Vacuum for a vacuum consumption device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890715-B1
Application number	US-201615268219-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for vacuum generating devices. In one example, a system includes a vacuum generating device having an annular venturi passage located between two identical halves.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
replenishing vacuum in a vacuum consumption device by flowing air through an annular venturi passage located between identically shaped upper and lower halves of a vacuum generating device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the annular venturi passage comprises an annular venturi throat located between upper and lower apices of the upper and lower halves, respectively, and where the vacuum consumption device is fluidly coupled to the annular venturi throat through an annular passage of the upper half.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower halves are cylindrical and aligned with one another along a vertical axis, and where the upper and lower halves comprise protrusions extending toward one another.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein flowing air through the annular venturi passage includes flowing air radially inward in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis located along a geometric center of the vacuum generating device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower halves are partially hollow and comprise passages located therein for flowing air, vacuum, and suck flow.

6. A system comprising:
a vacuum generating device comprising an upper half with outer surfaces identical to a lower half, and where the halves are aligned along a vertical axis;
an annular venturi passage located between the upper and lower halves, the venturi passage being fluidly coupled to a passage configured to receive ambient air; and
a vacuum consumption device being fluidly coupled to the annular venturi passage via interior passages of the upper half.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the upper half comprises an upper apex and the lower half comprises a lower apex, and where a distance between the upper and lower halves is smallest between the upper and lower apices.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the upper half is slidable parallel to the vertical axis and the lower half is stationary, and where a first position includes spacing the upper half away from the lower half and a second position includes pressing the upper apex of the upper half to the lower apex of the lower half.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second position further includes sealing the annular venturi passage from the passage and preventing ambient air flow to the annular venturi passage.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the interior passages of the upper half include a first passage and a second passage, the first passage being cylindrical and located along the vertical axis, and where the second passage is annular and concentric with the first passage about the vertical axis.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first passage fluidly couples the vacuum consumption device to the annular venturi passage in the second position and the second passage fluidly couples the vacuum consumption device to the annular venturi passage in the first position.

12. The system of claim 11 , where the lower half comprises an inner passage fluidly coupling the annular venturi passage to an intake manifold, and where vacuum from the intake manifold flows to the vacuum consumption device via the first passage.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the vacuum generating device is a throttle and the passage is an intake passage.

14. A system comprising:
an auxiliary passage fluidly separated from intake and exhaust passages of an engine;
a vacuum generating device located in the auxiliary passage, where the vacuum generating device produces vacuum as air flows through the auxiliary passage via first and second venturi passages; the first venturi passage being annularly located between identically shaped upper and lower halves of the vacuum generating device, the second venturi passage traversing through the upper and lower halves along a vertical axis; and
an annular interior passage circumferentially surrounding the second venturi passage inside the upper half, and where the annular interior passage is configured to flow vacuum from the first venturi passage to a vacuum consumption device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vacuum generating device is fixed and the upper and lower halves are coupled via one or more stand-offs.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second venturi passage comprises a second venturi throat fluidly coupled to a first venturi outlet of the first venturi passage, and where vacuum from the second venturi throat is supplied to the first venturi throat.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first venturi passage is annular with a first venturi outlet located proximal to the vertical axis and a first venturi inlet located farthest away from the vertical axis.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second venturi passage comprises a second venturi inlet located inside the upper half, a second venturi outlet located inside the lower half, and a second venturi throat located between the upper and lower halves.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the upper half is wholly located in a pipe of the auxiliary passage, and where the lower half is partially located in the pipe.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the auxiliary receives and expels air to an ambient atmosphere.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Zhang Xiaogang

Classifications

• F02D9/12 Primary

  having slidably-mounted valve members; having valve members movable longitudinally of conduit · CPC title

• F02D2009/024

  Increasing intake vacuum · CPC title

• F02M35/10118 Primary

  with variable cross-sections of intake ducts along their length; Venturis; Diffusers · CPC title

• F02D9/02 Primary

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

• F02M35/10229

  the intake system acting as a vacuum or overpressure source for auxiliary devices, e.g. brake systems; Vacuum chambers (air storage chamber F02B21/00) · CPC title