Intake manifold retention bracket for long-short runner control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113520-B2
Application number	US-201514847046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Sep 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A positioning bracket or a retention bracket to position an actuating arm connected to and at least partially external of an intake manifold, where the positioning bracket includes a body portion to receive there-through a fastener, and an ear portion extending from the body portion and defining an ear aperture to receive there-though a pin of the actuating arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for rotating a shaft extending through an intake manifold, comprising:
a bracket adaptor including a fastener portion and a shaft portion;
an actuating arm including a pin end, a shaft end, and a main arm positioned between the pin end and the shaft end, the shaft end receiving a portion of the shaft and extending into the shaft portion of the bracket adapter; and
a positioning bracket including a body portion and an ear portion extending from the body portion, the body portion defining a body aperture to interface the fastener portion of the bracket adaptor, and the ear portion including an ear aperture to receive partially therethrough a pin at the pin end of the actuating arm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body aperture includes first and second body apertures spaced apart from each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ear aperture differs from at least one of the first and second body apertures in an aperture opening dimension.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first and second body apertures are positioned at an engagement position to sandwich therebetween the shaft of the intake manifold along a width direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the body portion further includes a middle aperture positioned between the first and second body apertures along a width direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the middle aperture differs from at least one of the first and second body apertures in an aperture opening dimension.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ear aperture differs in depth from at least one of the first and second body apertures.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ear aperture includes first and second ear apertures spaced apart from each other.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body portion and the ear portion are integral in material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the body portion and the ear portion includes a polymer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ear aperture is non-rotational in cross-sectional shape.

12. An intake manifold comprising:
a housing defining a shaft aperture;
a shaft supported on the housing;
a bracket adaptor including first and second fastener portions and a shaft portion positioned therebetween, the shaft portion being partially received through the shaft aperture;
an actuating arm including a pin end, a shaft end and a main arm positioned between the pin end and the shaft end, the shaft end being received through the shaft aperture; and
a positioning bracket including a body portion and an ear portion extending from the body portion, the body portion defining first and second body apertures to interface the first and second fastener portions of the bracket adaptor, and the ear portion including an ear aperture to receive partially therethrough a pin at the pin end of the actuating arm.

13. The intake manifold of claim 12 , wherein the shaft portion is positioned between a housing wall defining the shaft aperture and the shaft end of the actuating arm along a width direction.

14. The intake manifold of claim 13 , wherein the shaft end is positioned between the shaft and the shaft portion along the width direction.

15. The intake manifold of claim 12 , wherein the pin end and the shaft end of the actuating arm extend away from the main arm in opposite directions.

16. The intake manifold of claim 12 , wherein the body portion and the ear portion are integrally formed.

17. The intake manifold of claim 12 , wherein the ear aperture differs in at least one of aperture depth and aperture opening dimension from at least one of the first and second body apertures.

18. The intake manifold of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the body and ear portions includes a polymer.

19. The intake manifold of claim 12 , wherein the positioning bracket further includes a middle aperture positioned between the first and second body apertures along a width direction and to receive partially therethrough the shaft end of the actuating arm.

20. A method of operating an intake manifold, the intake manifold including a shaft and a housing with a shaft aperture, a bracket adaptor with first and second fastener portions and a shaft portion positioned therebetween, the shaft portion being partially received through the shaft aperture, and an actuating arm including a pin end, a shaft end and a main arm positioned between the pin end and the shaft end, the shaft end being received through the shaft aperture, the method comprising:
attaching a positioning bracket onto the actuating arm and the bracket adaptor, the positioning bracket including a body portion and an ear portion extending from the body portion, where the body portion defines first and second body apertures to respectively interface the first and second fastener portions of the bracket adaptor, and the ear portion includes an ear aperture to receive partially therethrough a pin at the pin end of the actuating arm.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hamzeh Mike
• Newman Christopher William
• Brewer Katherine Jane

Classifications

• F02M35/104 Primary

  Intake manifolds · CPC title