AIR INTAKE STRUCTURE FOR A V-ENGINE

Abstract

Air intake structure for a V-engine, including: - a first cylinder (11) and a second cylinder (12) which are inclined or arranged at right angles to each other when viewed in the direction of the crankshaft, wherein - the first cylinder (11) has a first throttle element (22) attached to a cylinder side surface opposite the second cylinder (12), and the second cylinder (12) has a second throttle element (23) attached to a cylinder side surface opposite the first cylinder (11); - the first and second throttle bodies (22, 23) contain throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) which independently drive associated throttle valves (27, 29), and - the first throttle body (22) and the second throttle body (23) are arranged such that the respective throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) in a view from above the engine have states which are rotated about bore center axes (49, 50) so that associated throttle valve rotary shafts (28, 30) form angles with respect to a straight line parallel to a crankshaft (51), wherein the first throttle body (22) and the second throttle body (23) are arranged such that the associated throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) are rotated in a view of the engine from above to sides of the crankshaft (51).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [Area of ​​Invention]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air intake structure, in particular of a V-engine, which is installed in a vehicle such as a motorcycle. [Description of the state of the art]

[0002] A common method involved fitting actuators to drive the throttle valves of a front cylinder and a rear cylinder of a V-engine, in order to make electronically controlled throttle valves independent of each other.

[0003] For example, in a vehicle drive unit disclosed in patent specification 1, both throttle bodies are individually equipped with electric actuators for rotating throttle shafts to which throttle valves are attached to control the amount of air intake. The electric actuator consists of an electric motor with a rotating shaft axis parallel to the throttle shaft to which the throttle valve is attached, and a speed reduction gear located between the electric motor and the throttle shaft.

[0004] Patent specification 1: Japanese patent disclosure JP 2009 - 275 514 A.

[0005] However, in the prior art, the throttle valve shaft runs parallel to a crankshaft. This means that the length of the electric actuator narrows the space inside the vehicle body above the engine. As a result, it is very difficult to position an electronic component, such as an ignition coil, in this area. This significantly restricts the placement of other components, devices, and the like near the throttle body. Furthermore, the actuator cover protrudes outwards from the throttle body in a side view of the vehicle, making it difficult to accommodate the volume of an air filter or fuel tank near the throttle body.

[0006] US 2014 / 0109869A1 discloses a fuel-oxygen conversion unit for a vehicle or vehicle engine, comprising a contactor, a fuel gas separator, an isolation valve for modulating the gas flow through the circulating gas flow path to the contactor, and optional components such as a bypass gas flow path, gas booster pumps, catalysts, and a source of strip gas, wherein the unit is configured to direct the gas flow through different parts of the unit as required.

[0007] DE 199 59 885 A1 discloses an intake device for a V-engine in which the first and second cylinders are arranged opposite each other and offset, with first and second carburetors arranged in line, whose throttle shafts are connected in parallel by connecting plates and aligned at right angles to these, supplemented by a throttle cable attachment on the connecting plate and inclined intake channels with float chambers arranged below.

[0008] Furthermore, in independently electronically controlled throttles of another conventional V-engine, the throttle valve shafts are arranged at right angles to a crankshaft. In this case, the actuators are located either at the top or at the bottom. If the actuators are located at the bottom to create a layout where they are opposite each other within the V-engine, an intake port must be rerouted to separate the throttle bodies in the forward and reverse directions. If the actuators are located at the top, this negatively impacts the capacity of the air filter and fuel tank. REVELATION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention was made with these circumstances in mind, and it is the object of the invention to ensure compaction and to eliminate any impact on peripheral component layout and the like. This object is achieved by the features of the main claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0010] An air intake structure for a V-engine according to the invention comprises a first cylinder and a second cylinder arranged inclined or at right angles to each other when viewed in the crankshaft direction. The first cylinder has a first throttle element attached to a cylinder side face on one side opposite the second cylinder, and the second cylinder has a second throttle element attached to a cylinder side face on one side opposite the first cylinder. The first throttle element and the second throttle element include throttle valve rotary devices that independently actuate the respective throttle valves.The first throttle body and the second throttle body are arranged such that the respective throttle valve rotary devices, in a view from above the engine, assume states that are rotated about bore center axes, so that associated throttle valve rotary shafts form angles with respect to lines parallel to a crankshaft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a side view of an engine unit of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 2 is a top view illustrating a periphery of the throttle bodies of a front cylinder and a rear cylinder according to the embodiment of the invention; Fig. Figure 3 is a left-hand view illustrating the environment of the throttle bodies of the front cylinder and the rear cylinder according to the embodiment of the invention; Fig. Figure 4 is an enlarged top view illustrating the area around the throttle bodies of the front cylinder and the rear cylinder according to the embodiment of the invention; and Fig. Figure 5 is an enlarged, left-side view illustrating the environment of the throttle bodies of the front cylinder and the rear cylinder according to the embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXECUTION FORMS

