An integrated cylinder head for an engine
The integrated cylinder head design simplifies the coolant outlet structure, preventing coolant leakage, and improves intake efficiency through the intake manifold preheating pipe. This solves the problems of complex cylinder head structure, high cost, and poor maintainability in microvans/light commercial vehicles, achieving efficient combustion and low emissions.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZHONGQING XINYUAN DONGLI MFG CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-26
AI Technical Summary
In the existing technology, the cylinder head structure of microvans/light commercial vehicles is complex, the production cost is high, the maintainability is poor, especially in the low temperature environment of winter, the intake efficiency is low, the combustion is incomplete, the exhaust emissions exceed the standard, and the coolant outlet is prone to leakage.
The cylinder head adopts an integrated design, including a water pipe mounting platform and stainless steel water outlet pipe cast integrally with the cylinder head body, which simplifies the structure of the coolant outlet section. A preheating pipe is integrated on the intake manifold, and the air is preheated using a thermostat to avoid coolant leakage and reduce production costs.
The structure of the coolant outlet has been simplified, the integration has been improved, coolant leakage has been avoided, production costs have been reduced, intake efficiency and combustion effect have been improved, exhaust emissions have been reduced, and maintainability has been enhanced.
Smart Images
Figure CN224282784U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of automotive engine structural technology, and in particular relates to an integrated cylinder head for an engine. Background Technology
[0002] For transversely mounted engines used in microvans / light commercial vehicles, the cylinder head is a one-piece structure, mounted on top of the engine and covering the top of the cylinder block, forming the combustion chamber together with the cylinder block. The cylinder head contains intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, and cooling water passages. The intake manifolds draw air into the combustion chamber, while the exhaust manifolds expel the combustible gases. The cooling water passages surround the combustion chamber, circulating coolant to remove the heat generated by combustion and prevent engine overheating.
[0003] The aforementioned cooling water channel design must ensure that the coolant flows evenly through key areas of the cylinder head, such as the combustion chamber and valve seats. After flowing through these key areas, the coolant needs to exit the cylinder head through the coolant outlet to carry away the high internal engine temperature and enter the coolant tank for cooling. Existing coolant outlets include an outlet pipe, a pipe connector, a gasket, and a pipe mounting platform on the cylinder head. The mounting platform and cylinder head body are integrally cast. An outlet hole is provided on the mounting platform, and the outlet pipe is connected to the mounting platform via the pipe connector, with the outlet pipe and outlet hole aligned. The gasket is positioned between the mounting platform and the pipe connector. When installing the pipe connector on the mounting platform, a bolt connection is typically used, requiring multiple corresponding bolt holes on the pipe connector, mounting platform, and gasket.
[0004] The intake manifold in the aforementioned intake system is responsible for supplying air (or an air-fuel mixture) to the cylinders, directly affecting intake efficiency, combustion uniformity, and power output. In low-temperature winter conditions, the air temperature inside the intake manifold also decreases. When this cold air mixes with fuel, the ignition delay time increases, the combustion speed slows down, and combustion becomes incomplete, leading to insufficient engine power output and increased fuel consumption. Incomplete combustion also produces more hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide, resulting in excessive exhaust emissions. Simultaneously, the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the intake manifold is significant in winter, and its inner wall temperature may be below the dew point, causing water vapor in the air to condense into water droplets on the pipe wall. These water droplets not only corrode the pipe wall but also increase intake resistance and reduce intake efficiency. To solve this technical problem, existing technologies install heating wires before the intake manifold to preheat the intake air.
[0005] Whether it's the coolant outlet, which includes the water outlet pipe, water pipe connection, sealing gasket, and the coolant outlet mounted on the water pipe mounting platform on the cylinder head, or the structure with added heating wires to preheat the air in the intake manifold, all of these increase production costs and reduce vehicle maintainability. Considering the usage scenarios and target customers of microvans / light commercial vehicles, while ensuring safety and performance, we should simplify the component structure as much as possible, improve maintainability, reduce production costs, and reduce sources of failure. Utility Model Content
[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an integrated cylinder head for an engine, which solves the problems of complex cylinder head structure, high production cost and poor maintainability for the use scenarios and target customers of microvans / light commercial vehicles.
