V-Type Engine Intake Throttle Body Width Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing V-type internal combustion engine intake structures with electric actuator-driven throttle bodies tend to enlarge the engine's width, affecting vehicle width and rider comfort due to the alignment of the valve drive mechanism and air cleaner placement.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an idle control valve that moves orthogonally to the intake passage parallel to the crankshaft, with its drive shaft projected from an electric actuator, and positioning the throttle sensor and actuator on the same side to minimize width expansion, allowing for a compact throttle body design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If an electric actuator is adopted to drive the throttle valve, then the throttle body can be controlled more precisely, but the throttle body becomes enlarged in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the idle control valve and its drive shaft from a width-directional arrangement to a height-directional arrangement. The drive shaft is now directed in the vertical direction (parallel to the engine axis) rather than the width direction, allowing the electric actuator to be mounted on the lateral side of the throttle body. This dimensional reorientation resolves the contradiction by maintaining automated control while reducing width occupation.
2Ease of operation
If the valve body drive mechanism is aligned rectilinearly in the width direction, then the bypass valve can be driven effectively, but the throttle body becomes large in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of the idle control valve's drive shaft from the width direction to the vertical direction. The drive shaft is now directed in the vertical direction (parallel to the engine axis), and the idle control valve is positioned on the lateral side of the throttle body. This allows the bypass valve operation to be maintained while significantly reducing the throttle body's width occupation.
3Productivity
If the air cleaner is disposed on the lateral side of the throttle body, then the air intake function is achieved, but the vehicle width is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
By repositioning the idle control valve and drive shaft to operate in the vertical direction rather than the width direction, the throttle body's width occupation is reduced. This creates sufficient space to dispose the air cleaner on the lateral side without excessively enlarging the vehicle width, thus maintaining air intake functionality while controlling overall vehicle dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
An intake structure is provided for a V-type internal combustion engine having cylinders banked in a V pattern. A throttle body includes a throttle valve interposed in an intake passage extending to the inner side of the V banks and bent to be parallel to a crankshaft. The throttle body is provided with a bypass passage bypassing the throttle valve. An idle control valve for opening and closing the bypass passage by being moved in a direction orthogonal to the intake passage parallel to the crankshaft is added to the throttle body. A drive shaft for moving the idle control valve is projected from an electric actuator in the state of being directed in the moving direction of the idle control valve. The resulting configuration makes it possible to reduce the size of a throttle body and to suppress the overall width of the engine.