Engine throttle device

Abstract

To provide an engine throttle device that can restrain an intermediate portion of a pressure detection hose or the like with simple operation without increasing the number of components, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.SOLUTION: An engine throttle device comprises a main throttle body 2 and an auxiliary throttle body 3, in which throttle valves 6 are supported openably and closably by a throttle shaft 5 within throttle bores 2c, 3c, a right pressure detection hose 17r having one end connected to the throttle bore 3c of the auxiliary throttle body 3, and a hose holding portion 20 that is formed integrally with the auxiliary throttle body 3 and secures a middle portion of the right pressure detection hose 17r.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an engine throttle device. [Background technology]

[0002] An engine throttle device has a throttle body with a throttle bore extending therethrough corresponding to each cylinder of the engine, and a throttle valve supported in each throttle bore so that it can be opened and closed by a throttle shaft. A fuel injection valve is disposed on the throttle body corresponding to each throttle bore, and fuel is supplied to each fuel injection valve via a fuel supply pipe. When the engine is running, intake air flows through the throttle bore according to the opening of the throttle valve, and is mixed with fuel injected from the fuel injection valve to supply an air-fuel mixture to each cylinder of the engine, thereby operating the engine.

[0003] Hoses for various purposes are connected to each throttle bore. For example, if information about intake pressure is needed for engine fuel injection control, one end of a pressure detection hose is connected to the pressure output nipple of each throttle bore, and the other end of each hose is connected to a common intake pressure sensor. The pressure of the intake air flowing through each throttle bore is transmitted to the intake pressure sensor via the pressure detection hose and detected as intake pressure.

[0004] One end of the pressure detection hose is connected to the pressure extraction nipple of each throttle bore, and the other end is connected to the intake pressure sensor and is restrained, but other intermediate portions must also be restrained. If the intermediate portion of the hose is left loose and unrestrained, it will swing due to vehicle acceleration and engine vibrations associated with acceleration, deceleration, and cornering, and will be damaged by frequent contact with surrounding parts. As a countermeasure, for example, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the intermediate portion of the pressure detection hose is fixed to the fuel supply pipe with multiple band clamps. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-64068 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the technique of Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the number of parts in the throttle device increases because a band clamp is used to fix the middle part of the pressure detection hose.

[0007] Furthermore, when using a ring-shaped band clamp to secure the throttle device, the pressure detection hose must be inserted into the band clamp before it can be clamped, making the process of securing the device cumbersome. This, combined with the increased number of parts mentioned above, has led to a rise in the manufacturing costs of the throttle device.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to provide an engine throttle device that can restrain intermediate points of pressure detection hoses, etc. with a simple operation without increasing the number of parts, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the throttle device of the engine of the present invention is characterized by comprising a throttle body in which a throttle valve is supported by a throttle shaft within a throttle bore so that the throttle valve can be opened and closed, a hose having one end connected to the throttle bore, and a hose holding portion formed integrally with the throttle body and fixing the middle portion of the hose.

[0010] In another aspect, an annular groove having a cross-sectional shape that opens to the side may be formed in the hose holding portion, and the hose may be fitted into the annular groove through the opening of the annular groove, with deformation occurring.

[0011] In another embodiment, the annular groove may be open in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main components of vehicle acceleration and engine vibration.

[0012] In another aspect, the throttle body may have a plurality of throttle bores, and hoses may be connected at one end to each of the plurality of throttle bores and at the other end to each other via a coupling member, and the hose holding portion may fix the coupling member.

[0013] In another aspect, the throttle body may be a molded product formed using a molding die, and the hose holding portion may be formed in a shape that allows the hose holding portion to be removed from the molding die, at a position on the throttle body that allows the hose holding portion to be removed from the molding die.

[0014] In another aspect, the throttle body may be composed of a first throttle body and a second throttle body each having a throttle bore, the first throttle body and the second throttle body being joined together with the flange portions formed on each body overlapping each other, and the hose holding portion being formed on at least one of the flange portions of the first throttle body and the second throttle body.