[0007] To achieve the above and other related objectives, this utility model provides an integrated cylinder head for an engine, including a cylinder head body. The cylinder head body covers the top of the engine cylinder block and together with the cylinder block forms a combustion chamber. The interior of the cylinder head body is connected to the intake manifold, exhaust manifold, and coolant outlet on its exterior. The coolant outlet includes a water pipe mounting platform integrally cast with the cylinder head body, a water outlet hole formed on the water pipe mounting platform, and a stainless steel water outlet pipe press-fitted into the water outlet hole. The outer diameter of the stainless steel water outlet pipe is larger than the inner diameter of the water outlet hole, and the end of the stainless steel water outlet pipe is press-fitted into the water outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10 mm. The intake manifold includes an intake manifold and a preheating pipe integrated on the intake manifold. The preheating pipe preheats the air entering the multiple cylinders inside the cylinder head body. One end of the preheating pipe is connected to the water outlet hole on the cylinder head body, and the other end is provided with an engine thermostat.
[0008] As described above, the integrated cylinder head of the engine according to this utility model has at least the following beneficial effects:
[0009] The integrated cylinder head of this engine features a coolant outlet section comprising a water pipe mounting platform integrally cast with the cylinder head body, a water outlet hole on the mounting platform, and a stainless steel water outlet pipe press-fitted into the outlet hole. The outer diameter of the stainless steel water outlet pipe is larger than the inner diameter of the outlet hole, and the end of the stainless steel water outlet pipe is press-fitted into the outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10mm. Compared to existing technologies where the water pipe connection and mounting platform are bolted together, this design simplifies installation. It also eliminates the need for the water pipe connection, thus eliminating the need for bolts and multiple bolt holes on the connection, mounting platform, and gasket, thereby simplifying the overall coolant outlet section structure. Furthermore, the press-fitting of the stainless steel water outlet pipe to a depth of not less than 10mm into the outlet hole, after eliminating the gasket, prevents coolant leakage, further simplifying the overall coolant outlet section structure and improving overall performance. The cylinder head integration is improved; by integrating a preheating pipe into the intake manifold, one end of which connects to the coolant outlet on the engine cylinder head, and the other end is equipped with the engine's thermostat, the design preheats the air entering each cylinder by allowing coolant to flow out of the engine. Compared to the existing design of adding heating wires before the intake manifold, this design not only preheats the air in the intake manifold but also consumes no extra energy and adds no extra parts (the preheating pipe is essentially an extension of the engine's coolant outlet pipe, not considered an additional part). Production costs are controlled, and no new sources of failure are added (the preheating pipe, as an extension of the coolant outlet pipe, works stably, while the heating wire is prone to damage due to overcurrent). This ultimately solves the problems of complex cylinder head structure, high production costs, and poor maintainability in the current technology for the use scenarios and target customers of microvans / light commercial vehicles. Attached Figure Description
[0010] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic of an integrated cylinder head for an engine according to this utility model.
[0011] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic of the coolant outlet of this utility model.
[0012] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the coolant outlet in the prior art.
[0013] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic of the intake manifold of this utility model.
[0014] Figure 5 The diagram shown is a schematic of the connecting plate and preheating channel of this utility model.
[0015] Component designation explanation
[0016] Cylinder head 1, coolant outlet 2, water pipe mounting platform 21, stainless steel water outlet pipe 22, liquid temperature sensor 23, intake manifold 3, intake manifold 31, intake main pipe 311, intake single pipe 312, preheating pipe 32, thermostat 4, connecting plate 5, П”-shaped plate 51, flat plate 52, preheating channel 6. Detailed Implementation
[0017] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification.
[0018] Please see Figures 1 to 5 It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of this invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this invention. Furthermore, the terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of this invention.
[0019] The following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. These embodiments can be combined and are not limited to the content shown in any single embodiment below.
