JP4636328B2 - Intake control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an intake manifold intake control device that introduces intake air into an internal combustion engine.

  An intake manifold (intake manifold) that distributes intake air of an automobile engine to each cylinder has been conventionally made using a metal material such as an aluminum alloy casting. However, in recent years, synthetic resins have been widely adopted in place of metal materials from the viewpoints of reducing the weight of automobile engines, improving heat insulation, and improving design flexibility. However, when a synthetic resin is used, warpage and shrinkage during molding cannot be avoided, and the shape accuracy tends to be lower than that of metal. For this reason, an attempt has been made to maintain accuracy by separately forming the intake passage and the control unit for controlling the intake amount without integrally forming the intake manifold.

  For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228688, which is cited below, discloses a bearing device as such a cartridge type control unit. This bearing device is rotatably mounted with a control element (such as a vortex flap) that controls the flow rate and flow path of intake air that passes through the intake passage. By inserting this bearing device into a receiving portion provided in the intake passage and rotating the control element, the flow rate and flow path in the intake passage are controlled.

JP-T-2003-509634 (14th to 20th paragraphs, FIGS. 1 to 3)

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration example of an intake air control device using a cartridge type control unit 30 as disclosed in Patent Document 1. In FIG. The control unit 30 includes a control valve 40 that controls the intake air amount and the flow path by adjusting the cross-sectional area of the intake passage 200a in a cylindrical housing that is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the intake passage 200a. Yes. The control valve 40 corresponds to the control element of Patent Document 1 described above, and is provided so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 401. The rotation shaft 401 is formed with a shaft insertion hole into which the shaft 50 is inserted as a long angle hole. The shaft 50 is driven by an actuator (not shown), and the control valve 40 is rotated through the shaft 50.

  The control unit 30 is inserted into the intake manifold 200 from the opening on the cylinder head side with a predetermined gap (so-called “play”). A receiving portion is formed on the inner wall of the intake manifold 200. The control unit 30 is supported on the peripheral portion of the cylindrical housing by the wall of the receiving portion via the interposition members 90 and 91, for example, and is held by the intake manifold 200 with the end portion locked.

  As shown in the drawing, the intake manifold 200 provided with the control unit 30 is brought into contact with the cylinder head 1 while sandwiching a gasket 100 for maintaining airtightness. As described above, since there is a predetermined gap between the control unit 30 and the intake manifold 200, the gasket 100 is provided so as to cover a range beyond the outer periphery of the control unit 30. For this reason, the circumference of gasket 100 and the circumference of intake manifold 200 become large. Such enlargement of the gasket 100 is not preferable from the viewpoints of downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus.

  Further, the fuel injector is preferably provided as close to the combustion chamber as possible, but this case also has a problem. That is, it is structurally difficult to provide a fuel injector in the vicinity of the combustion chamber, or the possibility of enlarging the gasket 100 and increasing the number of parts increases. This is because the flow path wall of the intake manifold 200 and the flow path wall of the control unit 30 are doubled on the surface where the cylinder head 1 and the intake manifold 200 abut. That is, there is a high possibility that the structure for penetrating the double flow path wall to provide a fuel injector or to ensure airtightness becomes complicated. These are not preferable for downsizing and cost reduction of the intake control device itself.

  As described above, the control unit 30 is made into a cartridge, so that the problem of accuracy when the intake manifold is made of resin can be improved. However, as described above, there is a new problem that hinders downsizing and cost reduction of the intake control device. Challenges have also occurred.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in an intake control device that controls the intake air amount by disposing a control unit having an intake control valve in the intake manifold, the enlargement of the device is suppressed. An object of the present invention is to provide an intake air control device capable of maintaining and improving combustion performance.

In order to achieve this object, an intake control device according to the present invention is disposed in an intake passage of an intake manifold for introducing intake air into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine via a cylinder head, and adjusts a cross-sectional area of the intake passage. And a control unit that controls the intake air amount and the flow path, and a cylindrical housing that houses the control valve and has a bearing portion that pivotally supports the control valve. It has the following features.
The intake manifold is formed of a first member having a receiving portion that houses the control unit and a contact portion that contacts the cylinder head, and a second member joined to the first member. And the said control unit is inserted in the said receiving part from the junction part side of said 1st member and said 2nd member located in the opposite side to the said contact part of said 1st member, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. To do.

