Heated manifold with improved fuel retainer

Claim 2

In a quick heat manifold assembly of the type having a vertical riser bore for supplying an air-fuel mixture from a carburetor to an induction plenum which communicates with manifold runners for supply of air-fuel mixture to engine cylinders and wherein the manifold includes an exhaust heat crossover passage, the improvement comprising: means defining an opening in the manifold between the induction plenum and the crossover passage, a heat exchanger unit including means thereon for sealing the opening between the induction plenum and the exhaust crossover, said unit including a flat sheet metal plate of thermally conductive material located immediately below said induction plenum and including a planar extent extending beyond the cross sectional flow area of the vertical riser bores, a corrugated fin secured to the underside of said plate within said crossover passage to define a plurality of exhaust flow passes across the outer face of said plate, said corrugated fin having a plurality of bends therein having the length thereof in contact with the outer face of said plate, means for bonding said fin bends to the outer side of said plate, a fuel droplet retainer on the inlet side of said plate extending across the full planar extent thereof including a plurality of open cells therein sized to prevent capillary action, each of said cells having sidewall segments thereon in engagement with the inner face of said plate, means bonding at least 70 percent of the engaged segments of said sidewalls to said inner face of said plate to define a limited intercommunication between each of said cells, said sidewall segments blocking direct flow of fuel droplets intercepted on said retainer and restricting flow thereof from the point of contact to the outer perimeter of the plate to reduce accumulation of liquid fuel around the perimeter of said plate, said means for bonding said retainer to said plate having a thermal conductivity greater than that of said plate to cause a reduced temperature differential between said retainer and said plate whereby fuel droplets intercepted by said retainer and plate prior to passage into the engine cylinders are evaporated uniformly upon contact therewith and whereby the retainer and plate will be uniformly heated to prevent cold spots therein on which fuel can be retained by condensation.

Claim 3

In a quick heat manifold assembly of the type having a vertical riser bore for supplying an air-fuel mixture to an induction plenum in communication with manifold runners for supply of air-fuel mixture to engine cylinders and an exhaust heat crossover passageway, the improvement comprising: means forming an opening between the induction passage and the exhaust crossover passage, means for closing said opening including a flat sheet metal plate of thermally conductive material having a planar extent greater than the cross sectional flow area of the riser bore, said plate including a flanged perimeter thereon, means securing said perimeter to the intake manifold, a screen on the inner face of said plate extending to the peripheral flange thereon for intercepting fuel droplets and retaining said fuel droplets on the inner surface of said plate for a predetermined retention period to evaporate liquid fuel particles prior to passage thereof into the engine cylinders, said screen having a plurality of cells formed therein sized to prevent capillary action and each having sidewall segments therearound crossed at spaced points, said screen having portions of each of said sidewall segments in engagement with the inner surface of said plate, means for bonding the engaged sections of said sidewall segments to said plate to prevent direct intercommunication therebetween for blocking direct flow of fuel droplets from the center of said plate to the flanged perimeter thereof, said means for bonding said segments to said plate having a thermal conductance great enough to maintain the temperature of the screen and the plate to reduce cold spots thereacross and condensation of fuel thereon whereby fuel droplets are uniformly evaporated to direct a positive supply of vaporized fuel to engine cylinders during cold start operation.

Claim 4

In a quick heat manifold assembly of the type having a vertical riser bore for supplying an air-fuel mixture to an induction plenum in communication with manifold runners for supply of air-fuel mixture to engine cylinders and an exhaust heat crossover passageway, the improvement comprising: means forming an opening between the induction passage and the exhaust crossover passage, means for closing said opening including a flat sheet metal plate of thermally conductive material having a planar extent greater than the cross sectional flow area of the riser bore, said plate including a flanged perimeter thereon, means securing said perimeter to the intake manifold, a screen on the inner face of said plate extending to the peripheral flange thereon for intercepting fuel droplets and retaining said fuel droplets on the inner surface of said plate for a predetermined retention period to evaporate liquid fuel particles prior to passage thereof into the engine cylinders, said screen having a plurality of cells formed therein sized to prevent capillary action and each having sidewall segments therearound crossed at spaced points, said screen having portions of each of said sidewall segments in engagement with the inner surface of said plate, means for bonding the engaged sections of said sidewall segments to said plate to prevent direct intercommunication therebetween for blocking direct flow of fuel droplets from the center of said plate to the flanged perimeter thereof, said means for bonding said segments to said plate having a thermal conductance great enough to maintain the temperature of the screen and the plate to reduce cold spots thereacross and condensation of fuel thereon whereby fuel droplets are uniformly evaporated to direct a positive supply of vaporized fuel to engine cylinders during cold start operation.

