Airbox drain valve

1. A drain valve, comprising:

a support portion having a first end and a second end, the first end having a width that is narrower than a width of the second end;

a connecting portion extending from the support portion proximate the first end, the connecting portion comprising a tip disposed at a proximal end of the connecting portion, the tip being configured to engage a drain defined by a portion of a panel; and

a contoured flap extending from a hinge disposed proximate the first end from a flat lateral surface of the support portion, the contoured flap having a profile corresponding to profile of the portion of the panel and having a durometer value that:

allows the contoured flap to pivot on the hinge to allow flow from the drain; and

in response to a negative pressure within the drain, allows the contoured flap to prevent flow through the drain.

2. The drain valve of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion includes a distal end configured to snap into the drain.

3. The drain valve of claim 2 , wherein the distal end includes a width that is wider than the drain.

4. The drain valve of claim 2 , wherein the width of the first end of the support portion is narrower than a width of the distal end of the connecting portion.

5. The drain valve of claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the contoured flap is larger than an opening of the drain.

6. The drain valve of claim 1 , wherein the support portion includes a ramped portion extending from the flat lateral surface of the support portion proximate the second end of the support portion.

7. The drain valve of claim 6 , wherein the ramped portion is configured to facilitate directional guidance of the drain valve into the drain.

8. The drain valve of claim 1 , wherein a width of the second end is wider than an opening disposed between a first flange of the panel attached to a portion of a lateral wall disposed adjacent to the panel and a second flange of the panel attached to the portion of the lateral wall.

9. A system for draining a vehicle cowl airbox disposed within an engine compartment of a vehicle, comprising:

a drain disposed on the vehicle cowl airbox, the drain being defined by a portion of a panel of the vehicle cowl airbox; and

a drain valve that includes:

a support portion having a first end and a second end, the first end having a width that is narrower than a width of the second end;

a connecting portion extending from the support portion proximate the first end, the connecting portion comprising a tip disposed at a proximal end of the connecting portion, the tip being configured to be received by the drain defined by the portion of the panel; and

a contoured flap extending from a hinge disposed proximate the first end from a flat lateral surface of the support portion, the contoured flap having a profile corresponding to a profile of the portion of the panel and having a durometer value that:

allows the contoured flap to pivot on the hinge to allow flow from the vehicle cowl airbox; and

in response to a negative pressure within the vehicle cowl airbox, allows the contoured flap to prevent flow into the vehicle cowl airbox.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the connecting portion includes a distal end configured to snap into the drain.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the distal end includes a width that is wider than the drain.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the width of the first end of the support portion is narrower than a width of the distal end of the connecting portion.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein a surface area of the contoured flap is larger than an opening of the drain.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the support portion includes a ramped portion extending from the flat lateral surface of the support portion proximate the second end of the support portion.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the ramped portion is configured to facilitate directional guidance of the drain valve into the drain.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the width of the second end is wider than an opening disposed between a first flange of the panel attached to a portion of a lateral wall disposed adjacent to the panel and a second flange of the panel attached to the portion of the lateral wall.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the negative pressure within the vehicle cowl airbox is generated by an HVAC system of the vehicle.

18. A method for installing a drain valve into a drain of a vehicle cowl airbox, comprising:

engaging, with a support portion of the drain valve, a first flange of the vehicle cowl airbox attached to a portion of a lateral wall disposed adjacent to the vehicle cowl airbox;

guiding the drain valve toward the drain by engaging a ramped portion of the drain valve extending from a flat lateral surface of the support portion proximate to a second end of the support portion;

inserting a connecting portion that extends from a first end of the support portion into the drain;

snapping a distal end of the connecting portion having a width that is wider than the drain onto a portion of a panel of the vehicle cowl airbox that defines the drain;

sealing the drain by engaging the portion of the panel with a contoured flap having a surface area that is larger than an opening of the drain and that extends from the flat lateral surface proximate the first end of the support portion; and

preventing the contoured flap from passing through the drain by engaging, by the second end of the support portion, at least a portion of the lateral wall.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, preventing mis-installation of the drain valve into the drain by providing the second end of the support portion having a width that is wider than the drain.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, engaging a second flange of the vehicle cowl airbox attached to the portion of the lateral wall, wherein the support portion has a width that is wider than an opening between the first flange and the second flange.