[0015] In another embodiment, the hose may be a pressure detection hose that connects the inside of the throttle bore with the intake pressure sensor and transmits the intake pressure in the throttle bore to the intake pressure sensor.

[0016] In another embodiment, the hose may be an evaporator hose that connects the inside of the throttle bore with a charcoal canister and guides evaporated gas adsorbed in the charcoal canister into the throttle bore.

[0017] In another aspect, the pressure detection hose may be routed to the intake pressure sensor via the underside of the throttle body, and the hose may be prevented from loosening by fixing the hose holding portion, and a horizontal lowest region that is kept horizontal may be formed at the bottom.

[0018] In another embodiment, the throttle body may be formed with a recessed recess on the downward side, and the pressure detection hose may be routed to the intake pressure sensor via the lower side of the recess. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the engine throttle device of the present invention, the intermediate portion of the pressure detection hose or the like can be restrained by a simple operation without increasing the number of parts, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a throttle device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the throttle device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the throttle device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the throttle device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the throttle device. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a fixing location of the intake pressure sensor. [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a bottom view corresponding to FIG. 4, in which the pressure detection hose is separated. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 4. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a right pressure detection hose fixed to a hose holding portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 9, showing a first modified example in which a hose holding portion is added to the main throttle body side. [Figure 11] 10 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 3 and showing a second modified example in which an evaporator hose is fixed to a hose holding portion. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a third modified example in which a cross nipple is fixed to a hose holding portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An embodiment of the throttle device for the engine of this embodiment will be described below, but before that, the characteristic parts of the present invention and the purpose for which these characteristic parts are used in this embodiment will be described.

[0022] As mentioned above, the technology of Patent Document 1 uses multiple band clamps to fix the middle part of the pressure detection hose to the fuel supply pipe, which increases the number of parts and makes the fixing operation more complicated.

[0023] In view of these problems, the present invention is characterized by forming a hose holding portion integral with the throttle body instead of using a band clamp to secure the pressure detection hose, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying the securing operation.

[0024] Meanwhile, as will be described in detail later, the throttle device of this embodiment detects the intake pressure in each throttle bore using an intake pressure sensor. In a typical throttle device, such as the technology described in Patent Document 1, a pressure outlet nipple is provided at the top of each throttle bore, and one end of a pressure detection hose is connected to the nipple. A fuel supply pipe that supplies fuel to the fuel injection valve is located above and adjacent to the pressure outlet nipple. The pressure detection hose is routed along the fuel supply pipe at an intermediate location and secured with an appropriate band clamp. The other end of the combined hose is connected to the intake pressure sensor. As a result, each pressure detection hose extends upward from the pressure outlet nipple to the fuel supply pipe. The intake air flowing through the throttle bore contains dust and moisture, and backflow containing soot and other contaminants may occur from the cylinder into the throttle bore. However, the pressure detection hose, which extends upward, is unlikely to introduce dust, soot, or other foreign matter, or moisture, into the pressure detection hose.

[0025] In contrast, the throttle device of this embodiment is designed to meet vehicle requirements, such as preventing interference with peripheral components mounted on the vehicle, by providing pressure outlet nipples at the bottom of each throttle bore and routing pressure detection hoses connected to each pressure outlet nipple to the intake pressure sensor via the underside of the throttle body. This routing path increases the likelihood of foreign matter or moisture generated within the throttle bore entering the pressure detection hose. Furthermore, because the pressure detection hose is spaced downward from the delivery pipe (corresponding to the fuel supply pipe in Patent Document 1), the delivery pipe cannot be used to secure or restrain the pressure detection hose at its midpoint.

[0026] If the pressure detection hose is not restrained at its midpoint, it may become loose and be damaged by frequent contact with surrounding components. Furthermore, foreign matter may accumulate or moisture may accumulate locally at the bottom of the loosened hose, quickly clogging the hose and impairing the intake pressure sensor's detection function. Furthermore, foreign matter or moisture may enter the intake pressure sensor through the pressure detection hose for some reason, causing another problem: the intake pressure sensor may malfunction.

