Engine air intake device

An engine air intake device comprising:

• a collector divided by a partition wall into first and second volume chambers;
• a first upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the first volume chamber relative to a flow of intake air;
• a second upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the second volume chamber relative to the flow of intake air;
• a plurality of first downstream branch pipes extending from the first volume chamber to respective intake ports of a first bank of first cylinders;
• a plurality of second downstream branch pipes extending from the second volume chamber to respective intake ports of a second bank of second cylinders;
• and
• a first communication valve mounted to the partition wall in a position that does not interfere with a path of a main flow of intake air inside the collector, the first communication valve being configured and arranged to allow communication between the first volume chamber and the second volume chamber when the first communication valve is open,
• the partition wall having a wall body portion and a first valve receiving portion with the first communication valve mounted thereto, the first valve receiving portion having a larger thickness than the wall body portion.

An engine air intake device comprising:

• a collector divided by a partition wall into first and second volume chambers;
• a first upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the first volume chamber relative to a flow of intake air;
• a second upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the second volume chamber relative to the flow of intake air;
• a plurality of first downstream branch pipes extending from the first volume chamber to respective intake ports of a first bank of first cylinders;
• a plurality of second downstream branch pipes extending from the second volume chamber to respective intake ports of a second bank of second cylinders;
• a first communication valve mounted to the partition wall in a position that does not interfere with a path of a main flow of intake air inside the collector, the first communication valve being configured and arranged to allow communication between the first volume chamber and the second volume chamber when the first communication valve is open;
• a first valve mounting structure having a base plate member coupled to the first communication valve so that the first communication valve is mounted to a first valve receiving section of the partition wall by inserting the base plate member from an insertion opening formed in the collector to the valve receiving section of the partition wall;
• and
• a partition wall seal member disposed between the base plate member of the first valve mounting structure and the first valve receiving section of the partition wall,
• the first valve receiving section of the partition wall having an outer edge surface having a concaved cross sectional shape with a pair of side wall surfaces thereof being slanted toward each other.

An engine air intake device comprising:

• a collector divided by a partition wall into first and second volume chambers;
• a first upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the first volume chamber relative to a flow of intake air;
• a second upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the second volume chamber relative to the flow of intake air;
• a plurality of first downstream branch pipes extending from the first volume chamber to respective intake ports of a first bank of first cylinders;
• a plurality of second downstream branch pipes extending from the second volume chamber to respective intake ports of a second bank of second cylinders;
• a first communication valve mounted to the partition wall in a position that does not interfere with a path of a main flow of intake air inside the collector, the first communication valve being configured and arranged to allow communication between the first volume chamber and the second volume chamber when the first communication valve is open;
• a first valve mounting structure having a base plate member coupled to the first communication valve so that the first communication valve is mounted to a first valve receiving section of the partition wall by inserting the base plate member from an insertion opening formed in the collector to the valve receiving section of the partition wall;
• and
• a partition wall seal member disposed between the base plate member of the first valve mounting structure and the first valve receiving section of the partition wall,
• the partition wall seal member including a base plate engaging section having a protrusion inserted in a perimeter groove formed in a peripheral surface of the base plate member of the first valve mounting structure so that the partition wall seal member is retained in the peripheral surface of the base plate member.

An engine air intake device comprising:

• a collector divided by a partition wall into first and second volume chambers;
• a first upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the first volume chamber relative to a flow of intake air;
• a second upstream intake pipe portion connected to an upstream side of the second volume chamber relative to the flow of intake air;
• a plurality of first downstream branch pipes extending from the first volume chamber to respective intake ports of a first bank of first cylinders;
• a plurality of second downstream branch pipes extending from the second volume chamber to respective intake ports of a second bank of second cylinders;
• a first communication valve mounted to the partition wall in a position that does not interfere with a path of a main flow of intake air inside the collector, the first communication valve being configured and arranged to allow communication between the first volume chamber and the second volume chamber when the first communication valve is open;
• a first valve mounting structure having a base plate member coupled to the first communication valve so that the first communication valve is mounted to a first valve receiving section of the partition wall by inserting the base plate member from an insertion opening formed in the collector to the valve receiving section of the partition wall;
• and
• a partition wall seal member disposed between the base plate member of the first valve mounting structure and the first valve receiving section of the partition wall,
• an outline of an outer perimeter of the base plate member having a trapezoidal shape that narrows from the insertion opening toward a portion of the base plate that fits deepest into the partition wall.

An engine air intake device comprising:

• first intake collecting means for receiving intake air;
• second intake collecting means for receiving intake air;
• first intake air introducing means for conveying intake air from the first intake collecting means to respective intake ports of a first bank of first cylinders;
• second intake air introducing means for conveying intake air from the second intake collecting means to respective intake ports of a second bank of second cylinders;
• first communication means for selectively allowing communication between the first intake collecting means and the second intake collecting means without interfering with a path of a main flow of intake air inside the first intake collecting means and the second intake collecting means;
• and
• second communication means for selectively allowing communication between the first intake collecting means and the second intake collecting means without interfering with the path of the main flow of intake air inside the first intake collecting means and the second intake collecting means.