# US 10,479,194 B1 · Over fender air guide and snorkel protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,194 B1 - Document ID: US10479194B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/154,013 - Filed: 2018-10-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-08 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Samira S. Johnson; Dane R. Marsack - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479194B1 ## CPC - B60K 13/02: concerning intake - B60K 13/06: using structural parts of the vehicle as ducts, e.g. frame parts - F02M 35/162: {Motorcycles; All-terrain vehicles, e.g. quads, snowmobiles; Small vehicles, e.g. forklifts} - B60Y 2200/20: Off-Road Vehicles - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract An air intake system for supplying air to a snorkel of a vehicle includes a lower air intake vent having an opening defining a lower air pathway to the snorkel, and a scoop disposed in the lower air intake vent. The scoop has a base portion attached to a body component in the lower air pathway, a longitudinally transverse portion extending forward from the base portion, and a laterally transverse portion extending from an upper edge of the base portion and an upper edge of the longitudinally transverse portion. The air intake system further includes an upper air intake vent having an upper opening in a fender body panel vertically above the wheel well, the upper air intake vent defining an upper air pathway to the snorkel, and a snorkel protection flange extending downwardly from an inner surface of the fender body panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air intake system for supplying air to a snorkel of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a wheel well, a wheel disposed in the wheel well, a first body panel defining a side of an engine compartment of the vehicle, and a second body panel attached to the first body panel and located above and defining the wheel well, the air intake system comprising: a first air intake vent having a first opening and a snorkel located underneath the second body panel defining a first air pathway to the snorkel; and a scoop disposed in the first air intake vent, wherein air entering the first air intake vent passes the scoop and follows the first air pathway to the snorkel and wherein the scoop comprises: a base portion attached to a body component defining a back wall of the lower air intake vent; a longitudinally transverse portion extending forward from the base portion; and a laterally transverse portion extending from an upper edge of the base portion and an upper edge of the longitudinally transverse portion; and wherein air entering the first air intake vent passes the scoop and follows the first air pathway to the snorkel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air intake system of claim 1 wherein snow entering the first air intake vent is blocked and cycled out of the first air pathway by the laterally transverse portion of the scoop. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air intake system of claim 2 wherein the first opening is located between the first body panel and the second body panel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The air intake system of claim 3 further comprising: a second air intake vent having a second opening in the second body panel vertically above the wheel well, the second air intake vent defining a second air pathway to the snorkel; and a snorkel protection flange extending downwardly from an inner surface of the second body panel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air intake system of claim 4 wherein the snorkel protection flange prevents water or debris entering the second air intake vent from striking the snorkel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air intake system of claim 5 wherein the second air intake vent comprises: a mesh screen covering the second opening in the second body panel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The air intake system of claim 6 wherein the snorkel protection flange is integrally formed with the second body panel. ### Claim 8 An air intake system for supplying air to a snorkel of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a wheel well, a wheel disposed in the wheel well, a first body panel defining a side of an engine compartment of the vehicle, and a second body panel attached to the first body panel and located above the wheel well, the air intake system comprising: a first air intake vent having a first opening in the second body panel vertically above the wheel well, the first air intake vent defining a first air pathway to the snorkel; and a snorkel protection flange extending downwardly from an inner surface of the second body panel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The air intake system of claim 8 wherein the snorkel protection flange prevents water or debris entering the first air intake vent from striking the snorkel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The air intake system of claim 9 wherein the first air intake vent further comprises: a mesh screen covering the first opening in the second body panel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The air intake system of claim 10 wherein the snorkel protection flange is integrally formed with the second body panel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air intake system of claim 11 further comprising: a second air intake vent having a second opening, the second body panel defining a second air pathway to the snorkel; and a scoop disposed in the second air intake vent, the scoop having a base portion attached to a body component in the second air pathway, a longitudinally transverse portion extending forward from the base portion, and a laterally transverse portion extending from an upper edge of the base portion and an upper edge of the longitudinally transverse portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The air intake system of claim 12 wherein air entering the second air intake vent passes the scoop and follows the second air pathway to the snorkel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air intake system of claim 13 wherein snow entering the second air intake vent is blocked and cycled out of the second air pathway by the laterally transverse portion of the scoop. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The air intake system of claim 14 wherein the second opening is located between the first body panel and the second body panel. ### Claim 16 An air intake system for supplying air to a snorkel of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a wheel well, a wheel disposed in the wheel well, a rear quarter body panel defining a side of an engine compartment of the vehicle, and a fender body panel attached to the rear quarter body panel and located above the wheel well, the air intake system comprising: a lower air intake vent having a first opening defining a lower air pathway to the snorkel; a scoop disposed in the lower air intake vent, the scoop having a base portion attached to a body component in the lower air pathway, a longitudinally transverse portion extending forward from the base portion, and a laterally transverse portion extending from an upper edge of the base portion and an upper edge of the longitudinally transverse portion; an upper air intake vent having an upper opening in the fender body panel vertically above the wheel well, the upper air intake vent defining an upper air pathway to the snorkel; and a snorkel protection flange extending downwardly from an inner surface of the fender body panel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The air intake system of claim 16 wherein: the snorkel protection flange prevents water or debris entering the upper air intake vent from striking the snorkel; air entering the lower air intake vent passes the scoop and follows the lower air pathway to the snorkel; and snow entering the lower air intake vent is blocked and cycled out of the lower air pathway by the laterally transverse portion of the scoop. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The air intake system of claim 17 wherein the first opening is located between the rear quarter body panel and the fender body panel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The air intake system of claim 18 further comprising: a mesh screen covering the upper opening in the fender body panel; and wherein the snorkel protection flange is integrally formed with the fender body panel.