Intake control device assembly

Abstract

To provide a compact air intake control device assembly that does not cause increase in cost while preventing deviation of cables from a lever.SOLUTION: An air intake control device assembly 1 includes first and second Bowden cables 11, 12 that are fixed to a downstream side inlet pipe 6 and turn a lever 9 for opening / closing a valve element 7 in a first air intake passage 2 of an upstream side air intake control device 4. First and second central straight lines 27, 28, which are extension lines from the center lines of lever 9 side ends of first and second outer cables 15, 16 of the Bowden cables, form an acute angle θ along one circumferential direction about a valve stem 8 with respect to a first reference straight line 30 passing through a middle point 29 of a portion of the rotation axis 10 of the valve stem 8 of a valve element 7, which is located in the first air intake passage 2, in an extension direction of the first air intake passage 2. A second air intake passage 5 in an inlet pipe 6 extends to be bent with respect to the first reference straight line 30 along the other circumferential direction about the valve stem 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an intake control assembly which forms part of an intake manifold leading into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an intake control device that includes a body having a part of an intake passage inside that is connected to a combustion chamber of a vehicle's internal combustion engine, a valve body fixed to a valve stem inside the part of the intake passage, and a lever fixed to an end of the valve stem protruding from the body to the outside (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The intake control device of Patent Document 1 is configured so that the driver of the vehicle can rotate the lever via a cable to drive the valve body to open and close.

[0003] In such an intake control device, when two cables that generate tension to rotate the valve body to the open and closed sides relative to the lever are configured to be operated by the driver using the throttle grip, the attachment state of the cables is adjusted so that when tension is generated in one cable, the other cable is in a slack state (a state with so-called play).

[0004] In other words, when a Bowden cable is used as the cable, care is taken to prevent excessive tension from being placed on the inner cable due to bending of the outer cable, and to prevent the throttle opening action from occurring unintentionally by the driver in the low opening range.

[0005] The above-mentioned cable play is largely dependent on individual driver preference and can easily be adjusted in the market, but since excessive cable slack in the fully closed position can cause the cable to deviate from the lever, the lever is usually provided with a deep guide groove to prevent the cable from deviating. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-178815 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the conventional intake control device, the lever is provided with a deep guide groove to prevent the cable from slipping out, which makes the lever larger. This poses a problem in reducing the size of the intake control device.

[0008] On the other hand, according to the inventor's consideration, it was found that if the distance between the cable stay and the lever is set large, the cable bends flexibly in this large distance section, and the play of the cable is absorbed, so that deformation of the cable that would cause it to separate from the bottom surface of the guide groove can be suppressed. In other words, by increasing the distance between the cable stay and the lever, the depth of the guide groove can be set shallow while preventing the cable from deviating, and the lever can be made smaller.

[0009] However, in recent years, the number of devices arranged around the internal combustion engine has increased, and the space available for arranging the cable stays is very limited. For this reason, it is not easy to set the distance between the cable stay and the lever large and realize a lever with a shallow guide groove.

[0010] For example, it is possible to prevent the cable from slipping out by fixing a long cable stay to the body and fixing the outer cable on the cable stay away from the fixed position, thereby moving the outer cable away from the lever. However, in this case, the cable stay itself needs to have rigidity and cannot be made lightweight, which increases manufacturing costs.

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT In view of the problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact intake control device assembly that prevents the cable from coming off the lever without increasing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The intake control device assembly of the present invention comprises: An intake control device assembly that constitutes at least a part of an intake passage leading to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, an intake control device including: a body having a first intake passage therein which is a part of the intake passage; a valve body disposed within the body and rotating within the first intake passage to change a cross-sectional area of ​​the first intake passage and adjust an amount of intake air flowing into the intake passage; a valve shaft rotatably supported by the body and to which the valve body is fixed; and a lever fixed to a portion of the valve shaft that protrudes outside the body; a second intake passage that constitutes a part of the intake passage closer to the combustion chamber than the first intake passage, and an inlet pipe that is connected to the body, the lever is rotated via first and second Bowden cables each having a first and second inner cable and a first and second outer cable, the first inner cable is an opening-side cable that applies tension to the lever such that the valve body rotates in an opening direction in which a cross-sectional area of ​​the intake passage increases, the second inner cable is a closing-side cable that applies tension to the lever to rotate it in a closing direction opposite to the opening direction, In the intake control device assembly, the lever is provided with a first cable fixing portion to which the opening side cable is fixed and a second cable fixing portion to which the closing side cable is fixed, the inlet pipe includes a cable stay to which the lever-side ends of the first and second outer cables are fixed, If extensions of center lines at the lever side ends of the first and second outer cables are defined as first and second center lines, respectively, and a line passing through a midpoint of a portion of the rotation axis of the valve shaft that is located within the first intake passage in an extension direction of the first intake passage is defined as a first reference line, the first and second center lines are inclined with respect to the first reference line such that an angle around the valve shaft in one direction with respect to the first reference line forms an acute angle; The second intake passage is characterized in that it extends while bending around the other direction of the valve shaft with respect to the first reference line as it becomes farther from the body.

