JP3430808B2 - Intake passage device for internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine for reducing intake air temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, JP-A-5-24003
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 0-202, as a structure for cooling a catalytic converter, a heat shield cover is arranged on the outer periphery of the catalyst converter, and a converter case is arranged further on the outer periphery of this heat shield cover. There is disclosed a so-called double-pipe structure exhaust passage structure in which a cooling air passage is formed between the converter case and the converter case. Further, the exhaust passage structure disclosed in the publication is configured to control the amount of cooling air introduced into the cooling air passage by opening and closing an opening / closing valve for introducing cooling air (outside air) according to the ambient temperature of the catalyst. ing.

[0003]

By the way, it is desired to cool the intake air also in the intake passage in order to reduce the intake air temperature. Generally, in an internal combustion engine electronically controlled by a computer, the fuel injection amount is controlled in accordance with the change in intake air temperature output from the intake air temperature sensor. Then, the intake density decreases, and the state in which the fuel injection amount is constantly increased continues, which is not desirable in terms of fuel consumption and emission. Therefore, it is desired to cool the intake air also in the intake passage in order to reduce the intake air temperature.

Therefore, as a means for cooling the intake air, like the exhaust passage structure disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, a cooling passage for introducing cooling air is formed in the intake pipe on the outer periphery of the pipe through which the intake air flows. A double tube structure is considered. However, when the intake passage has a double pipe structure, the intake passage structure becomes complicated, which may increase the cost and the weight. In addition, if the diameter of the cooling passage is made as small as possible in order to reduce the weight, the intake passage is generally arranged in the vicinity of the radiator, so that the intake passage receives hot air that has passed through the radiator. This heat is easily transferred to the intake passage, and as a result, the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and by providing an intake passage inside a member constituting a vehicle body frame, it is possible to improve the efficiency of reducing intake air temperature at low cost. An object is to provide an intake passage device for an engine.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by the following means. The invention according to claim 1 is directed to connection with a radiator.
For the continued internal combustion engine, the air cleaner cooling box
With an intake passage that supplies the air taken in from
And an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine in which the intake passage is disposed inside a member that has a substantially closed cross-section and is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle among the members that form the vehicle body frame.
At the side of the position where the radiator is installed,
The air cleaner cooling box is provided.

[0007]

In the invention according to claim 2, the above-mentioned claim
In the intake passage device for an internal combustion engine according to item 1, the member is configured such that traveling wind is introduced therein.

Each of the above means operates as follows.
According to the invention described in claim 1, since the intake passage is arranged inside the member forming the vehicle body frame, the member has a substantially closed cross section and thus functions as a passage. Therefore, the member and the intake passage are formed. Together they form a double tube structure.
Further, the member is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and since the extending direction is the same as the arrangement direction of the intake passage, even if the intake passage is arranged inside the member, the passage of the intake passage is Is never long.

Further, since the member constitutes the vehicle body frame, its wall thickness is larger than the wall thickness of the pipe normally used as the intake passage in order to improve the mechanical strength. Therefore, in terms of heat, the heat capacity of the member is large. Therefore, even if heat such as radiator wind is applied to the member, it is possible to prevent this heat from being conducted to the intake passage arranged inside the member. The efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature can be improved.

Further , since the member is already installed in the vehicle body frame, it is not necessary to newly provide pipes or the like to make the intake passage have a double pipe structure, so that the structure of the intake passage is simplified and the cost is reduced. Can be reduced. In addition, the side of the position where the radiator is installed
By installing the Lina cooling box,
Air is not passing through the radiator, reducing its temperature.
Can be kept

Further, according to the invention described in claim 2 , since the traveling wind is introduced into the inside of the member,
Since the air flowing through the intake passage is cooled by the traveling wind flowing inside the member, the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature can be improved also by this.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine which is a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a vehicle 1 to which the intake passage device of the first embodiment is applied, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the intake passage device of the first embodiment.

First, the position where the intake passage device is arranged will be described with reference to FIG. The vehicle 1 described as an example in the present embodiment has a configuration in which an engine 2 is arranged in the center position thereof, and the engine 2 is supported by a frame. The frame includes front side members 3 and 4, main floor side members 5 and 6, rear side members 7,
8 and cross members 9 to 14 and the like.

Further, a propeller shaft 15 and an exhaust passage 16 extending rearward from the engine 2 extend,
The propeller shaft 15 transmits the driving force of the engine 2 to the rear wheels 18 and 19 via the differential 17. Further, the exhaust passage 16 is provided with a catalytic converter 20 in which a three-way catalyst is installed at an intermediate position thereof, and a muffler 21 is provided at a rear end portion thereof.

A shaft 22 connected to the crankshaft extends in front of the engine 2, and a fan 23 is arranged at the front end of the shaft 22. A radiator 24 is arranged in front of the fan 23 so as to face the fan 23, and is configured to cool the radiator 24. Therefore, the outside air enters the vehicle 1 while being heated by the radiator 24. An arrow indicated by reference numeral 25 in FIG. 1 indicates a flow of wind heated by passing through the radiator 24 (hereinafter, referred to as radiator wind).

On the other hand, the front side members 3 and 4 constituting the frame have front suspensions 26 and 27.
Front wheels 28 and 29 are disposed through the. In addition, 3 in the figure
0 indicates a body of the vehicle 1. In the vehicle 1 configured as described above, the intake passage device 40 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is provided at a lateral lower position of the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, the intake passage device 40 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 in addition to FIG.

The intake passage device 40 is generally composed of an air cleaner cooling box 41, an air cleaner hose 42 serving as an intake passage, and the front side member 3 constituting the frame. As shown in FIG. 1, the air cleaner cooling box 41 is arranged in the vicinity of the front end of the vehicle 1 and on the side of the position where the radiator 24 is arranged. The air cleaner cooling box 41 is a box-shaped body having a substantially rectangular shape, and an intake port for taking in traveling wind 44 (a wind generated by the traveling of the vehicle 1. This is indicated by an arrow in the figure) at a front position of the vehicle. 43 is provided. Therefore, the traveling wind 44 enters the inside of the air cleaner cooling box 41 from the intake 43.

At this time, as described above, since the air cleaner cooling box 41 is disposed on the side of the position where the radiator 24 is disposed, the traveling wind 44 taken in does not pass through the radiator 24, and The temperature is kept low. On the other hand, in the air cleaner cooling box 41,
The air cleaner 45, the battery 46, and part of the air cleaner hose 42 are housed. Air cleaner 45
Is connected to an air cleaner hose 42, and a part of the traveling wind 44 that has flowed into the air cleaner cooling box 41 flows in. An air filter is provided inside the air cleaner 45, and therefore, dust is prevented from entering the air cleaner hose 42.

Further, this air cleaner cooling box 41
Are attached to the front side member 3 described above. Here, the structure of the front side member 3 will be described. The front side member 3 constitutes a frame as described above, and its cross section has a closed cross section. That is, the front side member 3
Also functions as a pipe member.

Further, since the front side member 3 supports heavy objects such as the front suspension 26 and the wheels 28, the front side member 3 is made thicker in order to enhance rigidity. Further, the front side member 3 is disposed at the side portion of the vehicle 1 and is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

The present embodiment is characterized in that the air cleaner hose 42 is arranged inside the front side member 3 having the above-mentioned structure. Therefore, a communication port 47 that communicates the inside of the air cleaner cooling box 41 and the inside of the front side member 3 is formed at the joining position between the air cleaner cooling box 41 and the front side member 3. The air cleaner hose 42 is configured to be inserted from the air cleaner cooling box 41 into the inside of the front side member 3 via the air cleaner hose 42.

As described above, the front side member 3
Since the vehicle extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 at a position below the side portion of the vehicle 1, the air cleaner hose 42 disposed inside the front side member 3 is rearward of the vehicle from the location where the air cleaner cooling box 41 is disposed. It will be in a state of extending toward. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the rear end portion of the air cleaner hose 42 is connected to the front side member 3
It is drawn out from an opening 48 (shown in FIG. 1) formed at the rear end of the rear end and connected to the engine 2. As a result, the traveling wind 44 causes the intake air 4 of the air cleaner cooling box 41 to enter.
3, is supplied to the engine 2 via the air cleaner 45 and the air cleaner hose 42.

Further, of the traveling winds 44 introduced into the air cleaner cooling box 41 from the intake 43, the traveling winds 44 which have not flown into the air cleaner 45 are connected to the communication port 4
It advances through the inside of the air cleaner hose 42 via 7 and is discharged toward the engine 2 from the opening 48 mentioned above (The discharged running wind 44 is shown by the arrow in FIG. 1). The traveling wind 44 discharged from the opening 48 functions as a cooling wind that cools the engine 2.

