Internal-combustion engines – Intake manifold
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-07-24
Argenbright, Tony M. (Department: 3741)
Internal-combustion engines
Intake manifold
C123S19800E
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines, and more specifically to an integrated air induction module for a gasoline engine.
2. Background Information
Spark-ignited, fuel-injected internal combustion engines enjoy extensive usage as the powerplants of automotive vehicles. In a representative piston engine, an intake manifold conveys intake air to intake valves of engine combustion cylinders. The intake valves are normally closed but open at certain times during the operating cycle of each cylinder. Pistons that reciprocate within the engine cylinders are coupled by connecting rods to a crankshaft. When the normally closed intake valves open, fuel, such as gasoline, is sprayed by electric-operated fuel injectors into intake air entering the cylinders, creating charges of combustion gases that pass through the open intake valves and into the combustion cylinders. After the intake valves close, the charges are compressed by the pistons during compression strokes and then ignited by electric sparks at the beginning of power strokes to thereby drive the pistons and power the engine.
Various air intake arrangements are documented in patent literature. A known air intake system for an engine comprises a succession of components that run in series, beginning at a dirty air inlet, and ending at the engine. Dirty air is conveyed through a dirty air duct to an air box. A particulate filter within the air box filters certain particulate material from the intake air flow so that clean air emerges from the air box. That clean air passes through a throttle that operates to selectively restrict the flow. From there the flow passes to a plenum, and thence through individual tracts, or runners, leading to the individual engine cylinders.
Developments in materials and processes have enabled various parts of engine air intake systems to be fabricated in ways that significantly differ from metal casting and machining methods that have been used in the past. The ability to fabricate intake system parts using newer processes and materials offers a number of benefits, including for example and without limitation: opportunities to structure intake systems in novel configurations for design and/or functional purposes; realization of fabrication and assembly cost savings; shorter lead times from design to production; and more efficient use of engine compartment space in an automotive vehicle. Productivity improvements in the manufacture of engine air intake systems may be attained through increased integration of individual component parts. A total integration of individual components would provide an intake system module that could be tested by itself before assembly to an engine, and then assembled as a unit to the engine. Fabrication and testing of modules could be performed by a supplier before shipment to an engine assembly plant, or a motor vehicle assembly plant, where modules would be assembled directly to engines. Even if it were not feasible to fabricate a total module, the integration of a substantial number of its constituents would be advantageous.
There are different configurations for injecting fuel into gasoline engines. In a port-injected engine, fuel injectors are disposed relatively more inclined to the length of a cylinder, generally to the side of the cylinder. In a direct-injection engine, fuel injectors are disposed relatively less inclined and poised at the top of a cylinder. Accordingly, different considerations are apt to be present of the design of intake systems for the respective engine configurations.
An example of a known module appears in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,323 assigned at issue to Ford Motor Company. A commonly owned patent application Ser. No. 09/329,724, filed Jun. 10, 1999 also relates to an integrated air induction module for gasoline engines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an engine air intake module that comprises a novel integration of components, and two embodiments of the module are illustrated in the drawings. The inventive module is especially adapted for a direct-injected gasoline engine, although the inventive principles are not necessarily so limited in their application.
Certain aspects of the invention arise through the recognition that the placement of fuel injector inlet ports in a direct-injection gasoline engine makes available certain space that might not otherwise be available in a port-injection engine. The inventive module efficiently utilizes that space. The efficient space utilization is believed to provide not only certain dimensional compactness, but also certain functional improvements that will be described in detail later.
A general aspect of the within claimed invention relates to an engine air intake module comprising: an air box that contains a particulate filter separating a clean air space from a dirty air space; a dirty air inlet for delivering dirty air to the dirty air space; a clean air outlet for delivering clean air from the clean air space; a throttle body assembly comprising an inlet into which clean air from the clean air outlet enters and an outlet from which clean air exits; a plenum comprising an inlet through which clean air from the throttle body assembly outlet enters a plenum space; and runners that have respective inlets through which clean air from the plenum space enters and that have respective lengths running from the respective inlets to respective outlets for delivering clean air to respective cylinders of an engine; in which the air box comprises a dirty air space wall that bounds a lengthwise extent of the dirty air space; the plenum has a lengthwise extent that is adjacent the lengthwise extent of the dirty air space wall; and at least a portion of the length of a respective runner is disposed on a respective portion of the dirty air space wall.
Another general aspect relates to a direct-injected gasoline engine comprising: a bank of engine cylinders into which gasoline is direct injected; and an engine air intake module disposed alongside the cylinder bank for delivering combustion air to the cylinders; the module comprising an air box having a wall that runs lengthwise alongside the cylinder bank and encloses an internal space; a particulate filter disposed within the internal space to separate a clean air space from a dirty air space; a dirty air inlet for delivering dirty air to the dirty air space; a clean air outlet for delivering clean air from the clean air space; a throttle body assembly comprising an inlet into which clean air from the clean air outlet enters and an outlet from which clean air exits; a plenum comprising plenum space that runs lengthwise of, and in underlying relationship to, the air box and an inlet at which clean air from the throttle body assembly outlet enters the plenum space; and runners that are disposed in succession along the length of the air box, that have respective inlets through which clean air from the plenum space enters, and that have respective lengths running from the respective inlets to respective outlets for delivering clean air to respective cylinders of the engine; and at least a portion of the length of each runner is disposed on a respective portion of the dirty air space wall.
Still another general aspect relates to an engine air intake module comprising: an air box comprising first and second walled parts enclosing an interior that contains a particulate filter through which air flow through the air box is constrained to pass, thereby separating a clean air space from a dirty air space; the first and second walled parts comprising respective closed perimeters which bound respective openings of the respective parts and form a joint at which the parts fit together; one of the parts comprising a divider wall that divides an interior volume of the one part into a portion of one of the air spaces and a portion of the other of the air spaces, including dividing the opening of the one part into two respective open areas each bounded by its own closed perimeter
Gibson Chris Nigel
Murray Andrew John
Myers Dan
New John
Talbot Russell
Argenbright Tony M.
Harris Katrina B.
Kajander John E.
Visteon Global Technologies Inc.
LandOfFree
Integrated air induction module for gasoline engines does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Integrated air induction module for gasoline engines, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Integrated air induction module for gasoline engines will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2475751