[0011] An air intake structure of a V-engine according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a first cylinder and a second cylinder, which, when viewed in a crankshaft direction, are arranged inclined to each other or at right angles. The first cylinder has a first throttle element attached to a cylinder side face on the side opposite the second cylinder, and the second cylinder has a second throttle element attached to a cylinder side face on the side opposite the first cylinder. The first cylinder and the second cylinder contain throttle valve rotary devices that independently drive the respective throttle valves.The first throttle body and the second throttle body are arranged such that the respective throttle valve rotary devices assume states that are rotated about bore center axes, so that the respective throttle valve rotary shafts have angles with respect to straight lines that run parallel to a crankshaft when the engine is viewed from above.

[0012] This moves the throttle valve rotating mechanisms inwards in the vehicle's width direction. This reduces the width of the area surrounding the throttle bodies in the left-right direction, resulting in a more compact design. [Example of implementation]

[0013] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] In this embodiment, a description is given using a multi-cylinder engine, for example, one installed in a motorcycle. Fig. Figure 1 is a side view of the surroundings of an engine unit 10 of a motorcycle 100, viewed from the right. In this application, directions such as up and down, right and left, and front and rear refer to directions in a seated position on the motorcycle 100, and they also refer to directions in the respective drawings.

[0015] The motorcycle 100 includes a vehicle body frame 101, for example, a double-tube frame. A front wheel and a rear wheel are located in front of and behind the vehicle body frame 101, respectively. The engine unit 10 is mounted on the vehicle body frame 101 approximately in the central area of ​​the vehicle. In this embodiment, the engine unit 10 is, for example, a four-stroke multi-cylinder engine, typically a V-twin engine in which a front cylinder 11 and a rear cylinder 12 are arranged in a V-shape. The V-shape means that the front cylinder 11 (a first cylinder) and the rear cylinder 12 (a second cylinder) are inclined or arranged at right angles to each other when viewed in the direction of a crankshaft.

[0016] In the front cylinder 11, the following are integrated in a sequence from a crankcase 13 along a cylinder axis line L FA cylinder block 14, a cylinder head 15, and a cylinder head cover 16 are connected (they are simply referred to as cylinders). They form a cylinder. Integrated into the rear cylinder 12 are, in a sequence starting from the crankcase 13 along a cylinder axis line L, R A cylinder block 17, a cylinder head 18 and a cylinder head cover 19 are connected to each other (they are referred to here as a cylinder). They form a cylinder.

[0017] In this example, the front cylinder 11 is arranged in a position that is appropriately inclined forward, while the rear cylinder 12 is arranged in a position that is appropriately inclined backward.

[0018] In a space S formed between the front and rear cylinders within the V-shape described above, an air intake pipe 20 of the front cylinder 11 and an air intake pipe 21 of the rear cylinder 12 are coupled to the cylinder head 15 and the cylinder head 18, respectively, with their openings oriented essentially upwards. The air intake pipe 20 and the air intake pipe 21 are coupled to throttle bodies 22 and 23, respectively. The throttle bodies 22 and 23 are each connected to an air filter 24. The air filter 24 is located approximately in front of and diagonally above the space S and has an air filter housing 25 with a deformed box shape, which projects upwards from the area between the right and left vehicle body frames 101. The throttle body 22 (a first throttle body) is coupled to a base surface section 25a of the air filter housing 25 so that clean air is supplied from the air filter 24.The throttle body 23 (a second throttle body) is coupled to a rear surface part 25b of the air filter housing 25 so that clean air is supplied from the air filter 24.

[0019] As also in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, a fuel tank 26 is arranged between the right and left vehicle body frames 101 in the vehicle's width direction, the fuel tank covering the air filter housing 25 and the cylinder head cover 19 of the rear cylinder 12 from above. The fuel tank 26 has, for example, according to Figure 1, a fuel tank 26 that is located between the right and left vehicle body frames 101 in the vehicle's width direction. Fig. 1 the shape of an egg.

