The present invention is based upon Japanese priority application No. 2005-130787, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a multicylinder engine intake system comprising: a plurality of throttle bodies having intake paths communicating with intake ports of a multicylinder engine, and throttle valves for opening and closing the intake paths; a plurality of bypasses provided in the throttle bodies, having upstream ends opened to atmosphere or the intake paths on upstream sides of the throttle, and having downstream ends opened to the intake paths on downstream sides of the throttle valves; and a common bypass control valve which opens and closes the bypasses.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multicylinder engine intake system of this type is known from, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-129924. A bypass control valve in this intake system is used to regulate the amount of first idling air supplied to the engine through bypasses in order to appropriately control the first idling rotational speed mainly during engine warm-up operation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-129924 discloses an intake system for a V-type 4-cylinder engine in which a common bypass control valve is placed at a central position surrounded by four throttle bodies. In this intake system, the lengths of four bypass downstream paths extending from the bypass control valve to intake paths in the throttle bodies are set equal to each other, thereby equalizing the amounts of first idling air supplied to the cylinders. In this intake system, however, it is necessary to dispose a supporting member for attachment of the bypass control valve separately from the throttle bodies, so that the bypass control valve attachment structure is complicated. Also, in the case of an intake system for an inline 4-cylinder engine, for example, it is difficult to equalize the lengths of four bypass downstream paths by any arrangement of the common bypass control valve.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide a multicylinder engine intake system in which a bypass control valve is mounted to any of throttle bodies without requiring a special attachment member, and which can equalize the amounts of first idling air supplied to a plurality of cylinders irrespective of arrangement of the cylinders in an engine even if the lengths of a plurality of bypass downstream paths are not equal to each other.
In order to achieve the above object, according to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided a multicylinder engine intake system comprising: a plurality of throttle bodies having intake paths communicating with intake ports of a multicylinder engine, and throttle valves for opening and closing the intake paths; a plurality of bypasses provided in the throttle bodies, having upstream ends opened to atmosphere or the intake paths on upstream sides of the throttle valves, and having downstream ends opened to the intake paths on downstream sides of the throttle valves; and a common bypass control valve which opens and closes the bypasses, wherein the bypass control valve is mounted on any of the plurality of throttle bodies; downstream ends of the bypasses opened in the throttle bodies are formed as throttle holes; and the diameter of the throttle hole on a side of the throttle body on which the bypass control valve is mounted is smaller than diameters of the throttle holes on other throttle bodies.
With the first feature of the present invention, the bypass control valve is mounted on any of the plurality of throttle bodies, thereby eliminating the need for a member provided exclusively for attachment of the bypass control valve. Since the bypass control valve is mounted on any of the throttle bodies, the plurality of bypass downstream paths are formed so as to have a shorter length between the bypass control valve and the throttle body on which the bypass control valve is mounted, and a longer length between the bypass control valve and the other throttle bodies. However, downstream ends of the bypasses opened in the throttle bodies are formed as throttle holes, and the diameter of the throttle holes on the side of the throttle body on which the bypass control valve is mounted is smaller than the diameters of the throttle holes on the other throttle bodies, thereby equalizing the flow paths resistances of all the bypass downstream paths. Consequently, the amounts of first idling air supplied to the plurality of cylinders of the engine through the plurality of bypasses can be equalized.
According to a second feature of the present invention, in addition to the first feature, the plurality of bypasses on the upstream side of the bypass control valve comprise a single common bypass upstream path; among bypass downstream paths, on the downstream side of the bypass control valve, of the plurality of bypasses, the bypass downstream paths on the side of the throttle body on which the bypass control valve is mounted are formed in the same throttle body; some of other bypass downstream paths comprise communication pipes which provide connections between the bypass control valve and the other throttle bodies.
With the second feature of the present invention, the plurality of bypasses on the upstream side of the bypass control valve comprise a single common bypass upstream path. This arrangement contributes to simplification of the structure of the bypass control valve as well as to simplification of the plurality of bypasses. Also, the communication pipes is provided only by piping between the bypass control valve and the throttle body not having the valve, thus simplifying the pipe arrangement.
