Title of Invention

AIR INTAKE SYSTEM OF A MOTORCYCLE

Abstract

An air intake system of a motorcycle comprising a casing (1), a tube (2), an air intake hole (32) formed in the body portion (30) of a motorcycle, and an air filter unit (6) with an inlet port (61). The casing (1) has top and bottom walls (11.15), a side wall (16) and an inlet opening (17) which is in fluid communication with the air intake hole (32). The bottom wall (15) has a partition plate (12) which defines cooperatively with the side wall (16), a main inlet chamber (112), and a water drain hole (114). The main inlet chamber (112) is aligned generally with the air intake hale (32). The top wall (11) of the casing (1) has an exhaust hole (111) which is distal from the air intake hole (32). The tube (2) interconnects the inlet port (61) of the air filter unit (6) and the exhaust hole (111) of the casing (1).

Full Text

This invention relates an air intake system of a motor cycle,, more particularly to an air intake system which can prevent excessive moisture or particles entrained in the air from entering into an air filter unit of a motorcycle. Conventionally, an air filter unit includes an air inlet port, an air outlet port and a filter member mounted between the air inlet and air outlet ports in order to remove impurities entrained in the air. The air outlet port of the air filter unit is connected to a carburetor of a motorcycle. During rainy days, since the air at that time contains excessive moisture, the filter member of the air filter unit may be get wet quickly by virtue of the excessive moisture entrained in the air as the air passes through the air filter unit from the air inlet port to the air outlet port. The wetting of the filter member reduces the air flow rate through the air filter unit, thereby resulting in an insufficient amount of air supply to the carburetor. In addition, particles entrained in the air may enter the air filter unit when the motorcycle is in use and can damage the filter member, thereby shortening the service life of the air filter unit. The main object of the present invention is to provide an air intake system of a motorcycle which can prevent 'excessive moisture and particles entrained in the air from entering into the air filter unit of the -2 - motorcycle. According to the present invention, the air intake system of a motorcycle comprises an air filter, unit with an inlet port, and an air intake hole formed in a body portion of the motorcycle, and is characterized by: a hollow casing mounted adjacent to the air intake hole of the motorcycle and having top and bottom walls, a side wall interconnecting the top and bottom walls, and an inlet opening which is formed in the side wall and which is in fluid communication with the air intake hole, the bottom wall having a partition plate which extends upwardly therefrom in order to define cooperatively with the side wall a main inlet chamber in the casing, and a water drain hole which is in fluid communication with the main inlet chamber, the main inlet chamber being aligned generally with the air intake hole, the top wall of the casing having an exhaust hole which is distal from the air intake hole; and a tube interconnecting the inlet port of the air filter unit and the exhaust hole of the casing. Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - 3 - Figure lisa perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a casing of an air intake system of a motorcycle according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the air intake system according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the air intake system according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the air intake system according to the present invention; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a casing of an air intake system according to the present invention. Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Figures 2 and 3, a preferred embodiment of an air intake system of a motorcycle according to the present invention. The air intake system comprises a hollow casing 1, a tube 2, an air intake hole 3 2 formed in the body portion 30 of a motorcycle, and an air filter unit 6 with an inlet port 61. The body portion 30 of the motorcycle is formed as a housing which is located between the seat (not shown) and the footrest 3 of the motorcycle. - 4 - Referring to Figure 1, the casing 1 is mounted to an interior face of the body portion 3 0 adjacent to the air intake hole 32 of the motorcycle. The casing 1 has top and bottom walls 11 and 15, a side wall 16 interconnecting the top and bottom walls 11 and 15, and an inljet opening 17 which is formed in the side wall 16 and which is in fluid communication with the air intake hole 32. The bottom wall 15 has a partition plate 12 extending upwardly therefrom in order to define cooperatively with the side wall 16 a main inlet chamber 112 in the casing 1, and a water drain hole 114 which is in fluid communication with the main inlet chamber 112. The main inlet chamber 112 is aligned generally with the air intake hole 32, as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The top wall 11 of the casing 1 has an exhaust hole 111 which is distal from the air intake hole 32. The tube 2 is made of rubber and interconnects the inlet port 61 of the air filter unit 6 and the exhaust hole 111 of the casing 1. The bottom wall 15 of the casing 1 has an auxiliary partition plate 14 extending upwardly therefrom in order to define cooperatively with the side wall 16 an auxiliary inlet chamber 116 and in order to define cooperatively with the partition plate 12 an air passage 115 in the casing 1. The exhaust hole 111 is located over the air passage 115. The side wall 16 has an auxiliary inlet hole 113 wh ich is in fluid - 5 - communication with the auxiliary inlet chamber 116. The side wall 16 has two opposing positioning lugs 13 extending outwardly therefrom so that the casing 1 can be secured to two fixed seats 31 formed on the interior surface of the body portion 30 of the motorcycle by means of screw members 4, as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The bottom wall 15 of the casing 1- has two water drain holes 114 which are respectively in fluid communication with the air passage 115 and the auxiliary inlet chamber 116. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, when the motorcycle is in use during a rainy day, air with excessive moisture is directed into the main inlet chamber 112 through the air inlet port 32, as shown by the arrow (A) . The excessive moisture entrained in the air in the main inlet chamber 112 will collide with the side wall 16 and the partition plate 12 and will flow out of the main inlet chamber 112 through the water drain holes 114. The air with reduced moisture then flows into the tube 2 and the air filter unit 6 through the exhaust hole 111 due to the negative pressure produced in the air filter unit 6. In addition, air with excessive moisture may be directed from the lower opening (not shown) of the body portion 30 of the motorcycle to the auxiliary inlet chamber 116 through the auxiliary inlet hole 113, as shown by arrow (B) . Also, the excessive moisture entrained in the air will -6- collide with the side wall 16 and the auxiliary-partition plate 14 and will flow out of the auxiliary-inlet chamber 116 through the water drain holes 114. Likewise, the air with reduced moisture flows into the tube 2 and the air filter unit 6 through the exhaust hole 111. Therefore, the filter member can be effectively prevented from becoming wet by the excessive moisture, thereby preventing degradation of the air filter unit. Furthermore, particles carried by the air and directed into the casing 1 may collide with the partition plates 12, 14 and the side wall 16 and remain in the casing 1, thereby preventing the particles from entering into the air filter unit 6 of the motorcycle. Therefore, the service life of the air filter unit 6 can be prolonged. Figure 5 shows a modification of the casing of the previous preferred embodiment in which the partition plate 12 and the auxiliary partition plate 14 incline respectively towards the main and auxiliary inlet chambers 112 and 116, thereby increasing the efficiency of preventing excessive moisture and particles from entering into the air filter unit 6. 7. WE CLAIM 1. An air intake system of a motorcycle, comprising an air filter unit (6) with an inlet port (61), an air intake hole (32) formed in a body portion (30) of said motorcycle, characterized in that a hollow casing (1) mounted adjacent to said air intake hole (32) of said motorcycle and having top and bottom walls (11,15), a side WALL (16) interconnecting said top and bottom walls (11,15), and an inlet opening (17) which is formed in said side wal1 (16) and which is in fluid communication with said air intake hole (32), said bottom wall (15) having a partition plate (12) which extends upwardly therefrom in order to define cooperatively with said side wall (16), a main inlet chamber (112) in said casing (1), and at least one water drain hole (114) being in fluid communication with said main inlet chamber (112), said main inlet chamber (112) being aligned generally with said air intake hole a tube (2) interconnecting said inlet port (61) of said air filter unit (6) and said exhaust hole (111) of said casing (I). 2. The air intake system of a motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall (15) of said casing (1) has an auki1lary partition plate (14) extending upwardly therefrom in 8. order to define cooperatively with said side wall (16), an auxiliary inlet chamber (116) and in order to define cooperatively with said partition plate (12) an air passage (115) in (c)aid casing (1)f said exhaust hole (111) being located over said air passage (115), said side wall (16) having an auxiliary inlet hole (113) which is in fluid communication with said auxiliary inlet chamber (116). 3. The air intake system of a motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said side wal1 (16) has two opposing positioning lugs (13) extending outwardly therefrom. 4. The air intake system of a motorcycle as claimed in claim I. wherein said partition plate (12) inclines toward said main inlet chamber (112) 5. The air intake system of a motorcycle as claimed in claim 2. wherein said auxiliary partition plate (14) inclines toward said auxiliary inlet chamber (116). 6- The air intake system of a motorcycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bottom wal1 (15) of said casing (1) has two water drain holes (114) which are respectively in fluid communication with said air passage (115) and said auxiliary inlet chamber (116). An air intake system of a motorcycle comprising a casing (1), a tube (2), an air intake hole (32) formed in the body portion (30) of a motorcycle, and an air filter unit (6) with an inlet port (61). The casing (1) has top and bottom walls (11.15), a side wall (16) and an inlet opening (17) which is in fluid communication with the air intake hole (32). The bottom wall (15) has a partition plate (12) which defines cooperatively with the side wall (16), a main inlet chamber (112), and a water drain hole (114). The main inlet chamber (112) is aligned generally with the air intake hale (32). The top wall (11) of the casing (1) has an exhaust hole (111) which is distal from the air intake hole (32). The tube (2) interconnects the inlet port (61) of the air filter unit (6) and the exhaust hole (111) of the casing (1).

Documents:

01086-cal-1997-abstract.pdf

01086-cal-1997-claims.pdf

01086-cal-1997-correspondence.pdf

01086-cal-1997-description (complete).pdf

01086-cal-1997-drawings.pdf

01086-cal-1997-form-1.pdf

01086-cal-1997-form-2.pdf

01086-cal-1997-form-3.pdf

01086-cal-1997-pa.pdf

1086-CAL-1997-(03-09-2012)-FORM-27.pdf

1086-CAL-1997-FORM 27.pdf

1086-CAL-1997-FORM-27.pdf