The relationship between the front side member 3 and the air cleaner hose 42 will be focused on and described below. As described above, since it has a tubular structure with a closed cross section, it can function as a passage. Therefore, by disposing the air cleaner hose 42 inside the front side member 3, the front side member 3 and the air cleaner hose 42 cooperate to form a double pipe structure (note that the double sided pipe structure is used).
In the following description, the front side member 3 having a double pipe structure and the air cleaner hose 42 are collectively referred to as a double pipe passage 50).

The position of the double pipe passage 50 is located at the lower part of the side of the vehicle 1 and is separated from the radiator 24 (heat source mounted on the vehicle). Therefore, the radiator wind 25 is strongly blown to the double pipe passage 50, and accordingly heat is generated in the double pipe passage 50 (front side member 3).
It is possible to prevent the heat conduction from occurring. As a result, heat conduction to the air cleaner hose 42 via the front side member 3 can be reduced, so that the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature can be improved.

Further, since the front side member 3 supports a heavy object, its wall thickness is thicker than the wall thickness of a pipe normally used as an intake passage in order to improve mechanical strength. Therefore, when viewed thermally, the heat capacity of the front side member 3 is large. Therefore, even if the heat generated by the radiator wind 25 or the engine 2 is applied to the front side member 3, this heat is not generated inside the front side member 3. It is possible to prevent heat conduction to the arranged air cleaner hose 42, which also improves the intake air temperature reduction efficiency.

On the other hand, when the vehicle travels for a long time in a high temperature environment in summer, it is considered that the radiator wind 25 blown to the double pipe passage 50 rises and the temperature of the front side member 3 rises. . However, as described above, of the traveling winds 44 introduced into the air cleaner cooling box 41 from the intake 43, the traveling winds 44 that have not flown into the air cleaner 45 flow through the air cleaner hose 42 through the communication ports 47. . In addition, running wind 4
Since 4 is a wind that has not passed through the radiator 24, its temperature is low.

Therefore, the air cleaner hose 42 is cooled by the traveling wind 44 flowing through the inside of the front side member 3, so that the air cleaner hose 42 can be heated even in the environment where the temperature of the front side member 3 is likely to rise as described above.
It is possible to suppress an increase in the temperature of the air flowing inside, which also improves the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature.

The front side member 3 constituting the intake passage device 40 is already installed as a vehicle body frame. In this embodiment, the existing front side member 3 is used to form the double pipe passage 50. Has been realized. For this reason, it is not necessary to newly provide a pipe or the like, so that the structure of the intake passage device 40 can be simplified and the product cost can be reduced.

Further, the front side member 3 is provided so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and the extending direction is the same as the disposing direction of the air cleaner hose 42. For this reason, even if the air cleaner hose 42 is arranged in the front side member 3, the path of the air cleaner hose 42 does not become long, which also makes it possible to simplify the structure and reduce the product cost.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the battery 46 is provided inside the air cleaner cooling box 41 because it is known that the performance of the battery 46 deteriorates in a high temperature environment. Is cooled by disposing the battery 46 in the air cleaner cooling box 41 into which the low running wind 44 is introduced,
This is because it is possible to prevent performance deterioration due to temperature rise.

The characteristics of the intake passage device 40 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This figure shows the characteristics of the intake passage device 40 according to this embodiment in comparison with the conventional intake passage device. In the figure, the conventional example 1 has only an air cleaner hose (not having a double pipe structure)
Is a characteristic when the intake passage device is configured by, and the second example shows the characteristic of the intake passage device in which the air cleaner hose has a double pipe structure (the front side member is not used). Then, the vehicles equipped with the above-described conventional example 1, conventional example 2, and each intake passage device according to the present example were run in the same pattern in the city area, and the intake temperature at that time was measured.

As shown in the same figure, the intake air temperature is the highest in Conventional Example 1 which has only an air cleaner hose not having a double pipe structure. Further, in the prior art 2 using the air cleaner hose having the double pipe structure, since the cooling air is introduced into the double pipe, the rise in intake air temperature is lower than that in the conventional example 1, but The intake air temperature has not been sufficiently reduced yet.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the intake air temperature is reduced as compared with the conventional example 1 and the conventional example 2. As described above, the intake air temperature can be reduced as compared with the conventional example 1 and the conventional example 2 (particularly, as compared with the conventional example 2 having the double pipe structure), as described above. Is large, the heat from the outside does not conduct to the air cleaner hose 42, and the front side member 3 has a larger cross-sectional area than the outer pipe used in Conventional Example 2. Due to the fact that it can be flowed.

