Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Debra L Benson

Roger Michael Brisbane

Keith Allen Confer

David A Chinnici

Thomas R Peffley

Francis M Jensen

Timothy D Carr

Dominic N Dalo

A lower manifold for a V-style internal combustion engine comprising at least three shells: a top shell for mating with an upper manifold; a left shell for mating with a left engine head; and a right shell for mating with a right engine head. The three shells are formed independently by injection molding and are joined as by vibration welding when aligned in a welding jig. The molds for the left and right shells are formed such that the seal ring groove has a rectangular cross-section having sidewalls perpendicular to the lower shell surface because each left and right shell has its own draft angle preferably perpendicular to its lower shell surface. The method and apparatus of the invention permits runner cross-sections to be significantly rounded, which improves air flow characteristics of the runners.

Three-piece lower manifold for a V-style engine intake manifold

A dual-purpose engine fitting is provided that may be used both during engine testing and during engine use, for vehicles with vacuum assisted brakes and for those without. The fitting has a body portion configured to fit within an opening in the manifold and defining a passage having opposing first and second ends. The fitting has a seal portion enclosing the first end of the passage. The second end of the passage is open to the manifold when the body portion is fit within the manifold. A thinned wall joins the body portion and the seal portion, establishing a predetermined fracture region at which the seal portion will separate from the body portion when sufficient torque is applied to the seal portion to thereby open the first end of the passage. A method of assembling vehicles is also provided.

Engine fitting and method of assembling vehicles

An improved air intake manifold for a V-style internal combustion engine comprising three individual injection molded sections joined by friction welding of flanged mating elements. Each section is formed of a high-melting temperature composite polymer. The welds are all on the exterior of the manifold. The mating surfaces are formed to be directly accessible to welding apparatus and are so oriented that friction welding may be carried out by relative motion between the components in the axial direction. When joined, the lower and middle sections form the individual air distribution runners from the plenum to the intake ports in the engine heads. The lower and middle sections are so configured that each such runner crosses the valley of the engine, providing great strength and rigidity to the module. All runners are identical, so that air flows from the plenum to the individual cylinders are substantially identical. The middle and upper sections may be rotationally symmetrical about a vertical axis, preventing mis-orientation during assembly. Modifications may be made to any one of the sections without requiring retooling of molds for the other two sections, provided the configurations of the mating surfaces are unchanged.

Injection-molded air intake manifold for a V-style engine

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Penfield, NY, United States of America

Debra L Benson