[0020] Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows a top view and a left-side view, respectively, illustrating the area around the throttle bodies 22 and 23 of the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12. The throttle body 22 is mounted on a side surface of the front cylinder 11 (specifically the cylinder head 15) on one side opposite the rear cylinder 12, via the air intake pipe 20, and is oriented approximately vertically according to Fig. 3. The throttle body 23 is mounted on a side surface of the rear cylinder 12 (in particular the cylinder head 18) on a side opposite the front cylinder 11 via the air intake pipe 21 and is arranged in a position which according to Fig. 3 is appropriately tilted forward. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the throttle bodies 22 and 23 are arranged such that an angle γ formed by a central axis of the throttle body 22 and a central axis of the throttle body 23 is an acute angle in a side view (γ < 45°).

[0021] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the throttle body 22 contains a throttle valve 27, which opens and closes an inlet channel formed inside the throttle body 22. This throttle valve 27 is rotatably mounted on a throttle valve pivot shaft 28.

[0022] The throttle body 23 contains a throttle valve 29, which opens or closes the intake channel formed inside the throttle body 23. This throttle valve 29 is rotatably mounted on a throttle valve pivot shaft 30.

[0023] The throttle body 22 is equipped with a throttle valve rotating device 31 for rotating the throttle bodies 27. This throttle valve rotating device 31 is constructed with an actuator 33 (in particular consisting of an electric motor and in Fig. 2 with its rotating shaft indicated) and a gear 34 (in particular in the form of a spur gear or the like, in Fig. (2 illustrated by a dotted line), which couples the throttle valve rotary shaft 28 in a housing 32 with the actuator 33. In this example, the throttle valve rotary device 31 is arranged on the right side as one side of the throttle body 22.

[0024] Actuator 33 is driven to rotate by a driver signal from an engine control unit in accordance with the throttle lever actuation of the motorcycle 100. This rotates the throttle valve shaft 28 via the gear 34.

[0025] The throttle body 23 is equipped with a throttle valve rotating device 35 for rotating the throttle valve 29. This throttle valve rotating device 35 is constructed by an actuator 37 (in particular consisting of an electric motor, in Fig. 2 with its rotating shaft indicated) and a gear 38 (in particular in the form of a spur gear or the like and in Fig. 2 (indicated by a dotted line), whereby the throttle valve rotary shaft 30 is coupled to the actuator 37 in a housing 36. In this example, the throttle valve rotary device 35 is arranged on the left side of the throttle body 23.

[0026] Actuator 37 is driven by a driver signal from the engine control unit, corresponding to the throttle lever actuation on motor 100. This causes the throttle valve shaft 30 to rotate via the gear 38.

[0027] Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows an enlarged top view and a enlarged side view, respectively, illustrating the area around the throttle bodies 22 and 23 of the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12. An injector 39 is mounted on a rear surface of the throttle body 22 of the front cylinder 11, i.e., on one side of the rear cylinder 12, oriented towards the air intake pipe 20 to inject fuel into the intake port formed by the air intake pipe 20. A fuel connection 40 is provided on the top of the injector 39. A fuel line is connected to the fuel tank 26 via the fuel connection 40 for supplying fuel. The injector 39 is controlled by the engine control unit to inject the fuel supplied via the fuel connection 40 into the intake port at a predetermined interval.

[0028] An injector 41 is mounted on a front surface of the throttle body 23 of the rear cylinder 12, i.e., on the side of the front cylinder 11, and is oriented towards the air intake pipe 21 to inject fuel into the intake channel formed inside the air intake pipe 21. A fuel port 42 is located on the top of the injector 41. Similar to the fuel port 40, a fuel line is connected to the fuel port 42. The injector 41 is controlled by the engine control unit to inject the fuel supplied via the fuel port 42 into the intake channel at a predetermined time.

[0029] According to Fig. 2 are located between the vehicle body frame 101 and the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12 inside the vehicle-

[0030] Ignition coils 43 and 44 are arranged in the body frame 101, and ignition cables 47 and 48 connect these ignition coils 43 and 44 to spark plugs 45 and 46.

[0031] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the throttle body 22 contains a bore 22a, which forms the inner inlet channel. A bore center axis 49, which runs through the center of the bore 22a, extends longitudinally along the throttle body 22, as shown in Figure 4. Fig. 5 is shown. Similarly, according to Fig. 4. The throttle body 23 has a bore 23a forming the inner inlet channel. A bore center axis 50 through the center of the bore 23a extends longitudinally along the throttle body 23, as shown in Fig. Figure 5 shows an intersection point of the bore center axis 49 with the throttle valve pivot shaft 28, defined as throttle valve center point 22A. An intersection point of the bore center axis 50 and the throttle valve pivot shaft 30 is defined as a throttle valve center point 23A.

