Air-guiding component with an intercooler

Abstract

An air-guiding component for a charged internal combustion engine has an intercooler provided with coolant connectors that is disposed in a housing of the air-guiding component. The housing has at least two housing parts including a basic housing part. The housing is provided with at least one inlet and at least one outlet for charge air and is further provided with at least one passage for the coolant connectors of the intercooler. The intercooler is arranged between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet so as to be flowed through by the charge air. The housing has housing walls and at least one of the housing walls has at least one corrugation.

Claims

1. An air-guiding component for a charged internal combustion engine, the air-guiding component comprising: an intercooler provided with coolant connectors; a housing wherein the intercooler is disposed in the housing; the housing comprising at least two housing parts including a basic housing part; the housing provided with at least one inlet and at least one outlet for charge air and further provided with at least one passage for the coolant connectors of the intercooler; wherein the intercooler is arranged between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet so as to be flowed through by the charge air; wherein the housing has housing walls and at least one of the housing walls has at least one corrugation.

2. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one corrugation is an inner corrugation and has a corrugation wall with an exterior side, wherein the exterior side of the corrugation wall faces the intercooler and rests seal-tightly on an exterior side of the intercooler that is facing the corrugation wall.

3. The air-guiding component according to claim 2, wherein the exterior side of the intercooler is a flange plate of the intercooler.

4. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one corrugation is an inner corrugation and has a corrugation wall that faces the intercooler and is spaced apart from an exterior side of the intercooler that is facing the corrugation wall.

5. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein in or on the at least one corrugation at least one reinforcement rib is arranged.

6. The air-guiding component according to claim 5, wherein the at least one reinforcement rib is an inner reinforcement rib that has a free rim supported on an exterior side of the intercooler that is facing the free rim.

7. The air-guiding component according to claim 5, wherein the at least one reinforcement rib is an inner reinforcement rib that has a free rim that is spaced apart from an exterior side of the intercooler that is facing the free rim.

8. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one corrugation is arranged at an inlet side of the intercooler or an outlet side of the intercooler and has a corrugation wall provided with a flow contour.

9. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one corrugation has a corrugation wall that at least partially forms a seal receptacle for a seal device.

10. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein the intercooler is fastened to the basic housing part by a fastening device such that the intercooler separates at least on one side of the basic housing part the at least one inlet seal-tightly from the at least one outlet.

11. The air-guiding component according to claim 10, wherein the intercooler, when the air-guiding component is assembled, seal-tightly separates the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet relative to all of the at least two housing parts of the housing adjoining the intercooler.

12. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, comprising at least one fixed bearing and at least one floating bearing that together fasten the intercooler to the housing.

13. The air-guiding component according to claim 12, wherein the at least one fixed bearing and the at least one floating bearing fasten the intercooler to the basic housing part of the housing.

14. The air-guiding component according to claim 12, further comprising at least one captive action device that secures at least one rotation/insertion element of the at least one fixed bearing.

15. The air-guiding component according to claim 12, further comprising at least one captive action device that secures at least one rotation/insertion element of the at least one floating bearing.

16. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one inlet, the at least one outlet, and the at least one passage for the coolant connectors is arranged on the basic housing part.

17. The air-guiding component according to claim 1, further comprising at least one seal that is arranged between at least one exterior side of the intercooler and one of the housing walls of the housing that is facing the at least one exterior side of the intercooler.

18. The air-guiding component according to claim 17, further comprising at least one seal holder for the at least one seal, wherein the at least one seal holder is arranged in one of the at least two housing parts.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will result from the following description in which an embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawing. A person of skill in the art will consider features that are disclosed in combination in the drawing, the description, and the claims also expediently individually and combine them to further meaningful combinations.

(2) FIG. 1 shows in isometric illustration an intake manifold of a turbo-charged internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, comprising an intake manifold housing in which an intercooler is arranged, in a view at a slant from above.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the open intake manifold of FIG. 1 without cover shell.

(4) FIG. 3 shows the intake manifold of FIG. 1 in a view at a slant from below.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the open intake manifold of FIG. 2 in a plan view.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a detail of a horizontal longitudinal section of the intake manifold of FIG. 1 in the area of a fixed bearing with which the intercooler is attached to a bottom shell of the intake manifold housing.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a detail of a vertical cross-section of the intake manifold in the area of the fixed bearing of FIG. 5 along the section line VI-VI indicated therein.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a detail of a horizontal longitudinal section of the intake manifold of FIG. 1 in the area of two floating bearings with which the intercooler is attached to the bottom shell.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a detail of a vertical cross-section of the intake manifold in the area of a floating bearing of FIG. 7 along the indicated section line VIII-VIII.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a vertical longitudinal section of the intake manifold of FIG. 1 along a section line IX-IX of FIG. 4.

(11) FIG. 10 is a first detail view of the longitudinal section of FIG. 9.

(12) FIG. 11 is a second detail view of the longitudinal section of FIG. 9.

(13) FIG. 12 is a third detail view of the longitudinal section of FIG. 9.

(14) FIG. 13 is an isometric illustration of the top shell of the intake manifold housing of the intake manifold of FIG. 1 in a view of the interior.

(15) FIG. 14 shows a detail view of the top shell of FIG. 13 in the area of a holding rib for a seal not indicated here.

(16) FIG. 15 shows the detail view of FIG. 14 with the seal.

(17) FIG. 16 shows a horizontal longitudinal section of the intake manifold of FIG. 1 through the top shell in the area of the holding rib with the seal.

(18) FIG. 17 shows a vertical longitudinal section of the intake manifold of FIG. 1 through the top shell in the area of the holding rib with the seal.

