Air transfer system
First Claim
1. A conduit system for providing air flow communication between an air filter assembly and an air intake manifold, said conduit system comprising:
- (a) a substantially rigid first conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends, and first and second opposite end portions;
(i) said first conduit member first end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an exit port on the air filter assembly;
(ii) said first conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge;
(b) a central conduit arrangement having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions;
(i) said central conduit arrangement first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said first conduit member second end portion therein, through said central conduit arrangement first end;
(ii) said central conduit arrangement second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge;
(c) a substantially rigid end conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite conduit ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions;
(i) said end conduit member first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said central conduit arrangement second end portion therein, through said end conduit member first end;
(ii) said end conduit member second end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an inlet port on the air intake manifold;
(d) a first elastomeric seal member positionable between annular ribs on said first conduit member second end portion, and said central conduit-arrangement first end portion; and
,(e) a second elastomeric seal member positionable between annular ribs on said central conduit arrangement second end portion and said end conduit member first end portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air flow conduit system is presented for air flow communication between an air filter mechanism and an engine intake manifold. The conduit system comprises first, second and third substantially rigid conduit members. Engagement between conduit members is provided by means of a rib system on a narrow end of a conduit member being received within a broad end of a next adjacent conduit member. Sealing engagement occurs by means of an elastomeric seal member positioned between the ribs and an end of a conduit member within which the ribs are received. A preferred rib arrangement is provided, to insure a flexible, multi-point, seal system.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A conduit system for providing air flow communication between an air filter assembly and an air intake manifold, said conduit system comprising:
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(a) a substantially rigid first conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends, and first and second opposite end portions;(i) said first conduit member first end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an exit port on the air filter assembly; (ii) said first conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge; (b) a central conduit arrangement having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions;(i) said central conduit arrangement first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said first conduit member second end portion therein, through said central conduit arrangement first end; (ii) said central conduit arrangement second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge; (c) a substantially rigid end conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite conduit ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions;(i) said end conduit member first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said central conduit arrangement second end portion therein, through said end conduit member first end; (ii) said end conduit member second end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an inlet port on the air intake manifold; (d) a first elastomeric seal member positionable between annular ribs on said first conduit member second end portion, and said central conduit-arrangement first end portion; and
,(e) a second elastomeric seal member positionable between annular ribs on said central conduit arrangement second end portion and said end conduit member first end portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A conduit system for providing air flow communication between an air filter assembly and an air intake manifold;
- said conduit system comprising;
(a) a substantially rigid first conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions separated by a first bend,(i) said first conduit member first end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an exit port on the air filter assembly; (ii) said first conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge; (iii) said first conduit member second end portion having a first, central, longitudinal axis and each of said ribs on said first conduit member second end portion extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis; (iv) said ribs on said first conduit member each having a forward side and a rearward side defining one of said central ridges therebetween;
said first conduit member rib forward sides generally each facing toward said first conduit member first end portion and each projecting outwardly from said first conduit member outer surface at a first obtuse angle with respect to said first longitudinal axis, and said first conduit member rearward sides each facing generally oppositely from said forward facing sides and projecting outwardly from said first conduit member outer surface at a second obtuse angle with respect to said first longitudinal axis;(b) a substantially rigid second conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions separated by a second bend;(i) said second conduit member first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said first conduit member second end portion therein, through said second conduit member first end; (ii) said second conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge; (iii) said second conduit member second end portion having a second, central, longitudinal axis and each of said ribs on said second conduit member second end portion extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to said second longitudinal axis; (iv) said ribs on said second conduit member each having a forward side and a rearward side defining one of said central ridges therebetween;
said second conduit member rib forward sides generally each facing toward said second conduit member first end portion and each projecting outwardly from said second conduit member outer surface at a third obtuse angle with respect to said second longitudinal axis;
said second conduit member rearward sides each facing generally oppositely from said forward facing sides and projecting outwardly from said second conduit member outer surface at a fourth obtuse angle with respect to said second longitudinal axis;(c) a substantially rigid third conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite conduit ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions separated by a third bend;(i) said third conduit member first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said second conduit member second end portion therein, through said third conduit member first end; (ii) said third conduit member second end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an inlet port on the air intake manifold; (d) a first elastomeric seal member positionable between annular ribs, on said first conduit member second end portion, and said second conduit member first end portion; and
,(e) a second elastomeric seal member positionable between annular ribs, on said second conduit member second end portion, and said third conduit member first end portion; (f) whereby sealing engagement between adjacent conduit members is obtainable along engagement between selected ones of said ribs and an associated seal member by means of compression clamps positionable around portions to be sealed. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- said conduit system comprising;
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15. A conduit system for providing air flow communication between an air filter assembly and an air intake manifold;
- said conduit system comprising;
(a) a substantially rigid first conduit member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions separated by a first bend;(i) said first conduit member first end portion being constructed and arranged for air flow communication with an exit port on the air filter assembly; (ii) said first conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge; (iii) said first conduit member second end portion having a first, central, longitudinal axis; and
, each of said ribs on said first conduit member second end portion extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis;(iv) said ribs on said first conduit member each having a forward side and a rearward side defining one of said central ridges therebetween;
said first conduit member rib forward sides generally each facing toward said first conduit member first end portion and each projecting outwardly from said first conduit member outer surface at a first obtuse angle with respect to said first longitudinal axis; and
, said first conduit member rearward sides each facing generally oppositely from said forward facing sides and projecting outwardly from said first conduit member outer surface at a second obtuse angle with respect to said first longitudinal axis;(b) a substantially rigid second conduit member having;
an inner and outer surface, first and second opposite ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions separated by a second bend;(i) said second conduit member first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said first conduit member second end portion therein, through said second conduit member first end; (ii) said second conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said rib having a sharply defined central ridge; (iii) said second conduit member second end portion having a second, central, longitudinal axis; (iv) said ribs on said second conduit member each having a forward side and a rearward side defining one of said central ridges therebetween;
said second conduit member rib forward sides generally each facing toward said second conduit member first end portion and each projecting outwardly from said second conduit member outer surface at a third obtuse angle with respect to said second longitudinal axis;
said second conduit member rearward sides each facing generally oppositely from said forward facing sides and projecting outwardly from said second conduit member outer surface at a fourth obtuse angle with respect to said second longitudinal axis;(c) a substantially rigid third member having;
inner and outer surfaces;
first and second opposite conduit ends; and
, first and second opposite end portions separated by a third bend;(i) said third conduit member first end portion being a broad end portion constructed and arranged for receipt of said second conduit member second end portion therein, through said third conduit member first end; and
,(ii) said second conduit member second end portion comprising a narrow end portion with a plurality of spaced annular ribs thereon, each of said ribs having a sharply defined central ridge. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- said conduit system comprising;
Specification