Patent ID: 7819104

Claim:
An intake apparatus for an internal combustion engine, the apparatus comprising: an intake manifold ( 1 ) including a plurality of air feeding passages ( 3 ) that define feed switch openings ( 7 ) and a bore portion ( 8 ) and that are adapted to be connected to and feed air to a plurality of cylinders of an internal combustion engine when the air feeding passages ( 3 ) are connected to the internal combustion engine; a rotary valve ( 10 ) defining an axial direction and including a plurality of valve portions ( 11 ) that are rotatable together about a rotational axis (P) and each of which is in communication with corresponding one of the air feeding passages ( 3 ) through corresponding one of the feed switch openings ( 7 ), the rotary valve ( 10 ) located in the bore portion and being supported to the intake manifold ( 1 ) to be rotatably switched between an open position wherein the plurality of valve portions ( 11 ) open the feed switch openings ( 7 ) and a closed position wherein the plurality of valve portions ( 11 ) close the feed switch openings ( 7 ), each of the valve portions ( 11 ) including a closing area portion ( 20 ) for closing the corresponding feed switch opening ( 7 ) and an open area portion ( 40 ) for opening the corresponding feed switch opening ( 7 ) wherein a first distance (D 1 ) from a first central portion ( 25 ), with respect to a peripheral direction of the valve portions ( 11 ), of an outer peripheral edge ( 20 a ) of the closed area portion ( 20 ) to the rotational axis (P) is set smaller than a second distance (D 2 ) from a second central portion ( 43 ), with respect to the peripheral direction, of an outer peripheral edge ( 40 a ) of the open area portion ( 40 ) to the rotational axis (P); a sealing member ( 60 ) fitted to each of the valve portions ( 11 ), the sealing member ( 60 ) including a pair of ring portions ( 61 ), each of which engages corresponding one of opposite ends of the valve portion ( 11 ) in the axial direction and at least two interconnecting portions interconnecting the pair of ring portions ( 61 ), each of the sealing members ( 60 ) providing sealing between associated one of valve portions ( 11 ) and the bore portion ( 8 ) of the intake manifold ( 1 ), the interconnecting portions ( 62 ) being generally located along the feed switch opening ( 7 ) and radially between the valve portion ( 11 ) and the bore portion ( 8 ) when the rotary valve ( 10 ) is switched to the closed position; and a pair of recessed portions ( 76 ) defined on an outer side of each of the valve portions ( 11 ) for receiving engaging portions ( 64 ) defined on inner sides of the interconnecting portions of each of the sealing members ( 60 ).