Integrally-Molded Intake Manifold Connector for Engine Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
The mounting of engine covers to air intake manifolds using multiple steel brackets and fasteners leads to noise, vibration, and harshness issues, increasing manufacturing and assembly costs due to a high parts count.
Innovation Solution
An air intake manifold body with integrally-molded U-shaped receiver strips and elastomeric ferrules on hinge pins allows for direct attachment of an engine cover without brackets and fasteners, reducing noise and assembly costs through a molded polyamide structure with parallel ribs and radial arms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple steel brackets and fasteners are used to mount engine cover to air intake manifold, then the structural strength and reliability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the engine cover mounting function directly into the air intake manifold by integrating molded attachment features (receiver strips and slots) into the manifold structure itself. This eliminates the need for separate steel brackets and fasteners, reducing parts count while maintaining reliable mounting through the molded polyamide structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces elastomeric ferrules as intermediary elements between the rigid molded features and the hinge pins. These ferrules provide damping and noise reduction while facilitating the mounting connection, thereby improving reliability by reducing NVH issues without requiring additional metal fasteners.
2Strength
If multiple steel brackets and fasteners are used to mount engine cover, then the structural strength is improved, but the noise and vibration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from rigid metal (steel brackets and fasteners) to a combination of molded polyamide and elastomeric materials. This parameter change maintains sufficient mounting strength through the integrated molded features while the elastomeric ferrules provide damping properties that reduce noise and vibration generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts potentially harmful rigid metal connections that generate noise and vibration into beneficial elastomeric-damped connections. The elastomeric ferrules transform the rigid contact into a compliant interface that absorbs vibrations and reduces squeak and rattle, turning a potential weakness into a noise-reduction feature.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple intermediate components are used for mounting, then the adaptability is improved, but the assembly time and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mounting function from separate intermediate components and integrates it directly into the air intake manifold structure. The molded receiver strips and slots are formed as integral features during manifold manufacturing, eliminating the need to assemble multiple separate mounting components and significantly reducing assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting features (receiver strips and slots) are pre-formed as integral parts of the air intake manifold during the molding process. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent assembly steps to attach separate brackets and fasteners, reducing assembly time while maintaining mounting adaptability through the designed slot and receiver geometry.
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 solution effectively reduces noise and vibration, lowers manufacturing costs, and simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for intermediate components, enhancing the overall performance and aesthetics of the engine compartment.
Implementation Method 1
First and second elastomeric ferrules are installed on the first and second hinge pins, respectively, configured to be compressed by the receiver strips when captured at the closed ends
Data Source
AI summary
An engine cover system for joining a cover with an intake manifold body. A plurality of structural ribs project from an external surface of the body including a pair of parallel ribs. Each parallel rib carries an integrally-molded U-shaped receiver strip extending transversely from the parallel ribs to form slots having closed ends proximate a first edge of the body and slot openings defined by respective edges of the receiver strips. The engine cover is comprised of a shroud, first and second radial arms, and first and second hinge pins projecting from the first and second radial arms, respectively. The hinge pins are configured to slide into the slots via the slot openings into the closed ends. First and second elastomeric ferrules are installed on the first and second hinge pins, respectively, configured to be compressed by the receiver strips when captured at the closed ends.