  According to this configuration, since the control unit is not inserted into the intake manifold from the opening on the cylinder head side, the cylindrical end portion of the control unit is not exposed on the cylinder head side. Therefore, the flow path wall of the intake manifold and the flow path wall of the control unit do not double on the surface where the intake manifold and the cylinder head come into contact. In general, when the control unit is disposed in the intake manifold, a predetermined gap is provided between the control unit and the intake manifold in consideration of molding errors and the like. In this configuration, since both the flow path walls do not double on the surface where the intake manifold and the cylinder head abut, this predetermined gap can also be prevented from being exposed on the abutment surface.

  In general, the intake manifold and the cylinder head are brought into contact with each other while holding the gasket in order to maintain airtightness. However, since the predetermined gap is not exposed as described above, the expansion of the gasket can be suppressed. That is, the gasket does not necessarily need to be provided so as to cover the range beyond the outer periphery of the control unit, and may be provided so as to cover the inner periphery of the opening of the intake manifold. Further, it is not necessary to enlarge the opening on the cylinder head side of the intake manifold beyond the original intake purpose in order to insert the control unit. Therefore, the intake control device can be downsized, or at least an unnecessary increase in size can be suppressed.

Of course, the flow rate and the flow path are controlled in the same manner as when the control unit is inserted into the intake manifold from the opening on the cylinder head side, so at least the combustion performance is maintained. In addition, since the control unit, which is a relatively small part, can be produced with high accuracy, there is a high possibility that the combustion performance can be improved.
As described above, according to this characteristic configuration, in the intake control device that controls the intake air amount by arranging the control unit having the intake control valve in the intake manifold, the enlargement of the device is suppressed and the combustion performance is maintained. An intake control device that can be improved can be provided.
As a preferred form, the control unit is provided in the intake manifold without the housing coming into contact with the cylinder head. The housing is a flow path wall constituting a part of the intake passage of the intake manifold.

  In addition, according to this characteristic structure, even if the shape of an intake manifold changes, a 1st member can be used in common. That is, even if the second member is configured in a different shape as the intake manifold, the same control unit and the first member can be used as long as at least the shape that can be joined to the first member is maintained. The first member can be used as a general-purpose component together with the control unit, and a large mass production effect can be obtained.

  Further, in the intake control device according to the present invention, the first member restricts movement of the housing to the cylinder head side by locking one cylindrical end of the housing. And the peripheral portion of the housing is held, and the second member restricts the movement of the housing to the side opposite to the cylinder head side by locking the other cylindrical end of the housing. It has the 2nd latching | locking part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In an intake air control apparatus having an independent control unit as in the present invention, the control valve is generally rotated by a shaft that penetrates the rotation shaft of the control valve from the outside of the housing. Therefore, the control unit is held at a substantially fixed position by the shaft that passes through the rotation shaft of the control valve. However, according to this characteristic configuration, the control unit is further locked by the first locking portion and the second locking portion that are located on opposite sides of the control unit. Therefore, rattling can be reduced without relying on the shaft, and the control unit can be held in a substantially fixed position. Naturally, the assembly of the shaft is facilitated and the load applied to the shaft is reduced, so that uneven wear of the bearing portion is also suppressed and durability is improved. As a result, the intake control device can contribute to maintaining and improving combustion performance stably over a long period of time.

  Moreover, the intake control device according to the present invention may be characterized in that a fuel injector is provided in the contact portion.

The fuel injector is desired to be mounted at a position close to the combustion chamber in order to improve combustion performance and reduce exhaust gas. However, it is difficult to mount an intake control device in which an independent control unit is inserted into the intake manifold from the cylinder head side at a position close to the combustion chamber. Alternatively, there is a possibility that inconvenience such as enlarging of the gasket may occur.
For example, when a fuel injector is mounted on the abutting portion of the intake manifold, the control unit becomes an obstacle. On the other hand, when the fuel injector is mounted on the control unit, the abutting portion of the intake manifold becomes an obstacle, and it is necessary to escape the portion through which the fuel injector passes. As a result, a new seal member may be required to maintain airtightness between the control unit and the abutting portion of the intake manifold.
These are due to the fact that the flow path wall of the intake manifold and the flow path wall of the control unit are doubled on the surface where the intake manifold and the cylinder head abut.