According to a third feature of the present invention, in addition to the first or second feature, the bypass control valve is mounted in a control block joined to some of the throttle bodies.
With the third feature of the present invention, the throttle body and the control block in which the bypass control valve is mounted are constructed to be separate members, thereby forming the plurality of bypasses in a divided manner to facilitate the formation of these bypasses. Further, since the control block and the bypass control valve can be assembled into one unit separately from the first throttle body, the assemblability of the components becomes excellent. Furthermore, since the control block can be separated from the throttle body, the ease of maintenance of the bypass control valve and other components becomes excellent.
The above-mentioned object, other objects, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a preferred embodiment which will be described in detail below by reference to the attached drawings.
Referring to
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, valve shafts 4 which extend across the intake paths 21, 22; 23, 24 respectively are rotatably supported by the two throttle bodies 1A and 1B, and throttle valves 51, 52; 53, 54 for respectively opening/closing the intake paths 21, 22; 23, 24 are attached to the valve shafts 4. The two valve shafts 4 are disposed coaxially with each other, and have their opposed ends connected to each other by a throttle drum 6. The throttle valves 51, 52; 53, 54 are simultaneously opened or closed by rotating the throttle drum 6. Fuel injection valves 71, 72; 73, 74 for injecting fuel into intake ports of the engine through the intake paths 21, 22; 23, 24 downstream of the throttle valves 51, 52; 53, 54 are attached to the throttle bodies 1A and 1B.
As shown in
Two pairs of bypass downstream paths 12b1, 12b2; 12b3, 12b4 extend from the bypass control valve 10. One pair of bypass downstream paths 12b1 and 12b1 are opened in the intake paths 21 and 22, respectively, in the first throttle body 1A downstream of the respective throttle valves 51 and 52. The other pair of bypass downstream paths 12b3 and 12b4 are opened in the intake paths 23 and 24, respectively, in the second throttle body 1B downstream of the respective throttle valves 53 and 54.
Thus, as clearly shown in
The structures of the bypasses 121 and 122 on the first throttle body 1A side and the bypass control valve 10 will be specifically described with reference to
A control block 15 is detachably joined to one side surface of the first throttle body 1A by a plurality of bolts 16, with a gasket 17 interposed therebetween. A cylindrical valve chamber 18 extending in a vertical direction is provided in the control block 15, and the above-described guide path 9 through which a lower portion of the air inlet chamber 8 communicates with a lower portion of the valve chamber 18 is provided between the first throttle body 1A and the control block 15. Thus, the bypass upstream path 12a is placed below a valve body 26.
Two pairs of distribution chambers 321, 322; 323, 324 are provided around a lower portion of the valve chamber 18. Two pairs of measuring holes 191, 192; 193, 194 that provide communication between the valve chamber 18 and the distribution chambers 321, 322; 323, 324 are bored in a peripheral wall of the valve chamber 18.
The valve body 26 in the form of a piston for regulating the opening degree of the measuring holes 191, 192; 193, 194 between the fully closed state and the fully opened state is slidably fitted from above into the valve chamber 18. To prevent the valve body 26 from rotating, a key groove 27 and a key 28 engageable with the key groove 27 are provided. The key groove 27 is provided on a side surface of the valve body 26. The key 28 is attached to the control block 15. An electrically operated actuator 25 which causes the valve body 26 to open and close the valve opening is fitted in a fitting hole 29 formed in the control block 15 continuously with the upper end of the valve chamber 18, and is fixed to the control block 15 by bolts. The electrically operated actuator 25 has a downwardly projecting output shaft 30 screwed into a threaded hole 31 formed in a central portion of the valve body 26. The valve body 26 can be moved upward or downward (for opening or closing) by rotating the output shaft 30 in the normal or reverse direction. A plate-shaped sealing member 23 which is brought into intimate contact with an outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 30 is interposed between a lower surface of the electrically operated actuator 25 and a bottom surface of the fitting hole 29. The valve body 26 and the electrically operated actuator 25 thus constitute the bypass control valve 10.
