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US 9,279,399 B2Granted
Air trap variable manifold runners
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorCharles Fabros
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for controlling the flow of air to an intake port of an engine is described that includes a flexible intake manifold runner comprised of helically wound braids. In one example, the length and cross-sectional area are mechanically interlinked. In this way, the flexible intake manifold runner can be tuned over a wider operating band while maintaining a lower cost design.
Claims20
An engine system, comprising:
- an actuator shaft with a linkage arm coupled thereto;
- a flexible intake runner coupling an intake manifold of the engine system to an intake port of an engine cylinder, where one end of the flexible intake runner is coupled to the linkage arm, and a length of the flexible intake runner is adjustable via movement of the linkage arm;
- wherein the flexible intake runner is comprised of helically wound braids made from strands of a composite material;
- wherein the flexible intake runner has a shape that is at least one of cylindrical and conical;
- and
- wherein the flexible intake runner is conical when a composite strand has a variable taper along its length.
3 more elements
An engine system comprising:
- an air intake manifold to deliver air to one or more combustion chambers of an engine block,
- a flexible intake runner made of helically wound braids whose length is adjustable to change a cross-sectional area of the flexible intake runner, wherein the helically wound braids are made from strands of a composite material, the strands being variable in width to allow the flexible intake runner to be tapered over a curved length,
- a controller with memory including instructions to adjust the flexible intake runner by increasing runner length to decrease the cross-sectional area, and
- decreasing runner length to increase the cross-sectional area in response to operating conditions.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- via a controller, adjusting an end position of a flexible intake runner coupled to an air intake manifold to vary runner length and cross-sectional area based on engine operating conditions;
- wherein the flexible intake runner comprises helically wound braids made from strands of a composite material, the strands having a variable width to allow the flexible intake runner to be tapered over a curved length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.