Intake port for generating high tumble and swirl

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10100717-B2
Application number	US-201615239672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2016
Priority date	Aug 17, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for generating tumble in intake air by creating an asymmetrical annulus opening for flowing intake air into a combustion chamber of an engine cylinder. The asymmetrical annulus opening may be created by changing an angle of an intake valve disc of an intake valve. The angle of the intake valve disc may be varied based on engine operating parameters by extending or retracting one or more connect rods coupled to an annulus tumble guide movably housed inside an annulus channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An intake valve assembly, comprising:
a tumble guide movably housed in a channel of a cylinder head positioned below a valve seat configured to interface with an intake valve adapted to control flow of intake air to a combustion chamber; and
an actuator configured to move the tumble guide to establish contact with an intake valve disc of the intake valve to change an angle of the intake valve disc.

2. The intake valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the intake valve disc is coupled to a push rod at a movable joint.

3. The intake valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tumble guide is an annulus tumble guide housed in an annulus channel, and further comprising a connect rod coupling the annulus tumble guide to the actuator, wherein at a default length of the connect rod, the annulus tumble guide is fully housed inside the annulus channel.

4. The intake valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein at the default length of the connect rod, when the intake valve is open, the intake valve and an intake port of the combustion chamber collectively form an opening fluidically connecting the intake port to the combustion chamber that directs symmetrical flow of intake air around the intake valve to the combustion chamber.

5. The intake valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein at an extended length of the connect rod, a first segment of the annulus tumble guide protrudes at least partly out of the annulus channel towards the intake valve disc.

6. The intake valve assembly of claim 5 , wherein at the extended length of the connect rod, the first segment of the annulus tumble guide comes in contact with the intake valve disc when the intake valve is actuated to an open position, changing the angle of the intake valve disc such that an intake port of the combustion chamber and the intake valve collectively form an opening fluidically connecting the intake port to the combustion chamber that directs asymmetrical flow of intake air around the intake valve disc to the combustion chamber.

7. The intake valve assembly of claim 5 , wherein at a retracted length of the connect rod, the first segment of the annulus tumble guide moves further back into the annulus channel, away from the intake valve disc, and a second segment of the annulus tumble guide protrudes at least partly outside the annulus channel towards the intake valve disc.

8. The intake valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein at the retracted length of the connect rod, the second segment of the annulus tumble guide comes in contact with the intake valve disc when the intake valve is actuated to an open position, changing the angle of the intake valve disc such that an asymmetrical flow of intake air flows around the intake valve disc to the combustion chamber.

9. A method, comprising:
adjusting an angle of an intake valve disc of an intake valve relative to a push rod of the intake valve based on engine operating parameters by extending a connect rod coupled to an annulus tumble guide to move a first segment of the annulus tumble guide at least partly outside an annulus channel towards the intake valve disc to adjust a flow of intake air into a combustion chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the angle of the intake valve disc is adjusted responsive to an engine load above a threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein adjusting the angle of the intake valve disc further comprises opening the intake valve to move the intake valve disc in contact with the first segment of the annulus tumble guide to change the angle of the intake valve disc, thus adjusting the flow of intake air to be asymmetrical and in a first direction around the intake valve.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein adjusting the angle of the intake valve disc comprises retracting the connect rod responsive to an engine cold start to move the first segment of the annulus tumble guide away from the intake valve disc further into the annulus channel, and to move a second segment of the annulus tumble guide at least partly outside the annulus channel, towards the intake valve disc.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting the angle of the intake valve disc by contacting the intake valve disc with the second segment of the annulus tumble guide while opening the intake valve, thus adjusting the flow of intake air to be asymmetrical and in a second direction around the intake valve.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising maintaining a length of the connect rod to maintain the annulus tumble guide housed inside the annulus channel responsive to the engine load less than the threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising flowing intake air in a symmetrical manner around the intake valve by maintaining the annulus tumble guide inside the annulus channel with no change in the angle of the intake valve disc while opening the intake valve.

16. A system, comprising:
an intake valve including an intake valve disc coupled to a push rod, the intake valve configured to fluidically connect an intake port to a combustion chamber of an engine cylinder;
a movable joint coupling the intake valve disc to the push rod;
an annulus tumble guide housed movably in an annulus channel below a valve seat of a cylinder head; and
at least one connect rod coupled to the annulus tumble guide, the annulus tumble guide configured to contact the intake valve disc to change an angle of the intake valve disc relative to an opening of the intake port.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a controller with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory to retract the at least one connect rod to a first length to connect a first segment of the annulus tumble guide to a bottom surface of the intake valve disc to generate intake air flow that flows in a first direction into the combustion chamber responsive to an engine cold start.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller includes further instructions to extend the at least one connect rod to a second length, to connect a second segment of the annulus tumble guide to the bottom surface of the intake valve disc to generate intake air flow that flows in a second direction into the combustion chamber responsive to an engine load above a threshold.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller includes further instructions to maintain the at least one connect rod at a third length to keep the annulus tumble guide housed inside the annulus channel responsive to the engine load below the threshold.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the third length is less than the second length and is more than the first length.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Zhang Xiaogang

Classifications

• F02B31/06 Primary

  Movable means, e.g. butterfly valves · CPC title

• F02D9/02

  concerning induction conduits (throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08) · CPC title

• F02D41/064

  at cold start (F02D41/067 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01L2820/03

  Auxiliary actuators · CPC title

• F01L3/20

  Shapes or constructions of valve members, not provided for in preceding subgroups of this group · CPC title