In the control block 15, the above-described pair of distribution chambers 321 and 322 and a pair of second labyrinth elements 35 disposed below the distribution chambers 321 and 322 are formed so as to be open in a joint surface 15a (see
Thus, the measuring holes 191and 192, the distribution chambers 321 and 322, the first labyrinth elements 34, the second labyrinth elements 35 and the communication holes 36 constitute the bypass downstream paths 12b1 and 12b2, having a labyrinth shape, in the pair of bypasses 121 and 122 on the first throttle body 1A side.
Idling air paths 371 and 372 provide communication between a lower portion of the air inlet chamber 8 and each of intermediate portions of the communication holes 36. A pair of idling regulation screws 381 and 382 capable of regulating the path area in intermediate portions of the idling air paths 371 and 372 are threaded into the first throttle body 1A (see
A pair of joint pipes 401 and 402 which communicate with the other pair of distribution chambers 323 and 324 are attached to the control block 15.
The structure of the bypasses 123 and 124 on the second throttle body 1B side will be specifically described with reference to
Provided in the second throttle body 1B are one air inlet chamber 42 which is open on the air cleaner 3 side between the first and second intake paths 23 and 24, a pair of distribution chambers 43 (only one of which is shown in
Thus, the measuring holes 193 and 194, the distribution chambers 323 and 324, the communication pipes 491 and 492 and the communication holes 44 constitute the bypass downstream paths 12b3 and 12b4 in the pair of bypasses 123 and 124 on the second throttle body 1B side.
A pair of idling regulation screws 383 and 384 capable of regulating the path area in intermediate portions of the idling air paths 373 and 374 are threaded into the second throttle body 1B.
The idling air paths 371, 372; 373, 374 are respectively provided for the purpose of maintaining the amount of idling air necessary for ordinary idling of the engine when the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124 are completely closed by the bypass control valve 10. The amount of idling air is regulated by means of the idling regulation screws 381 and 382; 383 and 384.
As shown in
The operation of this embodiment will next be described.
During engine warm-up operation, a controller (not shown) operates the electrically operated actuator 25 for the bypass control valve 10 by supplying the actuator 25 with a current corresponding to the engine temperature. When the engine temperature is low, the valve body 26 is lifted by a large amount to regulate the opening degrees of the measuring holes 1911, 192; 193, 194 to be large. Therefore, in the state where the throttle valves 51, 52; 53, 54 are fully opened, the amounts of first idling air supplied to the engine through the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124 are controlled to be comparatively large by means of the measuring holes 191, 192; 193, 194. Simultaneously, the amounts of fuel according to the amount of operation of the electrically operated actuator 25 are injected from the fuel injection valves 71, 72; 73, 74 toward the downstream sides of the intake paths 21, 22; 23, 24. The engine receives the thus-supplied air and fuel to maintain an appropriate first idling speed so that the warm-up operation progresses.
Since the bypass control valve 10 is attached to the first throttle body 1A side, the need for an attachment member exclusively for attachment of the bypass control valve 10 can be eliminated to simplify the structure of the intake system D. Also, the downstream ends of the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124 opened in downstream portions of the intake paths 21, 22; 23, 24 of the first and second throttle bodies 1A and 1B are formed as throttle holes 36a and 44a, respectively, the throttle holes 36a on the first throttle body 1A side where the bypass control valve 10 has a smaller diameter, and the throttle holes 44a on the second throttle body 1B side where the bypass control valve 10 has a larger diameter. Therefore, the flow path resistances of all the plurality of bypass downstream paths 12b1, 12b2; 12b3, 12b4 can be made uniform, although the lengths of the bypass downstream paths 12b1, 12b2; 12b3, 12b4 from the bypass control valve 10 to each of the throttle bodies 1A and 1B are smaller on the first throttle body 1A side and longer on the second throttle body 1B side. Consequently, the amounts of first idling air supplied to the plurality of cylinders of the engine through the plurality of bypass downstream paths 12b1, 12b2; 12b3, 12b4 can be equalized.
Even in such a first idling state, certain flows of air supplied to the engine exist in the idling air paths 371, 372; 373, 374.
