Intake Manifold MAP Sensor Shielding Against Exhaust Pollutants

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current intake manifolds fail to protect the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor from harmful exhaust pollutants entering through the EGR tube, leading to engine malfunctions and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

The intake manifold design includes a shield member with a U-shaped wall that extends from the interior surface of the upper body member, creating a shielded area around the MAP sensor to protect it from direct exhaust gas flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the EGR tube is installed to recirculate exhaust gas, then emission control is improved, but the MAP sensor is exposed to harmful exhaust pollutants causing malfunctions and damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexhaust pollutant exposure to MAP sensorVSAvoidMAP sensor operation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The intake manifold is divided into separate functional zones: a sensor protection zone created by the shield member that isolates the MAP sensor from exhaust gas flow, and an EGR gas recirculation zone that allows exhaust gas to flow through the EGR tube. This segmentation prevents harmful exhaust pollutants from directly contacting the MAP sensor while maintaining EGR functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shield member acts as an intermediary barrier between the EGR tube opening and the MAP sensor. It physically blocks exhaust gas flow from reaching the sensor while allowing the sensor to continue measuring manifold pressure accurately. The shield member mediates the conflict between EGR gas recirculation and sensor protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the MAP sensor is positioned to accurately sense manifold pressure, then measurement precision is improved, but the sensor becomes vulnerable to damage from exhaust gas exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanifold pressure sensing accuracyVSAvoidexhaust gas exposure to MAP sensor

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The shield member provides localized protection specifically at the MAP sensor location without affecting the overall manifold pressure sensing capability. The protection is applied locally where needed (at the sensor) rather than requiring global changes to the manifold design, maintaining measurement precision while adding targeted protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a shield member is added to protect the MAP sensor, then sensor protection is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMAP sensor protectionVSAvoidintake manifold structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shield member is integrated with the EGR tube assembly, combining the protection function with the existing EGR gas delivery structure. This merging approach adds sensor protection functionality without requiring a completely separate, complex protection system, thereby minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250137426A1Engine intake manifold

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 RB DISTRIBUTION INC

AI summary

An intake manifold body member has an upper surface with a MAP senor port, an air intake port, and a depending perimeter wall that defines an interior chamber. A MAP sensor port permits a MAP sensor to be inserted by a first distance into the interior chamber defined by the body member. A Map sensor shielding member depends from the body member by a second distance that is greater than the first distance and shields the MAP sensor.