Air induction system with water detection
AssigneeFca US LLC
InventorsEric R Thompson, Douglas E Rutter, Stephen J Buckley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and an air induction system configured to provide intake air to the internal combustion engine. The air induction system includes an intake port, an air box coupled to the intake port and having a wet side air box and a dry side air box, at least one sensor disposed within the air box and configured to detect a presence or level of liquid within the air box, and a watertight door disposed within the air box and configured to move between an open position that allows air to pass through the air box dry side, and a closed position that facilitates preventing liquid from passing into the air box dry side.
Claims19
A vehicle comprising:
- an internal combustion engine;
- and
- an air induction system configured to provide intake air to the internal combustion engine, the air induction system comprising:
- an intake port;
- an air box coupled to the intake port and having a wet side air box and a dry side air box;
- a sensor disposed within the air box and configured to detect a presence or level of liquid within the air box;
- and
- a watertight door disposed within the air induction system and configured to move via an actuator, based on one or more signals from the sensor, between an open position that allows air to pass through the air box dry side, and a closed position that facilitates preventing any ambient air or liquid from passing into the air box dry side and to the engine.
A method of operating a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an air induction system having an intake port and an air box coupled to the intake port, the method comprising:
- monitoring a sensor disposed within the air box and configured to detect a presence or level of liquid within the air box, wherein the air box includes a wet side air box and a dry side air box, and a watertight door disposed within the air box and configured to move between an open position that allows air to pass through the air box dry side, and a closed position that facilitates preventing liquid from passing into the air box dry side;
- closing the watertight door when one or more signals from the at least one sensor indicate a liquid level in the air box wet side has reached a predetermined level;
- displaying, when the liquid level as reached the predetermined level, a message on a vehicle display indicating that the internal combustion engine may be and/or will be shut down due to a risk of liquid intrusion;
- and
- performing at least one of:
- directing, when the watertight door is moved to the closed position, a tire inflation system to provide air to the internal combustion engine;
- and
- activating an electric motor to drive the vehicle when the watertight door is moved to the closed position and/or the internal combustion engine is shut down.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.