US5005532A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Integrated tuned induction system
Assignee: Siemens Bendix Automotive Electronics Ltd
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Filing: 1990-01-18
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Granted: 1991-04-09
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Expires: 2010-01-18
Abstract
Abstract A plenum is surrounded by runners that spiral around the plenum sidewall to the entrances to the engine cylinders. The circumferential extent of each runner exceeds 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the plenum. Portions of the runners share common wall portions with portions of the plenum.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald G. Shillington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:54
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M35/00; F02M35/10; F02M35/10314; F02M35/10321; F02B; F02B31/00; F02B27/00; F02B27/005; F02B27/006; F02B27/02; F02B27/0226; F02B27/0247; F02B27/0263; F02M35/10006; F02M35/10078; F02M35/10085; F02M35/10209; F02M35/10216; F02M35/10242; F02M35/10255; F02M35/1034; F02M35/10354; F02M35/10347; F02M35/104; F02M35/112; F05; F05C; F05C2225/00; F05C2225/08; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual engine cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, and at least one of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, having a beginning at a given circumferential location about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spiraling from said beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at an ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of said at least one runner, wherein each of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, has a beginning at a given circumferential location about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spirals from its beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at a corresponding ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of each said runner, wherein said plenum zone and runners are a single plastic part, and further including a fuel rail that is embodied in said single plastic part and which merges with the endings of said runners.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual engine cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, and at least one of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, having a beginning at a given circumferential location about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spiraling from said beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at an ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of said at least one runner, wherein each of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, has a beginning at a given circumferential location about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spirals from its beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at a corresponding ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of each said runner, wherein said plenum zone and runners are a single plastic part, and further including a fuel rail that is embodied in said single plastic part and which merges with the endings of said runners.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
160 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, at least one of said runners having an air entrance at said plenum zone and spiraling from said air entrance in excess of 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to an air exit through which air passes to an engine cylinder, a first segment of said at least one runner and a second segment of said at least one runner which is disposed at least 360 degrees about said axis from said first segment sharing a common wall portion, and wherein said plenum zone and runners are embodied in a single plastic part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
160 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, at least one of said runners having an air entrance at said plenum zone and spiraling from said air entrance in excess of 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to an air exit through which air passes to an engine cylinder, a first segment of said at least one runner and a second segment of said at least one runner which is disposed at least 360 degrees about said axis from said first segment sharing a common wall portion, and wherein said plenum zone and runners are embodied in a single plastic part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
193 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, at least two of said runners being arranged as to a nested set in which they share a common wall portion extending along at least portions of their respective lengths, said nested set having air entrance means at said plenum zone and spiraling therefrom in excess of 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to air exit means through which air exits the runners of said nested set, said nested set comprising a first segment and a second segment, said second segment being disposed at least 360 degrees about said axis from said first segment, said first and second segments sharing a further common wall portion other than said first-mentioned common wall portion, and wherein said plenum zone and runners are embodied in a single plastic part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
193 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, at least two of said runners being arranged as to a nested set in which they share a common wall portion extending along at least portions of their respective lengths, said nested set having air entrance means at said plenum zone and spiraling therefrom in excess of 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to air exit means through which air exits the runners of said nested set, said nested set comprising a first segment and a second segment, said second segment being disposed at least 360 degrees about said axis from said first segment, said first and second segments sharing a further common wall portion other than said first-mentioned common wall portion, and wherein said plenum zone and runners are embodied in a single plastic part.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
219 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combustion comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual engine cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, and at least one of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, having a beginning at a given circumferential location about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spiraling from said beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at an ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of said at least one runner, wherein said at least one runner and another runner share a common wall portion along at least portions of their respective lengths, said plenum zone and runners are a single plastic part, and a first segment of said at least one runner shares a common wall portion with a second segment thereof which is disposed at least 360 degrees from said first segment as measured about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
219 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combustion comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from said plenum zone to individual engine cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, and at least one of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, having a beginning at a given circumferential location about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spiraling from said beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at an ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of said at least one runner, wherein said at least one runner and another runner share a common wall portion along at least portions of their respective lengths, said plenum zone and runners are a single plastic part, and a first segment of said at least one runner shares a common wall portion with a second segment thereof which is disposed at least 360 degrees from said first segment as measured about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said beginning is disposed approximately at the 11 o'clock position as viewed axially of said plenum zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 further including a fuel rail that is embodied in said single plastic part and which merges with the endings of said runners.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, has a beginning at a given circumferential location about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spirals from its beginning in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at a corresponding ending that is in excess of 360 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the length of each said runner.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein each beginning is disposed approximately at the same circumferential position about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as viewed axially of said plenum zone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein the same circumferential position about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone where each of said beginnings is disposed is approximately at 11 o'clock.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein the endings of said runners are spaced apart along the direction of said axis at a spacing distance from each other that exceeds the spacing distance along the direction of said axis between their beginnings.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
196 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from plenum zone to individual engine cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, and each of at least certain ones of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, having a beginning at a given circumferential location about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spiraling from said beginning about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at an ending that is disposed a certain number of degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the runner's length, wherein said plenum zone and runners are a single plastic part and wherein segments of said at least certain ones of said runners are immediately contiguous along the direction of said axis, each immediately contiguous pair of such segments sharing a common wall portion that separates the segments of such pair along the direction of said axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
196 words
In an induction air circuit for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine the combination comprising a plenum zone that is supplied with air from an air intake, and spiral runners leading from said plenum zone and through which air is supplied from plenum zone to individual engine cylinders, said runners laterally bounding said plenum zone at locations along the length of said plenum zone, and each of at least certain ones of said runners, when viewed in transverse cross section through said plenum zone, having a beginning at a given circumferential location about a longitudinal axis of said plenum zone and spiraling from said beginning about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone to terminate at an ending that is disposed a certain number of degrees about said longitudinal axis of said plenum zone as measured along the runner's length, wherein said plenum zone and runners are a single plastic part and wherein segments of said at least certain ones of said runners are immediately contiguous along the direction of said axis, each immediately contiguous pair of such segments sharing a common wall portion that separates the segments of such pair along the direction of said axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said certain number of degrees is in excess of 360 degrees.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said segments are immediately contiguous the beginnings of their respective runners.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein the endings of said at least certain ones of said runners are spaced apart along the direction of said axis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
The combination set forth in claim 14 wherein the overall length of said plenum zone along the direction of said axis is less than the overall distance along the direction of said axis that is spanned by the endings of said at least certain ones of said runners.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
110 words
The combination as set forth in claim 15 wherein said at least certain ones of said runners spiral in a helical manner about said axis such that the span of each such helically spiraling runner in the direction along said axis successively increases from runner to runner, said plenum zone being disposed lengthwise along the direction of said axis such that one of its lengthwise ends is disposed lengthwise along the direction of said axis intermediate the beginning and ending of that particular one of said at least certain ones of said runners which has the greatest span in the direction along said axis between its beginning and its ending.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination set forth in claim 16 wherein said plenum zone comprises and entrance at said one lengthwise end thereof and an entrance conduit that extends from said entrance and is embodied in said single plastic part.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-04-08 | 1994-10-08 | 1995-04-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-04-08 | 1998-10-08 | 1999-04-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-04-08 | 2002-10-08 | 2003-04-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |