Air Induction Bellows Sealing with Spring Bias and Shield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air induction systems for internal combustion engines face challenges in maintaining long-term flexible and durable sealing joints between air intake plenums and air cleaners, while also preventing environmental elements like rain, snow, and dust from interfering with operation, and controlling intake air temperature rises.
Innovation Solution
The air induction system employs a bellows with a resilient flexible material that connects the air intake plenum to the air cleaner, featuring a spring for biasing pressure to maintain sealing and a shield to block environmental elements, with configurations allowing for effective sealing and airflow management between closed and open positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid conduit system is used to connect air intake plenum to air cleaner, then structural strength is improved, but flexibility and durability of sealing joint deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid conduit members with a flexible bellows structure made of resilient material. The bellows maintains structural integrity while providing flexibility to accommodate movement and maintain sealing contact, directly resolving the contradiction between rigidity and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows is designed to be movable and adaptable, allowing it to dynamically adjust to relative movements between the air intake plenum and air cleaner. This dynamic capability ensures continuous sealing contact without requiring rigid fixed positioning.
2Reliability
If elastomeric seal members with ribs are used in rigid conduit connections, then sealing flexibility is improved, but resistance to environmental elements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows itself serves as both the flexible sealing element and the protective enclosure. The resilient material provides sealing flexibility while the closed bellows structure prevents environmental elements from entering the sealing interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows is constructed with segmented corrugations that provide both flexibility for sealing and create a enclosed pathway that blocks environmental elements. The segmentation allows the structure to be flexible yet remain a closed protective barrier.
3Reliability
If the air intake plenum is kept in closed position connected to air cleaner, then sealing reliability is improved, but ability to prevent environmental element intrusion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows the air intake plenum to move between open and closed positions dynamically. The bellows maintains sealing reliability in the closed position while the shield provides protection when open, resolving the contradiction through conditional adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield acts as an intermediary protective element that blocks environmental elements from reaching the bellows sealing interface. This intermediary structure enables the system to maintain sealing reliability even when the plenum is in the open position.
4Stress or pressure
If a spring is added to the bellows to apply biasing pressure, then sealing pressure is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring provides automatic self-adjusting sealing pressure that compensates for wear, thermal expansion, and movement variations. This self-service mechanism maintains optimal sealing pressure without requiring external control systems or complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as a counterbalancing force that continuously applies sealing pressure to counteract separating forces from pressure differentials, thermal effects, and mechanical movement, ensuring consistent sealing without complex control systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a long-term flexible and durable sealing solution that prevents environmental intrusions and effectively manages intake air temperature, ensuring reliable operation by maintaining sealing pressure and controlling airflow.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is disposed in the bellows. The spring applies a biasing pressure on the bellows that encourages sealing between the bellows and at least one of the air intake plenum and the air cleaner
Implementation Method 2
a bellows with a resilient flexible material that connects the air intake plenum to the air cleaner
Data Source
AI summary
Air induction systems are for an internal combustion engine. The air induction systems comprise an air intake plenum that conducts intake airflow to an air cleaner for cleaning prior to combustion in the internal combustion engine. The air intake plenum is movable with respect to the air cleaner between an open position separated from the air cleaner and a closed position connected to the air cleaner. A bellows connects the air intake plenum to the air cleaner when the air intake plenum is in the closed position. The bellows has an upstream first end that seals with the air intake plenum and a downstream second end that seals with the air cleaner. A spring is disposed in the bellows. The spring applies a biasing pressure on the bellows that encourages sealing between the bellows and at least one of the air intake plenum and the air cleaner when the air intake plenum is in the closed position. A shield is provided that blocks inflow of rain water to the bellows when the air intake plenum is in the open position.