WO1994010437A1

WO1994010437A1 - Air swirling device for an internal combustion engine

Info

Publication number: WO1994010437A1
Application number: PCT/KR1993/000092
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sei Young Kim
Original assignee: Sei Young Kim
Priority date: 1992-10-23
Filing date: 1993-10-22
Publication date: 1994-05-11
Also published as: AU5377294A

Abstract

An air swirling device (10) for an internal combustion engine which is disposed in an air cleaner (3) has a plurality of vanes (13) for causing the air to swirl thereby improving the properties of the air fuel mixture and improving the performance of the engine. Each of the vanes (13) has at least one nose angle υ at the leading edge (13a) thereof for reducing resistance of air flow due to shockwave caused by high speed airflow towards the vanes.

Description

AIR SWIRLING DEVICE FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an air swirling device for an internal combustion engine more particularly, to an air swirling device having a plurality of vanes with at least one nose angle at the leading edge thereof respectively, which is positioned within an air cleaner of an internal combustion engine for achieving complete combustion. The air swirling device is used for a spark ignition internal combustion engine of a carburetor type or a fuel injection type, and a diesel engine of a high compression self-ignition type.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known that an increase of swirl flow in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine improves the flame propagation speed so that complete combustion is achieved. However, there are many problems which accompany attempts at increasing air flow such as air resistance and the like. Such known facts are shown in the following prior art documents. For example, Japanese patent publication No.59-11722 and U.S.Pat. No.4, 309,969 disclose a simple turbulence device, which includes an intake valve having a large intake resistance so that the swirling device does not create an uniform air flow. Japanese patent publication Nos.60-17922 and 61-10645. U.S. Pat. Nos.4 ,424 , 777 , 4,432,312, and 4,539,954 disclose a device having vanes which are disposed at the vicinity of an intake valve. Such devices have various disadvantages, such as for example air resistance, reduced inlet air into the cylinder, varying air flows of intake manifolds and strong vibrations due to different swirl ratios and volumes of intake air. U.S.Pat. Nos.3 , 648 , 674 and 4,274,386 disclose a wire set and blades device disposed between a carburetor and intake manifold. However, the device exhibits high friction so that the device provides a reduced amount of inlet air and is used only for a gasoline engine of the carburetor type. In order to avoid such problems, U.S. Pat. No.4 ,962 ,642 , issued to the present inventor, discloses an air flow system for an internal combustion engine comprising an air cleaner and a swirling device disposed therein, having a plurality of vanes for causing the air to swirl thereby improving the properties of air fuel mixture and the performance of the engine. However, this air flow system, as, shown in Fig. 1 has shock wave 2 due to high speed, for example sonic air flow towards the vanes 1 and negative pressure disposed behind vanes and air flow frictions due to the swirl of the air so that the air flow system has several disadvantages such as, for example, decrease of the intake air, lower power. (In Fig. 1, M means Mach number.) DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air swirling device of an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an air swirling device located in an air cleaner, the air swirling device having a plurality of vanes with at least one nose angle at the leading edge thereof respectively.

One advantage of the air swirling device of the present invention is that it minimizes the resistance of air flow, particularly due to shock wave caused by high speed airflow and causes the fuel to stay in the center part of the swirl of air and prevents from adherence of the fuel to the wall of the intake system and from generating negative pressure behind the vanes. This provides for a good mixture of air and fuel having good evaporation and fine and uniform fuel particle size which improves the acceleration of the vehicle driven by the engine. If here is a slight pedal acceleration, the amount of the injected fuel is lower thereby resulting in fuel savings.

During operation, the air intake valve continuously opens and closes. When the valve is closed a revolution inertia force causes a high density of air which surge into the combustion chamber when the valve opens. During combustion, the flame is scattered and the fuel is completely combustive thereby producing a-uniform force downward on the piston. The uniform force prevents noise vibration and abrasion thereby causing stronger engine power and longer engine life. The fast combustion is useful with advanced spark timing and results in leaner combustion, lower air pollution and fuel savings. The combustion products (carbon and oxides) are concentrated in the center of the combustion chamber and can be easily exhausted to prevent carbon accumulation in the combustion chamber which could cause engine abrasion. The swirling action may continue in the same direction without any exhausted resistance as the gas leaves the combustion chamber. When the swirling device having the plurality of vanes with at least one nose angle at the leading edge disposed therein, respectively, is placed in the air cleaner, the carbon monoxide(CO) gas level can be reduced, the engine power can be increased, fuel economy can be improved.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Briefly described the present invention relates to a swirling device having a plurality of vanes with at least one nose angle at the leading edge thereof respectively, which are disposed around the center of the air cleaner for causing the air to swirl. The air cleaner preferably has a cylindrical shape and the swirling device has a control outwardly from the control area toward the air cleaner. The vanes of the swirling device, having at least one nose angle at the leading edge thereof respectively, for increasing air flow through the air cleaner reduce the air resistance due to Shockwave at high speed air flow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1(A)(B)(C)(D) show transonic flows through the conventional air swirling device, when Mach number is 0.77, 0.82, 0.95, 1.05, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air swirling device for a gasoline engine of the present invention:

