Self-Cleaning Exhaust Device Arrangement

Abstract

A self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement comprising: an exhaust component ( 100 ); a housing ( 102 ) enclosing the exhaust component ( 100 ); a filter arrangement ( 104, 104′ ) coupled to the housing ( 102 ) to supply the housing ( 102 ) with a flow of filtered air, the filter arrangement ( 104, 104′ ) further comprising a filter element ( 114, 114′ ); wherein the filter arrangement ( 104, 104′ ) is configured to direct air in a first direction through the filter element ( 114, 114′ ) to provide the flow of filtered air, and is further configured to direct the flow of filtered air in a second direction through the filter element ( 114, 114′ ) to thereby clean the filter element ( 114, 114′ ).

I claim: 
     
         1 . A self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement comprising:
 an exhaust component ( 100 );   a housing ( 102 ) enclosing the exhaust component ( 100 );   a filter arrangement ( 104 ,  104 ′) coupled to the housing ( 102 ) to supply the housing ( 102 ) with a flow of filtered air, the filter arrangement ( 104 ,  104 ′) further comprising a filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′);   wherein the filter arrangement ( 104 ,  104 ′) is configured to direct air in a first direction through the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) to provide the flow of filtered air, and is further configured to direct the flow of filtered air in a second direction through the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) to clean the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′).   
     
     
         2 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the filter arrangement ( 104 ,  104 ′) comprises a motor ( 128 ,  128 ′) coupled to the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′), the motor ( 128 ,  128 ′) being configured to move the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) from a first position in which a portion of the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) filters air entering the housing ( 102 ) to a second position in which the portion of the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) is cleaned by air exiting the housing ( 102 ). 
     
     
         3 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein the motor ( 128 ,  128 ′) is configured to move the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) from the second position to the first position thereby permitting the portion of the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) to be reused in the first position after being cleaned in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) is coupled to a motor ( 128 ,  128 ′) to drive the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) in rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) is in a form selected from a group comprising a disk and a cylinder. 
     
     
         6 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the filter element ( 114 ,  114 ′) is in a form selected from the group comprising a generally circular disk and a generally circular cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust component ( 100 ) is an aftertreatment device. 
     
     
         8 . The self-cleaning exhaust component arrangement of  claim 7 , wherein the exhaust component ( 100 ) is a diesel particulate filter.