V-Type Engine Throttle Assembly Sealing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional V-type engines with link mechanisms are susceptible to water and mud ingress, leading to rust and operational failures, especially in environments with irregular terrain, sandy beaches, or rough ground, as they lack effective protection against these elements.
Innovation Solution
A throttle assembly with a power transmission mechanism housing chamber and seal means, including a link mechanism, cable insertion hole, and breather hole, to prevent water and mud entry and maintain operational integrity, featuring a link case and case cover configuration with seals and a breather pipe connection to the air cleaner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the link mechanism housing chamber is open without seal means, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but water and mud can enter the chamber causing rust and operational failure
Solution Approach 1:
A seal member (rubber or elastomer ring) is installed at the mating face between the link case and case cover to create a flexible barrier that prevents water and mud ingress while maintaining structural simplicity. The seal member deforms to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion, ensuring continuous protection without complex sealing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing chamber is divided into sealed sections using the seal member at the mating face, creating distinct protected zones. This segmentation allows the seal to be positioned strategically at the most vulnerable interface, protecting the power transmission mechanism from water and mud while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If seal means are added to the housing chamber, then protection from water and mud is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is designed as a simple rubber or elastomer ring that can be compressed during assembly, allowing for easy installation at the mating face. This flexible sealing solution requires no special manufacturing tools or complex assembly procedures, maintaining ease of manufacture while providing reliable protection against water and mud ingress.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member acts as an intermediary element between the link case and case cover, mediating the sealing function at the mating face. This intermediary component isolates the complex sealing requirement from the main housing structures, allowing the link case and case cover to be manufactured independently with standard precision while the seal member handles the sealing challenge.
3Reliability
If the housing chamber is completely sealed, then protection from water and mud is maximized, but pressure equalization becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
A breather hole is provided in the link case to extract the pressure equalization function from the sealed housing chamber. This small opening allows pressure equalization between the interior and exterior of the chamber, preventing vacuum formation or excessive pressure buildup that could compromise the seal, while the seal member continues to prevent water and mud ingress.
Solution Approach 2:
The breather hole acts as an intermediary pressure relief pathway, allowing air to pass through to equalize pressure without providing a pathway for water and mud entry. This intermediary function resolves the contradiction between maintaining a tight seal for protection and allowing pressure equalization to maintain sealing effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A throttle assembly for intake air protects a link mechanism for interlocking throttles with each other from water and mud and maintains the throttle operability in a satisfactory state. The throttle assembly for intake air includes a plurality of throttle devices for injecting fuel into intake air to generate an air-fuel mixture; a link mechanism for connecting driving portions of the throttle devices with each other, a link mechanism housing chamber defined by an outer wall member for forming a link mechanism housing chamber and housing the link mechanism, and seal members provided at the connected or mated portions of the outer wall member and a different member or the connected or mated portions of a plurality of outer wall configuring members which configure the outer wall member.