Patent Publication Number: US-6216656-B1

Title: Surge tank structure in intake manifold

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Industrial Applications 
     The present invention relates to a surge tank structure in an intake manifold. 
     2. Related Art 
     In general, an intake manifold for use in an automobile gasoline or diesel engine has such a structure as shown in FIG. 9, where a plurality of branch tubes  2  are joined at one end to a cylinder head mounting flange  4  provided for installation on a cylinder head and at the other end to a surge tank  3 . FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged cross sectional view of the joint between the branch tubes  2  and the surge tank  3 . Each branch tube  2  is connected and inserted into the surge tank  3 . The inner wall for accepting the leading end of the branch tube  2  has a horn-like region  51  formed by changing the diameter for the purpose of moderating a change of the cross section so that the load of a suction caused by abrupt change in the cross section can be reduced. The surge tank  3  is fabricated by casting using a core for shaping the horn-like regions  51 , and the use of such a core increases production costs. 
     To reduce costs, a modification has been proposed, which is shown in FIG.  11  and FIG. 12, which is a cross sectional view taken along the line XII—XII of FIG.  11 . Here, the leading end of each branch tube  2  is flared or enlarged in its diameter to produce a horn-like flared or enlarged region  2   a  and is then mounted to a surge tank  3 . The surge tank  3  comprises two separable components, a lower member  52  and an upper member  53 . More specifically, after the branch tubes  2  having the horn-like flared or enlarged regions  2   a  have been set in their position, the upper member  53  is joined to the lower member  52  to complete the surge tank  3 . The joint between the branch tube  2  and the two tank members  52  and  53  includes semi-circular and straight regions, thus requiring higher degrees of the roundness of the overall dimensions of the branch tubes  2  and a more accurate machining of the joining portions of the lower member  52  and the upper member  53  to the branch tubes  2 . In addition, a set of pins  54  is needed for positioning the lower member  52  and the upper member  53 , thereby increasing the manufacturing cost. Moreover, any displacement between the branch tubes  2  and the two tank members  52  and  53 , may disadvantageously cause the condensed liquid or blow-by oil 0 deposited on the bottom of the lower member  52  to remain there since the condensed liquid may not be sucked into the branch tubes  2 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in view of the above problems and its object is to provide an intake manifold which allows condensed water or blow-by oil deposited in a surge tank to be favorably discharged which can also be fabricated at lower cost without the use of cores in the casting molds. According to the present invention, a surge tank structure is provided in an intake manifold having a surge tank to which a plurality of branch tubes are joined at one end. Each branch tube is joined to a cylinder head mounting flange at one end, and the surge tank is flared or enlarged to have a horn-like shape. The surge tank comprises a main body and a top plate. The main body has through holes provided therein for accepting the branch tubes and has an open top side. The top plate is joined in a plane to the top of the main body. The main body has a bottom which has engagement recesses formed by raised or raised portions, so that each engagement recess has a horn-like surface that conforms to the horn-like shape of one end of each branch tube end. 
     The main body and the top plate are joined with each other in a plane, and the surge tank is tightly sealed off at the joint. Also, the branch tube is precisely positioned in the engagement recess provided in the bottom of the main body so that the horn-like shape of the branch tube end closely contacts the horn-shape surface of the bottom, hence facilitating its function of sucking up a pool of condensed water or blow-by oil deposited on the bottom of the surge tank. In other words, the structure of the surge tank is improved while fouling by condensed water or blow-by oil is reduced. Also, the surge tank can be fabricated at a lower cost since no core is used in the molds. 
     Preferably, after each branch tube has been inserted into its respective through holes and has been positioned in its respective engagement recesses in the main body of the surge tank, an enlarging tool is inserted from above into the main body to urge one end of each branch tube against the corresponding horn-like surface and to enlarge the same to have the horn-like shape. 
     Accordingly, the process can be implemented at a lower cost by removing the top plate, setting the branch tubes to the through holes in the main body, inserting the die into the main body, and performing an enlarging or flaring process with the end of each the branch tube closely contacting the horn-shape surface. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional structural view showing branch tubes joined to a surge tank; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional structural view taken along the line II—II of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional structural view showing engagement recesses formed to have a shallow depth; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective structural view of a separable structure of the surge tank; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional structural view showing the surge tank with a separate bottom plate; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the structure shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an enlarging process of the leading end of the branch tube using a die; 
     FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a process of removing the bottom plate and of enlarging the tube by using a die when the top opening is small; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective structural view of a conventional intake manifold; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross sectional enlarged structural view showing the joint between a conventional surge tank and branch tubes; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross sectional structural view showing the joint between a conventional separable type surge tank and branch tubes; and 
     FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line XII—XII of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     One preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional structural view showing branch tubes  2  joined to a surge tank  3 . FIG. 2 is a cross sectional structural view taken along the line II—II of FIG.  1 . 