[0013] According to the present invention, the first and second outer cables of the first and second Bowden cables are inclined in one direction of the valve axis with respect to the above-mentioned first reference line, and the second intake passage of the inlet pipe which constitutes part of the intake passage on the combustion chamber side of the internal combustion engine is bent in the other direction of the valve axis with respect to the first reference line.

[0014] Therefore, even though the cable stay to which the first and second outer cables are fixed is fixed to the inlet pipe that is distant from the body, the first and second outer cables can be arranged with a clearance from the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. This allows the cable stay to be easily fixed to the inlet pipe that is distant from the lever, preventing the cables from coming off the lever and making the lever smaller. Therefore, a compact intake control device assembly can be provided without increasing costs.

[0015] In the present invention, a fuel injection valve that injects fuel into the second intake passage may be fixed to the inlet pipe, and the fuel injection valve and the cable stay may be arranged on opposite sides of the first reference line in a top view seen in a direction perpendicular to both the rotation axis of the valve stem and the first reference line.

[0016] With this, even though both the fuel injection valve and the cable stay are provided in the inlet pipe, clearance can be secured between the fuel injection valve and the first and second Bowden cables, allowing the area around the inlet pipe to be configured compactly.

[0017] In the present invention, a fuel injection valve that injects fuel into the second intake passage is fixed to the inlet pipe, the inlet pipe has a flange base surface that is fixed to face a mounting surface of the internal combustion engine, In a bottom view seen in a direction perpendicular to the flange base surface, two through holes, through which fastening members for fixing the flange to the internal combustion engine are inserted, are provided in the flange base surface on a side where the cable stay is located and a side where the fuel injection valve is located, across the first reference line, When viewed from below, the fuel injection valve and the cable stay are located on opposite sides to each other across a through line passing through centers of openings of the two through holes in the flange base surface, In the bottom view, of the four regions divided by the first reference line and the through line, two regions in which the fuel injection valve and the cable stay are respectively located may be regions corresponding to two obtuse angles formed by the intersection of the first reference line and the through line.

[0018] According to this, the cable stay is located in a region where the first reference line and the through-line form an obtuse angle. Therefore, it is easier to ensure clearance between the cable stay and the through-hole on the cable stay side of the first reference line compared to a region where the first reference line and the through-line form a right angle or acute angle. This improves the degree of freedom in arranging the cable stay with respect to the inlet pipe, so that the intake control device assembly can be configured compactly while more effectively enjoying the above-mentioned effect of preventing the cable from slipping out. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an intake control device assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram showing the intake control device of the intake control device assembly of FIG. 1 as viewed from the downstream side along the central axis of the first intake passage. [Diagram 3] 2 is a front view showing the intake control device assembly of FIG. 1 as viewed along the rotation axis of the valve stem. [Figure 4]2 is a plan view showing the intake control device assembly of FIG. 1 as viewed from above in a direction perpendicular to both the rotation axis of the valve shaft and the first reference line. [Diagram 5] 2 is a diagram showing the intake control device assembly of FIG. 1 as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a flange base surface. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an intake control device assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. This intake control device assembly 1 constitutes at least a part of an intake passage leading to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the intake control device assembly 1 includes an intake control device 4 having a body 3 having a first intake passage 2 therein that constitutes part of the intake passage, and an inlet pipe 6 connected to the body 3 and having a second intake passage 5 therein that constitutes part of the intake passage downstream (the combustion chamber side) of the first intake passage 2.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows the intake control device 4 as viewed from the downstream side in a direction along the central axis of the first intake passage 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the intake control device 4 includes a valve body 7 that is disposed in the body 3 and rotates within the first intake passage 2 to change the cross-sectional area of ​​the first intake passage 2 and adjust the amount of intake air flowing into the intake passage, a valve shaft 8 that is rotatably supported by the body 3 and to which the valve body 7 is fixed, and a lever 9 that is fixed to a portion of the valve shaft 8 that protrudes outside the body 3.

