Automotive Vehicle Engine Apparatus

• US 20090260906A1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MJ Acquisitions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MJ Acquisitions, Inc.
• Inventors: Butler, Gregory, Agnew, Daniel D., Frazer, William A., Hartland, Derk, Musial, Marc, Simons, Robert S., Theodore, Chris P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0475 the intake air cooler being combined with another device, e.g. heater, valve, compressor, filter or EGR cooler, or being assembled on a special engine location
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/38 of Roots type
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 67/10 of charging or scavenging apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/02 Air cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/024 using filters, e.g. moistened F02M35/026 takes precedence; cleaning of the filtering material F02M35/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10013 Means upstream of the air filter; Connection to the ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10157 Supercharged engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10222 Exhaust gas recirculation [EGR]; Positive crankcase ventilation [PCV]; Additional air admission, lubricant or fuel vapour admission
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10288 Air intakes combined with another engine part, e.g. cylinder head cover or being cast in one piece with the exhaust manifold, cylinder head or engine block
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10321 Plastics; Composites; Rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10327 Metals; Alloys catalysts F02M27/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10347 Moulding, casting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10367 Machining, e.g. milling, grinding, punching, sanding; Bending; Surface treatments
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10386 for flow rate air flow meters in air cleaners F02M35/021; circuit arrangements for generating control signals by measuring intake air flow F02D41/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/116 for engines with cylinders in V-arrangement or arranged oppositely relative to the main shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/161 Arrangement of the air intake system in the engine compartment, e.g. with respect to the bonnet or the vehicle front face
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An automotive vehicle engine apparatus includes an air intake system. In a further aspect of the present application, an automotive vehicle engine apparatus includes an air intake manifold, an air box and an air scoop. Another aspect of the present application employs an air intake shaker and a supercharger. A method of manufacturing and/or operating an air intake system is also provided.

Claims

1. An automotive vehicle apparatus comprising:

a manifold assembly including an air intake manifold and a lid covering the manifold;

a snorkel mounted on the lid and having a first opening in communication with the manifold assembly;

a valve coupled to the snorkel and having a passageway in communication with a second opening of the snorkel;

an air box positioned above the manifold assembly, the air box having a bore in communication with the passageway of the valve, a majority of the incoming air flowing along a substantially straight path through the air box;

an air scoop mounted to the air box and operably directing air from outside the vehicle to the air box, the incoming air flowing directly from the scoop to the manifold; and

a supercharger member located within the manifold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air box includes a downwardly angled foil bounding an opening of the air box and positioned to direct water entering the air box into a sump, the apparatus further including a drain tube in communication with the sump to allow the water to exit the air box.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the air box includes a wall positioned at an end of an air scoop passageway to restrict water from contacting an air filter mounted within the air box.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the wall includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the wall being angled such that the upper portion is closer to an air inlet of the air scoop than the lower portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the wall is positioned adjacent to the opening in the air box and directs water entering the air scoop into the sump.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the air filter and the wall extend substantially parallel to one another.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the air box includes a first dam positioned adjacent the sump to restrict water from traveling toward the air filter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first dam is positioned downstream of the wall.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the air box includes a second dam spaced apart from and positioned downstream of the first dam, the first and second dams defining a trough therebetween to collect water.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the wall is selectively removable and replaceable.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a mass air flow sensor mounted to the air box in communication with the incoming air flow.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a positive crankcase ventilation system air make up nipple mounted to the air box in communication with the incoming air flow.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air box is roto-molded to include a substantially constant wall thickness.

14. An automotive vehicle apparatus comprising:

an air intake manifold;

an air intake shaker in fluid communication with the manifold; and

a supercharger member located within the manifold;

incoming air flowing directly from an inlet of the shaker to an inlet of the manifold when operating.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a vehicular hood including a hole, at least a section of the shaker protruding through the hole in the hood and directing air external of the vehicle to the manifold, an air inlet of the shaker facing forward.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein all air intake conduits between the shaker and manifold assembly are rigidly located above the manifold.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the supercharger member includes multiple rotatable supercharger screws located below air runner inlets of the manifold.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein a flow path from the inlet of the shaker to a throttle in communication with the manifold has a length less than about ten inches.

19. An automotive vehicle apparatus comprising:

an air intake manifold;

an air box mounted on top of at least a portion of the manifold, the air box including an air inlet;

an air filter assembly removeably located in the air box, the air filter having an upper edge and a lower edge, a leading face of the filter assembly being tilted such that the upper edge is closer to the air inlet as compared to the lower edge; and

an air scoop mounted on top of at least a portion of the air box and being in communication with the air inlet of the air box.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a water drain located in the air box adjacent the lower edge of the filter assembly, the tilted orientation of the filter assembly encouraging water removal from the filter assembly and to the drain.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the air box includes a channel operably receiving a frame of the filter assembly, and the air scoop assists in retaining the filter assembly in the air box.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the air filter assembly has a substantially rectangular shape.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a throttle valve located in an air flow path between the air box and the manifold.

24. An automotive vehicle apparatus comprising:

(a) an internal combustion engine;

(b) an air intake manifold mountable to the engine;

(c) a supercharger screw located in the manifold; and

(d) a retrofit power enhancement kit operably assembled to at least one of the engine and the manifold as a preassembled unit, the kit comprising;

(i) a manifold lid mountable to the manifold;

(ii) an air box mounted above at least a portion of the lid; and

(iii) an air scoop mounted directly to the air box and being located above at least a portion of the lid;

(e) all of the incoming air flowing to the manifold coming from the air box and scoop when the engine is operating.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the manifold and supercharger screw are part of the preassembled kit prior to mounting the kit on the engine.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein all air intake conduits between the scoop and manifold are rigid and located above the lid.

27. A method of manufacturing and operating an air intake system for an automobile vehicle engine, the method comprising:

(a) assembling a rotatable supercharger member to a manifold;

(b) assembling an air intake shaker to the manifold;

(c) locating at least a portion of the shaker above a vehicular hood; and

(d) flowing air from an inlet of the shaker to a throttle coupled to the manifold along a conduit flow path of a substantially direct length equal to or less than about ten inches to prevent the incoming air from exceeding 150°

F. before it reaches the supercharger member.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) rigidly securing the conduit flow path above the manifold; and

(b) flowing the incoming air between the inlet of the shaker to the inlet of the manifold entirely above the manifold.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) making a scoop from metal;

(b) making an air box from a polymer; and

(c) coupling the scoop to the air box to define the air intake shaker.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

(a) installing a substantially rectangular air filter in a tilted orientation directly above the manifold; and

(b) assembling a throttle valve directly above the manifold in a flow path between the shaker and the manifold.

31. A method of manufacturing and operating an air intake system for an automobile vehicle engine, the method comprising:

(a) protruding a hood scoop with an air inlet through an aperture in a vehicle hood;

(b) assembling a rotatable supercharger member to a manifold;

(c) coupling an air box to the hood scoop and the manifold; and

(d) vertically stacking the scoop, the air box and the manifold the minimize the length of a flow path from the air inlet to the manifold.

32. The method of claim 31 further including positioning a throttle in the flow path between the air box and the manifold.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the length of the flow path from the air inlet to the throttle is equal to or less than about ten inches.