Therefore, the intake passage device 40 according to the present embodiment.
By using, the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature can be improved with a simple configuration, and the temperature of the intake air supplied to the engine 2 can be stabilized (constant). continue,
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 shows an intake passage device 40A which is a second embodiment of the present invention. 4, the same components as those of the intake passage device 40 according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. According to the intake passage device 40 according to the first embodiment described above, the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature can be improved, and the intake air having a stable temperature can be supplied to the engine 2. However, the intake passage device 4 according to the first embodiment
At 0, the running wind 44 is always the air cleaner cooling box 4
1, so that the air cleaner hose 42 is always cooled by the traveling wind 44. Therefore, there is a concern that the engine 2 will be warmed up when the engine is started and that the engine 2 will be covered with snow (icing) in cold regions.

Therefore, the present embodiment is characterized in that the flow rate of the traveling wind 44 flowing into the front side member 3 can be controlled according to the external temperature (ambient temperature) of the vehicle 1. Therefore, the intake passage device 40A according to the present embodiment is similar to the intake passage device 40 according to the first embodiment.
In addition to the above components, a control device 51, a temperature sensor 52, a throttle valve 53, an actuator 54, etc. are arranged.

The temperature sensor 52 is arranged inside the air cleaner cooling box 41, and measures the temperature of the traveling wind 44 flowing into the air cleaner cooling box 41. The temperature of the traveling wind 44 detected by the temperature sensor 52 is
It is output to the control device 51. The control device 51 determines whether the temperature of the traveling wind 44 flowing into the air cleaner cooling box 41 is equal to or lower than a predetermined reference temperature based on the temperature signal supplied from the temperature sensor 52.

When the temperature of the traveling wind 44 is lower than the reference temperature, the controller 51 outputs a drive signal to the actuator 54. The actuator 54 serves as a driving source of the throttle valve 53, and the driving of the actuator 54 is controlled by the control device 51.

Further, the throttle valve 53 is arranged so as to surround the air cleaner hose 42 at the communication port 47, and has the function of varying the opening area of the communication port 47 when driven by the actuator 54. Specifically, a flexible valve wall 55 is provided at the communication port 47 that connects the air cleaner cooling box 41 and the front side member 3, and the throttle valve 53 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the valve wall 55. It is arranged.

When the throttle valve 53 is driven to the valve closing side by being driven by the actuator 54, the throttle valve 53 pushes the valve wall 55 toward the inside, and the communication port 47.
When the throttle valve 53 is driven to the valve opening side, the throttle valve 53 is separated from the valve wall 55 and the valve wall 55
Is elastically restored to widen the opening area of the communication port 47.

Subsequently, the intake passage device 4 having the above structure
The operation of 0A will be described. The running wind 4 flowing into the air cleaner cooling box 41 due to a decrease in the external temperature of the vehicle 1
When the temperature of No. 4 decreases, the control device 51 causes the temperature sensor 52 to
It is detected whether or not the temperature of the traveling wind 44 has become equal to or lower than the reference temperature, and when it becomes equal to or lower than the reference temperature, the valve drive amount of the throttle valve 53 corresponding to the detected temperature is calculated. Then, a drive signal corresponding to this valve drive amount is output to the actuator 54, whereby the throttle valve 53 causes the traveling wind 44 to travel.
The valve is driven to close by an amount corresponding to the temperature.

Therefore, the area of the communication port 47 becomes narrower than that at room temperature, and the amount of the traveling wind 44 flowing into the front side member 3 is limited. As a result, it is possible to prevent an excessive amount of traveling wind 44 from flowing into the engine 2 via the front side member 3, and thus it is possible to improve the warm-up characteristics at the time of engine start. Also, communication port 4
Air cleaner cooling box 4
Since it is possible to prevent the snow mixed with the running wind 44 flowing into the engine 1 from flowing into the engine 2 and the engine room, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of icing.

In the above embodiment, the throttle valve 53 is used to change the area of the communication port 47, and the throttle valve 53 is drive-controlled by the control device 51, the temperature sensor 52, the actuator 54 and the like. However, by forming the throttle valve 53 with a shape memory alloy that contracts at a predetermined temperature, the control device 51, the temperature sensor 52, and the actuator 5
4 and the like can be eliminated, and the cost and weight of the intake passage device 40A can be reduced.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. 5 and 6 show an intake passage device 40B which is a third embodiment of the present invention. 5 and 6, the same components as those of the intake passage device 40 according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The intake passage device 40B according to the present embodiment is also designed to prevent warming up at the time of engine start and prevent snow accumulation (icing) to the engine 2 in cold regions, as in the second embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lid 56 is provided at the intake 43A of the traveling wind 44 of the air cleaner cooling box 41A, and the lid 56 is made of the bimetal 57.
It is characterized by being configured to open and close by.

