Annular Cuff Air Intake Isolation for Vehicle Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air intake systems in vehicles, particularly snowmobiles, are susceptible to damage from engine vibrations due to rigid mounting, which can impair sensitive components like throttle bodies and other electronics.
Innovation Solution
The air intake system is vibrationally isolated using support brackets and vibration isolators, such as elastomeric materials, to decouple the air plenum and intake runners from the engine body, preventing vibration transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the air intake system is rigidly mounted to the engine body, then the structural stability is improved, but the air intake system becomes susceptible to vibration damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vibration isolator as an intermediary component between the air intake system and the engine body. This isolator acts as a mediator that decouples the rigid connection, allowing the air intake system to remain structurally stable while protecting it from engine vibrations. The isolator absorbs and dampens vibrational energy, preventing direct transmission to sensitive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the mounting connection by transitioning from a rigid fixed connection to a compliant vibration-isolating connection. The vibration isolator modifies the stiffness and damping characteristics of the mounting system, allowing it to maintain structural stability while filtering out harmful vibrations through controlled deformation and energy dissipation.
2Reliability
If a soft component is used to isolate vibrations, then the protection from vibrations is improved, but the spatial efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vibration isolator constructed from flexible materials such as elastomers or rubber compounds. These flexible components provide effective vibration isolation while maintaining a compact form factor that does not significantly increase the overall volume of the air intake system. The flexible nature of the isolator allows it to conform to available space within the engine bay.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration isolator utilizes composite material structures combining different polymers or material layers with complementary properties. This composite construction achieves optimal vibration damping characteristics while minimizing the volume occupied by the isolator, thereby maintaining spatial efficiency in the engine compartment.
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 isolation protects sensitive components from damage by reducing the impact of engine vibrations, enhancing system durability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a vibration isolator coupled to the air plenum support bracket and interposed between the air plenum and the engine body assembly, thereby inhibiting engine vibrations from transferring to the air plenum
Implementation Method 2
vibration isolators, such as elastomeric materials, to decouple the air plenum and intake runners from the engine body
Data Source
AI summary
An air intake system for a vehicle having an engine that produces engine vibrations. The air intake system includes an air plenum having an air discharge port. An air runner assembly is coupled to the engine and has an air inlet port. An annular cuff has an upstream end coupled to the air discharge port and a downstream end coupled to the air inlet port. The annular cuff provides fluid communication between the air discharge port and the air inlet port. The annular cuff is configured to inhibit engine vibrations from transferring to the air plenum from the air runner assembly.