Air filter assembly for an engine

Abstract

A filter element for an internal combustion engine includes a first wall including a first groove, a second wall including a first aperture configured to receive air from the breather conduit, a second aperture configured to deliver air to the intake conduit, and a second groove surrounding the first and second apertures, wherein the first and second apertures are equally sized, are the same shape, and are equally spaced apart from a center of the filter element, and filter media extending between the walls, wherein the filter media comprises pleated paper, wherein the filter media and the walls define an interior chamber, and wherein the first and second apertures connect to the interior chamber such that filtered air mixes with unfiltered gases provided through the first aperture prior to exiting the interior chamber through the second aperture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A filter element for an air filter assembly of an internal combustion engine including a breather conduit and an intake conduit, comprising:
 a first wall including a first groove formed on an exterior of the first wall;   a second wall including a first aperture configured to receive air from the breather conduit, a second aperture configured to deliver air to the intake conduit, and a second groove formed on an exterior of the second wall and surrounding the first and second apertures, wherein the first and second apertures are equally sized, wherein the first and second apertures are the same shape, and wherein the first and second apertures are equally spaced apart from a center of the filter element;   filter media extending between the first and second walls, wherein the filter media comprises pleated paper;   wherein the filter media, the first wall, and the second wall define an interior chamber of the filter element, and wherein the first and second apertures connect to the interior chamber such that air filtered by the filter media mixes with unfiltered gases provided through the first aperture by the breather conduit prior to exiting the interior chamber through the second aperture into the intake conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The filter element of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second apertures are symmetrically arranged with respect to one another about a first line defined along the second wall. 
     
     
         3 . The filter element of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second apertures are symmetrically arranged with respect to themselves about a second line defined along the second wall. 
     
     
         4 . A filter element for an air filter assembly of an engine including a breather conduit and an intake conduit, comprising:
 filter media having a closed loop, the filter media having a top and bottom;   a first wall provided on the top of the filter media, the first wall having no openings, the first wall having a first groove formed on an exterior of the first wall; and   a second wall provided on the bottom of the filter media, the second wall having two separate openings and a second groove formed on an exterior of the second wall and surrounding the two openings, wherein the two openings are equally spaced apart from a center point of the second wall;   wherein the filter media, the first wall, and the second wall define an interior chamber of the filter element, and wherein the two openings connect to the interior chamber such that air filtered by the filter media mixes with unfiltered gases provided through a first of the two openings by the breather conduit prior to exiting the interior chamber through a second of the two openings into the intake conduit.   
     
     
         5 . The filter element of  claim 4 , wherein the filter media comprises pleated paper 
     
     
         6 . The filter element of  claim 4 , wherein the second wall comprises a foam material. 
     
     
         7 . The filter element of  claim 4 , wherein the openings of the second wall are round. 
     
     
         8 . The filter element of  claim 4 , wherein the openings of the second wall are equally sized. 
     
     
         9 . The filter element of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second walls have peripheries of the same shape. 
     
     
         10 . The filter element of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheries of the first and second walls include straight segments extending between rounded ends. 
     
     
         11 . An engine air filter for an engine including a breather conduit and an intake conduit, comprising:
 a first wall;   a second wall including first and second apertures formed in the second wall and a groove formed on an exterior of the second wall, the groove configured to interface with an opposing structure on an engine air filter assembly;   a paper filter element coupled between the first wall and the second wall, the first wall, the second wall, and the paper filter element forming an interior chamber; and   wherein the first and second apertures each provide a pathway between the interior chamber and the exterior of the air filter, and wherein the interior chamber permits the mixing of air delivered into the interior chamber via the first aperture and through the paper filter such that air filtered by the filter media mixes with unfiltered gases provided through the first aperture by the breather conduit prior to exiting the interior chamber through the second aperture into the intake conduit.   
     
     
         12 . The air filter of  claim 11 , further comprising a second groove formed on an exterior of the first wall, the second groove configured to interface with an opposing structure on an engine air filter assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The air filter of  claim 11 , wherein the paper filter is pleated.