[0032] As in Fig. 4 and Fig. As can be seen in Figure 5, a crankshaft 51, common to the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12, is in a position where it extends in a right-left direction. Fig. 4 The throttle valve rotary shaft 28 is arranged such that it passes through the throttle valve center point 22A of the bore 22a in order to allow the throttle valve rotary device 31 to assume a state in which it rotates about the bore center axis 49 at an angle α with respect to a straight line 51 F is twisted parallel to the crankshaft 51.

[0033] The throttle valve rotating shaft 30 is arranged such that it passes through the throttle valve center point 23A of the bore 23a in order to allow the throttle valve rotating device 35 to assume a state in which it rotates about the bore center axis 50 at an angle β with respect to a straight line 51 R is twisted parallel to the crankshaft 51.

[0034] The rotation angle of the throttle valve rotary device 31 and that of the throttle valve rotary device 35 can be the same or have a suitable size relationship, if necessary.

[0035] In the case described above, the throttle valve rotating device 31 is arranged such that it is positioned on one side near the crankshaft 51 with respect to the straight line 51. F The throttle valve rotating device 35 is twisted to one side near the crankshaft direction 51 with respect to the straight line 51. R twisted. Both the throttle valve rotating device 31 and the throttle valve rotating device 35 are arranged so that they enter the space S between the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12.

[0036] The mechanical configurations of the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12 are essentially identical, with the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12 arranged in a V-shape in a left-right inverted relationship. In this case, according to Fig. 2 the cylinder axis line L R of the rear cylinder 12 to one side (in this embodiment to the right side) with respect to the cylinder axis line L F The front cylinder 11 is offset, thereby establishing an offset dimension P. The bore center axis 49 of the throttle body 22 coincides identically with a straight line with respect to the cylinder axis L. F The bore axis 50 of the throttle body 23 is identical to the bore axis L of the front cylinder 11 when viewed in the forward-backward direction. Rof the rear cylinder 12 when viewed in the forward-backward direction. Therefore, according to the offset of the cylinder axis line L R opposite the cylinder axis line L F the bore center axis 50 of the throttle body 23 relative to the bore center axis 49 of the throttle body 22 by one in Fig. 4. Displacement measure P shown is offset.

[0037] In the case described above, as it occurs in the Fig. 4 and Fig. As shown in Figure 5, in the front cylinder 11, the actuator 33 and the injector 39 are arranged on the same side (with chamber S at the rear) with respect to the bore center axis 49 of the throttle body 22. In the rear cylinder 12, the actuator 37 and the injector 41 are arranged on the same side (with chamber S as the front) with respect to the bore center axis 50 of the throttle body 23.

[0038] The fuel port 40 of the injector 39 and the fuel port 42 of the injector 41, to both of which fuel is supplied via a fuel supply line, are opposite each other according to Fig. 4 arranged.

[0039] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, inside the vehicle body frame 101, the actuator 33 of the front cylinder 11 and the ignition coil 44 are arranged on opposite sides in a right-left direction. The actuator 37 of the rear cylinder 12 and the ignition coil 43 are arranged on opposite sides in a right-left direction.

[0040] In the air intake structure for a V-engine according to the invention, the throttle valve pivot shaft 28 and the throttle valve pivot shaft 30 are both arranged such that they are rotated with respect to the direction of the crankshaft 51, i.e., inclined with respect to the right-left direction. The throttle valve pivot device 31 and the throttle valve pivot device 35, which would protrude laterally from the throttle bodies 22 and 23 if the throttle valve pivot shaft 28 and the throttle valve pivot shaft 30 were parallel to the crankshaft 51, are displaced inwards in the vehicle width direction. This reduces the width in the right-left direction of the area surrounding the throttle bodies 22 and 23 and thus enables compaction.

[0041] Here, the throttle valve rotary device 31 and the throttle valve rotary device 35 are arranged so that they are inclined to the sides near the crankshaft 51, and both are arranged so that they enter the space S between the front cylinder 11 and the rear cylinder 12.

[0042] This relocates the throttle valve rotary device 31 and the throttle valve rotary device 35 into space S of a V-structure. This reduces the projection of the throttle valve rotary device 31 and the throttle valve rotary device 35, eliminating a positional restriction with respect to the air filter 34 and the fuel tank 26, which are located above the engine unit 10. This means that the influence on peripheral components and the like is eliminated, which can increase their capacities.

