V-type engine air intake device

Abstract

A V-type engine air intake device is provided for a V-type internal combustion engine. The V-type engine air intake device has a volume chamber, a first intake pipe, a second intake pipe and a plurality of curved branch pipes. The first intake pipe has a first outlet end connected to a first intake opening of the volume chamber. The second intake pipe has a second outlet end connected to a second intake opening of the volume chamber. The first and second outlet ends are arranged with first and second center outlet axes where that the first and second intake pipes connect to the volume chamber. The second center outlet axis is non-coincident with the first center outlet axis. The branch pipes each has an inlet end that opens inside the volume chamber in a substantially vertical downward direction.

1. A V-type engine air intake device comprising:
 a volume chamber arranged between a first side cylinder bank and a second side cylinder bank, the volume chamber having a first intake opening located adjacent the first side cylinder bank and a second intake opening located adjacent the second side cylinder bank; 
 a first intake pipe having a first outlet end connected to the first intake opening of the volume chamber and a first inlet end arranged to supply intake air drawn into the first intake pipe to the volume chamber as a first airflow, the first outlet end being arranged with a first center outlet axis where that the first intake pipe connects to the first intake opening of the volume chamber; 
 a second intake pipe having a second outlet end connected to the second intake opening of the volume chamber and a second inlet end arranged to supply intake air drawn into the second intake pipe to the volume chamber as a second airflow, the second outlet end being arranged with a second center outlet axis where that the second intake pipe connects to the second intake opening of the volume chamber, with the second center outlet axis being non-coincident with the first center outlet axis such that substantially no interference occurs between the first and second airflows entering the volume chamber; and 
 a plurality of curved branch pipes each having an inlet end that opens inside the volume chamber in a substantially vertical downward direction and an outlet end opening for supplying intake air to a corresponding cylinder of the first and second cylinder banks. 
 
     
     
       2. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the inlet ends of each of the branch pipes has an end face arranged inside the volume chamber that is positioned vertically below the first and second intake openings of the volume chamber; and 
 the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes are oriented downward relative to a direction of a horizontal plane. 
 
     
     
       3. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that in a front elevational view, the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes are substantially parallel and positioned at different heights in a vertical direction. 
 
     
     
       4. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that in a top plan view, the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes are substantially parallel and offset in a horizontal direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that in a top plan view, one of the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes is angled in a rearward direction with respect to a lateral vehicle direction and the other one of the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes is angled in a forward direction with respect to the lateral vehicle direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that in a top plan view, one of the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes is angled in a rearward direction with respect to a lateral vehicle direction and the other one of the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes is perpendicularly arranged with respect to the lateral vehicle direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the inlet ends of two of the branch pipes that are adjacent to one another on one of the first and second side cylinder banks are located inside the volume chamber; and 
 the first and second center outlet axes of the first and second intake pipes are oriented toward the inlet ends of the two of the branch pipes, respectively, that supply intake air to a pair of adjacent cylinders whose firing orders are successive. 
 
     
     
       8. An internal combustion engine equipped with the V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein
 the air intake device is mounted to the first and second side cylinder banks. 
 
     
     
       9. A V-type engine air intake device comprising:
 a volume chamber arranged between a first side cylinder bank and a second side cylinder bank, the volume chamber having a first intake opening located adjacent the first side cylinder bank and a second intake opening located adjacent the second side cylinder bank; 
 a first intake pipe having a first outlet end connected to the first intake opening of the volume chamber and a first inlet end arranged to supply intake air drawn into the first intake pipe to the volume chamber as a first airflow; 
 a second intake pipe having a second outlet end connected to the second intake opening of the volume chamber and a second inlet end arranged to supply intake air drawn into the second intake pipe to the volume chamber as a second airflow; and 
 a plurality of curved branch pipes each having an inlet end that opens inside the volume chamber in a substantially vertical downward direction and an outlet end opening for supplying intake air to a corresponding cylinder of the first and second cylinder banks, 
 the first and second intake pipes being connected to the volume chamber such that flow directions of intake air inside the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes are not aligned along a single straight line and such that substantially no interference occurs between the first and second airflows entering the volume chamber. 
 
     
     
       10. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the inlet ends of each of the branch pipes has an end face arranged inside the volume chamber that is positioned vertically below the first and second intake openings of the volume chamber; and 
 the flow directions of the intake air flowing to the volume chamber in the vicinity of the openings of the volume chamber are oriented downward relative to a direction of a horizontal plane. 
 
     
     
       11. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that the flow directions of the intake air flowing into the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes are substantially parallel and positioned at different heights in a vertical direction in a front elevational view. 
 
     
     
       12. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that the flow directions of the intake air flowing into the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes are substantially parallel and in opposite directions. 
 
     
     
       13. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that in a top plan view, one of the flow directions of the intake air flowing into the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes is angled in a rearward direction with respect to a lateral vehicle direction and the other one of the flow directions of the intake air flowing into the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes is angled in a forward direction with respect to the lateral vehicle direction. 
 
     
     
       14. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the first and second intake pipes are arranged such that in a top plan view, one of the flow directions of the intake air flowing into the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes is angled in a rearward direction with respect to a lateral vehicle direction and the other one of the flow directions of the intake air flowing into the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes is perpendicularly arranged with respect to the lateral vehicle direction. 
 
     
     
       15. The V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the inlet ends of two of the branch pipes that are adjacent to one another on one of the first and second side cylinder banks are located inside the volume chamber; and 
 the flow directions of the intake air flowing to the volume chamber from the first and second outlet ends of the first and second intake pipes are oriented toward the inlet ends of the two of the branch pipes, respectively, that supply intake air to a pair of adjacent cylinders whose firing orders are successive. 
 
     
     
       16. An internal combustion engine equipped with the V-type engine air intake device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein
 the air intake device is mounted to the first and second side cylinder banks. 
 
     
     
       17. A V-type engine air intake device comprising:
 volume chamber means for receiving intake air and for delivering the intake air to a first side cylinder bank and a second side cylinder bank; 
 first intake communicating means for communicating the intake air to the volume chamber means along a first flow path as a first airflow; 
 second intake communicating means for communicating the intake air to the volume chamber means as a second airflow along a second flow path that is not aligned along a single straight line with the first flow path such that substantially no interference occurs between the first and second airflows entering the volume chamber; and 
 means for individually conveying intake air from the volume chamber means to cylinders of the first and second cylinder banks such that the intake air flows upwardly in a substantially vertical direction from the volume chamber means and curves to the cylinders of the first and second cylinder banks.