Device for controlling the temperature of the intake air to an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

In an internal combustion engine with an air heater, a temperature-controlling air intake device comprising a damper, an inlet for cold air, an inlet for heated air, a mixed air duct, and an operating element in said mixed air duct controlling the setting of said damper between said cold and heated air inlets; the improvement in which said element comprises a fluid chamber comprising movable means controlling the damper setting depending on the volume of the chamber; a first expansion medium, a second expansion medium of lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the said first medium, a vessel located in the mixed air duct, said vessel containing said first expansion medium; a fluid conduit extending outside the mixed air duct and establishing communication between said vessel and said fluid chamber, said conduit containing said second expansion medium, said first and second expansion media being so disposed relative to each other that expansion and contraction of said first medium are transmitted by said second medium to said movable means, the relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion of said second medium reducing the influence on the position of the damper of temperature outside the mixed air duct.