Abstract: A vehicle connector assembly includes a positive lock feature that allows a hose to be quickly and easily attached to a vehicle component such as an intake manifold or air induction component. The component includes a projection that extends outwardly from a main body to a distal end. A locking cap is installed over the projection and cooperates with an alignment feature on the projection such that the cap does not separate from the projection prior to installation of the hose. An end of the hose is slidably installed within the locking cap and over the projection. The locking cap is then rotated from an unlocked position to a locked position to prevent linear movement of the hose relative to the projection. The locking cap is made from a resilient material and provides a serviceable connection.

Abstract: A vehicle connector assembly includes a positive lock feature that allows a hose to be quickly and easily attached to a vehicle component such as an intake manifold or air induction component. The component includes a projection that extends outwardly from a main body to a distal end. A locking cap is installed over the projection and cooperates with an alignment feature on the projection such that the cap does not separate from the projection prior to installation of the hose. An end of the hose is slidably installed within the locking cap and over the projection. The locking cap is then rotated from an unlocked position to a locked position to prevent linear movement of the hose relative to the projection. The locking cap is made from a resilient material and provides a serviceable connection.

Abstract: An intake manifold assembly and a valve cover is pivotally supported by the intake manifold assembly for rotational movement relative thereto. Preferably, a hinge assembly pivotally supports and connects the valve cover to the intake manifold assembly. During assembly of the engine, the intake manifold assembly is secured to a portion of a base engine assembly such as the cylinder head. Specifically, threaded fasteners may secure a flange of the intake manifold assembly which is adjacent to the hinge assembly to the cylinder head. The valve cover is rotated relative to the intake manifold assembly and into engagement with the cylinder head so that a valve cover gasket sealingly engages the cylinder head. Fasteners on a side of the valve cover opposite the hinge assembly secure the valve cover to the cylinder head.

Abstract: A noise attenuating device is disclosed combined with the air induction system of a multicylinder internal combustion piston engine, which includes an expansion chamber connected into the air induction system with an inlet and outlet. A first and a second tuning tube is concentric with the inlet and outlet, respectively, and are axially movable relative each other to assume either an underlapped or an overlapped configuration. The tubes are relatively driven axially to be shifted between the overlapped configuration at low engine speeds (under 2500 rpm) and an underlapped configuration at higher engine speeds to more effectively attenuate the characteristic harmonic orders of induction noise at these respective engine speed ranges.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for tuning an air induction system of an internal combustion engine in which an expansion chamber is combined with a Helmholtz resonator tuned to resonate at the engine speed whereat the expansion chamber would otherwise cause an engine torque decline, the combined effects tuning the system over the entire operational range of speeds of the engine.

Abstract: Noise is attenuated by a resonator having an inlet pipe leading to an expansion chamber and an outlet pipe leading from the expansion chamber. The two pipes are not aligned with each other at the expansion chamber. The portions of the two pipes proximate the expansion chamber contain respective venturis. The expansion chamber also functions as a Helmholtz resonator by providing the resonator with one or more apertures between the outlet pipe and the expansion chamber.

Abstract: The effective area of a Helmholtz resonator used to tune the manifold is varied in accordance with engine speed to improve the engine-torque speed curve. The organization and arrangement of air intake passage, plenum chamber, runners, and Helmholtz resonator is also advantageous.

Abstract: A shaft-door unit that is operable for selecting the effective lengths of runners leading from a plenum is assembled into the manifold by lengthwise insertion through an opening in an end wall of the plenum that is subsequently closed by a closure member. The shaft-door unit may include as part of the unit, a journal sleeve for journaling the shaft or a tray which incoproates the journal sleeve.

Abstract: Two speakers are mounted on an engine air induction system to broadcast respective pressure waves into the induction system. One speaker is near the junction of a runner and a plenum. The other is near the outside air intake. Both speakers are driven by electronic circuitry. The one speaker is driven to introduce a pressure wave that reinforces the portion of a pressure wave from an engine cylinder that is reflected back toward the cylinder by the impedance change that exists at the runner/plenum junction, thereby augmenting the charge introduced into the cylinder. The other speaker is driven to cancel the combined pressure waves that travel toward the air intake and is itself sufficiently close to the air intake that the pressure wave that it emits through the air intake has substantially less energy content than would be the case if such cancellation were not conducted.

Abstract: A throttle body has telescopically engaged parts that allows it to be telescopically contracted for insertion into the induction system at assembly and then telescopically expanded to secure its installation.

Abstract: Tabs and slots are provided on a fuel injector and a fuel rail respectively to provide for the injector to be installed in a transverse through-hole in the fuel rail by circumferentially registering the tabs with the slots, inserting the injector into the through-hole to a predetermined depth, and then twisting the injector about its own axis to remove the tabs from their insertion registry with the slots and cause the injector to become axially captured in the through-hole by the tabs being axially captured within circumferential extensions of the slots that are cooperatively axially defined by a shoulder in the through-hole and an overhang.

Abstract: A clutch fan has a new and unique blade design that results in quieter and more efficient operation. The blade design involves the leading edge having inner, intermediate, and outer regions such that the intermediate region is of increasing skew in the direction of rotation and the outer region is of decreasing skew. The pitch ratio increases as a function of increasing blade radius. Along the outer region, the blade increases in pitch on a defined curvature as a function of blade radius and angle to form a tip curl.

Abstract: An axial flow ring fan has improved efficiency and reduced noise by making the leading edge of each blade a generally sinusoidal shape and projecting this geometry throughout the blade by imparting fall off to each blade.

Abstract: An axial flow ring fan has improved efficiency and reduced noise by making the leading edge of each blade a generally sinusoidal shape.

Abstract: A fan (10) adapted to be driven by an electrical motor (12), the motor of the type having openings (14) to permit the flow of air therethrough to cool internal components of the motor. The fan comprising a cup-shaped hub (20) adapted to be driven by the motor and including a plurality of arcuately shaped webs (44, 70) for inducing the flow through the motor and through a plurality of openings (40) formed in a axially extending wall (28) of the hub (20).