Abstract:
An adapter assembly connected to a throttle body housing of an electronic throttle control assembly with a connecting feature. The adapter assembly of the present invention provides significantly lower cost assembly, and permits single side molding of the adapter assembly. The adapter assembly also includes alternative features for a captured seal or a void to contain excess thread sealer, and also permits a an anti-rotation feature, or locking tab, that is indexed to the receiving element, where the screw stop angle of the adapter assembly does not have to be controlled to provide a desired tab orientation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/183,962 filed Jun. 24, 2015. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to an adapter assembly which is connected to a housing of an electronic throttle control assembly, where the adapter assembly is suitable for connection with a pipe or conduit. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Electronic throttle bodies are generally known, and it is typical for a conduit to be in fluid communication with the throttle body for directing air into the throttle body, where the throttle body controls the flow of the air into an engine. Typical throttle bodies are made as a single component, but certain parts that are formed as part of the throttle body are more complex, and expensive to manufacture. In some instances, it may be advantageous to form certain parts separately, and connect them during assembly. However, there are certain features of the electronic throttle body that are required for suitable operation, the functionality of which may be affected if particular parts are manufactured separately. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a throttle body which maintains performance, but is simpler to manufacture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is a throttle body adapter assembly having a threaded section, with a housing of the electronic throttle control assembly receiving the threaded section. The throttle body adapter assembly of the present invention provides significantly lower cost assembly, and permits single side molding during manufacturing of the throttle body adapter assembly. 
         [0006]    The throttle body adapter assembly of the present invention provides alternative features for a captured seal or a void to contain excess thread sealer, and also permits a locking tab/anti-rotation feature that is indexed to the receiving element, where the screw stop angle for the adapter assembly does not have to be controlled to provide a desired orientation of the locking tab. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the present invention is an electronic throttle control assembly which includes a throttle body housing, a central port, the throttle body housing forming part of the central port, an upper flange section formed as part of the throttle body housing, and an adapter assembly connected to the throttle body housing. 
         [0008]    The adapter assembly includes a housing portion, a first aperture formed as part of the housing portion, a first diameter portion formed as part of the housing portion, and a second diameter portion formed as part of the housing portion, the first diameter portion and the second diameter portion are part of the first aperture, and the first aperture is part of the central port. A first tapered portion is formed as part of the housing portion such that the first tapered portion is adjacent the first diameter portion, and a second tapered portion is formed as part of the housing portion such that the second tapered portion is disposed between the first diameter portion and the second diameter portion. 
         [0009]    A retaining surface is formed as part of the housing portion such that the retaining surface is adjacent the second tapered portion and substantially perpendicular to the second diameter portion. A third diameter portion is formed as part of the housing portion, such that the third diameter portion is part of the first aperture. 
         [0010]    A first threaded section is formed as part of the third diameter portion, a second threaded section is formed as part of the upper flange section, an end surface is formed as part of the third diameter portion, and a stopper surface formed as part of the upper flange section. The adapter assembly is connected to the throttle body housing by engaging the first threaded section with the second threaded section, and rotating the housing portion until the end surface of the third diameter portion contacts the stopper surface of the upper flange section. 
         [0011]    A retention feature is integrally formed with the upper flange section, a third tapered portion is part of the retention feature, and a second retaining surface is adjacent the third tapered portion. The second retaining surface is substantially parallel to the first retaining surface, such that an attachment feature of a conduit is disposed between the first retaining surface and the second retaining surface when the conduit is connected to the adapter assembly. 
         [0012]    A locking tab integrally formed with the upper flange section. In one embodiment, the attachment feature is held between the first retaining surface and the second retaining surface by the locking tab. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the locking tab is integrally formed around the circumference of the upper flange section, and the throttle body adapter may be positioned relative to the throttle body housing independently of where the locking tab is located. 
         [0014]    In yet another embodiment, the throttle body housing is formed as a single component, and the adapter assembly is formed as a single component, such that the throttle body housing and the adapter assembly do not have any joints or weld seams, further preventing leaks. 
         [0015]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic throttle control assembly having an adapter assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of an electronic throttle control assembly having an adapter assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  in an enlarged view of a portion of an electronic throttle control assembly having an adapter assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a sectional side view taken along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a sectional side view taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a sectional side view of an electronic throttle control assembly having an adapter assembly, with a conduit attached to the adapter assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a second exploded view of an exploded view of an electronic throttle control assembly having an adapter assembly, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0025]    An electronic throttle control assembly having an adapter assembly according to the present invention in shown in the Figures generally at  10 . The assembly  10  includes a throttle body housing  12 , and formed as part of the housing  12  is a central port, shown generally at  14 , through which air passes during operation of the assembly  10 . There is a shaft (not shown) which extends through part of the central port  14 , where the shaft is rotatable, and mounted to the shaft is a valve plate (also not shown). 
