Intake manifold mounted air and fuel mixture heater

Claim 1

In combination with a combustion engine of the type including air and fuel mixture induction passage means, an air and fuel mixture heater for said combustion engine, said heater including structure defining a transversely enlarged thin hollow chamber in said passage means including a first pair of closely spaced, parallel and registered opposite side walls having at least generally registered inlet and outlet air and fuel mixture openings formed therethrough opening upstream and downstream into said passage means, said chamber also including peripheral wall portions extending between corresponding peripheral edge portions of said side walls, a baffle plate mounted in said chamber spaced intermediate and generally paralleling said side walls and registered with and extending outwardly beyond all marginal portions of said openings, said baffle plate including at least one pair of opposite marginal portions thereof spaced inwardly of the opposing peripheral wall portions of said chamber each marginal portion defining with the opposing peripheral wall a passage therebetween, said baffle plate further including a plurality of additional openings formed. Therethrough spaced inwardly from said marginal portions, and a generally flat heating coil assembly disposed in said chamber between one side of said baffle plate and the opposing side wall of said chamber in registry with the opening in said opposing housing side wall, said heating coil assembly including a main coil portion consisting of a plurality of continuous spiral convolutions, said main coil portion being of a plan area at least substantially equal to the cross sectional areas of the opening with which said main coil portion is registered.