Patent ID: 7395811

Claim:
A choke device ( 13 ) for an intake system of an internal combustion engine ( 1 ); the intake system comprising at least one intake manifold ( 3 ), and a number of intake conduits ( 9 ), each of which connects the intake manifold ( 3 ) to at least one cylinder ( 2 ) of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ); the choke device ( 13 ) comprising at least one choke body ( 15 ) housed inside an intake conduit ( 9 ), and an actuating device ( 17 ) for setting the choke body ( 15 ) to a work position in which the choke body ( 15 ) reduces the cross section of the intake conduit ( 9 ); the choke device ( 13 ) being characterized in that the actuating device ( 17 ) comprises at least one filiform actuating member ( 23 ) made of a shape-memory material that changes shape when subjected to physical external stress, and comprising a first portion ( 24 ) embedded in the choke body ( 15 ), and a second portion ( 25 ) located outside the choke body ( 15 ) and secured mechanically to a fixed part; and the choke body ( 15 ) is deformable elastically to comply with the reduction in length of the actuating member ( 23 ).