[0027] In consideration of the specific defects described above, the throttle device of this embodiment is an application of the present invention with the aim of preventing problems caused by foreign matter or moisture entering the pressure detection hose while firmly maintaining the routing path of the pressure detection hose below the throttle body, and the details of which are described below.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the throttle device of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a plan view, FIG. 4 is a bottom view, and FIG. 5 is a left side view. The throttle device 1 of this embodiment is applied to a three-cylinder engine mounted on a motorcycle. Each drawing shows the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions from the perspective of a driver aboard the vehicle, and when the throttle device 1 is mounted on an engine mounted on a vehicle, the throttle device 1 is maintained in the position shown in each drawing. In the following description, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are expressed assuming that the throttle device 1 is mounted on the vehicle.

[0029] The throttle body of the throttle device 1 is made by joining a main throttle body 2 and a sub-throttle body 3, each of which is manufactured as an aluminum die-cast molded product. The main throttle body 2 corresponds to the "first throttle body" of this invention, and the sub-throttle body 3 corresponds to the "second throttle body" of this invention. The material and manufacturing method of the throttle bodies 2 and 3 are not limited to these, and they may be manufactured, for example, by injection molding a heat-resistant synthetic resin material.

[0030] An annular flange 2a is formed integrally around the right end of the main throttle body 2, with a motor accommodating chamber 2b formed adjacent to and integral with the left side of the flange 2a. An annular flange 3a is formed integrally around the left end of the sub-throttle body 3, with a gear accommodating chamber 3b formed adjacent to and integral with the right side of the flange 3a. The main throttle body 2 and the sub-throttle body 3 are disposed with their flanges 2a, 3a overlapping, and are joined together by fastening the flanges 2a, 3a with screws 4.

[0031] Two throttle bores 2c are formed through the main throttle body 2, and one throttle bore 3c is formed through the sub-throttle body 3. The throttle bores 2c, 3c are arranged side by side at a distance from each other in the left-right direction, and when the throttle device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, as shown in Figure 5, their lower ends are held in an orientation facing diagonally downward and forward relative to their upper ends. Although not shown, the lower ends of the throttle bores 2c, 3c are connected to the respective cylinders of the engine, and their upper ends are connected to an air cleaner.

[0032] A single throttle shaft 5 is rotatably supported in the main and sub throttle bodies 2, 3, penetrating each throttle bore 2c, 3c and the gear accommodating chamber 3b from side to side, and a throttle valve 6 is supported in each throttle bore 2c, 3c by the throttle shaft 5 so that it can be opened and closed. Although not shown, a gear train is housed in the gear accommodating chamber 3b, and a motor is housed in the motor accommodating chamber 2b, and the rotation of the motor is transmitted to the throttle shaft 5 via the gear train to open and close each throttle valve 6.

[0033] Fuel injection valves 7 are attached to the front side surfaces of the main and sub throttle bodies 2, 3 in correspondence with the respective throttle bores 2c, 3c, and a common delivery pipe 8 is connected to the top of each fuel injection valve 7. A nipple 8a is provided at the left end of the delivery pipe 8, and when the throttle device 1 is mounted on the vehicle, the nipple 8a is connected to the vehicle's fuel tank via a fuel hose (not shown), and fuel is supplied to each fuel injection valve 7 via the fuel hose and delivery pipe 8.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, evaporation intake nipples (not shown) are integrally formed on the lower front sides of the main and auxiliary throttle bodies 2 and 3, corresponding to the respective throttle bores 2c and 3c. One end of an evaporator hose 9 is connected to each of the evaporation intake nipples, and the evaporator hoses 9 are connected to one another. A nipple 9a is provided on one end of the evaporator hose 9, and when the throttle device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, a charcoal canister of an evaporation treatment system (not shown) is connected to this nipple. As is well known, evaporation generated in the fuel tank while the engine is stopped is adsorbed in the charcoal canister. When the engine starts, the negative pressure generated in the intake manifold is used to divert the evaporation from the charcoal canister through the evaporator hose 9 and guide it into each of the throttle bores 2c and 3c, where it is combusted and treated within the engine cylinders.

