Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Fuel injection system
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-16
2004-07-06
Lo, Weilun (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Fuel injection system
C123S468000, C123S516000, C123S184470, C123S184610
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758191
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a non-metallic vehicle air intake manifold and, more particularly, to an intake manifold which integrates a fuel rail and adjacent volume within the heretofore unused space within the intake manifold.
An air intake manifold distributes air to a vehicle engine's cylinders. The manifold is located on the engine in the engine compartment of a vehicle. The manifold is in close proximity to various electrical components of the vehicle engine such as fuel injectors, electric throttle body, throttle position sensors, idle air controller, and air temperature and pressure sensors. Other components are also located within the engine compartment such as fuel rails, air cleaners and other air induction components.
The intake manifold primarily includes a plurality of runners which communicate and distribute air to the engine cylinders. The runners are of a particular geometry to assure proper air flow thereto. One of the major factors that influences engine performance as determined by the air intake manifold, is the air flow runner length and their sectional area. Recently, non-metallic materials are used in the manufacture of air intake manifolds. The intake manifolds are manufactured separate from the fuel rail as the fuel rail is commonly manufactured of metal to minimize permeation of fuel therefrom.
The intake manifold is often shaped to accommodate the fuel rail location while assuring proper air flow to the engine cylinders and precise fuel delivery. The intake manifold may therefore be relatively large in size and include numerous components, such as sensors, actuators, wiring harness and associated fasteners. The relatively large air intake manifold, combined with the numerous associated components, provides a rather complicated molded and time consuming multiple assembly process. Moreover, the engine compartment must therefore be designed to accommodate these numerous, rather large components. This may disadvantageously limit the desired design of the vehicle and increase labor cost and cycle time.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an air intake manifold which integrate multiple airflow related components without minimizing the air distributing capabilities thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The intake manifold according to the present invention provides an integral fuel rail at least partially surrounded by a volume. The volume, being adjacent the fuel rail, minimizes the permeation of fuel out of the fuel rail. That is, the fuel must not only permeate through a surface of the fuel rail, but must additionally permeate a surface which defines the volume to fully escape the intake manifold. Manufacture of the fuel rail as integral to the non-metallic intake manifold with minimization of fuel escape through permeation is therefore advantageously provided by the present invention.
Another intake manifold assembly utilizes the volume as a sealed storage space. The volume may alternatively or additionally be utilized to contain an air induction component such as an acoustic resonator, charcoal canister, air cleaner, or the like which has heretofore been located adjacent the intake manifold.
The present invention therefore provides an air intake manifold which integrate multiple airflow related components without minimizing the air distributing capabilities thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4776313 (1988-10-01), Freismuth et al.
patent: 5163406 (1992-11-01), Daly et al.
patent: 5533485 (1996-07-01), Bronkal
patent: 5682859 (1997-11-01), Wakeman
patent: 5771863 (1998-06-01), Daly
patent: 6186106 (2001-02-01), Glovatsky et al.
patent: 6308686 (2001-10-01), Mammarella et al.
Lee Ki-Ho
Vanderveen James K.
Lo Weilun
Siemens VDO Automotive Inc.
LandOfFree
Vehicle intake manifold having an integrated fuel rail and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle intake manifold having an integrated fuel rail and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle intake manifold having an integrated fuel rail and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3250436