  On the other hand, in this configuration, the flow path wall of the intake manifold and the flow path wall of the control unit do not double on the surface where the intake manifold contacts the cylinder head (the contact portion in the intake manifold). . Therefore, it is possible to avoid the above-described problems such as enlargement of the intake control device, and to provide a fuel injector at the contact portion of the intake manifold. Further, the fuel injector can be mounted at a position close to the combustion chamber, so that the combustion performance can be improved and the exhaust gas can be reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which an intake control device according to the present invention is attached to a cylinder head 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for disposing the control unit 3 in the intake passage 20 a of the intake manifold 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the control unit 3.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the intake manifold 2 is held in contact with the cylinder head 1 by sandwiching a gasket 10 for maintaining airtightness, and introduces intake air into the cylinders of the internal combustion engine via the cylinder head 1. The control unit 3 is disposed in the intake passage 20a of the intake manifold 2 and controls the intake amount and the flow path by adjusting the cross-sectional area of the intake passage 20a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 3 includes a control valve 4 and a cylindrical (rectangular cylindrical) housing 6 that houses the control valve 4. The control valve 4 is a valve that controls the intake air amount and the flow path by adjusting the cross-sectional area of the intake passage 20a. It has a flat plate shape with a front end cut out, and has a pivotal support 41 a at both ends of the rotating shaft 41. A shaft insertion hole 42b into which the shaft 5 is inserted is formed as a long angle hole at the center of the rotation shaft 41 serving as an axis (see FIG. 2). The housing 6 accommodates the control valve 4 and is formed with a bearing portion 61 that pivotally supports the control valve 4 so as to be rotatable.
The convex portion 41a of the rotating shaft 41 is inserted into the bearing portion 61 of the housing 6 and is pivotally supported. At this time, a bush (not shown) may be interposed between the bearing portion 61 and the convex portion 41a.

  The control valve 4 is rotated from the outside of the housing 6 by a shaft 5 that passes through the rotation shaft 41 of the control valve 4. The shaft 5 has a rectangular bar shape in cross section, and is inserted into the shaft insertion hole 42 b of the control valve 4. When the intake manifold 2 distributes intake air to a plurality of cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine, a control unit 3 is provided in each intake passage 20a. When a plurality of control units 3 are connected, they are connected by a single shaft 5. Power from an actuator (not shown) is applied to the shaft 5, and the control valve 4 is rotatably operated by this power. The control valve 4 can take such a posture that the flow path of the intake passage 20a is closed or opened by this operation. However, in this example, since the control valve 4 has a flat plate shape with a tip portion cut out, the intake air flows even in the closed posture, and a tumble is generated in the intake passage of the cylinder head 1. .

A concave groove 62 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 6, and an elastic member 9a (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is attached.
In the intake manifold 2 and the control unit 3 (especially the housing 6), there may be a decrease in the shape accuracy of the bearing portion 61 and the like due to warping and shrinkage during molding, which is a phenomenon peculiar to resin products. In consideration of such an accuracy error of resin molding, a predetermined gap for absorbing the error is provided between the receiving portion 20b described later and the peripheral wall of the housing 6. Therefore, when the control unit 3 is incorporated in the intake manifold 2, there is a possibility that rattling or deviation occurs.

However, by providing the elastic member 9a in the predetermined gap, it is possible to absorb the deviation caused by the accuracy error of the resin molding and to suppress the rattling and deviation at the time of assembly. In particular, when a plurality of control units 3 are connected, the shift of the axial centers of the control units 3 is effectively absorbed. As a result, assembly of the shaft 5 for rotating the control valve 4 is facilitated, uneven wear of the bearing portion 61 is suppressed, and durability is improved.
Such an elastic member 9 may be provided on either side of the control unit 3 or the intake manifold 2. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an example in which the elastic member 9 a is provided in the control unit 3 and the elastic member 9 b is provided in the intake manifold 2 is shown.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intake manifold 2 is divided into a first member 2 a and a second member 2 b, and after the control unit 3 is assembled, the intake manifold 2 is joined at the joint 23. This joining is performed by vibration welding, for example. Of course, you may join using other methods, such as laser welding and two-color molding.

