Off-Road Vehicle Intake Box Layout for Water and Dust Blocking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road vehicles face challenges with water and dust entering the intake conduits due to their design, which are positioned high above the ground, leading to potential contamination of engine and CVT intake systems.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle design incorporates an intake box with covered inlets for the engine and CVT intake conduits, featuring a front cover and shield wall to restrict the passage of water and dust, along with a heat shield cover to manage airflow and protect the intake system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the engine inlet and CVT inlet are provided at a high position above the ground in the front space, then the inlets are less likely to enter water from the ground, but water or dust can still enter through the open passage of the intake conduits when driving on bad roads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the engine inlet and CVT inlet inside the intake box, which acts as an outer container. The shield wall is then nested within the intake box to create an additional protective barrier. This nested structure allows the inlets to be protected from water and dust while maintaining a compact design, resolving the contradiction between protection and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield wall serves as an intermediary element between the external environment (water and dust) and the intake inlets. By positioning the shield wall between the front opening and the inlets, it mediates the harmful effects of water and dust, preventing them from reaching the inlets while allowing air to pass through. This intermediary structure enhances protection without significantly complicating the overall intake system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the intake box with shield wall configuration is implemented to protect against water and dust, then water and dust resistance is enhanced, but the structural complexity of the front space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the engine inlet and CVT inlet into a single intake box structure, consolidating multiple functions into one component. The shield wall is integrated into the intake box as an inherent feature rather than a separate assembly. This merging approach provides comprehensive protection against water and dust while minimizing the increase in structural complexity by combining multiple elements into a unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The intake box serves multiple functions: it houses both the engine inlet and CVT inlet, provides structural support, and incorporates the shield wall for protection. By designing the intake box as a multi-functional component, the patent achieves enhanced water and dust resistance without proportionally increasing structural complexity, as the same structure performs multiple protective and organizational roles.
Data Source
AI summary
An off-road vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, an internal combustion engine, a continuously variable transmission, a cabin, an engine intake conduit, a CVT intake conduit, and an intake box. The engine is supported by the vehicle body frame. The transmission is configured to change a speed of a driving force output from the engine. In the cabin, a passenger seat supported by the vehicle body frame is provided. The engine intake conduit has an engine inlet provided in a front space ahead of the cabin, and extends toward the engine. The CVT intake conduit has a CVT inlet provided in the front space, and extends toward the transmission. The intake box defines an internal space in which the engine inlet and the CVT inlet are provided. The intake box has an opening through which the internal space is exposed to outside the intake box.