The lid 56 is disposed inside the intake port 43A, and is configured to change the intake area of the intake port 43A by opening and closing. That is, as the lid 56 moves toward the lid side, the amount of traveling air 44 flowing into the air cleaner cooling box 41A decreases, and conversely, the lid 5
The operation of 6 toward the lid side increases the inflow amount of the traveling wind 44 into the air cleaner cooling box 41A.

The bimetal 57 is arranged at the hinge portion where the lid 56 is attached to the air cleaner cooling box 41A, and the lid 56 is opened and closed according to the temperature. Specifically, when the temperature drops, the lid 5
6 is displaced to the closed side (the fully closed state is indicated by reference numeral 56A in FIG. 6), and conversely when the temperature rises, the lid body 56 is displaced to the open side (the fully opened state is indicated by reference numeral 56B in FIG. 6). . Since the disposition position of the bimetal 57 is the inflow position of the traveling wind 44, the bimetal 57 therefore opens and closes the lid 56 according to the temperature of the traveling wind 44.

Therefore, when the outside temperature of the vehicle 1 decreases and the temperature of the traveling wind 44 flowing into the intake port 43A decreases, the bimetal 57 displaces the lid body 56 toward the closing side and the intake port 4
The intake area of 3A is smaller than that at room temperature,
Therefore, the inflow amount of the traveling wind 44 into the air cleaner cooling box 41A is limited.

As a result, it is possible to prevent an excessive amount of traveling wind 44 from flowing to the engine 2 via the front side member 3, and thus it is possible to improve the warm-up characteristic at the time of starting the engine. Further, by narrowing the intake port 43A, it is possible to prevent the snow mixed with the running wind 44 and flowing into the engine 2 and the engine room, so that the occurrence of icing can be prevented.

Further, the intake passage device 40 according to the first embodiment.
On the other hand, since it is possible to improve the warm-up characteristics and prevent the occurrence of icing when the engine is started, only by adding the lid 56 and the bimetal 57, it is possible to simplify the structure of the intake passage device 40B and reduce the cost. . Further, by disposing the battery 46 in the air cleaner cooling box 41A, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the characteristics of the battery 46 when it is cold.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, various effects described below can be realized. According to the invention of claim 1, since the intake passage is provided inside the member having a large heat capacity, even if the heat from the heat source is applied to the member, the heat is applied to the intake passage arranged inside the member. It is possible to prevent heat conduction, and thus improve the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature. Further, since the members are already installed in the vehicle body frame, it is not necessary to newly provide piping or the like to make the intake passage have a double pipe structure, and the structure of the intake passage can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. it can. In addition,
The air cleaner cooling box is
The air taken in by the box is radiant.
It has not passed through the data and can keep its temperature low.
Wear.

According to the second aspect of the invention , the intake air
Since the air flowing through the passage is cooled by the traveling wind flowing inside the member, the efficiency of reducing the intake air temperature can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a bottom surface of a vehicle equipped with an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine that is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine that is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the intake passage device for the internal combustion engine according to the first embodiment of the present invention in comparison with a conventional one.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine, which is a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vehicle 2 engine 3,4 Front side member 5,6 Main floor side member 7,8 Rear side member 16 Exhaust passage 18,19 Rear wheel 24 radiator 25 radiator style 28,29 front wheels 30 body 40, 40A, 40B Intake passage device 41, 41A Air cleaner cooling box 42 Air cleaner hose 43 Intake 44 running wind 45 air cleaner 46 battery 47 communication port 48 openings 50 double pipe passage 51 control device 52 Temperature sensor 53 Throttle valve 54 Actuator 55 valve wall 56, 56A, 56B lid 57 Bimetal

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F02M 35/16 F02M 35/10 F01P 1/06 F02B 29/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1.The internal combustion engine connected to the radiator
Air taken from the air cleaner cooling box
Has an intake passage for supplying Of the members that make up the vehicle body frame,
Inside of a member with a substantially closed cross-section provided to be present
ToIn an intake passage device for an internal combustion engine having the intake passage,
And The aboveOn the side of the position where the radiator is installed, the air cleaner
A cooling box is installedInternal combustion engine characterized by
Intake passage device. 2. The intake passage device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the member has a structure in which traveling wind is introduced.
An intake passage device for an internal combustion engine characterized by Rukoto.