filter material is selected to provide depth loading and increase the particulate capacity of the filter.

Abstract: A method of assembling a unibody vehicle includes securing a cab back panel of a cab back panel directly to an upturned flange of a cargo box floor. A unibody vehicle assembly according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a cab back panel, a cargo box floor, and a passenger compartment floor. The cab back panel is secured directly to the cargo box floor. The cab back panel provides a back wall of a passenger cab and a front wall of a cargo area.

Abstract: A filter oil composition and a method for removing airborne molecular contaminants from air are provided. The composition includes a first portion comprising paraffinic oil by volume of the composition, a second portion comprising polyalphaolefin (PAO) by volume of the composition, and a third portion comprising red dye by volume of the composition. Applying the filter oil composition to a cotton air filter material causes tackiness throughout the air filter material, thereby enhancing filtration of air passing through the filter. The composition generally is substantially non-reactive, has an excellent oxidation stability, possesses good thermal stability, and retains a suitable viscosity at a normal operating temperatures of an automobile engine. In an embodiment, the composition comprises 96.74% paraffinic oil by volume, 3.20% polyalphaolefin (PAO) by volume, and 0.06% red dye by volume. A viscosity of the composition at 100 degrees-C ranges between substantially 7.2 and 7.6 centistokes (cSTs).

Abstract: An electric vehicle frame strut tower to body structure interface bracket is disclosed. An example electric vehicle disclosed herein includes a frame, a battery pack supported by the frame, a body coupled to the frame, a strut tower coupled to the frame to support the body and absorb road surface impacts on the electric vehicle, and a strut tower interface bracket to couple the strut tower to the body.

Abstract: A reusable air filter and methods are provided for filtering air being conducted to an air intake of an internal combustion engine. The reusable air filter comprises a filter medium configured to pass an airstream and entrap particulates flowing within the airstream. The filter medium is comprised of cotton gauze disposed in a sinusoidal arrangement that provides a filtration surface area that is larger than a perimeter area of the filter medium. An end cap and base may be configured to retain the filter medium therebetween. The base provides an interface between the air filter and an air inlet of the engine. The filter medium may be disposed in a flat, panel shape that is bordered by a supportive tray. Support rods may be embedded within the tray to prevent bowing of the tray due to air pressure when coupled with an air box of the engine.

Abstract: Techniques for timely medication information include storing in a database, for each of multiple different medication providers, a pharmacy ID field that uniquely indicates the provider, a pharmacy link field that indicates a network link for the provider, and a pharmacy API format field that indicates a format for requesting patient medication information and for receiving patient medication information from the provider. In response to receiving, from a client process on a remote network node, a client query packet that includes a patient field that indicates information for a patient: selecting a first provider; formatting a pharmacy request packet to request medication information for the patient based on the API format field for the first provider; and, sending the first pharmacy request packet to the network link in the pharmacy link field for the first provider.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for an air cleaner to be mounted onto an air inlet of an internal combustion engine. The air cleaner comprises an air filter that includes a filter medium disposed between a curved base and a cover. The curved base provides an interface between the air filter and the air inlet, and comprises a shape that provides clearance between the curved base and an electric choke installed onto a carburetor comprising the air inlet. The cover secures the air filter and the curved base to the air inlet such that an airstream is drawn through the filter medium and is conducted into the air inlet. A raised portion of the cover is configured to cooperate with the curved base to ensure a desired volume of the airstream is available to the air inlet at substantially all engine speeds.

Abstract: A pleat counter and methods are provided to accurately count the number of pleats in a corrugated sheet of material to be used for the production of air filters. The pleat counter comprises a pleat detector mounted underneath a mounting board for counting the pleats. The mounting board is configured to position the pleat detector adjacent to the corrugated sheet of filter material. The pleat detector includes one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of individual pleats comprising the corrugated sheet. The pleat counter includes an interface configured to enable coupling the pleat counter with a data processing system. The data processing system may comprise any of a desktop, a tablet, a server, a mobile phone, a media player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal communicator, a network router or hub, a wireless access point (AP) or repeater, a set-top box, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) home air filter to remove airborne molecular contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air within residential spaces. The HVAC home air filter comprises a supportive frame having a shape and size suitable to orient the HVAC home air filter within a residential HVAC system. A filter medium is retained within the supportive frame to remove the airborne molecular contaminants and VOCs from air flowing through the residential HVAC system. The filter medium comprises a combination of media layers configured to exhibit a relatively high filtration efficiency and a low air pressure drop across the filter medium. The supportive frame comprises a plurality of elongate sections and corner sections disposed along perimeter edges of the filter medium to support the filter medium within the residential HVAC system so as direct air through the filter medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a crankcase breather vent assembly to direct blow-by gases out of an engine crankcase. A vent base comprising a generally cylindrical vessel communicates received blow-by gases into an interior cavity of a breather vent that comprises a filter medium. Baffles disposed within an interior cavity of the vent base capture oil carried along with the blow-by gases. The captured oil is directed to an oil sump of the engine by way of a suitable hose. A bonnet fastenably receives the breather vent and is configured to reduce a buildup of oil residue on nearby engine components. An outer profile of the breather vent is tapered along a longitudinal dimension of the filter medium to facilitate unrestricted air flow through the filter medium when the bonnet is installed onto the breather vent.