[0035] A throttle sensor 10 is attached to the right end of the sub-throttle body 3, and although not shown, this throttle sensor 10 is connected to the right end of the throttle shaft 5 and detects the rotation angle of the throttle shaft 5, in other words, the opening of the throttle valve 6, as the throttle opening. An intake air temperature sensor 11 is attached to the left end of the main throttle body 2, and although not shown, this intake air temperature sensor 11 protrudes into the left throttle bore 2c and detects the temperature of the intake air flowing therethrough as the intake air temperature.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the location where the intake pressure sensor is fixed. An intake pressure sensor 12 is attached with screws 13 between the left and right throttle bores 2c on the main throttle body 2. As will be described below, the intake pressure sensor 12 communicates with each of the throttle bores 2c, 3c via a pressure detection hose 17, and the pressure of the intake air flowing through each of the throttle bores 2c, 3c is transmitted to the intake pressure sensor 12 and detected as the intake pressure.

[0037] When the throttle device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, couplers of a harness extending from an engine controller on the vehicle body are connected to the connectors 10a-12a provided on each of the sensors 10-12, the motor connector 14 protruding from the side surface of the gear housing chamber 3b, and the connector 7a provided on each of the fuel injection valves 7. As a result, detection information from each of the sensors 10-12 is input to the controller, and a drive signal from the controller is input to each of the fuel injection valves 7 to control the amount and timing of fuel injection into each cylinder of the engine. The drive signal from the controller is also input to the motor, which adjusts the opening of the throttle valve 6 and, ultimately, the amount of intake air supplied to the cylinders of the engine.

[0038] 7 is a bottom view corresponding to FIG. 4, in which the pressure detection hose is separated from the throttle bodies 2, 3, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 8, pressure outlet nipples 16l, 16c, and 16r are integrally formed on the lower rear sides of the main and auxiliary throttle bodies 2, 3, corresponding to the respective throttle bores 2c, 3c, and each of the pressure outlet nipples 16l, 16c, and 16r faces downward and rearward. In the following description, they may be distinguished by being referred to as the left pressure outlet nipple 16l, the central pressure outlet nipple 16c, and the right pressure outlet nipple 16r. In the left-right direction, the left pressure outlet nipple 16l and the central pressure outlet nipple 16c are close to each other, and the right pressure outlet nipple 16r is spaced apart to the right of the central pressure outlet nipple 16c.

[0039] The pressure detection hose 17 is made up of a left pressure detection hose 17l, a center pressure detection hose 17c, a right pressure detection hose 17r, and a sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s. These hoses are connected to each other via a cross nipple 18, which will be described below, and the cross nipple 18 is also a component of the pressure detection hose 17. Of the pressure detection hoses 17, the right pressure detection hose 17r in particular corresponds to the "hose" of the present invention, and the cross nipple 18 corresponds to the "joint member" of the present invention.

[0040] One end of a left pressure detection hose 17l is connected to the left pressure extraction nipple 16l, one end of a central pressure detection hose 17c is connected to the central pressure extraction nipple 16c, and one end of a right pressure detection hose 17r is connected to the right pressure extraction nipple 16r. Each of the pressure detection hoses 17, 17c, and 17r extends rearward and downward in the direction of the pressure extraction nipples 16l, 16c, and 16r, and the other ends are respectively connected to three connection ports of a cross-shaped nipple 18 and converge together.

[0041] More specifically, the cross nipple 18 is disposed between the left pressure extraction nipple 16l and the central pressure extraction nipple 16c, which are close to each other, and therefore the overall lengths of the left pressure detection hose 17l and the central pressure detection hose 17c that connect them are short. These pressure detection hoses 17l and 17c are curved at approximately right angles in the direction of approaching each other and are connected to the cross nipples 18 from the left and right.

[0042] In contrast, the right pressure take-out nipple 16r is spaced far to the right from the cross nipple 18. For this reason, the right pressure detection hose 17r connecting them together is set to be long in overall length, and as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 8, it makes a large detour around the rear-lower part of the motor housing chamber 2b and the gear housing chamber 3b of the throttle bodies 2, 3 before being connected to the cross nipple 18. Describing this routing in more detail, the right pressure detection hose 17r extends rear-lower from the right pressure take-out nipple 16r, curves leftward at a substantially right angle, extends linearly leftward below the rear of the motor housing chamber 2b and the gear housing chamber 3b, then curves forward at a substantially right angle before being connected to the cross nipple 18 from the rear.