     In this embodiment, the surge tank  3  comprises a main body  31  and a top plate  32 . The main body  31  has a box-like structure with a top side opening and includes a side wall  31   b  that extends upwardly from abottom  31   a . The side wall  31   b  has through holes  31   d  for accepting the branch tubes  2  from the outside. The top of the side wall  31   b  is smooth and provides a horizontal joining surface  31   c . The top plate  32  is joined to the joining surface  31   c  and is placed thereon from above, thus completing the overall structure of the surge tank  3 . As the interface between the top plate  32  and the main body  31  is flat, the top plate  32  and the main body  31  can be joined to be reliably sealed. 
     Also, the bottom  31   a  of the main body  31  has thickened or raised portions  33  arranged beside the through holes  31   d . The raised portion  33  also has, as best shown in FIG. 2, semi-circular engagement recesses  33   b  provided therein to conform to the outer configuration of the branch tubes  2 , so that the leading ends of the branch tubes  2  are positioned precisely in their joining locations. In particular, an inner end portion of each engagement recess  33   b  defines a horn-shape surface  33   a  which curves down to the bottom  31   a  of the main body  3 . 
     Each engagement recess  33   b  is tailored in an arc shape that is less than half the circumferential length of the branch tube  2 . This obviates the need for a core in making the main body  31  with the raised portion  33  the horn-shape surfaces  33   a  and the engagement recesses  33   b , hence minimizing the cost of casting the main body  31 . Also, the top plate  32  is tightly joined to the top of the main body  31 , ensuring a higher sealing effect of the overall structure while requiring no use of pins as employed in the prior art. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost of the overall surge tank structure can further be reduced. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the raised portion  33  may be lowered as closer to the bottom  31  and its engagement recess  33   b  may be shallowly recessed to contact only a lower side of the outer periphery of the branch tube  2  positioned therein. 
     Even if the surge tank structure is of a type with a throttle chamber mount  5  joined laterally to the main body  31  for introducing a flow of air into the interior of the surge tank  3 , as shown in FIG. 4, the surge tank  3  may also have a separable structure comprising the main body  31  and the top plate  32 , and the raised portions  33  with the engagement recesses  33   b  and the horn-shape surfaces  33   a  may also be provided on the bottom of the main body  31 . 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 5 by a cross sectional view and in FIG. 6 by an exploded perspective view, the bottom  31   a  of the main body  31  may be formed by a separate bottom plate  34  which can be removed from the main body  31 . 
     More specifically, for joining the branch tubes  2  to the main body  31  of the surge tank  3 , as shown in FIG. 7, the leading end of each branch tube  2  is inserted from the outside into the through hole  31   a  in the main body  31  with the top plate  32  being removed. The leading end of the branch tube  2  is then positioned in the engagement recess  33   b , and the branch tube  2  is fixed in position by a clamp C from the outside. Next, a die D is inserted from above into the main body  31  and pressed against the leading end of the branch tube  2  until the leading end of the branch tube  2  is bent to closely contact the horn-shape surface  33   a  of the raised portion  33  of the main body  31  and then yielded to form a horn-like flared or enlarged portion  2   a  which conforms to the horn-shape surface  33   a . Because the leading end of the branch tube  2  closely contacts the horn-shape surface  33   a , no positional discrepancy should occur. Therefore, any condensed water or blow-by oil deposited on the bottom of the main body  31  can favorably be sucked up by the branch tubes  2 . In other words, little of any condensed water or blow-by oil is accumulated on the bottom of the main body  31 . The die D is withdrawn when it has forced the loading end of the branch tube  2  to turn to the horn-like enlarged portion  2   a  and then, the top plate  32  is mounted to the top of the main body  31 . 
     In the event that the top opening of the main body  31  is relatively small, the structure shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is employed. Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, with the separate bottom plate  34  being removed, the leading end of the branch tube  2  can be effectively flared or enlarged by a die D that has a lower portion projecting downwardly from the lower opening K of the main body  31 . After the leading end of the branch tube  2  has been shaped to the horn-like enlarged shape to closely contact the horn-shape surface  33   a , the die D is withdrawn and the separate bottom plate  34  is mounted to the bottom of the main body  31  to close the lower opening K. Then, the top plate  32  is mounted to the top of the main body  31  to complete the surge tank  3 . 
     While the leading end of the branch tube  2  is being shaped by the die D to have the horn-like enlarged portion  2   a , the branch tube  2  is positioned in the engagement recess  33   b  and its inward end is pressed against the horn-shape surface  33   a . Therefore, the engagement recess  33   b  and the horn-shape surface  33  serve as a backup tool, thus contributing to the better performance of the horn-shape forming action.