As the engine temperature rises with the progress of the warm-up operation, the electrically operated actuator 25 moves the valve body 26 downward to reduce the opening degrees of the measuring holes 191, 192; 193, 194 corresponding to the increase in engine temperature. The amounts of first idling air supplied to the engine through the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124 are thereby reduced to lower the engine rotational speed. When the temperature of the engine becomes equal to a predetermined high temperature, the electrically operated actuator 25 moves the valve body 26 into the completely closed state to completely close the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124. Therefore, in the state where the throttle valves 51, 52; 53, 54 in the intake paths 21, 22; 23, 24 are closed, only the least amounts of air are supplied to the engine through the idling air supply paths 371, 372; 373, 374, thus controlling the engine at the ordinary idling rotational speed. At this time, the amounts of idling air flowing through the idling air supply paths 371, 372; 373, 374 can be individually regulated by turning the idling regulation screws 381, 382; 383, 384.
The bypass control valve 10 provided in the first throttle body 1A is constituted by the valve body 26 for opening/closing the pairs of bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124, and the electrically operated actuator 25 provided above the valve body 26 and operated for opening/closing the valve body 26. This simple arrangement ensures that even in a case where water droplets are generated in the bypasses 121 and 122 on the first throttle body 1A side near the bypass control valve 10 in particular or even in a case where fuel enters the 121 and 122 due to an engine blowback phenomenon, the fuel or water droplets can be prevented from flowing into the electrically operated actuator 25. Therefore no expensive sealing means is required for the electrically operated actuator 25, and only an inexpensive sealing suffices.
The bypass upstream side path 12a on the upstream side of the valve 26, i.e., the air inlet chamber 8 and the guide path 9 are placed below the valve body 26, and the idling air paths 37, and 372 extend from a lower portion of the air inlet chamber 8 to the intake paths 21 and 22 in the first throttle body 1A. Therefore, fuel or water droplets generated in the bypasses 121 and 122 or entering the bypasses 121 and 122 flows down to the bypass upstream path 12a, and the fuel or water droplets are discharged to the intake paths 21 and 22 by being carried on the air flows which are flowing from the idling air paths 371 and 372 to the downstream sides of the intake paths 21 and 22 and which are always formed in the bypass upstream path 12a irrespective of the opening/closing state of the valve body 26. Thus, staying of the fuel or water droplets in the bypasses 121 and 122 is prevented to ensure that the amount of first idling air is appropriately regulated by the bypass valve 10.
The air inlet chamber 8 and the guide path 9 constituting the bypass upstream path 12a form a single path common to the bypasses 123 and 124 on the second throttle body 1B side as well as to the bypasses 121 and 122 on the first throttle body 1A side. This arrangement contributes to simplification of the structure of the bypass control valve 10 as well as to simplification of the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124. Also, the communication pipes 491 and 492 are provided only by piping between the bypass control valve 10 and the second throttle body 1B not having the valve 10, thus simplifying the pipe arrangement.
The bypass downstream paths 12b1 and 12b2 provided downstream of the bypass control valve 10 near the bypass control valve 10 on the first throttle body 1A side are constituted by the first labyrinth elements 34 and the second labyrinth elements 35 in a labyrinth shape, thereby attenuating gas blowback from the intake paths 21 and 22 and preventing fuel and other unnecessary substances from entering the bypass control valve 10.
The first throttle body 1A and the control block 15 in which the bypass control valve 10 is mounted are constructed as separate bodies joinable to and separable from each other, and correspondingly the plurality of bypasses 121 and 122 are also formed separately from each other, thus facilitating the formation of the bypasses 121, 122; 123, 124. Further, since the control block 15 and the bypass control valve 10 can be assembled into one unit separately from the first throttle body 1A, the assemblability of the components becomes excellent. Furthermore, since the control block 15 can be separated from the first throttle body 1A, the ease of maintenance of the bypass control valve 10 and other components becomes excellent.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment thereof. Various changes in design of the present invention can be made without departing from the subject matter of the present invention. For example, the present invention is also applicable to a horizontal throttle body in which intake paths are substantially horizontal. Also in this case, it is preferable that the vertical positional relationship among the electrically operated actuator 25, the valve body 26 and the bypass upstream path 12a is the same as that in the above-described embodiment.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-130787 | Apr 2005 | JP | national |