[0043] 1, when the throttle device 1 is mounted on the vehicle, the straight region and the left and right curved regions of the right pressure detection hose 17r are kept horizontal and prevented from loosening by the fixation of a hose holding portion 20 (described later), and are located at the lowest part of the entire region of the pressure detection hoses 17l, 17c, and 17r, including the location of the cross nipple 18. In the following explanation, this region will be referred to as the lowest horizontal region E.

[0044] 4 and 8, one end of a sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s is connected to the remaining connection port of cross-shaped nipple 18, and the other end of sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s is routed to intake air pressure sensor 12 via the underside of main throttle body 2. More specifically, a recess 2d with a semicircular cross section and a downward recess is formed between the left and right throttle bores 2c of main throttle body 2. Sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s is routed via the underside of this recess 2d, bent upward, and has the other end connected to nipple 12b of intake air pressure sensor 12.

[0045] If the main throttle body 2 were not formed with the relief portion 2d, it would be necessary to route the sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s significantly downward to prevent interference with the main throttle body 2. The formation of the relief portion 2d allows the sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s to be routed to the intake air pressure sensor 12 in the shortest possible distance.

[0046] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the right pressure detection hose 17r fixed to the hose holding portion. A hose holding portion 20 is integrally formed at a rear-lower position of the flange portion 3a of the sub-throttle body 3, in other words, at the position where the horizontal lowest region E of the right pressure detection hose 17r is routed. The hose holding portion 20 protrudes rearward and downward from the flange portion 3a and has an annular groove 20a that extends in the left-right direction. The annular groove 20a has a cross-sectional shape that opens to the side, more specifically, rearward and downward.

[0047] The inner diameter Din of the annular groove 20a is approximately equal to the outer diameter Dout of the horizontal lowest region E, and the opening width W of the annular groove 20a is narrower than the outer diameter Dout. The horizontal lowest region E is fitted into the annular groove 20a from below and rearward through the opening of the annular groove 20a and fixed therein, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 9. The horizontal lowest region E is deformed when it passes through the opening of the annular groove 20a, but once fitted into the annular groove 20a, its own elasticity causes it to return to its original cross-sectional shape, thereby preventing it from coming out of the annular groove 20a.

[0048] As a result, although the right pressure detection hose 17r has a long overall length, the approximately middle point in the longitudinal direction is restrained by the hose holding portion 20. This prevents the right pressure detection hose 17r from loosening, and also forms the desired horizontal lowest region E, i.e., the horizontal lowest region E that is at the lowest position and has an accurate horizontal shape.

[0049] The hose holding portion 20 is formed at the same time as the sub-throttle body 3 is manufactured by aluminum die-casting. When molding the sub-throttle body 3, the molding die is removed in the left-right direction. However, the flange portion 3a is formed so as not to interfere with this removal, so the hose holding portion 20 can be removed without any problems even if it is located on the flange portion 3a. Furthermore, the shape of the hose holding portion 20, including the annular groove 20a, is also designed to be removable in the left-right direction. As a result, there is no need to make major modifications to the molding die, such as changing the removal structure. The hose holding portion 20 can be formed on the sub-throttle body 3 simply by adding a portion corresponding to the hose holding portion 20 to the molding die. This prevents the molding die from becoming too complicated and ultimately contributes to reducing the cost of the throttle device 1.

[0050] Next, the effects of the throttle device 1 configured as above will be described. First, the effects of the routing of the pressure detection hose 17 will be described. 1, 4, and 8, in the throttle device 1 of this embodiment, one end of pressure detection hoses 17l, 17c, and 17r is connected to pressure output nipples 16l, 16c, and 16r formed at the bottom of each throttle bore 2c and 3c. A sensor-side pressure detection hose 17s, connected to these hoses 17l, 17c, and 17r via a cross nipple 18, is routed to the intake pressure sensor 12 via the underside of the main throttle body 2. In other words, the entire pressure detection hose 17 is routed at a position far below the delivery pipe 8. Therefore, the delivery pipe 8 cannot be used to fix or restrain the middle portion of the pressure detection hose 17, and the right pressure detection hose 17r, which has a long overall length, is particularly prone to slack.

