Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.

Archie Hoebecke, Ii

David Brassell

A composite air intake manifold assembly adapted for use with an internal combustion engine includes an upper half shell formed from a polymer, a lower half shell formed from a polymer and joined to the upper half shell to define a housing having an internal cavity, and a one piece inner shell formed from a polymer and disposed within the cavity. The one piece inner shell in combination with the upper half shell and the lower half shell cooperate to define at least a pair of spaced apart air intake runners. Each of the runners includes an opened air intake end adapted to receive atmospheric air, and an opened air inlet end adapted to be connected to an associated air inlet side of a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The method for producing the composite air intake manifold assembly includes the steps of: (a) providing an upper half shell formed from a polymer; (b) providing a lower half shell formed from a polymer; (c) providing a one piece inner shell formed from a polymer; (d) disposing the one piece inner shell in one of the lower half shell and the upper half shell; (e) subsequent to step (d), joining the one piece inner shell to the one of the lower half shell and the upper half shell; and (f) joining the one piece inner shell to the other one of the lower half shell and the upper half shell to thereby produce the composite air intake manifold assembly, wherein the one piece inner shell in combination with the upper half shell and the lower half shell cooperate to define at least a pair of spaced apart air intake runners, each of the runners including an opened air intake end, adapted to receive atmospheric air, and an opened air inlet end, adapted to be connected to an associated air inlet side of a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine.

Composite intake manifold assembly for an internal combustion engine and method for producing same

A composite air intake manifold assembly adapted for use with an internal combustion engine includes an upper half shell formed from a polymer, a lower half shell formed from a polymer and joined to the upper half shell to define a housing having an internal cavity, and a one piece inner shell formed from a polymer and disposed within the cavity. The one piece inner shell in combination with the upper half shell and the lower half shell cooperate to define at least a pair of spaced apart air intake runners. Each of the runners includes an opened air intake end adapted to receive atmospheric air, and an opened air inlet end adapted to be connected to an associated air inlet side of a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine.

A composite air intake manifold assembly adapted for use with an internal combustion engine includes an upper half shell formed from a polymer and a lower half shell formed from a polymer and joined to the upper half shell to define a housing having an internal cavity. The internal cavity includes at least a pair of spaced apart generally cylindrical shaped air intake runners, each of the runners including an opened air intake end adapted to receive atmospheric air, and an opened air inlet end adapted to be connected to an associated an air inlet side of a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The housing of the composite air intake manifold assembly includes at least one of an integrally molded sensor connection and an integrally molded vacuum tap. The method for producing the composite air intake manifold assembly includes the steps of: (a) providing an upper half shell formed from a polymer; (b) providing a lower half shell formed from a polymer; and (c) joining the upper half shell to the lower half shell to define a housing having an internal cavity, the housing including at least one of an integrally molded sensor connection and an integrally molded vacuum tap.

A composite air intake manifold assembly for use with an internal combustion engine includes an upper half shell formed from a polymer, a lower half shell formed from a polymer and joined to the upper half shell to define a housing having an internal cavity, and an inner shell formed from a polymer and disposed within the cavity. The insert in combination with the upper half shell and the lower half shell cooperate to define at least a pair of spaced apart generally cylindrical shaped air intake runners. Each of the runners includes an opened air intake end adapted to receive atmospheric air, and an opened air inlet end adapted to be connected to an associated an air inlet side of a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. Each of the runners includes a continuous uninterrupted weld joint along substantially an entire peripheral edge thereof to provide a sealed fluid path from the opened air intake end to the opened air inlet end of the runner and prevent air leakage between adjacent runners whereby a generally uniform air supply is maintained to each associated cylinder head of the internal combustion engine.

A composite air intake manifold assembly adapted for use with an internal combustion engine includes an upper half shell formed from a polymer and a lower half shell formed from a polymer and joined to the upper half shell. The upper half shell formed includes an upper perimeter flange having a pair of side flanges and a pair of end flanges, the side flanges having an inner surface and the end flanges having an inner surface. The lower half shell includes a lower perimeter flange having a pair of side flanges and a pair of end flanges, the side flanges having an inner surface and the end flanges having an inner surface. The lower half shell is joined to the upper half shell to define a housing having an internal cavity. The internal cavity includes at least a pair of spaced apart generally cylindrical shaped air intake runners, each of said runners including an opened air intake end, adapted to receive atmospheric air, and an opened air inlet end, adapted to be connected to an associated an air inlet side of a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. When the upper perimeter flange of the upper half shell is positioned against the lower perimeter flange of said lower half shell, a generally double wall thickness surface is formed between the side flanges and the end flanges of the upper half shell and the side flanges and the end flanges of the lower half shell. The end flanges of the upper half shell and the end flanges of the lower half shell are joined together by a weld, and the side flanges of the upper half shell and the side flanges of the lower half shell are joined together by a weld that extends in a generally straight plane and which is generally transverse to the direction of the air flow through the runners to thereby increase the burst strength of the composite air intake manifold assembly.

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Brighton, MI, United States of America

Archie Hoebecke, Ii