Air Intake Valve Seal Segmentation for Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air intake control valves for multi-cylinder internal combustion engines face challenges with air leakage between chambers, leading to a deterioration of the supercharging effect due to high contact pressure and frictional resistance, making it difficult to attach the valve properly and maintaining sealing ability.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates an air intake control valve with a seal member featuring two contact portions that extend obliquely and are elastically deformed to facilitate easy mounting, reducing the reaction force and contact pressure, ensuring a secure seal with a reduced insertion load and enhanced fatigue resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal member with a semicircular cross section is used to seal between the body and the partition wall, then air leakage between chambers is restrained, but a large load is necessary for attachment and contact pressure increases making attachment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is divided into multiple sealing portions (first sealing portion and second sealing portion) with different cross-sectional shapes. The first sealing portion has a semicircular cross section for primary sealing, while the second sealing portion has a rectangular cross section that fits into a groove, distributing the sealing function across segmented structures to reduce contact pressure and facilitate attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the seal member are given different local properties: the first sealing portion uses a semicircular cross section for effective sealing against the partition wall, while the second sealing portion uses a rectangular cross section designed to fit into a groove with specific dimensional relationships (a1 ≥ a2 and b1 ≥ b2) to reduce insertion load and contact pressure during attachment.
2Reliability
If the end seal portion is made with high rigidity to prevent deformation under high air pressure, then sealing is maintained, but frictional resistance increases and attachment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is segmented into multiple portions with different rigidity characteristics. The first sealing portion with semicircular cross section provides sealing under pressure, while the second sealing portion with rectangular cross section fitting into a groove provides structural support and reduces insertion resistance, allowing attachment without requiring excessive force.
Solution Approach 2:
Different local regions of the seal member have different rigidity properties tailored to their specific functions. The first sealing portion has sufficient rigidity to maintain sealing under high air pressure from either chamber, while the second sealing portion is designed with dimensional relationships (a1 ≥ a2 and b1 ≥ b2) that create a snap-fit mechanism reducing frictional resistance during attachment.
3Reliability
If contact area between the seal member and partition wall is increased to improve sealing, then air leakage is reduced, but frictional resistance increases making attachment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing contact is segmented into two distinct sealing portions. The first sealing portion contacts the partition wall surface with a semicircular cross section, while the second sealing portion engages with a groove structure. This segmentation distributes the sealing function across different contact areas, reducing the frictional resistance at any single interface while maintaining overall sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different contact regions are designed with different contact characteristics: the first sealing portion provides surface contact sealing, while the second sealing portion provides groove-fit contact. The dimensional relationships (a1 ≥ a2 and b1 ≥ b2) create a progressive engagement mechanism that reduces insertion load and frictional resistance during attachment while ensuring adequate contact area for sealing.
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
This design effectively minimizes air leakage, simplifies the mounting process, and maintains high air tightness by using a seal member with two contact portions that are easily deformed, ensuring a strong seal even under varying pressures, thus improving productivity and reducing quality defects.
Implementation Method 1
a seal member sealing between an inner surface of the surge tank and an outer periphery of the body, the seal member including a seal portion constituted by two contact portions that make contact with the sealed surface in a state where the two contact portions extend in directions opposite from each other relative to the divided surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~5H
AI summary
An air intake control valve (10) includes a body (12) extending to divide an inner portion of a surge tank (5) of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine into two portions, the body serving as a divided surface to divide the inner portion of the surge tank into the two portions, a valve element (14) operated to rotate for opening and closing a fluid passage (10A) formed at the body, and a seal member (20) sealing between a sealed surface (6f) of the surge tank and an outer periphery of the body, the seal member including a seal portion (23d, 23e, 23f) constituted by two contact portions that make contact with the sealed surface in a state where the two contact portions extend in directions opposite from each other relative to the divided surface.