[0023] Fig. 3 shows the intake control device assembly 1 as viewed along the rotation axis 10 (see Fig. 2) of the valve shaft 8. As shown in Fig. 3, the lever 9 is operated by the driver of the vehicle equipped with the intake control device assembly 1 via first and second Bowden cables 11 and 12. The first and second Bowden cables 11 and 12 have first and second inner cables 13 and 14 and first and second outer cables 15 and 16, respectively.

[0024] The first inner cable 13 is an opening side cable 13 that applies tension to the lever 9 so that the valve body 7 rotates in the opening direction, which is the direction in which the cross-sectional area of ​​the first intake passage 2 increases. The second inner cable 14 is a closing side cable 14 that applies tension to the lever 9 so that the valve body 7 rotates in the closing direction, which is opposite to the opening direction. The lever 9 is provided with a first cable fixing part 17 to which the tip of the opening side cable 13 is fixed, and a second cable fixing part 18 to which the tip of the closing side cable 14 is fixed.

[0025] The base ends of the opening side cable 13 and the closing side cable 14 are fixed to the accelerator grip of the vehicle on which the intake control device assembly 1 is mounted so that when the accelerator grip is rotated to one side, a traction force is applied to the opening side cable 13, and when the accelerator grip is rotated to the other side, a traction force is applied to the closing side cable 14.

[0026] However, in order to allow a traction force with some margin for operation of the accelerator grip, both ends of the opening cable 13 and the closing cable 14 are fixed so that there is some margin (play) in the cable length. Despite this play, the ends of the opening cable 13 and the closing cable 14 that come into contact with the lever 9 are guided by a guide groove 19 (see FIG. 2) provided around the lever 9 so that the opening cable 13 and the closing cable 14 do not ride up around the lever 9 or deviate from the lever 9.

[0027] The inlet pipe 6 is provided with a cable stay 20 for fixing the first and second outer cables 15, 16 to the inlet pipe 6. The cable stay 20 is provided with two mounting grooves 21 for fixing the tip ends of the first and second outer cables 15, 16 to the cable stay 20, respectively.

[0028] The first and second outer cables 15, 16 are equipped with flexible tubes 22 that cover the first and second inner cables 13, 14, respectively, outer cable end fittings 23 provided at the tip of each flexible tube 22, and end fixing nuts 24 for fixing each outer cable end fitting 23 to the cable stay 20.

[0029] The outer cable end fitting 23 is provided at its tip with a cable end male thread portion 25 having a diameter large enough to be inserted into the mounting groove 21 of the cable stay 20. The tip portions of the first and second outer cables 15, 16 are fixed to the cable stay 20 by inserting the cable end male thread portion 25 into the mounting groove 21 and screwing the end fixing nut 24 into the cable end male thread portion 25 and fastening the outer cable end fitting 23 to the mounting groove 21.

[0030] An inner cable end 26 is provided at the tip of each of the first and second inner cables 13, 14. The tips of the first and second inner cables 13, 14 are fixed to the lever 9 by attaching the inner cable ends 26 of the first and second inner cables 13, 14 to first and second cable fixing portions 17, 18, respectively, provided on the lever 9.

[0031] Here, extensions of the center lines of the first and second outer cables 15, 16 at their ends on the lever 9 side are defined as first and second center lines 27, 28, respectively. In addition, a line passing through a midpoint 29 (see FIG. 2) of a portion of the rotation axis 10 of the valve shaft 8 that is located inside the first intake passage 2 in the extension direction of the first intake passage 2 is defined as a first reference line 30.

[0032] The first and second center lines 27, 28 are inclined with respect to the first reference line 30 so that the angle between the first reference line 30 and one direction of the valve shaft 8 (in this embodiment, clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3) forms an acute angle θ. The second intake passage 5 extends while bending around the other direction of the valve shaft 8 with respect to the first reference line 30 (counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 in this embodiment) as it moves away from the body 3.

[0033] For this reason, the first and second outer cables 15, 16 are disposed with a sufficient gap between them and the cylinder head 31 of the internal combustion engine, which is located downstream of the second intake passage 5. Therefore, there is no interference between the first and second outer cables 15, 16 and the cylinder head 31.

