Filter silencer

• US 8,584,795 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vac-Tron Equipment LLC (VAC-TRON Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buckner, Don M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Forrest M
• Application Number:
  US13/602,403
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 181/229, 181/214, 181/224, 181/222
• US Class Current: 181/224
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/14 Combined air cleaners and silencers

Abstract

A filter silencer is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the silencer includes a housing, a silencer chamber disposed inside the housing, and a filter chamber disposed between a sidewall of the housing and the silencer chamber. An intake port is in communication with the filter chamber and ambient air. The filter chamber also includes a filter chamber outlet that is in communication with a compressor or air blower, for example. A silencer chamber inlet is in communication with an exhaust of the compressor or air blower, where an air flow is forced through the silencer and out a discharge port. The discharge port and the intake port are at opposing ends of the silencer. In addition, the silencer includes at least one baffle secured within the silencer chamber, where the baffle is configured to generate a non-directional interference with the air flow to assist in silencing the discharge.

Claims

1. A filter silencer, the silencer comprising:

a housing;

a silencer chamber disposed inside the housing and having an open end to discharge exhaust air from an air compressor or air blower;

a filter chamber disposed between a sidewall of the housing and the silencer chamber;

an intake port in communication with the filter chamber;

a filter chamber outlet in communication with the filter chamber and an inlet of the air compressor or the air blower;

at least one filter disposed between the intake port and the filter chamber outlet and configured to filter air flowing to the inlet of the air compressor or the air blower;

a silencer chamber inlet in communication with the silencer chamber and an outlet of the air compressor or the air blower to receive the exhaust air from the air compressor or the air blower; and

a discharge port at the open end of the silencer chamber to discharge the exhaust air from the air compressor or the air blower through the silencer chamber.

2. The silencer of claim 1, further comprising at least one baffle inside the silencer chamber.

3. The silencer of claim 2, further comprising:

a filter support plate to secure the at least one air filter about the silencer chamber.

4. The silencer of claim 3, wherein the silencer chamber inlet is disposed proximate a first end of the silencer chamber and the discharge port is proximate a second end of the silencer chamber.

5. The silencer of claim 4, wherein the silencer chamber is configured to impart a vibration motion to the at least one filter from the exhaust air being discharged through the silencer chamber to clean the at least one filter.

6. The silencer of claim 5, the housing further comprising a bottom compartment to collect debris vibrated from the plurality of filters.

7. The silencer of claim 6, further comprising a mechanical vibrator to shake the debris from the plurality of filters.

8. The silencer of claim 7, wherein the at least one baffle further comprises a plurality of apertures along a periphery of the at least one baffle.

9. The silencer of claim 1, wherein the at least one filter is a filter cartridge, a bag filter, a pleated filter, packed fiberglass filter, or any combination thereof.

10. The silencer of claim 2, the silencer chamber further comprising a second baffle downstream of the first baffle, wherein the second baffle is configured to interfere with a flow of exhaust air.

11. The silencer of claim 10, the silencer chamber further comprising a third baffle downstream of the second baffle, wherein the third baffle is configured to interfere with the flow of the exhaust air.

12. The silencer of claim 11, wherein the intake port and the discharge port are at opposing ends of the silencer.

13. The silencer of claim 12, the silencer chamber further comprising acoustic packing material.

14. The silencer of claim 13, wherein the air flow through the filter chamber is separate from the air flow through the silencer chamber.

15. A filter silencer, the silencer comprising:

a housing;

a silencer chamber disposed inside the housing;

a filter chamber disposed between a sidewall of the housing and the silencer chamber to filter intake air for an air compressor or an air blower, wherein air flow between the silencer chamber and the filter chamber is separate through the housing; and

a discharge port at an open end of the silencer chamber to discharge exhaust air from the air compressor or the air blower from the silencer chamber.