Intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine

Abstract: An intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine has a first passage portion where a throttle valve (2) is disposed and a second passage portion, downstream of the fist passage portion, where a mesh member (3) is disposed. A relationship S 1 ≦ αS 2 holds between a cross-sectional area S 1 of the first passage portion and a cross-sectional area S 2 of the second passage portion where α is an open area rate of the mesh member (3). A clearance (c) may be provided between a periphery of the mesh member (3) and an inside surface of the intake pipe (9) where the mesh member (3) is disposed.

Description: The present invention relates to an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine according to the preamble of claim 1. Such an intake passage structure is able to prevent an increase in intake air flow resistance. From the document FR-A-1 008 178 an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine is known which comprises a mesh downstream of a throttle valve. The total opening area of the mesh is at least as big as the smallest cross-section of the upstream air passage, so as to avoid obstructing the air flow. The document JP-U-57-107838 discloses an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine wherein a mesh is provided downstream of a throttle valve in an intake air passage. The mesh is provided for protecting the throttle valve from back fire from a cylinder of the internal combustion engine. However, the mesh increases intake air flow resistance which decreases the air intake efficiency. Further, moisture from the intake air, including moisture contained in the atmosphere itself and moisture due to PCV (positive crankcase ventilation), can become trapped by the mesh and ice up in throttle body causing problems with the throttle valve opening and/or closing. An object of the present invention is to provide an intake passage structure for internal combustion engines capable of suppressing an increase in the intake air flow resistance due to a mesh member. The above object is achieved by the combination of features set forth in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the subject-matter of claim 1 are specified in the dependent claims. In an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention, which has a mesh member disposed downstream of a throttle valve, the relationship S 1 ≦ αS 2 is provided between a cross-sectional area of a first passage portion S 1 where the throttle valve is disposed and a cross-sectional area of a second passage portion S 2 where the mesh member is disposed where α is a ratio of an open area to an entire area (summation of the open area and a closed area) of the mesh member (hereinafter referred to as an open area rate). In addition, clearance for permitting a portion of intake air to pass therethrough may be provided between a periphery of the mesh member and an inside surface of an intake pipe in which the mesh member is disposed. Due to the above-described structural relationship, the intake passage is not throttled in cross-sectional area by the mesh member. As a result, the intake air flow resistance does not increase despite provision of the mesh member, so that the air intake efficiency does not decrease. Further, in the case where a clearance is provided between the mesh member and the inside surface of the intake pipe, since intake air can flow through both the mesh member and the clearance, the intake air flow resistance does not increase despite provision of the mesh member, so that the air intake efficiency does not decrease. In the following, preferred embodiments of the intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine according to the invention are described with reference to the accompanying figures. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein an air connector is provided; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein an air connector is not provided; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine not according to the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the structure of FIG. 3. FIGS. 1, 2 illustrate intake passage structures for an internal combustion engine according to first, second embodiments of the present invention. Portions common or similar to each other throughout all of the embodiments of the present invention are denoted with the same reference numerals throughout all of the embodiments of the present invention. First, portions common or similar to each other throughout all of the embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to, for example, FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, an intake passage structure includes an intake air passage 7. The intake air passage 7 includes a throttle body 1, a surge tank 4 disposed downstream of the throttle body 1 in an intake air flow direction, and an air connector 6 disposed between the throttle body 1 and the surge tank 4. The air connector 6 is not indispensable. The intake air passage 7 includes a first passage portion which is a throttle body 1 and a second passage portion which is located downstream of the first passage portion and upstream of the surge tank 4. A throttle valve 2 is disposed in the throttle body 1 of the first passage portion so that the throttle valve 2 can be open and closed. A mesh member 3 is disposed in the second passage portion located downstream of the throttle valve 2. The mesh member 3 is made from, for example, a metal net or a punched metal plate. The mesh member 3 operates to protect the throttle valve 2 from damage from a cylinder of the engine backfiring. The mesh member 3 further operates so as to make the intake flow uniform and to suppress intake air flow sound generated when the throttle valve 2 is opened at a high speed. Next, portions unique to each embodiment of the present invention will be explained. With a first embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an air connector 6 is provided. The following relationship holds between the first passage portion and the second passage portion: S 1 ≦ αS 2 , or (D 1 ) 2 ≦ α(D 2 ) 2 where: S 1 is a cross-sectional area of the first passage portion, S 2 is a cross-sectional area of the second passage portion, D 1 is a diameter of the first passage portion, D 2 is a diameter of the second passage portion, and α is an open area rate (a ratio of an open area to an entire area of the mesh member). In the case where the above-described relationship holds, a pipe diameter of the second passage portion is greater than a pipe diameter of the first passage portion. In this instance, the second passage portion is downwardly dislocated from the fist passage portion, so that a bottom surface of the second passage portion is positioned at a lower level than a bottom surface of the first passage portion, while an upper surface of the second passage portion is positioned as the same level as an upper surface of the first passage portion. The bottom surface of the second passage portion is connected to the bottom surface of the first passage portion via an inclined surface inclined from the horizontal so as to ascend toward the first passage portion. An angle of the inclination, , is illustrated in FIG. 1. This structure prevents water trapped by the mesh member 3 from flowing reversely toward the throttle valve 2. Preferably, from the viewpoint of suppressing noise, the mesh member 3 is located at a position spaced away from the throttle valve 2 by a distance in the range of 0.5D 1 - 2D 1 . With a second embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 2, an air connector 6 is not provided, wherein the throttle body 1 is connected directly to the surge tank 4. Further, the second passage portion is downwardly dislocated from the first passage portion, so that a bottom surface of the second passage portion is positioned at a lower level than a bottom surface of the first passage portion, while an upper surface of the second passage portion is positioned as the same level as an upper surface of the first passage portion. The bottom surface of the second passage portion is connected to the bottom surface of the first passage portion via a step having a height a. Other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment of the present invention. With a third embodiment of the present invention, the first and second embodiments may be further developed in that, a clearance c for permitting a portion of intake air to pass therethrough may be provided between the mesh member 3 and an inside surface of an intake pipe 9 (which is a portion of the intake air passage 7 and in which the mesh member 3 is disposed). More particularly, the mesh member 3 is manufactured so as to have a smaller diameter than the inside surface of the intake pipe 9. Then, the mesh member 3 is disposed within the intake pipe 9 and is supported by support members 8 so that the mesh member 3 is located at a central portion of the intake pipe with the clearance c between the periphery of the mesh member 3 and the inside surface of the intake pipe 9 along an entire circumference of the mesh member 3. The size of the clearance c is selected so as to satisfy both the noise suppressing effect and icing prevention effect. As stated above, the structure of the clearance c may be provided in addition to the structure of any of the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Next, the operation of a device according to the present invention will be explained. With the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the mesh member 3 makes the intake air flow uniform and prevents noise from occurring even when the throttle valve 2 is opened at a high speed. Further, since the relationship of S 1 ≦ αS 2 or (D 1 ) 2 ≦ α(D 2 ) 2 holds, the cross-sectional area of the second passage portion of the intake air passage is not throttled compared with the first passage portion despite provision of the mesh member 3, the air flow resistance is prevented from increasing at the mesh member 3, so that high efficiency air intake is maintained. Furthermore, since the bottom surface of the second passage portion is at a lower level than the bottom surface of the first passage portion, water trapped by the mesh member 3 does not flow to the throttle valve 2 and does not cause sticking of the throttle valve 2 to the wall of the passage due to icing of the trapped water at the throttle valve 2. With the third embodiment of the present invention, due to clearance c between the mesh member 3 and the inside surface of the intake pipe 9, a portion of intake gas flows through not only the mesh member 3 but also the clearance, the air flow resistance does not increase despite provision of the mesh member 3 and high efficiency air intake is maintained. Further, even if moisture becomes trapped by the mesh member 3 to produce collected water on the bottom surface of the intake pipe 9, the water will be blown in a downstream direction, so that the water will not reach the throttle valve 2. As a result, sticking of the throttle valve 2 to the intake pipe 9 due to icing of the water does not occur. According to the present invention, the following technical advantages are obtained: First, since the relationship of S 1 ≦ αS 2 or (D 1 ) 2 ≦ α(D 2 ) 2 holds, the air flow resistance does not increase so that high efficiency air intake is maintained. Second, in the case where the clearance c is additionally provided between the mesh member and the inside surface of the intake pipe, a portion of the intake air can flow through the clearance. As a result, the air flow resistance does not increase so that high efficiency air intake is maintained.