Claim 5

In a quick heat inlet manifold of the type including a vertical riser bore adapted to be connected to a carburetor for supplying an air-fuel mixture to an engine having a riser tube in the bore for directing the air-fuel mixture downwardly within an induction plenum connected to runners for directing the air-fuel mixture to engine cylinders and wherein the manifold includes an exhaust crossover passageway the improvement comprising: means defining a bottom opening in the floor of the induction plenum, a sandwiched heat exchanger closing said opening including a heat transfer plate with an inlet side and an exhaust side, means for sealing said heat transfer plate with respect to the manifold to separate the induction plenum from the exhaust crossover passage, a plurality of corrugated fins having bends thereon in engagement with an exhaust side of said plate, means for bonding said bends to said plate to define a plurality of separate exhaust flow passes, means for communicating said exhaust flow passes with the exhaust crossover passage to heat the plate during cold engine start, a fuel droplet retainer connected to the inlet side of said heat transfer plate, said retainer having a plurality of deformed segments thereon defining a plurality of separate cells on the inlet side of said plate sized to prevent capillary action and for preventing flow of fuel droplets impinged thereagainst from a vertical riser tube, each of said deformed segments having a portion thereof in engagement with the inlet side of said heat transfer plate defining a portion of the perimeter of each of said cells, means for bonding said engaged portions of said deformed segments to said plate, said deformed segments having a maximum vertical distance with respect to the inlet side of said heat transfer plate no greater than three times the thickness of said heat transfer plate, said means for bonding said deformed segment portions to the inlet side of said plate having a thermal conductance great enough to cause said retainer and said plate to have a uniform temperature to prevent cold spots for condensation of fuel droplets on the inlet side of said plate, said bonded portions of said retainer serving to prevent blow off of fuel droplets from the planar extent of said plate and accumulation thereof within the inlet plenum thereby to improve cold start engine performance.

Claim 6

In a quick heat inlet manifold of the type including a vertical riser bore adapted to be connected to a carburetor for supplying an air-fuel mixture to an engine having a riser tube in the bore for directing the air-fuel mixture downwardly within an induction plenum connected to runners for directing the air-fuel mixture to engine cylinders and wherein the manifold includes an exhaust crossover passageway the improvement comprising: means defining a bottom opening in the floor of the induction plenum, a sandwiched heat exchanger closing said opening including a heat transfer plate with an inlet side and an exhaust side, means for sealing said heat transfer plate with respect to the manifold to separate the induction plenum from the exhaust crossover passage, a plurality of corrugated fins having bends thereon in engagement with an exhaust side of said plate, means for bonding said bends to said plate to define a plurality of separate exhaust flow passes, means for communicating said exhaust flow passes with the exhaust crossover passage to heat the plate during cold engine start, a fuel droplet retainer connected to the inlet side of said heat transfer plate, said retainer having a plurality of deformed segments thereon defining a plurality of separate cells on the inlet side of said plate sized to prevent capillary action and for preventing flow of fuel droplets impinged thereagainst from a vertical riser tube, each of said deformed segments having a portion thereof in engagement with the inlet side of said heat transfer plate defining a portion of the perimeter of each of said cells, means for bonding said engaged portions of said deformed segments to said plate, said deformed segments having a maximum vertical distance with respect to the inlet side of said heat transfer plate no greater than three times the thickness of said heat transfer plate, said means for bonding said deformed segment portions to the inlet side of said plate having a thermal conductance great enough to cause said retainer and said plate to have a uniform temperature to prevent cold spots for condensation of fuel droplets on the inlet side of said plate, said bonded portions of said retainer serving to prevent blow off of fuel droplets from the planar extent of said plate and accumulation thereof within the inlet plenum thereby to improve cold start engine performance.