FIGS. 3(A) (B) are perspective views of a swirling device having a plurality of vanes with at least one nose angle at the leading edge thereof respectively, of the present invention:

FIG. 4(A) shows the air flow stream through the conventional air swirling device

FIG. 4(B) shows the air flow stream through the air swirling device of the present invention: and

FIG. 5 (A) (B) (C ) (D) are front views of various vanes of the swirling device of the present invention, having at least one nose angle at the leading edge thereof.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, a swirling device 10 comprises a hub member 11 and a plurality of vanes 13, which extend radially from the hub member 11, with nose angle θ at the leading edge 13a thereof and with at least one elongated slits 15 disposed therein, respectively. The swirling device 10 is disposed around the center of an air cleaner 3 for causing the air to swirl. The swirling device 10 may be made of flexible materials.

The air cleaner 3 is associated with an engine body 5 of a gasoline engine through a carburetor 4 and an intake manifold 6 (FIG. 2). The engine body 5 is associated with an exhaust manifold 7. The swirling device 10 is inserted into the inside of the air cleaner 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, each of vanes 13 has at least one nose angle θ at the leading edge 13a thereof and at least one elongated slit 15. The slit 15 is vertically or horizontally located in the vanes 13 and vertically and horizontally located in the vanes 13. Also, each of vanes 13 may have at least one nose angle at the trailing edge 13b thereof .

In operation, when pistons 5b and intake valves 5c move downward, air flow filtered by the air cleaner 3 is swirled by the vanes 13 of the swirling device 10 respectively, due to a reduced pressure in a combustion chamber 5a. At this time, in the carburetor 4 of the gasoline engine, fuel particles are gathered in the center of the swirling air flow for causing fuel and air to uniformly mix. And the swirling air flow center moves very fast so that the fuel does not adhere to the wall of the intake conduit 6 and results in good engine and accelerator pedal response. Also, the swirling air flow is continuously maintained in the combustion chamber 5a so that the swirling air flow is continuously maintained in the exhaust manifold 7. Therefore, in the combustion chamber 5a, the flame is scattered very well and the fuel is completely combustive for preventing noise, vibration and abrasion thereby causing longer engine life and stronger engine power. As shown in FIG. 2, the swirling devices 10 having a plurality of vanes 13, respectively, can be added in the portion between the carburetor 4 and intake manifold 6 in the same direction for increasing the swirling air flow force which may be reduced while the swirling air passes the carburetor 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, an additional swirling device 10 is inserted into the exhaust manifold entrance 7a in the same direction for improving the swirling of the exhaust gas. Furthermore, the swirling exhaust gas prevents back pressure thereby resulting in complete exhaustion and stronger intake force.

As shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), the air flow stream according to the present invention prevents from generating the negative pressure disposed behind the plurality of vanes 13 and reduce the air resistance due to the shock wave caused by high speed air flow towards the vanes 13(FIG. 4(B)), However the air flow stream according to the conventional air flow system generate the negative pressure disposed behind the plurality of vanes and the shock wave 2 due to sonic airflow towards the vanes 1(FIG. 4(A)).

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included in the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An air swirling device for an internal combustion engine which comprises: a hub member, a plurality of vane members which extend radially from said hub member for increasing air flow, and at least one nose angle at the leading edge disposed in each of said plurality of vane members, so as to reduce resistance of airflow due to shock wave caused by high speed air flow towards the vanes.

2. The air swirling device of claim 1, wherein at least one elongated slit is disposed on each of said vane members.

3. The air swirling device of claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one nose angle at the trailing edge is disposed in each of said plurality of vane members.