Back to results
US 6,581,560 B1Granted
Molded intake manifold with separate inlet entry runners
AssigneeSiemens VDO Automotive Corporation
InventorJohn R. Mammarella
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intake manifold is molded of two plastic parts. A first main manifold body provides the outer cover and an inner opening. A second runner provides a plurality of entry ports for communicating air to cylinders within the engine. In the past, it has been somewhat difficult to control the shape of the entry ports when the manifold was molded of a single part. The use of the separate runner allows the provision of a relatively thin and easily molded part such that the entry ports can be closely controlled and an idealized design can be achieved.
Claims13
A plastic intake manifold comprising:
- a main manifold body including an outer cover surface and an opening at an end spaced from said outer cover surface, said opening for being mounted on an engine, said opening extending between two longitudinal ends, and two lateral sides;
- and
- a generally flat separate runner, said runner defining a plurality of entry ports for communicating air to cylinders on an engine block, said runner and said main body being each molded as separate pieces from plastic and secured together, there being two of said runners, with one extending along each of said lateral sides to define a plurality of entry ports at each of said lateral sides, such that said runners generally lie in a plane defined by an outer surface of said opening in said main manifold body, said runners are provided on each lateral side of said main manifold body, and said runners being connected by webs between said two runners, such that a single runner body provides entry ports on each of two lateral sides of said manifold body, said webs only extending between said entry ports, and not for an entire length of said runner body.
A manifold comprising:
- a main manifold body including an outer cover surface and an opening at an end spaced from said outer cover surface, said opening for being mounted on an engine, said opening extending between two longitudinal ends, and two lateral sides;
- a generally flat separate runner, said runner defining a plurality of entry ports for communicating air to cylinders on an engine block, said runner and said main body being each molded as separate pieces from plastic and secured together, said runner extending along said lateral sides to define a plurality of entry ports at each of said lateral sides, such that said runner generally lies in a plane defined by an outer surface of said opening in said main manifold body;
- and
- said entry ports are only partially defined by said runner, with the lateral edges of said main body defining a portion of said entry port.
1 more element
A method for providing a molded intake manifold providing the steps of:
- 1) molding a main manifold body having an outer cover with an inner face and an inner opening spaced from said outer cover, said inner opening extending between two longitudinal ends and two lateral sides;
- 2) molding a runner body, said runner body being relatively thin and defining a plurality of entry ports;
- and
- 3) connecting said runner body to said main manifold body such that there are entry ports along each of said lateral sides of said main manifold body, and such that said runner generally lies in a plane defined by the inner opening on said main manifold body with said entry ports extending generally outwardly of said plane for communication of air to an engine, with said runners provided on each lateral side of said main manifold body, said runners being connected by webs between said two runners such that a single runner body provides entry ports on each two lateral sides of said manifold body, and said webs only extending between at least some of said entry ports such that said webs do not extend for an entire length of said body.
1 more element
A method for providing a molded intake manifold providing the steps of:
- 1) molding a main manifold body having an outer cover with an inner face and an inner opening spaced from said outer cover, said inner opening extending between two longitudinal ends and two lateral sides;
- 2) molding a runner body, said runner body being relatively thin and defining a plurality of entry ports;
- and
- 3) connecting said runner body to said main manifold body such that there are entry ports along each of said lateral sides of said main manifold body, and such that said runner generally lies in a plane defined by the inner opening on said main manifold body with said entry ports extending generally outwardly of said plane for communication of air to an engine, said runner body only providing a plurality of sides of said entry ports, with lateral sides of said main manifold body providing at least one side of said entry port.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.