Air Distributor Mechanical Assembly for Combustion Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air distributors for supercharged engines, assembled using vibration welding, face challenges such as the need for specific welding equipment, precise alignment under high pressure, and the risk of particle contamination, making them costly and difficult to produce while meeting cleanliness standards.
Innovation Solution
An air distributor design featuring a main body and internal cover fixed together by mechanical means, with a perforated structure ensuring gas tightness and mechanical retention, eliminating the need for vibration welding and enhancing sealing and assembly performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If vibration welding is used to assemble the air distributor parts, then the assembly strength is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to dedicated welding equipment and precise alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vibration welding process (thermal/ acoustic field) with a purely mechanical fixing system consisting of a perforated structure and retaining elements. This substitution eliminates the need for dedicated welding equipment and complex alignment procedures while maintaining adequate assembly strength through mechanical retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The air distributor is divided into separate parts (main body, internal cover, perforated structure) that can be manufactured independently and then assembled through simple mechanical retention. This segmentation allows each part to be produced using standard injection molding processes without requiring complex welding equipment or procedures.
2Strength
If vibration welding is used to assemble the air distributor parts, then the assembly strength is improved, but the production time increases due to the need for precise adjustment and high pressure application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the time-consuming vibration welding process with a rapid mechanical assembly process. The perforated structure and retaining elements allow for quick insertion and securing of parts without requiring prolonged application of high pressure or precise temporal alignment, significantly reducing production cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The perforated structure is pre-configured with retaining elements that automatically engage with corresponding features in the main body and internal cover during assembly. This preliminary configuration of the fixing mechanism eliminates the need for complex real-time adjustment and alignment operations during the assembly process.
3Strength
If vibration welding is used to assemble the air distributor parts, then the assembly strength is improved, but the cleanliness deteriorates due to particle generation from friction between parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vibration welding process, which generates particles through friction and heat between plastic parts, with a mechanical retention system using a perforated structure and retaining elements. This substitution eliminates the source of particle contamination while maintaining adequate assembly strength through mechanical engagement rather than friction-based welding.
4Strength
If vibration welding is used to assemble the air distributor parts, then the assembly strength is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to the need for dedicated welding equipment and complete cleaning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vibration welding process with a simple mechanical retention system that can be implemented using standard injection molding tools and basic assembly operations. This eliminates the need for dedicated welding equipment and subsequent cleaning operations, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining adequate assembly strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive retaining elements and a perforated structure that can be easily manufactured using standard injection molding. These components provide sufficient mechanical retention without requiring expensive welding equipment or post-processing operations, making the overall manufacturing process more cost-effective.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an air distributor (1) intended to be attached to a cylinder head of a thermal combustion engine, the air distributor (1) comprising an intake port (5) opening into an internal space (4) of the air distributor (1) and a plurality of outlet pipes (21-24) each intended to connect the internal space (4) to a respective cylinder of the engine, characterised in that the air distributor (1) comprises: - a main body (2) defining the intake port (5) and, at least partially, the internal space (4) and the plurality of outlet pipes (21-24), - an internal cover (3) at least partially defining the plurality of outlet pipes (21-24), the internal cover (3) being attached to the main body (2) by mechanical attachment means, and - a single piece open-work structure (10) arranged between the main body (2) and the internal cover (3), the open-work structure (10) being configured firstly to ensure gas-tightness between the air distributor (1) and the engine cylinder head, as well as between the outlet pipes (21-24), and secondly to contribute to mechanically holding the internal cover (3) and the main body (2) together.