The first member 2 a includes a receiving portion 20 b that houses the control unit 3 (housing 6), and a contact portion 21 that contacts the cylinder head 1. The receiving portion 20b holds the peripheral portion of the housing 6 via the elastic member 9 described above. The receiving portion 20b is also formed with a first locking portion 22 that locks one cylindrical end 63a of the housing 6 to restrict the housing 6 from moving toward the cylinder head 1 side.
The second member 2 b is formed with a second locking portion 24 that locks the other cylindrical end 63 b of the housing 6 to restrict the control unit 3 from moving to the opposite side of the cylinder head 1. Is done.
The control unit 3 can be held at a substantially fixed position in the intake passage 20a by the shaft 5 passing through the rotation shaft 41. In this example, the control unit 3 is also locked at the first locking portion 22 and the second locking portion 24 on the opposite sides of the control unit 3. Thereby, the control unit 3 can be held at a substantially fixed position without relying on the shaft 5. Further, the assembly of the shaft 5 is facilitated, the uneven wear of the bearing portion 61 is suppressed, and the durability is improved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 3 is inserted into the receiving portion 20 b of the first member 2 a until the cylindrical end 63 a is locked by the first locking portion 22. At this time, the peripheral portion of the housing 6 is held by the receiving portion 20b leaving the degree of freedom by the elastic member 9, and the control unit 3 is held at a substantially fixed position.
Next, the joint portion 23a of the first member 2a and the joint portion 23b of the second member 2b are fitted together, and the intake manifold 2 divided and formed by, for example, vibration welding is joined. At this time, since the cylindrical end portion 63b is locked by the second locking portion 24, the control unit 3 is more reliably held at a substantially fixed position.

The opening on the second member 2b side of the control unit 3 (that is, the cylindrical end 63b of the housing 6) is more than the deformation amount of the elastic member 9 than the opening on the joining portion 24 side of the second member 2b. It is better to make it larger. Furthermore, the opening of the cylindrical end portion 63b of the housing 6 may be formed in a tapered shape that is enlarged toward the end portion.
Further, when the inner diameter of the first locking portion 22 is configured to be larger than the deformation amount of the elastic member 9 than the opening on the cylinder head 1 side of the control unit 3 (that is, the cylindrical end portion 63a of the housing 6). Good. When the intake passage 20a and the opening of the control unit 3 have the above relationship, intake resistance due to a step generated in the intake passage 20a can be reduced.
However, in the 1st latching | locking part 22 of this example, the rotating shaft 41 side of the control valve 4 may be located inside the cylindrical edge part 63a. This is because the control valve 4 in the open posture functions as a wall of the intake passage 20a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flow path wall of the control unit 3, that is, the housing 6 is not exposed at the contact portion 21 where the intake manifold 2 contacts the cylinder head 1. Only the flow path wall of the intake manifold 2 contacts the cylinder head 1.
For this reason, the predetermined gap provided between the control unit 3 and the intake manifold 2 is not exposed on the surface (contact surface) where the intake manifold 2 and the cylinder head 1 are in contact. Therefore, the gasket 21 for maintaining airtightness does not necessarily need to cover a range larger than the outer periphery of the control unit 3. This is also clear from the fact that the circumference of the gasket 21 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 and the circumference of the intake manifold 2 are smaller than those in the configuration example shown in FIG.

  Thus, by making the control unit 3 into a cartridge, the problem of accuracy when the intake manifold 2 is made of resin can be improved, and the enlargement of the gasket 10 can be suppressed. That is, the airtightness can be maintained in a space similar to that of a conventional resin intake manifold in which the control unit 3 is not formed into a cartridge.

  In addition, according to this invention, even if the shape of the intake manifold 2 changes, the 1st member 2a can be used in common. For example, the change in the shape of the intake manifold 2 is reflected only on the second member 2b. And the joining part 23b of the 2nd member 2b is made joinable with the joining part 23a of the 1st member 2a. Then, the same control unit 3 and the first member 2a can be used regardless of the shape of the joined intake manifold 2 as a whole. The first member 2a can be used as a general-purpose component together with the control unit 3, and a large mass production effect can be obtained.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view when the fuel injector 7 is provided in the intake air control apparatus of the present invention. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact portion 21 of the intake manifold 2 is provided with a normal flange portion 21a (see the first member 2c in FIG. 4). Fastening means such as bolts are passed through the flange portion 21 a, and the intake manifold 2 is assembled to the cylinder head 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the flange portion 21 a is extended, and the fuel injector 7 is provided in the extended flange portion 21 a.

