US 2007/0175456 A1 · APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BOOSTING ENGINE PERFORMANCE

Abstract

A supercharger (10) is positioned in the valley of an automobile engine (60) so that it fits under the engine hood (25). The supercharger (10) has a low profile air inlet (14) at the top that passes air to an inlet tube (16). The height of the inlet tube (16) decreases and its width expands as the inlet tube (16) extends away from the air inlet (14) to keep a low profile while minimizing restrictions to airflow. The inlet tube (16) supplies air to a compressor (18) at the bottom. The pressurized air flows through a large and thin intercooler (24) directly above the compressor (18). The cooled air is fed to long and straight intake manifold runners (28) positioned above the engine heads (61, 62) of the engine (60). The supercharger (10) provides a large volume of low pressure and low temperature air charge to the engine (60).

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for boosting engine performance, comprising:

an air passage having an inlet, a first section coupled to the inlet, a second section coupled to and substantially perpendicular to the first section, and an outlet coupled to second section;
a chamber remote from the first section of said air passage, said chamber having an entrance coupled the outlet of said air passage and an exit;
a compressor in said chamber;
a plenum between said chamber and the first section of said air passage, said plenum communicating with said chamber through the exit of said chamber;
and
at least one intake runner running from said plenum to at least one cylinder of an internal combustion engine.

3 more elements

A supercharger for boosting an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders in a V-configuration, the supercharger having a top, a bottom, a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side, and comprising:

a booster chamber at the bottom and located below engine heads in a valley of the internal combustion engine in the V-configuration, said booster chamber having an inlet near the rear side and an outlet;
an intake air tube having a first section along the top and a second section along the rear side and coupled to the inlet of said booster chamber;
a plenum between said booster chamber and the first section of said intake air tube, and communicating with said booster chamber via the outlet;
a first group of engine intake runners communicating with said plenum via a first set of intake ports on the left side, near the top, and above the engine heads of the internal combustion engine;
a second group of engine intake runners communicating with said plenum via a second set of intake ports on the right side, near the top, and above the engine heads of the internal combustion engine;
and
a booster in said booster chamber and configured to push air from said intake air tube to said plenum.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for boosting engine performance

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for boosting engine performance

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20