Patent Application
20090194063
The present disclosure relates to engine assemblies, and more specifically to air intake configurations for engine assemblies.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Engine assemblies may include cylinder banks that are disposed at an angle relative to one another to form a V-configuration. The engine assembly may further include cylinder heads fixed to the banks that include intake and exhaust ports. The intake ports may face a center of the V-configuration and may be in communication with an intake manifold. The exhaust ports may be located on an outboard side of each of the banks.
An engine assembly may include an engine block, first and second cylinder heads, and first and second valvetrain covers. The engine block may include a first bank defining a first set of cylinders and a second bank defining a second set of cylinders that is disposed at an angle relative to the first set of cylinders to form a V-configuration. The first cylinder head may be fixed to the first bank and may include a first set of head intake and exhaust ports. The first set of head exhaust ports may be located in an inboard side of the first cylinder head proximate a center of the V-configuration. The second cylinder head may be fixed to the second bank and may include a second set of head intake and exhaust ports. The second set of head exhaust ports may be located in an inboard side of the cylinder head proximate a center of the V-configuration. The first valvetrain cover may be fixed to the first cylinder head and may include a first air inlet in communication with the first set of head intake ports. The second valvetrain cover may be fixed to the second cylinder head and may include a second air inlet in communication with the second set of head intake ports.
In an alternate arrangement, an engine assembly may include an engine block, first and second cylinder heads, and first and second valvetrain covers. The engine block may include a first bank defining a first set of cylinders and a second bank defining a second set of cylinders. The first cylinder head may be fixed to the first bank and may include a first set of head intake and exhaust ports. The second cylinder head may be fixed to the second bank and may include a second set of head intake and exhaust ports. The first and second sets of head exhaust ports may face one another and the first and second sets of head intake ports may face away from one another. The first valvetrain cover may be fixed to the first cylinder head and may define a first intake manifold portion in communication with the first set of head intake ports and a first cam cover portion integrally formed with the first intake manifold portion and isolated from the first set of head intake ports. The second valvetrain cover may be fixed to the second cylinder head and may define a second intake manifold portion in communication with the second set of head intake ports and a second cam cover portion integrally formed with the second intake manifold portion and isolated from the second set of head intake ports.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
Referring now to
The valvetrain assembly 26 may include intake and exhaust camshafts 34, 36 and intake and exhaust valves 38, 40. The intake valves 38 may be in communication with the intake ports 30. The exhaust gas ports 32 may provide communication between the exhaust valves 40 and the exhaust manifold 18. While the engine assembly 10 is illustrated as an overhead cam engine, it is understood that the present disclosure may be applicable to a variety of other engine configurations as well including cam-in-block engines.
The first and second cover members 14, 15 may be generally similar to one another. Therefore, the first cover member 14 will be described with the understanding that the description applies equally to the second cover member 15. With additional reference to
The cam cover portion 42 may overly the valvetrain assembly 26 that is located on the first cylinder head 22 and isolate the valvetrain assembly 26 from a location that is external to the engine assembly 10. The cam cover portion 42 may include a first cavity 46 that covers the intake camshaft 34 and the intake valves 38 and a second cavity 47 that covers the exhaust camshaft 36 and the exhaust valves 40. The intake manifold portion 44 may form an intake manifold and may include an air inlet 48, an air distribution member 50, and intake manifold ports 52, 54, 56, 58. The air inlet 48 may be in communication with the air intake plenum 16 and the air distribution member 50. The air distribution member 50 may define a cavity that is in communication with the air inlet 48 and the intake manifold ports 52, 54, 56, 58.
The air distribution member 50 may include features to provide a desired air flow condition to the intake manifold ports 52, 54, 56, 58. For example, a rib 60 may be located within the air distribution member 50 and may extend into the cavity near the manifold port 52 that is closest to the air inlet 48 in order to direct air flow and provide even air distribution between the manifold ports 52, 54, 56, 58. The intake manifold ports 52, 54, 56, 58 may each be in communication with one of the intake ports 30 in the first cylinder head 22. The intake manifold portion 44 may be isolated from the cam cover portion 42 through the use of a gasket (not shown) located within the channel 62 on the lower surface of the first cover member 14 to provide sealed communication between the intake manifold ports 52, 54, 56, 58 and the intake ports 30.
