Engine Intake Passage Brittle Portion for Fuel System Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of components on the vehicle forward side of the engine body limits available space, making it difficult to protect fuel system components like the oil separator during a collision, as there is insufficient space for both the intake device and oil separator to protrude between the engine body and intake passage part.
Innovation Solution
The engine design incorporates an intake passage part with a fuel system component-corresponding portion and a brittle portion of lower rigidity adjacent to it, ensuring that the brittle portion absorbs collision loads before the fuel system component, thus preventing damage to the fuel system components without the need for a separate load-receiving member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If more components are arranged on the vehicle forward side of the engine body, then the functionality of the vehicle is improved, but the available space for protecting fuel system components during collision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The intake passage part is designed with non-uniform rigidity distribution: a brittle portion with lower rigidity is provided adjacent to the fuel system component, while other portions maintain higher rigidity for structural support. This local differentiation allows the brittle portion to deform preferentially during collision, absorbing impact energy and protecting the fuel system component without compromising the overall structural integrity of the intake passage part.
2Reliability
If a load receiving member is provided to protect the fuel system component, then the protection capability is improved, but the device complexity and space requirement are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged into the intake passage part itself by incorporating a brittle portion with lower rigidity adjacent to the fuel system component. This eliminates the need for a separate load receiving member, as the brittle portion of the intake passage part directly absorbs collision loads and protects the fuel system component. The protection mechanism is integrated into the existing structure, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The intake passage part provides its own protective function through the brittle portion that preferentially deforms during collision. The structure is self-protecting, as the brittle portion automatically absorbs impact energy before it reaches the fuel system component, without requiring external protective devices or additional load receiving members.
3Strength
If the rigidity of the intake passage part is increased to maintain structural integrity, then the structural strength is improved, but the ability to absorb collision load is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The intake passage part employs non-uniform rigidity distribution with a brittle portion having lower rigidity positioned adjacent to the fuel system component. This localized soft region allows the structure to absorb collision loads through controlled deformation, while the rest of the intake passage part maintains higher rigidity for overall structural integrity and support functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The brittle portion with lower rigidity is pre-positioned adjacent to the fuel system component to serve as a cushioning element. During normal operation, this portion remains intact, but during collision, it is designed to deform preferentially and absorb impact energy before the force reaches the fuel system component, providing beforehand cushioning protection.
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 protects fuel system components during vehicle collisions by absorbing collision loads through the brittle portion, preventing transmission to the fuel system component and avoiding collisions between the intake passage part and fuel system components, even in scenarios with insufficient space between them.
Implementation Method 1
the brittle portion adjacent to the fuel system component-corresponding portion is first broken before the fuel system component-corresponding portion does, which absorbs the collision load
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is an engine 1 which comprises: an engine body 2 comprising a cylinder head 10 and a cylinder block 12; an inlet duct 14 attached to the engine body 2; and a fuel system component disposed between the engine body 2 and the inlet duct 14, wherein the inlet duct 14 is disposed on a vehicle forward side of the engine body 2 when mounted to a vehicle, and wherein the inlet duct 14 has: a fuel system component-corresponding portion 34 located in a zone overlapping the fuel system component when viewed from the vehicle forward side, and a region 40 or 42 located adjacent to the fuel system component-corresponding portion 34 and having a lower rigidity than the fuel system component-corresponding portion 34.