[0051] However, the right pressure detection hose 17r is fixed to a hose holding portion 20 formed integrally with the sub-throttle body 3, which prevents it from loosening. Therefore, the right pressure detection hose 17r does not swing even when subjected to vehicle acceleration and engine vibrations caused by acceleration / deceleration and cornering, and damage to the hose due to frequent contact with surrounding parts caused by swinging can be prevented.

[0052] Furthermore, the pressure extraction nipples 16l, 16c, 16r formed in the throttle bores 2c, 3c are oriented rearward and downward, and the pressure detection hoses 17l, 17c, 17r are necessarily extended rearward and downward in this direction. As a result, foreign matter or moisture generated within the throttle bores 2c, 3c may enter the pressure detection hoses 17l, 17c, 17r. If the pressure detection hoses 17l, 17c, 17r are loose, foreign matter or moisture may accumulate and remain at the bottom of the loosened portions, causing problems.

[0053] In this embodiment, the horizontal lowest region E is formed at the bottom of the right pressure detection hose 17r, which means that foreign matter and moisture tend to accumulate and accumulate in the horizontal lowest region E. Unlike the slackened bottom portion, the horizontal lowest region E has a sufficient length that occupies most of the longitudinal direction of the right pressure detection hose 17r, and is restrained by the hose holding portion 20 to maintain a precise horizontal position. It is rare for foreign matter and moisture to accumulate and accumulate in the entire horizontal lowest region E. Furthermore, since it takes a considerable amount of time for such an event to occur, maintenance may be performed before that time to remove the foreign matter and moisture. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the right pressure detection hose 17r from becoming clogged due to the accumulation and accumulation of foreign matter and moisture, and maintain the normal detection function of the intake pressure sensor 12.

[0054] 8, the intake pressure sensor 12 is disposed at a position sufficiently high relative to the horizontal lowest region E of the right pressure detection hose 17r. Therefore, there is almost no possibility that foreign matter or moisture accumulated or remaining in the horizontal lowest region E will infiltrate the intake pressure sensor 12, and it is possible to prevent failure of the intake pressure sensor 12 due to the intrusion of foreign matter or moisture. The above points contribute to improving the reliability of the throttle device 1.

[0055] The routing path of the pressure detection hose 17 having the horizontal lowest region E as described above is realized by the hose holding portion 20, and the effects of the hose holding portion 20 will be described below. As is clear from the above description, the hose holding portion 20 functions to restrain the middle portion of the pressure detection hose 17r, more specifically the middle portion of the right pressure detection hose 17r, and suppress slack, instead of the multiple band clamps of Patent Document 1. Furthermore, the hose holding portion 20 is not an independent part like a band clamp, but is formed integrally with the sub-throttle body 3, which allows the number of parts in the throttle device 1 to be reduced by the number of band clamps. Furthermore, because the hose holding portion 20 is formed simultaneously with the aluminum die-casting of the sub-throttle body 3, no additional manufacturing process is required.

[0056] Furthermore, in the case of the annular band clamp of Patent Document 1, the right pressure detection hose 17r needs to be inserted into the clamp before being clamped. In contrast, with the hose holding portion 20 of this embodiment, the right pressure detection hose 17r can be fixed by a simple operation of simply fitting it into the annular groove 20a from the side, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 9. The above advantages regarding the number of parts and the fixing operation combine to enable the throttle device 1 of this embodiment to have a reduced manufacturing cost compared to that of Patent Document 1.