[0020] Please see Figure 1 This utility model provides an integrated cylinder head for an engine. Like existing cylinder heads, this cylinder head also includes a cylinder head body 1, which covers the top of the engine cylinder block and together with the cylinder block forms the combustion chamber. The interior of the cylinder head body 1 communicates with its external intake manifold 3, exhaust manifold, and coolant outlet 2. To address the problems of complex cylinder head structures, high production costs, and poor maintainability in existing technologies, particularly for the use scenarios and target customers of microvans / light commercial vehicles, the integrated cylinder head of this engine differs from existing cylinder heads in that:
[0021] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the coolant outlet 2 includes a water pipe mounting platform 21 integrally cast with the cylinder head body 1, a water outlet hole opened on the water pipe mounting platform 21, and a stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 press-fitted into the water outlet hole. The outer diameter of the stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 is larger than the inner diameter of the water outlet hole, and the end of the stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 is press-fitted into the water outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10 mm. Compared with the prior art where the water pipe connection and the water pipe mounting platform 21 are installed together by bolts, the installation is simpler. At the same time, the water pipe connection part is eliminated, so there is no need to use bolts, and multiple corresponding bolt holes are opened on the water pipe connection part, the water pipe mounting platform 21, and the sealing gasket, thereby simplifying the structure of the entire coolant outlet. The structural design of the end of the stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 being press-fitted into the water outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10 mm, after eliminating the sealing gasket part, plays a role in preventing coolant leakage, further simplifying the structure of the entire coolant outlet and improving the integration of the entire device.
[0022] like Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the intake manifold 3 includes an intake manifold 31 and a preheating pipe 32 integrated on the intake manifold 31. The preheating pipe 32 preheats the air entering the cylinders of the cylinder head 1. One end of the preheating pipe 32 is connected to the water outlet on the cylinder head 1, and the other end is equipped with the engine thermostat 4. Compared with the prior art design of adding a heating wire in front of the intake manifold 31, the design of the preheating pipe 32 not only preheats the air in the intake manifold 31, but also does not consume additional energy or add additional parts (the preheating pipe 32 is equivalent to an extension of the engine's water outlet pipe, which is not considered an additional part). Production costs are controlled, and no new sources of failure are added (the preheating pipe 32, as an extension of the water outlet pipe, works stably, while the heating wire is easily damaged by overcurrent). Moreover, the intake manifold 31 also cools the coolant flowing out of the engine. It can be said that the intake manifold 31 integrates a preheating pipe 32. One end of the preheating pipe 32 is connected to the water outlet on the cylinder head 1, and the other end is equipped with the engine thermostat 4. This design of preheating the air entering each cylinder by the coolant flowing out of the engine is a win-win situation.
[0023] We will also provide a brief introduction to thermostat 4 to help readers further understand the technical solutions described in this manual. The thermostat 4 regulates the engine's operating temperature by controlling the flow of coolant, ensuring that the engine operates within its optimal temperature range (85℃~95℃). Specifically, when the engine is cold-started, thermostat 4 is closed, allowing the coolant to circulate only in a small loop within the engine. This allows the engine to warm up quickly to its optimal operating temperature, reducing wear and lowering harmful substances in exhaust emissions. Once the engine temperature reaches a certain level (85℃), thermostat 4 opens, and the coolant begins a large loop, dissipating heat through the radiator to maintain the engine temperature within its normal operating range. Both mechanisms work together to ensure the engine receives sufficient air intake at the appropriate temperature, thereby achieving efficient combustion and power output.
[0024] The above two design features enable the integrated cylinder head of this engine to solve the problems of complex cylinder head structure, high production cost, and poor maintainability in the current technology for the use scenarios and target customers of microvans / light commercial vehicles.
[0025] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 2 The water pipe mounting platform 21 is located at the rear end of the cylinder head body 1 and protrudes outward from the outer surface of the cylinder head body 1 to avoid interference between the stainless steel water pipe 22 pressed into the water outlet hole and other parts inside the integrated cylinder head.
[0026] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 2 The stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 is made of 430 stainless steel. 430 stainless steel is a ferritic stainless steel that mainly contains about 16% - 18% chromium and no nickel. This composition makes its cost relatively low, while also providing a certain degree of corrosion resistance. Although its corrosion resistance is not as good as 304 and 316 stainless steel, it can still work normally in some mildly corrosive environments. At the same time, it also has good heat resistance and can maintain stable performance within a certain temperature range. It is very suitable for use in microvans / light commercial vehicles where cost control is relatively strict and the working environment is relatively good.
