Granted Patent B2

US 7,624,715 · App. 11/866,019 · Granted Dec 1, 2009

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A system for controlling turbulence in a combustion engine having a composite upper intake manifold and a cylinder head, said system comprising:

a composite housing including an open first end and an open second end and side walls spanning between said first and second ends, said open second end defining a first cross-sectional area, said sides walls having interior and exterior surfaces, said side walls including openings through opposite ones of said interior and exterior surfaces adjacent said second end, said first end being configured to be welded to the composite upper intake manifold and said second end having a gasket groove and said second end being configured to be connected with the cylinder head;

a composite cartridge positioned within and removably joined with said second end of said composite housing, wherein the composite cartridge reduces said first cross-sectional area to define a second cross-sectional area, said composite cartridge further comprising:

a body having surfaces interior to said composite housing, said body including holes through opposite ones of said surfaces interior to said composite housing;

a flap valve having first and second ends and a middle portion therebetween that has a surface area that is less than said second cross-sectional area; and

bushings joined with said first and second ends of said flap valve, said bushings having a central opening and said bushings being configured to rotate within said holes in said surfaces interior to said composite housing;

a shaft including a first end that is inserted through said openings in said composite housing, said central opening in said bushings, and said holes in said surfaces interior to said composite housing, said shaft being rotatably and slidably connected to said flap valve within said composite housing, said shaft including a second end that protrudes from said composite housing;

a radial gasket joined with said second end of said shaft;

a lever arm joined with said second end of said shaft; and

a press in place gasket positioned within said gasket groove in said second end of said composite housing.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said composite body is at least partially cylindrical.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said flap includes a connecting portion having an opening with a non-round cross-section.

4. A system according to claim 3 , wherein said shaft having a cross-section substantially equivalent to said non-round cross-section of said opening of said connecting portion of said flap valve.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said radial gasket seals said opening in said composite housing adjacent said second end.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein when said lever arm is rotated it causes said shaft to rotate, which causes said flap to rotate within said composite housing.

7. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising an end cap positioned on top of said lever arm and joined with said composite housing to secure said lever arm to said composite housing.

8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said first end is configured to be vibration welded to the composite upper intake manifold.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said flap is fabricated from stamped steel and includes a composite over-molded bearing surface on each of said ends.

10. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said composite over-molded bearing surfaces contact said bushings.

11. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said flap slides along a length of said shaft thereby self-aligning.

12. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said bushings are fabricated from steel encased in rubber.

13. A system for controlling turbulence in a combustion engine having a composite upper intake manifold and a cylinder head, said system comprising:

a composite housing having an at least partially cylindrical body including an open first end and an open second end and side walls spanning between said first and second ends, said open second end defining a first cross-sectional area, said sides walls having interior and exterior surfaces, said side walls including openings through opposite ones of said interior and exterior surfaces adjacent said second end, said first end being configured to be welded to the composite upper intake manifold and said second end having a gasket groove and said second end being configured to be connected with the cylinder head;

a composite cartridge positioned within and removably joined with said second end of said composite housing, wherein the composite cartridge reduces said first cross-sectional area to define a second cross-sectional area, said composite cartridge further comprising:

a body having surfaces interior to said at least partially cylindrical body, said body including holes through opposite ones of said surfaces interior to said at least partially cylindrical body;

a flap valve having first and second ends and a middle portion therebetween that has a surface area that is less than said second cross-sectional area, said flap valve including a connecting portion having an opening with a non-round cross-section; and

bushings joined with said first and second ends of said flap valve, said bushings having a central opening and said bushings being configured to rotate within said holes in said surfaces interior to said at least partially cylindrical body;

a shaft having a cross-section substantially equivalent to said non-round cross-section of said opening of said connecting portion of said flap valve, said shaft including a first end that is inserted through said openings in said composite housing, said central opening in said bushings, said opening in said connecting portion, and said holes in said surfaces interior to said at least partially cylindrical body thereby rotatably and slidably connecting said flap valve to said shaft, said shaft including a second end that protrudes from said composite housing;

a radial gasket joined with said second end of said shaft thereby sealing said opening in said composite housing adjacent said second end;

a lever arm joined with said second end of said shaft such that said shaft causes said flap valve to rotate within said composite housing when said lever arm is rotated;

an end cap positioned on top of said lever arm and joined with said composite housing to secure said lever arm to said composite housing; and

a single continuous press in place gasket positioned within said gasket groove in said second end of said composite housing.

14. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said first end is configured to be vibration welded to the composite upper intake manifold.

15. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said flap is fabricated from stamped steel and includes a plastic over-molded bearing surface on each of said ends.

16. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said plastic over-molded bearing surfaces contact said bushings.

17. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said flap slides along a length of said shaft thereby self-aligning.

18. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said bushings are fabricated from aluminum encased in rubber.

19. A method of modifying a combustion engine having a composite upper intake manifold and a cylinder head to better control turbulence, said method comprising:

fabricating a module for controlling turbulence by attaching bushings to a flap valve, inserting said bushings and said flap valve in a composite cartridge, inserting said composite cartridge in a composite housing, said composite housing having a first end and a second end, said second end defining a first cross-sectional area, inserting a single continuous press in place gasket within a gasket groove in said second end of said composite housing, inserting a shaft through said composite housing, said composite cartridge, said bushings, and said flap, and joining a lever arm to said shaft;

positioning said composite housing on a welder thereby aligning said composite housing and the composite upper intake manifold;

welding said first end of said composite housing to the composite upper intake manifold; and

bolting said second end of said composite housing to the cylinder head;

wherein the composite cartridge reduces said first cross-sectional area to define a second cross-sectional area.

20. A method according to claim 19 , wherein said first end of said composite housing is vibration welded to the composite upper intake manifold.

Assignments (8)