[0057] Additionally, the hose holding portion 20 can be formed at any position on the throttle bodies 2, 3. In this embodiment, a horizontal lowest region E is formed in the right pressure detection hose 17r, which is routed around the rear-lower portion of the motor housing chamber 2b and the gear housing chamber 3b. The horizontal lowest region E must be located at the lowest position within the entire area of ​​the pressure detection hose 17, including the location of the cross nipple 18, and is preferably as long as possible to allow as much foreign matter and moisture to accumulate and remain. To achieve this horizontal lowest region E, the hose holding portion 20 must be provided at an appropriate position to restrain the right pressure detection hose 17r. Taking this into consideration, in this embodiment, the hose holding portion 20 is provided at a rear-lower position of the flange portion 3a of the sub-throttle body 3, thereby realizing a routing path with the desired horizontal lowest region E and achieving the above-described effects.

[0058] Depending on the type of throttle device 1, requirements from the vehicle side and therefore the routing path of the pressure detection hose 17 in response to the requirements will differ, and the position of the hose holding portion 20 that should be provided on the throttle bodies 2, 3 to form the horizontal lowest region E will also differ. According to the present invention, since the hose holding portion 20 can be formed at any position on the throttle bodies 2, 3, it is possible to form the desired horizontal lowest region E corresponding to the type of throttle device 1 regardless of the type of throttle device 1, thereby achieving the above-mentioned effects.

[0059] In addition, the number of hose holding portions 20 that can be formed on the throttle bodies 2, 3 is not limited to one. For example, if the right pressure detection hose 17r is thick or stiff, it may be difficult to form the desired horizontal lowest region E by simply fastening it with a single hose holding portion 20. Therefore, as shown in Alternative Example 1 in Figure 10, a hose holding portion 20 may also be formed on the main throttle body 2 side, restraining the right pressure detection hose 17r at two points. In this way, the number of hose holding portions 20 on the throttle bodies 2, 3 can be set as desired, making it even easier to form the desired horizontal lowest region E.

[0060] On the other hand, the shape of the hose holding portion 20 is set so that the pressure detection hose is unlikely to come off the annular groove 20a even when vehicle acceleration and engine vibrations caused by acceleration / deceleration and cornering act on the throttle device 1. With the throttle device 1 of this embodiment, prior actual vehicle testing has confirmed that a main component A of vehicle acceleration and engine vibrations occurs in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 5. Therefore, by opening the annular groove 20a in a direction perpendicular to the main component A, the horizontal lowest region E fitted in the annular groove 20a is prevented from coming off through the opening. This contributes to improving the reliability of the throttle device 1.

