Electronically tuned intake manifold
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsEarl R. Geddes, Todd A. Gross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronically controlled intake manifold system for an internal combustion engine includes an intake manifold for conveying charge air to each of the cylinders of the engine, an electronically driven pressure pulse generator operatively connected with the manifold for the purpose of producing pressure pulses within the manifold at one or more frequencies related to an operating parameter of the engine, and a processor using at least one operating parameter of the engine to generate a signal for driving the pressure pulse generator.
Claims25
An electronically controlled intake manifold system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an intake manifold for conveying charge air to each of the cylinders of said engine;
- an electronically driven pressure pulse generator operatively connected with said manifold for the purpose of producing pressure pulses within the manifold at one or more frequencies related to an operating parameter of the engine;
- and
- a processor using at least one operating parameter of the engine to generate a signal for driving said pressure pulse generator.
An electronically controlled intake manifold system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an intake manifold for conveying charge air to each of the cylinders of said engine;
- an electronically driven pressure pulse generator comprising a diaphragm which is operatively connected with said manifold for the purpose of producing pressure pulses within the manifold at one or more frequencies related to an operating parameter of the engine;
- and
- a processor using at least one operating parameter of the engine to generate a signal for driving said diaphragm.
An electronically controlled intake manifold system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an intake manifold for conveying charge air to at least one intake port associated with each of the cylinders of said engine;
- an electronically driven pressure pulse generator comprising a diaphragm which is operatively connected with said manifold and which acts upon air passing through the manifold to produce pressure pulses within such air;
- and
- a processor using at least one operating parameter of the engine to generate a signal for driving said diaphragm such that each intake event of the engine is accompanied by the arrival of a pressure pulse at an intake port through which air is being inducted into a cylinder.
A method for controlling the charge air pressure of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:
- periodically sampling an operating parameter of said engine;
- generating a control signal based on said sampled parameter;
- and
- using said control signal to modulate the operation of an electronically driven pressure pulse generator acoustically coupled to the intake manifold of said engine.
An electronically controlled intake manifold system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an intake manifold for conveying charge air to each of the cylinders of said engine;
- an electronically driven pressure pulse generator operatively connected with said manifold for the purpose of producing pressure pulses within the manifold at one or more frequencies related to an operating parameter of the engine;
- and
- a processor using at least one operating parameter of the engine to generate a signal for controlling the frequency, amplitude, and phase of said pressure pulse generator so that the engine may be operated at a subcharged, lower effective compression ratio whenever less power is needed, and at its nominal compression ratio when a middle range of power is required, and at a supercharged, higher effective compression ratio when maximum power output is desired.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.