Electronically controlled dual chamber variable resonator

1. An in-line resonator for an air induction system of an internal combustion engine comprising:

a resonator housing defining a compartment having a fixed volume and having an axis;

an upstream duct connected to the housing and extending therefrom;

a downstream duct connected to the housing opposite the upstream duct and extending therefrom;

a conduit connected with the upstream duct and extending through the housing, said conduit having a conduit end located within the downstream duct;

a partition located within the housing and dividing the compartment into an upstream chamber adjacent to the upstream duct and a downstream chamber adjacent to the downstream duct, said partition being axially moveable thereby changing volumes of said upstream chamber and said downstream chamber;

a sleeve including upstream and downstream portions positioned about said conduit axially, said downstream portion of the sleeve including inner and outer portions, radially spaced apart from each other, that cooperate with the conduit to define a connector passage connecting the downstream duct and the downstream chamber, said connector passage having a length defined between a downstream end of said conduit and an upstream end of the outer downstream sleeve, and said connector having a cross-sectional area defined by the annular gap between the inner downstream sleeve and outer downstream sleeve;

said downstream chamber, said conduit, and said inner and outer downstream sleeves cooperating to define a downstream Helmholtz resonator in fluid communication with said downstream duct through said connector passage, and further wherein said Helmholtz resonator is characterized by the volume of said downstream chamber, the cross-sectional area of said passage, and the length of said connector passage;

a sliding unit including said partition, said upstream sleeve, and said downstream sleeve; and

an actuator coupled to said sliding unit and adapted to move the partition to vary the volume of said downstream chamber and concurrently to vary the length of said connector passage.

2. The in-line resonator of claim 1 wherein the conduit comprises at least one conduit opening communicating with the upstream chamber.

3. The in-line resonator of claim 2 wherein said at least one conduit opening includes a series of perforations communicating with the upstream chamber.

4. The in-line resonator of claim 2 wherein said upstream sleeve is slidably received about said conduit and coupled to said partition and said downstream sleeve for movement therewith, said upstream sleeve being movable to at least partially occlude said at least one conduit opening.

5. The in-line resonator of claim 4 wherein said upstream sleeve comprises at least one opening adapted to overlap with said at least one conduit opening to provide fluid communication between said upstream chamber and an interior of said conduit.

6. The in-line resonator of claim 5 wherein said at least one conduit opening and said opening in said upstream sleeve are sized and shaped to vary the size of the opening between the upstream chamber and the conduit as a function of the position of said upstream sleeve relative to said at least one conduit opening.

7. The in-line resonator of claim 5 wherein said at least one conduit opening and said opening in said sleeve are sized and shaped to vary the size of the opening linearly between the upstream chamber and the conduit as a function of the position of the sleeve relative to said at least one conduit opening.

8. The in-line resonator of claim 5 wherein said at least one conduit opening and said opening in said upstream sleeve are sized and shaped to vary the size of the opening non-linearly between the upstream chamber and the conduit as a function of the position of the upstream sleeve relative to said at least one conduit opening.

9. The in-line resonator of claim 5 wherein said at least one conduit opening and said opening in said upstream sleeve are sized and shaped to increase the size of the opening between the upstream chamber and the conduit as a function of the position of the upstream sleeve relative to said at least one conduit opening.

10. The in-line resonator of claim 5 wherein said at least one conduit opening and said opening in said upstream sleeve are sized and shaped to decrease the size of the opening between the upstream chamber and the conduit as a function of the position of the upstream sleeve relative to said at least one conduit opening.

11. The in-line resonator of claim 1 wherein the downstream duct includes a first extension located within the downstream chamber and spaced apart from the conduit, and wherein the outer downstream sleeve slides about the first extension.

12. The in-line resonator of claim 11 , wherein the upstream sleeve is composed of inner and outer portions, radially spaced apart from each other, that cooperate with the conduit to define a connector passage connecting the upstream duct and the upstream chamber.

13. The in-line resonator of claim 11 , wherein the upstream duct includes a second extension located within the upstream chamber and spaced apart from the conduit, and wherein the outer upstream sleeve is slides about the second extension.

14. The in-line resonator of claim 1 wherein the conduit end is radially spaced apart from the downstream duct.

15. The in-line resonator of claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a motor coupled to said sliding unit.