Continuously variable intake manifold
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRonald Luce Verkleeren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intake manifold assembly (10) for use with an internal combustion engine. The manifold assembly (10) includes three main components, a cover (12), base (14) and runner beam (16). The cover (12) and base (14) mate to form cavity (18), encompassing a plenum area (54) upstream of variable runners (52) formed by runner beam (16) and the variable runners (52). Rotation of the runner beam (16) causes a change in the length and cross-sectional area of the variable intake runners (52), thus varying the tuning of the intake flow into the engine, to optimize the flow for various engine speeds.
Claims16
An intake manifold directing air flow into a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising:
- a plurality of fixed intake runners, each adapted to align with a respective one of the cylinders;
- a manifold housing including an intake passage and a plurality of outlet passages, each outlet passage opening into a different one of the fixed intake runners, with the housing further including a mid-section, located between the intake passage and outlet passages, providing an open chamber;
- and
- a runner beam, mounted within the chamber and rotatable therein, with the runner beam including a runner shaft, extending normal to the general direction of air flow, about which rotation takes place;
- a plurality of runner blades extending from the runner shaft, generally spaced from one another to allow air flow between them and extending out to an inner surface portion of the manifold housing;
- and a plurality of base sections mounted to the runner shaft between the runner blades that, together with the corresponding blades and the inner surface portion of the manifold housing, define variable runner passages, one each to a respective one of the outlet passages, whereby rotation of the runner shaft will allow the manifold to have selectively variable air flow passages.
A multi-cylinder engine for a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of intake ports;
- a throttle body;
- a manifold housing including an intake passage and a plurality of fixed intake runners, each adapted to align with a respective one of the cylinders, with a plurality of outlet passages each opening into a different one of the fixed intake runners, and with the housing further including a mid-section, located between the intake passage and outlet passages, providing an open chamber;
- and
- a runner beam, mounted within the chamber and rotatable therein, with the runner beam including a runner shaft, extending normal to the general direction of air flow, about which rotation takes place;
- a plurality of runner blades extending from the runner shaft, generally spaced from one another to allow air flow between them and extending out to an inner surface portion of the manifold housing;
- and a plurality of base sections mounted to the runner shaft between the runner blades that, together with the corresponding blades and the inner surface portion of the manifold housing, define variable runner passages, one each to a respective one of the outlet passages, whereby rotation of the runner shaft will allow the manifold to have selectively variable air flow passages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.