# US 2021/0340941 A1 · Throttle body spacer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0340941 A1 - Document ID: US20210340941A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/242,147 - Filed: 2021-04-27 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-29 - Assignees: K&N Engineering, Inc. - Applicants: K&N Engineering, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan Richard Fiello - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340941A1 ## CPC - F02M 35/10262: {Flow guides, obstructions, deflectors or the like (for generating a charge motion in the cylinder F02B31/00; for re-atomising condensed fuel or homogenising fuel-air mixture F02M29/00)} - F02M 35/0204: {for connecting or joining to other devices, e.g. pipes} - F02M 35/10: Air intakes; Induction systems - F02M 35/104: Intake manifolds - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An apparatus and methods are provided for a throttle body spacer that improves the performance of an internal combustion engine. The throttle body spacer comprises a body that includes an airflow opening for conducting airflow from a throttle body into an intake manifold. A spiral is disposed along a sidewall of the airflow opening and configured for swirling the airflow. The spiral comprises a helical shape disposed around a circumference of the sidewall and extends from an initial bore near a first contact surface of the body to a second contact surface. The helical shape includes a diameter that increases as the spiral extends toward the second contact surface, giving the body a sidewall taper angle that contributes to an increase in power output of the engine. A sawtooth cross-sectional shape of the spiral causes the airflow to swirl so as to improve atomization of an air-fuel mixture entering engine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A throttle body spacer for an internal combustion engine, the throttle body spacer comprising: a body for being disposed between a throttle body and an intake manifold; an airflow opening for conducting airflow from the throttle body into the intake manifold; a spiral along a sidewall of the airflow opening for swirling the airflow; and a tapered sidewall for increasing an air charge within the intake manifold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The throttle body spacer of claim 1, wherein a first contact surface comprising the body is a substantially flat surface configured to join with the throttle body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The throttle body spacer of claim 2, wherein the first contact surface further includes a groove configured to receive a suitable ring gasket whereby an airtight seal may be established between the throttle body spacer and the throttle body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The throttle body spacer of claim 1, wherein a second contact surface comprising the body is a substantially flat surface configured to join with the intake manifold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The throttle body spacer of claim 4, wherein the second contact surface incudes a groove configured to receive a ring gasket suitable for sealing the throttle body spacer and the intake manifold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The throttle body spacer of claim 1, wherein the spiral is configured to improve atomization of an air-fuel mixture entering combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The throttle body spacer of claim 6, wherein the spiral comprises a helical shape disposed around a circumference of the sidewall of the airflow opening and extends from an initial bore near a first contact surface of the body to a second contact surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The throttle body spacer of claim 7, wherein the tapered sidewall comprises a diameter of the spiral that increases as the spiral extends toward the second contact surface and gives the body a sidewall taper angle that contributes to a relative increase in power output of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The throttle body spacer of claim 8, wherein the tapered sidewall includes a sidewall taper angle ranging between about 5-degrees and about 15-degrees. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The throttle body spacer of claim 1, wherein the spiral includes a sawtooth cross-sectional shape that is biased toward a first contact surface of the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The throttle body spacer of claim 10, wherein the sawtooth cross-sectional shape is configured to interact with incoming air and cause the airflow to swirl. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The throttle body spacer of claim 10, wherein the spiral includes a top surface that is generally perpendicular to the airflow opening and an angled surface that is disposed at a spiral angle with respect to the top surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The throttle body spacer of claim 11, wherein spiral includes a spiral depth and a spiral pitch comprising the spiral angle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The throttle body spacer of claim 13, wherein the spiral depth and the spiral pitch are configured to provide a spiral angle of substantially 45 degrees. ### Claim 15 A method for a throttle body spacer for an internal combustion engine, comprising: configuring a body for being disposed between a throttle body and an intake manifold; forming an airflow opening in the body for conducting airflow from the throttle body into the intake manifold; disposing a spiral along a sidewall of the airflow opening for swirling the airflow; and tapering the sidewall for increasing an air charge within the intake manifold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein disposing the spiral includes disposing a helical shape around a circumference of the sidewall of the airflow opening such that the spiral extends from an initial bore near a first contact surface of the body to a second contact surface of the body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein tapering the sidewall includes increasing a diameter of the spiral as the spiral extends toward the second contact surface and gives the body a sidewall taper angle that contributes to a relative increase in power output of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein disposing the spiral includes forming a sawtooth cross-sectional shape that is biased toward a first contact surface of the body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein forming the sawtooth cross-sectional shape includes forming a top surface of the spiral that is generally perpendicular to the airflow opening; and wherein forming the sawtooth cross-sectional shape includes forming an angled surface that is disposed at a spiral angle with respect to the top surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein forming the angled surface includes configuring a spiral depth and a spiral pitch comprising the spiral angle.