[0027] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 2 The water pipe mounting platform 21 and the cylinder head 1 are integrally cast from aluminum alloy. The aluminum alloy cylinder head has the advantages of being lightweight and having good thermal conductivity. It can quickly conduct away the heat generated by combustion, which helps to improve the thermal efficiency of the engine. Moreover, aluminum alloy has good processing performance and can be manufactured into complex shapes to meet the design requirements of various channels inside the cylinder head. It also facilitates the interference fit of the stainless steel water pipe 22.
[0028] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 2The coolant outlet section 2 also includes a liquid temperature sensor 23 for monitoring the temperature of the coolant in the outlet pipe. This allows users to determine the engine's operating status based on the coolant temperature. A monitoring slot is provided on the water pipe mounting platform 21, where the liquid temperature sensor 23 is installed. Being located on the same platform as the outlet pipe facilitates installation and, due to its proximity to the outlet, provides more accurate temperature monitoring. The working principle of the liquid temperature sensor 23 can be simply summarized as follows: it contains an internal thermistor. The thermistor's resistance changes with temperature; when the coolant temperature rises, the thermistor's resistance decreases; when the coolant temperature decreases, its resistance increases. The liquid temperature sensor 23 converts the thermistor's resistance change into an electrical signal through a circuit. This electrical signal is typically an analog voltage signal or a frequency signal. Based on the thermistor's resistance, the liquid temperature sensor 23 outputs a voltage signal between 0 and 5V, which corresponds to the coolant temperature. The ECU can determine the engine coolant temperature by reading this voltage signal.
[0029] In another embodiment, the intake manifold 31 of this engine includes:
[0030] like Figure 4 The intake manifold 311 shown is through which air enters.
[0031] like Figure 4 The intake manifold 31 shown includes multiple intake pipes 312 connected to the main intake manifold 311. Each intake pipe 312 corresponds to one cylinder. Generally speaking, microvans / light commercial vehicles use transverse four-cylinder gasoline engines, so there are four intake pipes 312, each corresponding to one of the four cylinders.
[0032] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 4 The preheating pipe 32 is located at the lower part of the intake manifold 31 to prevent the rapid loss of coolant temperature in the preheating pipe 32 and ensure the preheating effect on the air in the intake manifold 31.
[0033] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 4 The preheating pipe 32 is located at the connection between the intake pipe 312 and the cylinder. Compared with placing the preheating pipe 32 elsewhere, the preheated air can enter the cylinder in time without the temperature dropping due to flowing through the unpreheated intake pipe 312.
[0034] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5The preheating pipe 32 and the intake manifold 31 are integrated together by multiple connecting plates 5; the multiple connecting plates 5 form a preheating channel 6 to further ensure the preheating effect and avoid heat loss.
[0035] In another implementation, please refer to Figure 5 The connecting plate 5 includes a “П”-shaped plate 51 and a flat plate 52. The “П”-shaped plate 51 and multiple intake single pipes 312 are integrally formed, and the flat plate 52 and the preheating pipe 32 are integrally formed. The “П”-shaped plate 51 and the flat plate 52 are connected by bolts and form the preheating channel 6. The structure of this embodiment is simple, the connection is firm, and the assembly is simple.
[0036] In other implementations, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the intake manifold 3, namely the intake manifold 31 and the preheating pipe 32, are both made of PA66+GF30 plastic, which is a high-performance engineering plastic composed of nylon 66 (PA66) and 30% glass fiber (GF30). It has the advantages of high strength and high rigidity, making it suitable for load-bearing components; high temperature resistance, making it suitable for high-temperature environments such as engine compartments; good chemical resistance and strong corrosion resistance; dimensional stability and high processing precision; and low cost and high cost performance.