Claims: An intake structure for an internal combustion engine comprising: an intake air passage (7) including a first passage portion (1) and a second passage portion (6) located downstream of said first passage portion (1), said first passage portion (1) having a first cross-sectional area (S 1 ), said second passage portion (6) having a second cross-sectional area (S 2 ) ; a throttle valve (2) disposed in said first passage portion (1); and a mesh member (3) disposed in said second passage portion (6), said mesh member (3) having an open area rate (α), characterized in that said first cross-sectional area (S 1 ), said second cross-sectional area (S 2 ) and said open area rate (α) satisfy the following relationship: S1 ≤ αS 2 An intake structure according to claim 1, wherein said first passage portion (1) has a first diameter (D 1 ), and said second passage portion (6) has a second diameter (D 2 ), said first diameter (D 1 ), said second diameter (D 2 ) and said open area rate (α) having the following relationship: (D 1 ) 2 ≤ α(D 2 ) 2 An intake structure according to claim 1, wherein said second passage portion (6) has a bottom surface and said first passage portion (1) has a bottom surface, said bottom surface of said second passage portion (6) being positioned at a lower level than said bottom surface of said first passage portion. An intake structure according to claim 3, wherein said bottom surface of said second passage portion (6) is connected to said bottom surface of said first passage portion (1) via an inclined surface. An intake structure according to claim 3, wherein said bottom surface of said second passage portion (6) is connected to said bottom surface of said first passage portion via a stepped surface. An intake structure according to claim 1, wherein said mesh member (3) is disposed at a position spaced away from said throttle valve (2) by a distance (L n ) in the range of 0,5D 1 - 2D 1 . An intake structure according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising an intake pipe (9) defining said intake air passage (7) therein, the intake pipe (9) having an inside surface; wherein said throttle valve (2) is disposed in said intake pipe (9); and said mesh member (3) is disposed in said intake pipe (9) so that a clearance (c) in the form of a ring for permitting a portion of intake gas to pass therethrough is formed between said mesh member (3) and said inside surface of said intake pipe (9). An intake passage structure according to claim 7, wherein said mesh member (3) has a diameter smaller than said inside surface of said intake pipe (9) and is supported so as to be disposed at a central portion of said intake air passage (7) so that said clearance (c) is formed between said mesh member (3) and said inside surface of said intake pipe (9).

Inventors: MOROTA KENJIRO, SAKAGUCHI KANJI, MOROTA, KENJIRO, SAKAGUCHI, KANJI
Applicants: TOYOTA MOTOR CO LTD, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1997
Main classification: F02M29
IPC codes: F02M35, F02M29