Intake air control system for multi-cylinder combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9038591-B2
Application number	US-201213648604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2012
Priority date	Oct 10, 2012
Publication date	May 26, 2015
Grant date	May 26, 2015

Abstract

An intake control system for a multi-cylinder combustion engine with control valves positioned within intake passageways that can vary the cross-sectional area of the intake runners to increase air intake velocity at low engine speeds. The control system includes an inner frame that can be inserted into a lower manifold after manufacture. The inner frame includes a plurality of flapper valves that are actuated by a four-bar link design, which is driven by a hypoid gear-set. The control system controls an internal DC electric motor that actuates a worm-drive gear-set, which in turn drives the hypoid gear-set to either engage or retract the flapper valves within the intake passageways.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An intake control system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
a manifold having a plurality intake ports; and
an inner frame assembly configured to be inserted into the manifold, the inner frame assembly having:
a main body with a first plurality of recessions on a first lateral side of the inner frame and a second plurality of recessions on a second lateral side of the inner frame opposite the first lateral side,
a first plurality of flapper valves that are each positioned within the first plurality of recessions, respectively, and a second plurality of flapper valves that are each positioned within the second plurality of recessions, respectively, wherein each of the flapper valves is pivotally coupled to the inner frame assembly by upper and lower mechanical links,
a first horizontal shaft coupled to at least one upper mechanical link that is coupled to a respective one of the first plurality of flapper valves and to at least one upper mechanical link that is coupled to a respective one of the second plurality of flapper valves, and
a second horizontal shaft coupled to at least one upper mechanical link that is coupled to a respective one of the first plurality of flapper valves and to at least one upper mechanical link that is coupled to a respective one of the second plurality of flapper valves,

wherein, when the inner frame assembly is inserted into the manifold, the plurality of recessions of the inner frame and the manifold together form a plurality of intake runners that correspond to the plurality of intake ports of the manifold.

2. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal shaft is configured to rotate in a first direction to drive the flapper valves coupled thereto to an extended position within the respective intake runners, and wherein the second horizontal shaft is configured to rotate in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to drive the flapper valves coupled thereto to an extended position within the respective intake runners.

3. The intake control system of claim 2 , wherein the inner frame assembly further comprises a hypoid gear-set configured to rotate the first and the second horizontal shafts.

4. The intake control system of claim 3 , wherein the inner frame assembly further comprises a spring-loaded wedge block positioned above the hypoid gear-set.

5. The intake control system of claim 3 , wherein inner frame assembly further comprises a worm-drive gear-set actuated by a DC electric motor that is configured to drive the hypoid gear-set.

6. The intake control system of claim 5 , wherein the inner frame assembly further comprises a spring-loaded wedge block positioned adjacent to the worm-drive gear-set.

7. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein a four-bar link mechanism is defined by the at least one upper mechanical link, the at least one lower mechanical link, a corresponding flapper valve and the main body of the inner frame assembly.

8. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold further comprises a plurality of fuel injection ducts adjacent to the plurality of intake runners, respectively, and each fuel injection duct is configured to receive a fuel injector.

9. The intake control system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of flapper valves are configured to extend into the respective intake runners such that the tip of each flapper valve is substantially adjacent to a tip of a corresponding fuel injector.

10. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein the inner frame assembly further comprises a spur gear-set coupled to an encoder configured to determine the position of the plurality of flapper valves within the plurality of intake runners, respectively.

11. The intake control system of claim 10 , wherein the spur gear-set has a 4:1 gear ratio.

12. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flapper valves are configured to extend into the respective intake runners.

13. The intake control system of claim 12 , wherein the air flow path in each of the plurality of intake runners has an approach angle of 25° or less when the plurality of flapper valves are in a fully extended position.

14. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold further comprises a plurality of continuous seals on the outer circumference of the plurality of intake ports, respectively.

15. The intake control system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is a V-type combustion engine.

16. An inner frame assembly for an intake manifold of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
a main body having a first plurality of recessions on a first lateral side of the inner frame and a second plurality of recessions on a second lateral side of the inner frame opposite the first lateral side;
a first plurality of flapper valves that are each positioned within the first plurality of recessions, respectively, and a second plurality of flapper valves that are each positioned within the second plurality of recessions, respectively;
a first horizontal shaft having a plurality of first upper mechanical links respectively coupled to at least one of the first plurality of flapper valves and to at least one of the second plurality of flapper valves;
a second horizontal shaft having a plurality of second upper mechanical links respectively coupled to at least one of the second plurality of flapper valves and to at least one of the first plurality of flapper valves; and
a plurality of lower mechanical links, each coupling a respective flapper valve to the main body.

17. The inner frame assembly of claim 16 , wherein a four-bar link mechanism is defined by an upper mechanical link, a lower mechanical link, a corresponding flapper valve and the main body.

18. The inner frame assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a hypoid gear-set configured to drive the first and the second actuating members.

19. The inner frame assembly of claim 18 , further comprising a worm-drive gear-set actuated by a DC electric motor and configured to drive the hypoid gear-set.

20. The inner frame assembly of claim 18 , wherein the DC electric motor actuates a worm gear driver of the worm-drive gear-set, which drives the hypoid gear-set causing the first and the second actuating members rotates such that the plurality of flapper valves are extended in an outward direction.

21. The inner frame assembly of claim 16 , wherein the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is a V-type combustion engine.

Assignees

• Dudek Kenneth D
• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Dudek Kenneth D

Classifications

• F01L3/06

  Valve members or valve-seats with means for guiding or deflecting the medium controlled thereby, e.g. producing a rotary motion of the drawn-in cylinder charge (for rotating lift-valves F01L1/32) · CPC title

• F02M35/10354

  Joining multiple sections together (joining plastic materials together in general B29C65/00) · CPC title

• F02M35/10255 Primary

  Arrangements of valves; Multi-way valves (F02M35/10032 takes precedence; valves in the plenum chamber F02M35/10065; check valves F02M35/10275) · CPC title

• F01L3/08

  Valves guides; Sealing of valve stem, e.g. sealing by lubricant · CPC title

• F02M35/10

  Air intakes; Induction systems · CPC title