Patent ID: 7322333

Claim:
An internal combustion engine air intake structure comprising: an air intake passage having an internal passage wall defining an open cross sectional area of the air intake passage in a plane perpendicular to an intake air flow direction; an air intake control valve disposed in the air intake passage to selectively move between at least a retracted position, a first intake air deflecting position and a second intake air deflecting position, with the cross sectional area of the air intake passage being effectively reduced in the first and second intake air deflecting positions relative to the retracted position so as to increase flow of intake air on a combustion chamber side of the air intake control valve in the air intake passage; and an intake air flow partitioning unit disposed in the air intake passage and arranged to cooperate with the air intake control valve to at least selectively maintain a first substantially constant reduced cross sectional area downstream of the air intake control valve when the air intake control valve is in the first intake air deflecting position and a second substantially constant reduced cross sectional area downstream of the air intake control valve when the air intake control valve is in the second intake air deflecting position, with first and second substantially constant reduced cross sectional areas being in a range of one half or less of the open cross sectional area of the air intake passage.