Internal-combustion engines – Intake manifold – Manifold tuning – balancing or pressure regulating means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2001-01-30
Wolfe, Willis R. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Intake manifold
Manifold tuning, balancing or pressure regulating means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178940
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an intake system for an internal combustion engine, in particular an internal combustion engine driving a vehicle, having a resonator as a resonator module.
DE 42 15 416 A1 has disclosed an intake system in which an air feed line is arranged between an air filter and an injection device of the internal combustion engine. This air feed line is used to supply the internal combustion engine or its injection device with fresh air, the fresh air supplied being metered by means of a throttle valve. As the fresh air is drawn in by the internal combustion engine, vibrations occur in the air column in the air feed line and these cause unpleasant and disruptive intake noise. DE 42 15 416 A1 therefore proposes to fit the air feed line with a resonator, which is here designed as a Helmholtz resonator. For this purpose, both the Helmholtz resonator and the air feed line have a flange and the two components are connected to one another by these flanges. Although the troublesome intake noise can thereby be very largely eliminated, there is the disadvantage in the case of this intake system described in DE 42 15 416 A1 that it is in need of improvement in respect of the large number of components and assembly effort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object on which the invention is based is therefore to improve the intake system described at the outset in such a way that the assembly effort is reduced. Another aspect of the object is to obtain an intake system with a pleasing appearance, allowing the intake system to be accommodated more easily in the available installation space around the outside of the internal combustion engine.
According to the invention, the resonator is designed as a resonator module, the resonator module comprising a resonator housing and a resonator-housing cover and the resonator housing and the resonator-housing cover being connected permanently to one another. Once the resonator module has been produced, there is only a single component to be mounted in the intake system. For this purpose, for example, the air filter via which fresh air is drawn in for combustion in the internal combustion engine is attached to the inlet of the resonator module, and a connection with the injection device of the internal combustion engine is established at its outlet. It would also be conceivable instead for the resonator module and the air filter or its housing to form a single component, for example.
It is also advantageous that the resonator housing and the resonator-housing cover are connected permanently to one another since this provides a resonator module which can be matched in terms of its construction to the particular type of internal combustion engine on which it is to be used, thus reducing the number of components to be assembled. This means that the resonator module can be prefabricated and is available as a finished component during the production of the internal combustion engine, for example, or during the installation of the internal combustion engine in a vehicle. Moreover, it is an effective way of avoiding leaks, and sealing means can therefore also be dispensed with.
As a development of the invention, the resonator housing contains an intake line which is formed at least partially by the resonator housing. This further increases the integration of components of the resonator module, with the result that when the resonator module is fitted this not only automatically makes available the resonator itself but also provides the connection between the air filter and the injection device of the internal combustion engine. This also makes optimum use of the available installation space thanks to the compact resonator module.
As a development of the invention, that part of the intake line which is not formed by the resonator housing is covered by an intake-line cover. This has advantages in particular when the resonator module is produced from plastic, an aspect that will be discussed later.
As a development of the invention, the intake-line cover is also connected permanently to the resonator housing. Just as in the case of the permanent connection of the resonator-housing cover to the resonator housing, the permanent connection of the intake-line cover to the resonator housing has the advantage that a leak-tight connection is established without fail between the components involved, thereby preventing leaks and associated shifts in the resonant frequency in an effective manner. Moreover, a permanent connection of this kind (involving adhesive bonding for example) can be produced more easily and with greater reliability than, for example, a connection involving flanges with a gasket between them and the flanges bolted together. Here too, it goes without saying that this not only reduces the assembly effort but also allows assembly to be automated, something which is particularly effective and economical when producing resonator modules in series.
As a development of the invention, the intake-line cover has an air guide section which connects the intake line to the volume of the resonator housing. Thus not only the intake line but also the resonator is implemented within the resonator housing, further improving the handling of the resonator module during installation.
As a development of the invention, the intake-line cover is designed as a single component with the air guide section, which likewise reduces the number of components. This too is of particular advantage when producing the resonator module and all its components from plastic, further details of this being given below.
As a development of the invention, the intake system distinguished by its being manufactured from plastic, in particular a heat-resistant plastic. A heat-resistant plastic that retains its shape even at the relevant temperature in the engine compartment is required because high temperatures prevail during the operation of the internal combustion engine, which is accommodated in particular in an engine compartment of a vehicle, and these temperatures must not lead to a deformation of the resonator module. The term heat-resistant is intended to indicate that the resonator module manufactured from plastic is also exposed to lower temperatures (prevailing in winter for example), the temperatures in the engine compartment increasing greatly once the internal combustion engine has been put into operation. That is to say, even these temperature fluctuations must not lead to a deformation of the geometry of the resonator module.
As a development of the invention, the production of the resonator module of the intake system involves a mold and at least two cores for the production of the resonator housing by molding or injection molding from plastic. The mold forms the outer contours of the resonator housing and two cores are inserted into this mold, one core forming the resonator volume (and therefore the inner contours of the resonator housing) and the open section of the intake line produced at the same time as the resonator housing, and the second core forming the inner contours of a tubular piece of the intake line within the resonator housing, the outer contours of the tubular piece being formed by the first core. By virtue of this configuration, the resonator housing can be produced in a simple manner from plastic by means of a mold and at least two cores, using the molding or injection molding process, and the cores can be removed and the housing removed from the mold without problems.
As a development of the invention, the intake-line cover is also produced by means of a mold and a core, this allowing the intake-line cover to be produced in a single working step as a one-piece component which then simultaneously performs the task of covering the open area of the intake line and, at the same time, establishing the connection between the intake line and the resonator volume and of the resonator housing.
As a development of the invention, means for varying the resonator volume, in particular a flap or slide, and an actuating drive for
Gössling Axel
Montigny Rainer
Ali Hyder
Farber Martin A.
Mannesmann VDO AG
Wolfe Willis R.
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