[0043] The throttle valve rotary device 31 is arranged on one side of the throttle body 22 and the throttle valve rotary device 35 is arranged on the other side of the throttle body 23.

[0044] Arranging the throttle valve rotary device 31 and the throttle valve rotary device 35 in an opposite positional relationship in the right-left direction can effectively utilize the space S of the V-structure so that they do not interfere with each other.

[0045] In this case, the offset of the cylinder axis line L R of the rear cylinder 12 opposite the cylinder axis line L F of the front cylinder 11 contributes to effectively improving the use of space S.

[0046] The actuator 33 and the injector 39 of the front cylinder 11 are arranged on the same side, and the actuator 37 and the injector 41 of the rear cylinder 12 are also arranged on the same side. This facilitates ensuring the capacities of the air filter 24 and the fuel tank 26.

[0047] The opposing arrangement of the fuel port 40 of the injector 39 and the fuel port 42 of the injector 41 ensures the shared use of the throttle bodies 22 and 23, which enables a reduction in costs.

[0048] Furthermore, the right-left positional relationship between the actuator 33 of the front cylinder 11 and the ignition coil 44 and the right-left positional relationship between the actuator 37 of the rear cylinder 12 and the ignition coil 43 ensure an arrangement with a well-balanced weight in the right-left direction.

[0049] While embodiments of the invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, these embodiments are merely concrete examples of how the invention is carried out. The technical scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. The invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of protection without deviating from the scope of protection, and these modifications are included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0050] The configuration of the present invention can be designed in a left-right reversal positional relationship.

[0051] The invention ensures compactification and eliminates the impact on peripheral component layout and the like.

Claims

[1] Air intake structure for a V-engine, comprising: - a first cylinder (11) and a second cylinder (12) which are inclined or arranged at right angles to each other when viewed in the direction of the crankshaft, wherein - the first cylinder (11) has a first throttle element (22) attached to a cylinder side surface opposite the second cylinder (12), and the second cylinder (12) has a second throttle element (23) attached to a cylinder side surface opposite the first cylinder (11); - the first and second throttle bodies (22, 23) contain throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) which independently drive associated throttle valves (27, 29), and - the first throttle body (22) and the second throttle body (23) are arranged such that the respective throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) in a view from above the engine have states which are rotated about bore center axes (49, 50) so that associated throttle valve rotary shafts (28, 30) form angles with respect to a straight line parallel to a crankshaft (51), wherein the first throttle body (22) and the second throttle body (23) are arranged such that the associated throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) are rotated in a view of the engine from above to sides of the crankshaft (51). [2] Air intake structure for a V-engine, comprising: - a first cylinder (11) and a second cylinder (12) which are inclined or arranged at right angles to each other when viewed in the direction of the crankshaft, wherein - the first cylinder (11) has a first throttle element (22) attached to a cylinder side surface opposite the second cylinder (12), and the second cylinder (12) has a second throttle element (23) attached to a cylinder side surface opposite the first cylinder (11); - the first and second throttle bodies (22, 23) contain throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) which independently drive associated throttle valves (27, 29), and - the first throttle body (22) and the second throttle body (23) are arranged such that the respective throttle valve rotary devices (31, 35) in a view from above the engine have states which are rotated about bore center axes (49, 50) so that associated throttle valve rotary shafts (28, 30) form angles with respect to a straight line parallel to a crankshaft (51), wherein the throttle valve rotary device (31) of the first throttle body (22) is arranged on one side in the crankshaft direction with respect to the bore center axis (49) of the throttle valve rotary device (31) of the first throttle body (22), and the throttle valve rotary device (35) of the second throttle body is arranged on the other side of the crankshaft direction with respect to the bore center axis (50) of the throttle valve rotary device (35) of the second throttle body (23). [3] Air intake structure for a V-engine according to claim 2, wherein the throttle valve rotating device (31) of the first throttle body (22) is configured to include a first actuator (33) which is driven to rotate on the basis of a throttle lever actuation of a motorcycle (100) with a driver signal from an engine control unit, and a first gear (34) which couples the throttle valve rotating shaft (28) to the first actuator (33), the throttle valve rotary device (35) of the second throttle body (23) is configured to include a second actuator (37) which is driven to rotate on the basis of the throttle lever actuation of the motorcycle (100) with the driver signal from the engine control unit, and a second gear (38) which couples the throttle valve rotary shaft (30) to the second actuator (37). [4] Air intake structure for a V-engine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second cylinder (12) has a cylinder axis line which is offset to one side with respect to a cylinder axis line of the first cylinder (11).

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