[0034] Fig. 4 shows the intake control device assembly 1 as viewed from above in a direction perpendicular to both the rotation axis 10 of the valve shaft 8 and the first reference line 30. As shown in Fig. 4, a fuel injection valve 32 that injects fuel into the second intake passage 5 is fixed to the inlet pipe 6. In addition, in the top view of Fig. 4, the fuel injection valve 32 and the cable stay 20 are disposed on opposite sides of the first reference line 30.

[0035] Fig. 5 shows the intake control device assembly 1 as viewed from below in a direction perpendicular to a flange base surface 33 in the figure. As shown in Fig. 5, a fuel injection valve 32 that injects fuel into the second intake passage 5 is fixed to the inlet pipe 6. The inlet pipe 6 has a flange base surface 33 that is fixed opposite to a mounting surface of the internal combustion engine on which the intake control device assembly 1 is mounted.

[0036] As viewed from below in Figure 5, the flange base surface 33 has two through holes 34, through which fastening members for fixing the flange 33 to the internal combustion engine are inserted, on the side of the first reference line 30 where the cable stay 20 is located and on the side of the first reference line 30 where the fuel injection valve 32 is located.

[0037] The fuel injection valve 32 and the cable stay 20 are located on opposite sides of a through-line 35 passing through the center of each opening of each through-hole 34 in the flange base surface 33. Of the four regions divided by the first reference line 30 and the through-line 35, the two regions in which the fuel injection valve 32 and the cable stay 20 are located are regions where the first reference line 30 and the through-line 35 intersect to form an obtuse angle α.

[0038] In this configuration, when the driver of a vehicle equipped with the intake control device 1 rotates the accelerator grip in one direction, the opening side cable 13 is pulled, and this pulling force is transmitted to the lever 9 via the guide groove 19 and the inner cable end 26, causing the valve body 7 to rotate in the opening direction.

[0039] On the other hand, when the driver rotates the accelerator grip in the other direction, the closing cable 14 is pulled, and this pulling force is transmitted to the lever 9 via the guide groove 19 and the inner cable end 26, causing the valve body 7 to rotate in the valve closing direction. In this way, the driver can operate the accelerator to rotate the valve body 7 in the valve opening or closing direction while driving the vehicle.

[0040] While such accelerator operation is repeated, the opening cable 13 or the closing cable 14 has some play in its cable length, so when no traction force is applied, some slack occurs in the portion on the tip side beyond the exits of the first and second outer cables 15, 16. At this time, the tip of the opening cable 13 or the closing cable 14 that comes into contact with the lever 9 is guided by a guide groove 19 around the lever 9 so that it does not ride up around the lever 9 or deviate from it.

[0041] The above-mentioned riding up and deviation is prevented without any problem even if the depth of this guide groove 19 is shallower than in the conventional case where the cable stay is provided on the body 3. This is because the cable stay 20 is provided on the inlet pipe 6, and the portion of the opening side cable 13 or the closing side cable 14 on the tip side from the exits of the first and second outer cables 15, 16 is longer than in the conventional case where the cable stay 20 is provided on the body 3, so that any slight slack that occurs in the portion on the tip side is absorbed and mitigated by the longer tip side portion more effectively than in the conventional case.

[0042] As described above, according to this embodiment, the first and second outer cables 15, 16 of the first and second Bowden cables 11, 12 are inclined at an acute angle θ around one direction of the valve shaft 8 with respect to the above-mentioned first reference line 30, and the second intake passage 5 of the inlet pipe 6 is bent around the other direction of the valve shaft 8 with respect to the first reference line 30.

[0043] Therefore, even though the first and second outer cables 15, 16 are fixed to the inlet pipe 6, they can be arranged with a clearance from the cylinder head 31 of the internal combustion engine. This allows the cable stay 20 to be easily fixed to the inlet pipe 6 away from the lever 9, preventing the opening cable 13 and the closing cable 14 from escaping from the lever 9 and reducing the size of the lever 9. Therefore, a compact intake control device assembly 1 can be provided without increasing costs.

[0044] It is also possible to extend the cable stay fixed to the body 3 toward the inlet pipe 6 and fix the first and second outer cables 15, 16 to a mounting groove set at a position away from the lever 9. In that case, however, since the cable stay itself needs to have rigidity, it is not possible to employ a lightweight cable stay, which would result in an increase in costs.

[0045] In addition, in the top view of FIG. 4, the fuel injection valve 32 and the cable stay 20 fixed to the inlet pipe 6 are located on opposite sides of the first reference line 30. Therefore, even though both the fuel injection valve 32 and the cable stay 20 are fixed to the inlet pipe 6, a clearance can be secured between the fuel injection valve 32 and the first and second Bowden cables 11, 12, and therefore the area around the inlet pipe 6 can be configured compactly.

