Cyclonic air cleaner

An air cleaner for removing particulate matter from intake air of an engine, the air cleaner comprising:na housing having a top portion, a bottom portion and defining a chamber therewithin;a filter element disposed within the chamber of the housing;a duct element having a passageway in fluid communication with the chamber of the housing, the duct element extending along and downwardly from about the top portion of the housing, the duct element further comprising an inlet for drawing intake air into the chamber;a base member for releasably securing the bottom portion of the housing thereto, the base member comprising a first portion in fluid communication with the chamber of the housing, and a second portion having an outlet and in fluid communication with the first portion;wherein the intake air is drawn into the chamber of the housing through the inlet of the duct element and the duct element passageway and a cyclonic motion is imparted to the intake air;wherein a first filtering operation is facilitated at least in part due to the cyclonic motion of the intake air and a second filtering operation is facilitated by flowing at least a second portion of the intake air through the filter element, the first and the second filtering operations for separating particulate matter from the intake air to obtain filtered air; andwherein the filtered air from the chamber of the housing is conveyed via the first and the second portions of the base member to be released via the outlet.

A method of filtering particulate matter from intake air of an engine, the method comprising:nproviding an air cleaner, the air cleaner comprising: (i) a housing having a top portion, a bottom portion and defining a chamber therewithin; (ii) a filter element disposed within the chamber of the housing; (iii) a duct element having a passageway in fluid communication with the chamber of the housing, the duct element extending along and downwardly from about the top portion of the housing, the duct element further comprising an inlet for drawing intake air into the chamber; and (iv) a base member for releasably securing the bottom portion of the housing thereto, the base member comprising a first portion in fluid communication with the chamber of the housing, and a second portion having an outlet and in fluid communication with the first portion;drawing the intake air into the chamber of the housing through the inlet of the duct element and the duct element passageway;imparting a cyclonic motion to the intake air within the chamber of the housing;performing first and second filtering operations facilitated at least in part due to the cyclonic motion of the intake air and flowing the intake air through the filter element, respectively, the first and the second filtering operations for obtaining filtered air; andconveying the filtered air from the chamber of the housing via the first and the second portions of the base member to be released through the outlet.

An internal combustion engine comprising:na muffler; andan air cleaner, the air cleaner comprising:na housing having a top portion, a bottom portion and defining a chamber therewithin;a filter element disposed within the chamber of the housing;a duct element having a passageway in fluid communication with the chamber of the housing, the duct element extending along and downwardly from about the top portion of the housing, the duct element further comprising an inlet for drawing intake air into the chamber;a base member for releasably securing the bottom portion of the housing thereto, the base member comprising a first portion in fluid communication with the chamber of the housing, and a second portion having an outlet and in fluid communication with the first portion;wherein the air cleaner is capable of being positioned in at least one of cool air location in which the inlet is oriented at least substantially away from the muffler and a warm air location in which the inlet is oriented at least substantially towards the muffler.