Segmented Intake Duct for Bent Passageway Manufacturing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing intake structures for internal combustion engines face challenges in producing intake joint passageways with multiple bent portions, as traditional ducts made of rubber are difficult to manufacture in a tubular shape with integrated bends.

Innovation Solution

The intake structure comprises an inner and outer intake joint passageway tube, where the inner tube is divided into two half tubes along its central axis, allowing for easy formation and combination to create multiple bends, and is supported by engaging teeth and pins for secure installation within the air cleaner case.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the inner duct is integrally formed in a tubular shape with bent portions, then the intake passageway can be elongated, but it becomes difficult to produce the duct with multiple bent portions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintake passageway lengthVSAvoidmanufacturing difficulty of bent duct
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The inner duct is divided into two separate half-ducts (upper half-duct and lower half-duct) that can be independently formed and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each half-duct to be manufactured more easily with the required bent portions, while the final assembled inner duct achieves the desired elongated intake passageway configuration within the purifying chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Length of moving object

If the connecting tube is inserted from outside the air cleaner case into the purifying chamber over a long length, then the intake passageway can be secured to be long enough, but the purifying chamber volume is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnecting tube lengthVSAvoidpurifying chamber volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The inner duct utilizes the vertical dimension within the purifying chamber by creating bent portions that extend in multiple directions (laterally and rearward). This three-dimensional routing allows the duct to achieve sufficient length for the intake passageway while efficiently utilizing the limited volume of the purifying chamber, rather than simply extending linearly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Length of moving object

If the inner duct has two bent portions to elongate the duct, then the intake passageway length is increased, but the duct structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner duct lengthVSAvoidduct structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the inner duct into two separate half-ducts, the complexity of forming a single duct with multiple bent portions is reduced. Each half-duct can be formed with simpler geometry, and the bending operations are distributed across separate manufacturing processes, making the overall structure easier to produce despite the complex final configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3499015B1Intake structure for an internal combustion engine mounted in a vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.12.22 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3499015B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3499015B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3499015B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an intake structure for a vehicle-mounted internal combustion engine making it easy to produce an intake joint passageway tube (connecting tube) having bent portions. The intake structure for a vehicle-mounted internal combustion engine includes an intake joint passageway tube 34 by which an intake pipe 31 and a purifying chamber Cb in an air cleaner case 41 are held in fluid communication with each other. The intake joint passageway tube 34 includes an inner intake joint passageway tube 35 disposed in the purifying chamber Cb in the air cleaner case 41 and having at least one bent portion. The inner intake joint passageway tube 35 is made up of two half joint passageway tubes 35U and 35D divided along a plane S including substantially a central axis of the inner intake joint passageway tube 35.