[0037] In summary, this utility model, through its coolant outlet section 2 comprising a water pipe mounting platform 21 integrally cast with the cylinder head body 1, a water outlet hole formed on the water pipe mounting platform 21, and a stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 press-fitted into the water outlet hole, wherein the outer diameter of the stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 is larger than the inner diameter of the water outlet hole, and the end of the stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 is press-fitted into the water outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10mm, presents a structural design that simplifies installation compared to the prior art where the water pipe connection and the water pipe mounting platform 21 are bolted together. It also eliminates the need for the water pipe connection, thus eliminating the need for bolts and multiple corresponding bolt holes on the water pipe connection, the water pipe mounting platform 21, and the sealing gasket, thereby simplifying the overall structure of the coolant outlet section. Furthermore, the design of the stainless steel water outlet pipe 22 being press-fitted into the water outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10mm, after eliminating the need for the sealing gasket, effectively prevents coolant leakage, further simplifying the overall structure of the coolant outlet section and improving performance. The overall integration of the device is excellent. Furthermore, by integrating a preheating pipe 32 onto the intake manifold 31, with one end connected to the water outlet on the engine cylinder head and the other end equipped with the engine's thermostat 4, the device preheats the air entering each cylinder using coolant flowing from the engine. Compared to the existing design of adding a heating wire before the intake manifold 31, this design not only preheats the air within the intake manifold 31 but also consumes no additional energy and requires no additional components (the preheating pipe 32 is essentially an extension of the engine's water outlet pipe, not considered an additional component). Production costs are controlled, and no new sources of failure are introduced (the preheating pipe 32, as an extension of the water outlet pipe, operates stably, while the heating wire is prone to damage due to overcurrent). This ultimately solves the problems of complex cylinder head structures, high production costs, and poor maintainability in existing technologies, particularly for microvans / light commercial vehicles and their target customers. Therefore, this invention effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies and has high industrial application value.
[0038] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this utility model should still be covered by the claims of this utility model.
Claims
1. An integrated cylinder head for an engine, comprising a cylinder head body covering the top of an engine cylinder block and forming a combustion chamber together with the cylinder block, wherein the interior of the cylinder head body communicates with an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, and a coolant outlet on its exterior, characterized in that: The coolant outlet includes a water pipe mounting platform integrally cast with the cylinder head body, a water outlet hole opened on the water pipe mounting platform, and a stainless steel water outlet pipe press-fitted into the water outlet hole. The outer diameter of the stainless steel water outlet pipe is larger than the inner diameter of the water outlet hole, and the end of the stainless steel water outlet pipe is press-fitted into the water outlet hole to a depth of not less than 10mm. The intake manifold includes an intake manifold and a preheating pipe integrated on the intake manifold. The preheating pipe preheats the air entering the cylinders of the cylinder head body. One end of the preheating pipe is connected to a water outlet on the cylinder head body, and the other end is equipped with an engine thermostat.
2. The integrated cylinder head of an engine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water pipe mounting platform is located at the rear end of the cylinder head body and protrudes outward from the outer surface of the cylinder head body, and is integrally cast from aluminum alloy material.
3. The integrated cylinder head of an engine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coolant outlet also includes a liquid temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the coolant in the outlet pipe; A monitoring tank is also provided on the water pipe mounting platform, and the liquid temperature sensor is installed in the monitoring tank.
4. The integrated cylinder head of an engine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intake manifold includes: Air intake manifold, through which air enters; Multiple intake manifolds are connected to the intake manifold, and each intake manifold corresponds to one cylinder.
5. An integrated cylinder head for an engine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preheating pipe is located at the lower part of the intake manifold.
6. An integrated cylinder head for an engine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The preheating pipe is located at the connection between the intake pipe and the cylinder.
7. An integrated cylinder head for an engine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The preheating pipe and the intake manifold are integrated together via multiple connecting plates; The multiple connecting plates form a preheating channel.
8. An integrated cylinder head for an engine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The connecting plate includes a "П"-shaped plate and a flat plate. The "П"-shaped plate and multiple intake single pipes are integrally formed, and the flat plate and the preheating pipe are integrally formed. The "П"-shaped plate and the flat plate are connected by bolts and form the preheating channel.
9. An integrated cylinder head for an engine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intake manifold is made of PA66+GF30 plastic.