[0046] 5, the fuel injection valve 32 and the cable stay 20 are located in a region corresponding to the obtuse angle α formed by the first reference line 30 and the through-line 35. For this reason, it is easier to ensure a clearance between the through-hole 34 on the cable stay 20 side of the first reference line 30 and the cable stay 20, compared to a region in which the first reference line 30 and the through-line 35 form a right angle or an acute angle with each other in the region in which the cable stay 20 is located.

[0047] This increases the freedom of positioning the cable stay 20 relative to the inlet pipe 6, thereby enabling the intake control device assembly 1 to be configured compactly while more reliably preventing the opening side cable 13 and the closing side cable 14 from coming off the lever 9. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...intake control device assembly, 2...first intake passage, 3...body, 4...intake control device, 5...second intake passage, 6...inlet pipe, 7...valve body, 8...valve shaft, 9...lever, 10...rotation axis, 11...first Bowden cable, 12...second Bowden cable, 13...first inner cable (opening side cable), 14...second inner cable (closing side cable), 15...first outer cable, 16...second outer cable, 17...first cable fixing portion, 18...second cable Cable fixing part, 19...guide groove, 20...cable stay, 21...mounting groove, 22...flexible tube, 23...outer cable end fitting, 24...end fixing nut, 25...cable end male thread part, 26...inner cable end, 27...first center line, 28...second center line, 29...midpoint, 30...first reference line, 31...cylinder head, 32...fuel injection valve, 33...flange base surface, 34...through hole, 35...through line, α...obtuse angle, θ...acute angle.

Claims

1. An intake control device assembly that constitutes at least a part of an intake passage leading to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, an intake control device including: a body having a first intake passage therein which is a part of the intake passage; a valve body disposed within the body and rotating within the first intake passage to change a cross-sectional area of ​​the first intake passage and adjust an amount of intake air flowing into the intake passage; a valve shaft rotatably supported by the body and to which the valve body is fixed; and a lever fixed to a portion of the valve shaft that protrudes outside the body; a second intake passage that constitutes a part of the intake passage closer to the combustion chamber than the first intake passage, and an inlet pipe that is connected to the body, the lever is rotated via first and second Bowden cables each having a first and second inner cable and a first and second outer cable, the first inner cable is an opening-side cable that applies tension to the lever such that the valve body rotates in an opening direction in which a cross-sectional area of ​​the intake passage increases, the second inner cable is a closing-side cable that applies tension to the lever such that the lever rotates in a closing direction opposite to the opening direction, In the intake control device assembly, the lever is provided with a first cable fixing portion to which the opening side cable is fixed and a second cable fixing portion to which the closing side cable is fixed, the inlet pipe includes a cable stay to which ends of the first and second outer cables on the lever side are fixed, If extensions of center lines at the lever side ends of the first and second outer cables are defined as first and second center lines, respectively, and a line passing through a midpoint of a portion of the rotation axis of the valve shaft that is located within the first intake passage in an extending direction of the first intake passage is defined as a first reference line, the first and second center lines are inclined with respect to the first reference line such that an angle around the valve shaft in one direction with respect to the first reference line forms an acute angle, an intake control device assembly, wherein the second intake passage extends while bending around the other direction of the valve shaft with respect to the first reference line as it moves away from the body;

2. 2. The intake control device assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that a fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into the second intake passage is fixed to the inlet pipe, and when viewed from above in a direction perpendicular to both the rotation axis of the valve shaft and the first reference line, the fuel injection valve and the cable stay are arranged on opposite sides of the first reference line.

3. a fuel injection valve that injects fuel into the second intake passage is fixed to the inlet pipe, the inlet pipe has a flange base surface that is fixed to face a mounting surface of the internal combustion engine, In a bottom view seen in a direction perpendicular to the flange base surface, two through holes, through which fastening members for fixing the flange to the internal combustion engine are inserted, are provided in the flange base surface on a side on which the cable stay is located and a side on which the fuel injection valve is located, across the first reference line, When viewed from below, the fuel injection valve and the cable stay are located on opposite sides to each other across a through line passing through centers of openings of the two through holes in the flange base surface, An intake control device assembly as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when viewed from the bottom, of the four regions divided by the first reference line and the through line, two regions in which the fuel injection valve and the cable stay are respectively located are regions corresponding to two obtuse angles formed by the intersection of the first reference line and the through line.

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