         [0026]    The shaft is mounted in a bore  16  formed as part of the housing  12 . The housing  12  also includes a cavity, shown generally at  18 , and disposed in the cavity  18  is an actuator (not shown). The actuator is used for controlling a gear assembly, which is then connected to the shaft, thereby controlling the position of the valve plate in the central port  14 . Changing the position of the valve plate controls the flow of air through the central port  14 . 
         [0027]    The assembly  10  also includes an adapter assembly, shown generally at  20 . The adapter assembly  20  includes a housing portion  22 , and formed as part of the housing portion  22  is a first aperture  24 A, which forms part of the central aperture  14 , and is of a substantially constant diameter. The housing portion  22  also includes a first diameter portion  26  which is adjacent a first tapered portion  28 . The housing portion  22  also has a second tapered portion  30  which is adjacent the first diameter portion  26 . 
         [0028]    Adjacent the second tapered portion  30  is a first retaining surface  32 , adjacent the retaining surface  32  is a second diameter portion  34 , and adjacent the second diameter portion  34  is a third diameter portion  36 . Formed as part of the third diameter portion  36  is a first threaded section  38 . When the adapter assembly  20  is attached to the housing  12 , the first threaded section  38  is engaged with a second threaded section  40 , which is formed as part of an upper flange section  42  of the housing  12 . The threaded sections  38 , 40  are both part of a connecting feature used for connecting the adapter assembly  20  to the housing  12 , however, it is within the scope of the invention that other types of connecting features may be used. 
         [0029]    The upper flange section  42  includes a second aperture  24 B which is substantial alignment with the first aperture  24 A. Both apertures  24 A, 24 B make up portions of the central port  14 . Also integrally formed with the upper flange section  42  is a retention feature  44  having a third tapered portion  46 , and adjacent the third tapered portion  46  is a second retaining surface  48 . 
         [0030]    During assembly, the adapter assembly  20  is connected to the upper flange section  42  of the housing  12  by rotating the assembly  20  such that the first threaded section  38  engages with the second threaded section  40 . The housing portion  22  is rotated until an end surface  50  of the third diameter portion  36  contacts a stopper surface  52  of the upper flange section  42 . The adapter assembly  20  may be tightened as required. There may also be a thread sealer used in between the threaded sections  38 , 40  for providing a seal, where the excess sealant may flow into a cavity, shown generally at  54 , between the third diameter portion  36  and the retention feature  44 . 
         [0031]    Another feature of the present invention is a locking tab  56  integrally formed with the upper flange section  42  of the housing  12 . The locking tab  56  is used when a conduit  58 , a portion of which is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , having a clamping feature is attached to the adapter assembly  20  and the housing  12 . Because the adapter assembly  20  is a separate component, and the locking tab  56  is formed as part of the upper flange section  42  and the housing  12 , the locking tab  56  may be formed anywhere around the circumference of the upper flange section  42 , for suitable connection with the conduit  58  as desired. 
         [0032]    When assembled, the first diameter portion  26  extends into a portion of the conduit  58 , which in this embodiment is an air intake conduit  58 , with the connection facilitated by the first tapered portion  28 . The conduit  58  includes some type of attachment feature, which in this embodiment is a snap-ring  60 , which may be suitable for being located between the retaining surfaces  32 , 48  when the conduit is connected to the adapter assembly  20 . The snap-ring  60  may have an irregular or wave shape, or as with this embodiment, the snap-ring  60  is generally triangular in shape, and includes multiple shaft portions  66 , which flex and deflect when being placed between the retaining surfaces  32 , 48 . The conduit  58  includes a shell portion, which includes both an outer shell  62 A, and an inner shell  62 B. There are multiple apertures  64 , which are shown in  FIGS. 6-7 , integrally formed with both shells  62 A, 62 B, which the shaft portions  66  of the snap-ring  60  are at least partially located in after assembly, such that a portion of the shaft portions  66  are located between the retaining surfaces  32 , 48 . The snap-ring  60  also includes two tab features  72 , and during assembly, the tab features  72  initially contact the conduit  58  and cause the snap-ring  60  to deflect, such that as the snap-ring  60  is moved into position, the shaft portions  66  move into the apertures  64 . 
         [0033]    The conduit  58  also includes a cut-out portion, or a notch  74 , which the locking tab  56  extends into when the conduit  58  is connected to the adapter assembly  20  and the housing  12 , this further facilitates a proper fit between the conduit  58  and the adapter assembly  20 . As mentioned above, the locking tab  56  may be formed anywhere around the circumference of the upper flange section  42 . The conduit  58  may also be positioned relative to the adapter assembly  20  in any manner to allow the locking tab  56  to extend into the notch  74 , regardless of where around the circumference of the upper flange section  42  the locking tab  56  is located. 
         [0034]    There is also a groove  68  formed as part of the inner shell  62 B, and a seal  70  is disposed in the groove  68 , such that the seal  70  is also in contact with the first diameter portion  26 . 
         [0035]    Another feature of the adapter assembly  20  is that the housing  12  is formed as a single component, and the adapter assembly  20  is formed as a single component. Neither of the housing  12  or the adapter assembly  20  have any joints or weld seams, further preventing leaks. 
         [0036]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.