[0061] The aspects of the present invention are not limited to this embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the throttle device 1 is embodied in a three-cylinder engine mounted on a motorcycle, but the types of vehicles and engines to which the present invention is applied are not limited to this and can be changed as desired.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the pressure detection hose 17 must be routed in a manner that makes it susceptible to the intrusion of foreign matter and moisture, and thus the horizontal lowest region E is formed in the pressure detection hose 17 to prevent such problems. The hose holding portion 20 is provided at a location on the sub-throttle body 3 that is suitable for forming this horizontal lowest region E. However, the routing path required by the vehicle is not limited to this. For example, a routing path that is resistant to the intrusion of foreign matter and moisture but is prone to swinging due to vehicle acceleration and engine vibration, such as the routing path of the pressure detection hose described in Patent Document 1, may be required. In this case, the horizontal lowest region E is not required, but for some reason, the fuel supply pipe may not be usable due to the constraint of the pressure detection hose. According to the present invention, the hose holding portion 20 can be formed at any position on the throttle bodies 2, 3, allowing the hose holding portion 20 to be provided at a suitable location that functions as a substitute for the fuel supply pipe. This allows the pressure detection hose to be restrained and prevents problems caused by swinging. Furthermore, in addition to the wiring route described in Patent Document 1, there may be a demand for a wiring route that shortens the overall length of the pressure detection hose 17 or a wiring route that reduces the number of bending points of the pressure detection hose 17, for example, in order to improve the detection accuracy of the intake pressure sensor 12. According to the present invention, these demands can also be easily met.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the right pressure detection hose 17r for transmitting the intake pressure in the throttle bores 2c, 3c to the intake pressure sensor 12 is fixed by the hose holding portion 20 formed on the sub-throttle body 3. However, the hose fixed to the hose holding portion 20 is not limited to this, and for example, the evaporator hose 9 may be fixed. Specifically, as shown in Alternative Example 2 in FIG. 11 , a hose holding portion 31 having an annular groove 31a is additionally formed on the flange portion 3a of the sub-throttle body 3 to fix the intermediate portion of the evaporator hose 9. This more reliably suppresses the oscillation of the evaporator hose 9 due to vehicle acceleration and engine vibration, thereby more reliably preventing damage to the evaporator hose 9 due to contact with surrounding components. In this Alternative Example 2, the evaporator hose 9 corresponds to the "hose" of the present invention.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the right pressure detection hose 17r is fixed to the hose holding portion 20. However, instead of or in addition to this, the cross nipple 18 constituting a part of the pressure detection hose 17 may be fixed. For example, as shown in Modified Example 3 in FIG. 12 , a plate-shaped hose holding portion 41 may be integrally formed on the main throttle body 2, a fixing bar 18a may be extended upward from the cross nipple 18, and the upper end of the fixing bar 18a may be fastened to the hose holding portion 41 with a screw 42. As can be seen from FIG. 4 , the cross nipple 18, to which the pressure detection hoses 17l, 17c, 17r, and 17s are gathered, is located near the center of gravity of the entire area of ​​the pressure detection hose 17. Therefore, by fixing or restraining the cross nipple 18, it is possible to more effectively suppress the swinging of the pressure detection hose 17 caused by vehicle acceleration and engine vibration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 Throttle device 2 Main throttle body (first throttle body) 2a, 3a flange 2c,3c throttle bore 2d Relief 3 Second throttle body 5 Throttle shaft 6 Throttle valve 9 Evaporator hose (hose) 12 Intake pressure sensor 17 Pressure detection hose (hose) 18 Cross nipple (joint part) 20, 31, 41 Hose holder 20a, 31a Annular groove E bottom horizontal area

Claims

1. a throttle body in which a throttle valve is supported by a throttle shaft within a throttle bore so as to be openable and closable; a hose having one end connected to the throttle bore; a hose holding portion formed integrally with the throttle body and configured to fix an intermediate portion of the hose; An engine throttle device comprising:

2. The hose holding portion has an annular groove formed therein, the annular groove having a cross-sectional shape that opens laterally, The hose is fitted into the annular groove through the opening of the annular groove while being deformed.

2. The engine throttle device according to claim 1.

3. The annular groove is open in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main components of vehicle acceleration and engine vibration.

3. The engine throttle device according to claim 2.

4. the throttle body has a plurality of the throttle bores, The hoses have one end connected to each of the plurality of throttle bores and the other ends connected to each other via a coupling member, The hose holding portion fixes the coupling member.

2. The engine throttle device according to claim 1.

5. the throttle body is a molded product formed using a molding die, The hose holding portion is formed at a position on the throttle body that allows the molding die to be removed, and in a shape that allows the molding die to be removed.

2. The engine throttle device according to claim 1.

6. the throttle body includes a first throttle body and a second throttle body each having the throttle bore, The first throttle body and the second throttle body are coupled together with flange portions formed on each of them overlapping each other, The hose holding portion is formed on the flange portion of at least one of the first throttle body and the second throttle body.

2. The engine throttle device according to claim 1.

7. The hose is a pressure detection hose that connects the inside of the throttle bore with an intake pressure sensor and transmits the intake pressure in the throttle bore to the intake pressure sensor.

2. The engine throttle device according to claim 1.

8. The hose is an evaporator hose that connects the inside of the throttle bore with a charcoal canister and guides evaporated gas adsorbed in the charcoal canister into the throttle bore.

2. The engine throttle device according to claim 1.

9. The pressure detection hose is routed to the intake pressure sensor via the underside of the throttle body, and is prevented from loosening by the fixing of the hose holding portion, and a horizontally lowest region that is kept horizontal is formed at the bottom.

8. The engine throttle device according to claim 7.

10. The throttle body has a recess formed downward, The pressure detection hose is routed to the intake pressure sensor via the underside of the relief portion.

10. The engine throttle device according to claim 9.

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