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US 9,316,183 B2Granted
Air intake duct ice ingestion features
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsScott M. Rollins, Christopher B. Bishop
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine system including an air intake duct positioned upstream of an engine cylinder may include an ice ingestion feature for retaining condensation. An ice ingestion feature may include indents formed in the bottom of an air intake duct wall. As such, the ice ingestion feature may include compartments and/or grooves of varying depths, widths, and/or angles such that the ice retention rate may be based on the surface area of the compartment or grooves.
Claims19
An engine air intake duct, comprising:
- an air intake duct wall including an ice ingestion feature positioned at a bottom of the engine air intake duct wall, wherein the ice ingestion feature is formed by a plurality of indents, at least two of which contain a different volume;
- and
- a positive crankcase ventilation outlet coupled to the air intake duct wall upstream from the ice ingestion feature.
A system, comprising:
- an engine intake air duct with a bottom including a plurality of compartments formed with an ice-tray structure, at least some compartments irregularly formed with respect to other compartments.
A method for retaining ice in an air intake duct, comprising:
- flowing crankcase gas from a PCV port to an air intake duct upstream of an engine cylinder;
- and
- collecting condensate in a plurality of indents positioned in a bottom wall of the air intake duct, wherein at least two of the plurality of indents contain a different volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.