Internal-combustion engines – Intake manifold – Manifold tuning – balancing or pressure regulating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-12
2001-10-02
Argenbright, Tony M. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Intake manifold
Manifold tuning, balancing or pressure regulating means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295960
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an air intake system in an internal combustion engine and the associated valves and manifolds and plenums for passing air to the engine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Internal combustion engines (ICEs) include intake manifolds, also known as plenums, for feeding air to the cylinders so that the combustion process can occur. In engines containing two manifolds (also known as main plenums), balancing the air flow between the two manifolds has been found to be important for reasons of fuel economy and performance. To accomplish this balancing, it is efficient to connect the two manifolds with a short balance tube (or plenum) and a long balance tube (or plenum). In each of these balance tubes, an on-off valve is disposed. The on-off valve can rotate 90 degrees between its open and closed positions. Each of these two valves is a flat shutoff valve that is electrically actuated and contains flat valve members that are disposed across a diameter of the valve body housing for sealing.
FIG. 1
shows such a prior art device including a valve housing
100
that can receive a valve body (not shown) to allow flow between the left side manifold
110
and the right side manifold
120
. A long balance plenum
140
is attached to a portion of the left manifold
110
and the end of the long balance plenum
140
connects to a valve housing
150
. The other side of the valve housing
150
is connected to the right manifold
120
by a short connection tube
160
.
A short balance plenum
145
is attached to an end of the left manifold
110
and the end of the short balance plenum
145
connects to a valve housing
100
. The other side of the valve housing
100
is connected to an end of the right manifold
120
.
The long plenum
140
and the short plenum
145
typically have an inner diameter that is smaller than the manifolds
110
and
120
. The left manifold
110
also allows air to flow into air intake passages
112
,
114
and
116
, each of which is attached to respective cylinder heads (not shown) of the engine. Likewise, the right manifold
120
also allows air to flow into air intake passages
122
,
124
and
126
, each of which is attached to respective cylinder heads of the engine.
In operation, air is fed through an air inlet
170
to each of the plenums (or manifolds)
110
and
120
to the air intake passages
112
,
114
,
116
,
122
,
124
and
126
. Initially, both valves in valve housings
100
and
150
are in their closed positions. As the need for balancing the air flow between the main plenums
110
and
120
increases with engine performance, the valve in valve housing
100
is opened to allow some balancing through the short plenum
145
. As engine speed increases, additional balancing is needed and so the valve in valve housing
100
is closed and simultaneously with its closure, the valve in valve housing
150
is opened. Finally, both valves are opened to provide for maximum balancing between the two manifolds
110
and
120
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a single valve structure that can accomplish the task of balancing the air flow that is currently done with two valves.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a plenum structure and single valve arrangement that is simplified, reduces packaging space in the engine and eliminates the need for having multiple valves to balance air flow.
The above objects are achieved, and the prior approaches are overcome by routing the air flow balancing plenums to a common location and by using a single valve that can rotate 360 degrees. Specifically, by using a single valve that can block off flow to one quadrant (or 90 degrees) at a time, balancing of the air flow can be accomplished efficiently and inexpensively compared to the prior art multiple valve structures.
The objects of the invention are also accomplished by an air intake system for a multi-cylinder combustion engine comprising a left side plenum and a right side plenum. Each of the plenums is connected to a plurality of air intake passages for passing air to a plurality of engine cylinders. A communication valve is provided for connecting the left side plenum with the right side plenum. A short balance plenum is connected between the communication valve and at least one of the plenums. A long balance plenum is connected between the communication valve and at least one of the plenums. The communication valve includes a valve body having an axis and a sealing section rotatable through 360 degrees around the valve body axis. The sealing section is disposed for selectively closing air flow from the short balance plenum and the long balance plenum. The communication valve is disposed at an intersecting location of the short balance plenum, the long balance plenum and at least one of the right side plenum and the left side plenum. Further, the communication valve includes a sealing section that is movable between at least four distinct positions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4932369 (1990-06-01), Parr
patent: 4949681 (1990-08-01), Schatz et al.
patent: 5125369 (1992-06-01), Hitomi et al.
patent: 5438964 (1995-08-01), Breidenbach
patent: 5492093 (1996-02-01), Rygiel
patent: 4032727-A1 (1991-04-01), None
Ali Hyder
Argenbright Tony M.
Drouillard Jerome R.
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
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