Vehicle intake manifolds

Details Vehicle intake manifolds Vehicle intake manifolds

2002-12-11

2004-04-20

Dolinar, Andrew M. (Department: 3747)

Internal-combustion engines

Intake manifold

Manifold tuning, balancing or pressure regulating means

C251S306000, C123S184360

Reexamination Certificate

active

06722335

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE
This application claims priority to Japanese patent application serial number 2001-385417, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present teachings relate to intake manifolds for vehicles and more particularly, relate to techniques for improving the airtight seal of a short runner valve when the short runner valve is disposed in a closed position within the plenum of the intake manifold.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known intake manifolds include an air passage or plenum defined within the intake manifold and one or more short runner valves that are rotatably disposed within the air passage. The short runner valves rotate or pivot between an opened position and a closed position within the air passage. In some applications, the short runner valve may be required to tightly close or seal the air passage when the valve is disposed in the closed position. The short runner valve(s) may be utilized to adjust the tuning of the intake system over a wide range of engine speeds in order to deliver the appropriate amount of airflow to the combustion chambers (cylinders) of the vehicle engine and increase engine torque. That is, the short runner valves can be opened and closed to provide a supercharging or turbo effect and optimize engine torque output for a wide range of engine speeds. However, if air leaks through the short runner valve when the short runner valve is disposed in the closed position, the desired tuning can not be achieved and engine performance will suffer. Thus, it is a long felt-need to develop short runner valves that can reliably seal the air passage during operation of the intake manifold.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-279696 discloses a technique for increasing the airtight seal of a valve. As shown in
FIG. 5
, the known valve
51
includes rubber seals
52
,
53
that are affixed to the respective outer edges of valve
51
. Body (plenum)
56
defines aperture
57
and the valve
51
is pivotably disposed within aperture
57
. In addition, body
56
defines sealing faces
54
,
55
.
FIG. 5
shows the state in which valve
51
is disposed in the closed position with respect to aperture
57
. Further, aperture
57
is opened when valve
51
is pivoted or rotated counterclockwise from the closed position.
If positive pressure is applied to the valve
51
in the direction shown by arrows
58
,
59
when valve
51
is disposed in the closed position, the positive pressure presses sealing members
52
,
53
against the respective sealing faces
54
,
55
. Thus, sealing members
52
,
53
effectively prevent air leaks through aperture
57
and the known valve
51
can realize an airtight seal under this condition.
However, if positive pressure is applied to valve
51
in the direction of arrows
60
,
61
(i.e., in the direction that is opposite of arrows
58
,
59
), sealing members
52
,
53
will be forcibly separated from the respective sealing faces
54
,
55
by the applied pressure and air will leak through aperture
57
. Therefore, the known valve
51
can only ensure an airtight seal for pressure applied to one side of valve
51
and air may be caused to leak through aperture
57
when positive pressure is applied to the opposite side of valve
51
.
SUMMARY OF THE TEACHINGS
Accordingly, it is one object of the present teachings to provide valves that maintain a substantially airtight seal regardless of the direction in which positive pressure is applied to the valve.
In one aspect of the present teachings, air intake manifolds may include a body or plenum and an air passage defined within the body. A sealing face may be defined on a flange that projects into an aperture defined within a partition wall. The air intake manifolds may further include at least one short runner valve (or SRV) that is disposed within the aperture such that the SRV can be pivoted or rotated between an opened position and a closed position. An elastic sealing member may be affixed to the periphery (e.g., peripheral edge) of the SRV. The sealing member may include a first portion that presses against (contacts) the sealing face when pressure is applied to one side of the closed SRV. The sealing member also may include a second portion that presses against (contacts) the sealing face when pressure is applied to the opposite side of the closed SRV. Thus, at least one sealing portion will be pressed against the sealing face regardless of the direction of the applied pressure, thereby providing a reliable airtight seal under all operating conditions.
In another aspect of the present teachings, the SRV may be substantially plate-shaped and the elastic sealing member may be affixed or attached to a peripheral edge of the plate-shaped valve. The first and second portions of the sealing member may be first and second projections that extend or project from the periphery of the plate-shaped valve. The first and second projections may form a substantially V-shape in cross section and the V-shaped opening preferably faces the sealing face. When the plate-shaped valve is rotated towards the closed position, the V-shaped projections will closely contact the sealing face regardless of which direction that pressure is being applied to the SRV.
That is, when positive pressure is applied to one side of the plate-shaped valve, the first projection will be pressed against the sealing face. On the other hand, when positive pressure is applied to the opposite side of the valve, the second projection will be pressed against the sealing face. Therefore, reliable airtight seals may be ensured for the SRV in both directions that pressure may be applied to the SRV.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2002/0152982 (2002-10-01), Pietrowski et al.

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