Variable Air Intake Funnel System with External Motor Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle designs with variable air intake systems face challenges in maintaining fuel tank volume due to the placement of motor and gear components, which occupy space needed for the fuel tank when trying to vary air intake for different engine speeds.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle design that includes a fixed funnel, a moveable funnel supported by a parallel link mechanism, and a motor positioned outside the case to drive the link mechanism, allowing the moveable funnel to adjust its position relative to the fixed funnel, thereby optimizing air intake without reducing the fuel tank volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the motor and gear components are positioned in the rear section of the intake device to enable variable air intake, then the air intake performance is improved, but the fuel tank volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the motor from the rear section (1R) to the front section (1F) of the intake device, changing the spatial dimension of component layout. This dimensional shift allows the motor to be positioned above the case rather than behind it, thereby preserving fuel tank volume while maintaining variable air intake functionality through the turning arm and slide valve mechanism
2Adaptability or versatility
If the motor is positioned in the rear section to drive the slide valve, then the variable air intake function is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor positioned in the front section serves multiple functions: it drives the turning arm which operates the slide valve for variable air intake, and its positioning above the case allows it to share space with other components. This multi-functional arrangement achieves the variable air intake function while minimizing additional device complexity through efficient space utilization
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a vehicle comprising: an engine having an intake port; a fixed funnel that introduces air to the intake port of the engine; a moveable funnel that is moveably supported by a funnel moving mechanism on the intake side of the fixed funnel and that introduces air to the intake port of the engine along with the fixed funnel; a fuel tank disposed to the rear side of the moveable funnel when the vehicle is viewed from a side thereof; and a drive source that drives the funnel moving mechanism in order to move the moveable funnel, the drive source being disposed, if the moveable funnel is taken as a reference point, to the opposite side from the side where the fuel tank is disposed.