INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH IMPRESSIONS FOR IMPROVED NVH PERFORMANCE

• US 20180058401A1
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Zouani, Abdelkrim, Dziubinschi, Gabriela
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/104 Intake manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/1277 Reinforcement of walls, e.g. with ribs or laminates; Walls having air gaps or additional sound damping layers

Abstract

The disclosed inventive concept provides an intake manifold for an internal combustion engine that demonstrates reduced NVH. The disclosed inventive concept provides an intake manifold having intersecting ribs that extend along both the plenum and the intake runners. Impressions or recessed areas are selectively disposed at critical locations between certain ones of the intersecting ribs. Flat areas are formed between each impression and the adjacent ribs. The shapes of the impressions may be polygonal, round or oval or mixture thereof. The thickness of the intake manifold wall may be constant or variable. The location, shape and depth of each of the impressions are selected to thereby optimize both NVH and flow performances. These impressions provide additional localized stiffness that improves high frequency noise without increasing wall thickness, weight, design complexity, or overall cost of tooling, material or manufacture. The disclosed inventive concept reduces intake manifold NVH particularly at higher frequencies.

Claims

1. An intake manifold comprising:

a plenum;

at least one intake runner fluidly attached to said plenum;

first ribs arranged in a first direction on at least one of said plenum and said runner;

second ribs arranged in a second direction on at least one of said plenum and said runner, said first and second ribs intersecting and forming spaces therebetween; and

recessed areas formed in said spaces, said areas being spaced apart from said ribs.

2. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said first and second ribs are disposed across exterior surfaces of said plenum.

3. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said first and second ribs are disposed across exterior surfaces of said intake runner.

4. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said intake runner includes an intake runner wall and wherein said intake runner wall has a thickness, said thickness being maintained in said recessed areas.

5. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said spaces include flat areas surrounding and isolating said recessed area.

6. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said recessed areas are centrally located within said spaces.

7. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said plenum includes a long axis, and wherein at least some of said first ribs are axially aligned with said long axis of said plenum.

8. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein said intake runner includes a long axis, and wherein at least some of said second ribs are axially aligned with said long axis of said intake runner.

9. The intake manifold of claim 1, wherein each of said recessed areas has a shape, said shape being selected from the group consisting of a rectangle, a square, a parallelogram, a trapezium, a circle and an oval.

10. An intake manifold comprising:

a plenum;

at least one intake runner fluidly attached to said plenum, said plenum and said runner having exterior surfaces;

a plurality of ribs arranged on at least some of said exterior surfaces in a substantially cross-hatched manner;

spaces formed between said ribs; and

recessed areas formed in said spaces, at least some of said areas being surrounded by flat surfaces, said areas being isolated from said ribs by said surfaces.

11. The intake manifold of claim 10, wherein said at least one intake runner includes an intake runner wall and wherein said intake runner wall has a thickness, said thickness being maintained in at least some of said recessed areas.

12. The intake manifold of claim 10, wherein said recessed areas are centrally located within said spaces.

13. The intake manifold of claim 10, wherein said plenum includes a long axis, and wherein at least some of said ribs are axially aligned with said long axis of said plenum.

14. The intake manifold of claim 10, wherein said at least one intake runner includes a long axis, and wherein at least some of said ribs are axially aligned with said long axis of said intake runner.

15. An intake manifold comprising:

a plenum;

at least one intake runner fluidly attached to said plenum, said plenum and said runner having exterior surfaces;

a plurality of intersecting ribs arranged on at least some of said exterior surfaces of said plenum and said runner;

flat surfaces formed between at least some of said intersecting ribs; and

recessed areas formed in said spaces, whereby said areas are isolated from said ribs by said flat surfaces.

16. The intake manifold of claim 15, wherein said at least one intake runner includes an intake runner wall and wherein said intake runner wall has a thickness, said thickness being maintained in at least some of said recessed areas.

17. The intake manifold of claim 15, wherein said recessed areas are centrally located within said spaces.

18. The intake manifold of claim 15, wherein said plenum includes a long axis, and wherein at least some of said ribs are axially aligned with said long axis of said plenum.

19. The intake manifold of claim 15, wherein said at least one intake runner includes a long axis, and wherein at least some of said ribs are axially aligned with said long axis of said intake runner.

20. The intake manifold of claim 15, wherein each of said recessed areas has a shape, said shape being selected from the group consisting of a rectangle, a square, a parallelogram, a trapezium, a circle and an oval.