Intake Manifold Support Structure for Fuel Pipe Crash Protection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing internal combustion engine designs face challenges in protecting fuel delivery pipes from frontal crash loads without increasing the weight and manufacturing cost of the intake manifold.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a support structure with a first and second support member connected to the intake chamber member and engine main body, enhancing the intake manifold's stiffness and resistance to deformation, while also serving as a passage for the EGR system, thereby protecting the fuel delivery pipe from frontal crash loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the intake manifold is designed with high stiffness to support frontal crash loads, then the protection capability against crash is improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection capability against crashVSAvoidweight of intake manifold

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The intake manifold is divided into multiple segments: a rigid lower portion (intake side and branch pipes) that remains fixed, and an upper portion (intake chamber member) that can deform independently during collision. This segmentation allows the lower portion to maintain high stiffness for structural support while the upper portion absorbs impact energy through controlled deformation, reducing the overall weight requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A buffer member is introduced as an intermediary component between the intake chamber member and the engine main body. This buffer member absorbs and distributes crash loads, protecting the fuel delivery pipe and other critical components without requiring the entire intake manifold to be heavily reinforced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the intake manifold is designed with high stiffness to support frontal crash loads, then the protection capability against crash is improved, but the manufacturing cost rises

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection capability against crashVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The intake manifold is divided into multiple segments: a rigid lower portion (intake side and branch pipes) that remains fixed, and an upper portion (intake chamber member) that can deform independently during collision. This segmentation allows the lower portion to maintain high stiffness for structural support while the upper portion absorbs impact energy through controlled deformation, reducing the overall weight requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer member is designed as a sacrificial component that may deform or fail during severe collisions, protecting more expensive components like the fuel delivery pipe and engine block. This approach is more cost-effective than reinforcing the entire intake manifold structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Volume of moving object

If the fuel delivery pipe is positioned behind the branch pipes, then the compactness of the engine layout is improved, but the pipe is exposed to crash loads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine layout compactnessVSAvoidexposure to crash loads

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A buffer member is introduced as an intermediary component between the intake chamber member and the engine main body. This buffer member absorbs and distributes crash loads, protecting the fuel delivery pipe and other critical components without requiring the entire intake manifold to be heavily reinforced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer member is pre-positioned between the intake chamber member and the engine main body to provide cushioning protection before a collision occurs. This pre-positioned cushioning element is designed to deform or fail in a controlled manner during impact, absorbing energy and protecting the fuel delivery pipe from direct crash loads.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS10167828B2Internal combustion engine

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

In an internal combustion engine for a vehicle, a fuel delivery pipe (37) is favorably protected from a load of a frontal crash. An intake chamber member (42) positioned in an upper part of an intake manifold (31) is supported by an engine main body (11) via a first support member (50) and a second support member (51) at laterally spaced apart parts of the intake chamber member. A lower part of the intake manifold is connected to a cylinder head of the engine via downstream ends of branch pipes (43) of the intake manifold. The fuel delivery pipe extends laterally between an intake side of the engine main body and the branch pipes.