The fuel injector 7 is desired to be mounted at a position close to the combustion chamber in order to reduce combustion performance and exhaust gas. However, it is difficult to mount the intake control device illustrated in FIG. 6 at a position close to the combustion chamber. In the cartridge-type intake control device illustrated in FIG. 6, the flow path wall of the intake manifold 200 and the flow path wall of the control unit 3 are doubled on the surface where the intake manifold 200 and the cylinder head 1 abut. It is.
That is, when the fuel injector is mounted on the contact portion of the intake manifold 200, the control unit 3 becomes an obstacle. On the other hand, when a fuel injector is mounted on the control unit 3, the contact portion of the intake manifold 200 becomes an obstacle, and it is necessary to escape the portion through which the fuel injector passes. As a result, a new seal member may be required for maintaining airtightness between the control unit 3 and the abutting portion of the intake manifold 200.

  On the other hand, in the configuration of the present invention, the flow path wall of the intake manifold 2 and the flow path of the control unit 3 at the contact surface between the intake manifold 2 and the cylinder head 1 (the contact portion 21 in the intake manifold). The wall does not double. Therefore, the fuel injector 7 can be provided in the contact portion 21 (flange portion 21a) of the intake manifold 2 while avoiding the above-described problems. As a result, the fuel injector 7 can be mounted at a position close to the combustion chamber (near the engine valve 8) without enlarging the apparatus. And improvement of combustion performance and reduction of exhaust gas can be aimed at.

[Another embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example in which the intake manifold 2 is divided. In many cases, a long cylindrical resin molded product such as an intake manifold is not injection-molded into a cylindrical shape and is divided and formed so as to have a dividing surface in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the first member 2d and the second member 2e may be divided and formed in the longitudinal direction and joined at the joining portion 23A.
The first member 2d is formed to have a receiving portion 20b having a first locking portion 22 and a contact portion 21 on the cylinder head 1 side, similarly to the first members 2a and 2c described above. The second member 2e has a second locking portion 24A.
In addition, the 2nd member 2b in 1st embodiment mentioned above does not need to be a single member, and of course may be comprised from a some member for the convenience of injection molding.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in the intake control device that controls the intake air amount by arranging the control unit having the intake control valve in the intake manifold, the enlargement of the device is suppressed and the combustion performance is improved. It is possible to provide an intake control device that can perform the above.

Sectional drawing of the state which attached the intake control device based on this invention to the cylinder head Explanatory drawing which shows the procedure which arrange | positions a control unit in the intake passage of an intake manifold Perspective view of control unit Sectional view of the intake control device with a fuel injector Sectional drawing which shows the other example which divides and forms an intake manifold Sectional drawing which shows the structural example of the intake control apparatus which has an independent control unit

Explanation of symbols

1: Cylinder head 2: Intake manifolds 2a, 2c, 2d: First member 2b, 2e: Second member 20a: Intake passage 20b: Receiving portion 21: Abutting portion 22: First locking portions 23, 23a, 23b: Joint portion 24: second locking portion 24A: second locking portion 3: control unit 4: control valve 41: rotating shaft 6: housing 61: bearing portion 63a, 63b: cylindrical end portion 7: fuel injector

Claims (5)

A control valve disposed in an intake passage of an intake manifold for introducing intake air into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine via a cylinder head, and controlling an intake amount and a flow path by adjusting a cross-sectional area of the intake passage; and the control An intake control device comprising a control unit having a cylindrical housing formed with a bearing portion that accommodates a valve and rotatably supports the control valve.
The intake manifold is formed of a first member having a receiving portion that houses the control unit and a contact portion that contacts the cylinder head, and a second member joined to the first member,
The intake control device, wherein the control unit is inserted into the receiving portion from a joint portion side of the first member and the second member , which is located on the opposite side of the first member from the contact portion . The first member has a first locking portion that restricts movement of the housing toward the cylinder head by locking one cylindrical end portion of the housing, and holds a peripheral portion of the housing. ,
The said 2nd member has a 2nd latching | locking part which controls the movement to the opposite side to the said cylinder head side of the said housing by latching the other cylindrical edge part of the said housing. Intake control device.   The intake control device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion includes a fuel injector. The intake control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit is provided in the intake manifold without the housing being in contact with the cylinder head. The intake control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing is a flow path wall constituting a part of an intake passage of the intake manifold.

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