Air intake structure of engine and motorcycle having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9518504-B2
Application number	US-201214358151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2012
Priority date	Nov 17, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

The present invention provides an air intake structure of an engine capable of cooling intake air compressed by a supercharger by reducing pressure loss. An air intake structure of an engine ( 13 ) having a supercharger ( 20 ) supercharging air and an air intake chamber ( 22 ) receiving the air supercharged by the supercharger ( 20 ) and sending the supercharged air to the engine, wherein a throttle body ( 23 ) is connected to the air intake downstream side of the air intake chamber ( 22 ), wherein an air intake port ( 131 a ) of a cylinder head ( 131 ) of the engine ( 13 ) is connected to the air intake downstream side of the throttle body ( 23 ), wherein a liquid cooling type intercooler ( 30 ) is provided in the air intake chamber ( 22 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air intake structure of a supercharged engine for a vehicle comprising:
a supercharger supercharging air;
an air intake chamber arranged above the engine and below a fuel tank receiving the air supercharged from the supercharger and delivering the supercharged air to the engine;
a throttle body connected to an air intake downstream side of the air intake chamber;
an air intake port of a cylinder head of the engine connected to an air intake downstream side of the throttle body;
a liquid cooling type intercooler provided in the air intake chamber; and
a cooling pump pumping cooling liquid into the intercooler arranged below the air intake chamber;
wherein the vehicle is a motorcycle.

2. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the intercooler receives the cooling liquid which is cooled by a radiator and does not cool the engine.

3. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the intercooler receives the cooling liquid which is cooled by a radiator before cooling the engine.

4. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the intercooler circulates engine cooling liquid to cool intake air,
the air intake structure further comprising:
a cooling liquid pipe for the engine cooling liquid branched into a side flowing into the engine and a side flowing into the intercooler on an upstream side of the intercooler with respect to a flow of the engine cooling liquid.

5. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 ,
wherein the intercooler is a first intercooler;
the air intake structure further comprising a second intercooler and a cooling liquid pipe for the cooling liquid, wherein
the first and second intercoolers are arranged side by side in an air intake direction in the air intake chamber, the second intercooler being arranged on an air intake downstream side of the first intercooler;
the first intercooler circulates the engine cooling liquid to cool intake air;
the second intercooler circulates the cooling liquid via a dedicated pump and a dedicated radiator to cool intake air; and
the cooling liquid pipe is branched into a side flowing into the engine and a side flowing into the first intercooler on an upstream side of the first intercooler with respect to a flow of the engine cooling fluid.

6. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the intercooler which is connected to the cooling pump is arranged at a lower side of the intercooler.

7. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein an inlet and an outlet of the intercooler are arranged at a lower side of the intercooler.

8. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling pump is arranged below, above or behind the engine.

9. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , further comprising a radiator, wherein
intake air flows in the air intake chamber in a front-back direction of the motorcycle;
the intercooler is a plate type cooling device having a plurality of plates which each incorporate a cooling liquid passage therein, the plates being stacked so as to be spaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to an air intake direction such that cooling air passes through between the plates, the plates extending in a vehicle width direction, and the cooling liquid passages being connected to an inlet and an outlet of the intercooler;
the inlet of the intercooler is arranged at one side of the intercooler in the vehicle width direction, the outlet of the intercooler is arranged at an opposite side of the intercooler in the vehicle width direction; and
an inlet of the radiator is arranged at one side of the radiator in the vehicle width direction, and an outlet of the radiator is arranged at an opposite side of the radiator in the vehicle width direction.

10. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the supercharger has an air intake inlet opened in a vehicle width direction such that the supercharger takes in air from the air intake inlet to rotate the air around an axis extending in the vehicle width direction, and compresses the air by its centrifugal force, and the compressed air extends in the air intake chamber in the vehicle width direction and flows through the intercooler in a front-back direction of the motorcycle.

11. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 10 , wherein an air intake duct is mounted on the air intake chamber at the center of the air intake chamber in the vehicle width direction.

12. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 10 , wherein the supercharger is arranged above a crankcase of the engine and behind a cylinder of the engine relative to a front of the motorcycle, and the air intake chamber is arranged above the supercharger, and in front of the supercharger and behind the engine relative to the front of the motorcycle.

13. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is a plate type cooling device having a plurality of plates which each incorporate a cooling liquid passage therein, the plates being stacked so as to be spaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to an air intake direction such that cooling air passes through between the plates, the plates extending in a vehicle width direction.

14. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein the throttle body is provided for each cylinder, an outlet of the air intake chamber is connected to the throttle body, and the air intake chamber extends in a vehicle width direction.

15. The air intake structure of the engine according to claim 1 , wherein a fuel injector is provided on an air intake downstream side of the intercooler and is provided for each cylinder of the engine, and fuel is injected to an inlet of the throttle body and to an air intake downstream side of the throttle body.

16. An air intake structure of an engine for a supercharged vehicle comprising
a supercharger supercharging air;
an air intake chamber receiving the air supercharged by the supercharger and sending the supercharged air to the engine;
a throttle body connected to an air intake downstream side of the air intake chamber;
an air intake port of a cylinder head of the engine connected to an air intake downstream side of the throttle body;
a liquid cooling type intercooler provided in the air intake chamber;
wherein the vehicle is a motorcycle, and
the supercharger has an air intake inlet opened in a vehicle width direction such that the supercharger takes in air from the air intake inlet to rotate the air around an axis extending in the vehicle width direction, and compresses the air by its centrifugal force, and the compressed air extends in the air intake chamber in the vehicle width direction and flows through the intercooler in a front-back direction of the motorcycle.

17. An air intake structure of a supercharged engine for a vehicle comprising
a supercharger supercharging air;
an air intake chamber receiving the air supercharged by the supercharger and sending the supercharged air to the engine;
a throttle body connected to an air intake downstream side of the air intake chamber;
an air intake port of a cylinder head of the engine connected to an air intake downstream side of the throttle body;
a liquid cooling type intercooler provided in the air intake chamber; and
a radiator,
wherein
intake air flows in the air intake chamber in a front-back dire

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Tanaka Yoshinobu

Classifications

• F02B33/32 Primary

  Engines with pumps other than of reciprocating-piston type (with crankcase pumps F02B33/02) · CPC title

• F02B29/0462

  Liquid cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• F02B29/0437

  Liquid cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• B62K11/04

  characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels · CPC title

• F02B29/0443

  Layout of the coolant or refrigerant circuit · CPC title