(19) In the Figures, same components are identified with same reference characters.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(20) In the FIGS. 1 to 17, an intake manifold 10 of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle charged with an exhaust gas turbocharger is illustrated in various perspective views, sections, and detail views.

(21) For better orientation, in the Figs. the corresponding axes of an orthogonal X-Y-Z coordinate system are indicated. In the described embodiment, the z-axis extends in the normal installed position of the intake manifold 10, illustrated in FIG. 1, in vertical spatial direction downwardly. The x-axis and the y-axis define a horizontal plane which is in the following referred to as X-Y plane. The x-axis and the z-axis define an X-Z plane. The y-axis and the z-axis define correspondingly a Y-Z plane.

(22) When in the following top, bottom, front, or rear is used, this refers to the illustration of FIG. 1, if not indicated otherwise. The spatial arrangement of the intake manifold 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1, corresponds in general to the installed state in the motor vehicle. The installed state of the intake manifold 10 may however be deviating from it. For example, the intake manifold 10 can also be mounted in reverse.

(23) The intake manifold 10 is arranged in an intake system for combustion air of the internal combustion engine that is connected to an outlet of a compressor of the turbocharger.

(24) The intake manifold 10 comprises an intake manifold housing 12 in which an intercooler 14 is arranged. The intercooler 14 serves for cooling the charge air which is coming from the compressor of the turbocharger and flows through the intake manifold housing 12. The intake manifold 10 serves for distributing the charge air onto the corresponding cylinders of the internal combustion engine. In the present embodiment, the intake manifold 10 serves for distributing the charge air onto four cylinders of the internal combustion engine.

(25) The intake manifold housing 12 is assembled of a connecting shell 16, in FIG. 1 at the bottom, and a top shell 18, at the top. The connecting shell 16 and the cover shell 18 are made of plastic material. The exterior walls of the intake manifold housing 12 are curved or bent outwardly, i.e., dished, in their basic shape.

(26) An interior of the intake manifold housing 12 comprises an intake chamber 20, a cooler chamber 22, and an outlet chamber 24 which are arranged one behind the other with regard to a flow path of the charge air through the intake manifold housing 12. The flow path through the intake manifold housing 12 is indicated in FIGS. 1 to 7 and 9 to 12 by arrows 26.

(27) The connecting shell 16 has at the side of a lower inlet-side longitudinal wall 34, in FIGS. 1 and 2 at the front, an inlet 28 for the charge air. The inlet 28 is arranged in the area of a transition of the inlet-side longitudinal wall 34 into an inlet-side transverse side 40 of the intake manifold housing 12. The inlet 28 opens into the inlet chamber 20. The inlet chamber 20 extends in the direction of the y-axis across the width of the cooler chamber 22.

(28) Immediately behind the inlet 28 there is a two-part partition section 30 in the inlet chamber 20 which extends approximately parallel to the Y-Z plane. The partition section 30 separates a part of the inlet chamber 20 at the front, when viewed from the inlet 28, from the cooler chamber 22. A bottom part of the partition section 30 is connected monolithically with the connecting shell 16. A top part of the partition section 30 is connected monolithically with the cover shell 18.

(29) The inlet 28 is surrounded by an inlet connector flange 32. The inlet connector flange 32 is monolithically connected with the connecting shell 16. With the inlet connector flange 32, a connection to an inlet line of the intake system of the internal combustion engine which extends to the outlet of the compressor of the turbocharger can be realized by means of screw connections. In the inlet line, for example, a throttle valve can be arranged.

(30) A mounting flange 38 is monolithically connected with the connecting shell 16 in the area of the lower inlet-side longitudinal wall 34 and a lower rearward longitudinal wall 36, respectively. The mounting flanges 38 are located on the exterior side of the connecting shell 16 approximately at the level of a transition of the inlet chamber 20 into the cooler chamber 22. The mounting flanges 38 each extend approximately parallel to the X-Y plane. By means of the mounting flanges 38, the intake manifold 10 can be connected by means of a screw, respectively, to a corresponding frame part of the internal combustion engine.

(31) On an outlet-side transverse side 42 of the intake manifold housing 12 that is opposite the inlet-side transverse side 40, the connecting shell 16 has four lower distributor tube sections 44 adjacently arranged relative to the flow path 26. The lower distributor tube sections 44 form each a bottom part of a respective distributor tube 46. Each distributor tube 46 opens into the outlet chamber 24. The outer chamber 24 serves as distributing chamber for distributing the charge air onto the four distributor tubes 46. The distributor tubes 46 each comprise at their free ends an outlet 48 for the charge air. The outlets 48 of the distributor tubes 46 are surrounded by a common outlet connector flange 50. The outlet connector flange 50 is respectively monolithically connected with the lower distributor tube sections 44. By means of the outlet connector flange 50, the distributor tubes 46 are connected, respectively, to the corresponding inlets, not shown, of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine by means of screws.

(32) A rim of the connecting shell 16 which is facing the cover shell 18 is designed as a bottom welding flange 52. The bottom welding flange 52 surrounds externally the inlet chamber 20, the cooler chamber 22, the outlet chamber 24, and the lower distributor tube sections 44. When the intake manifold 10 is assembled, the lower welding flange 52 is welded to the top welding flange 54 of the cover shell 18. In the area of the inlet chamber 20 and of the cooler chamber 22, the weld seam extends between the bottom welding flange 52 and the top welding flange 54 approximately in a plane that is parallel to the X-Z plane, as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 9.

(33) The lower longitudinal walls 34 and 36 have each in the area of the cooler chamber 22 in the vicinity of the transition to the outlet chamber 24 a groove-shaped holding receptacle 56. The holding receptacles 56 serve each for receiving a respective leg of a holding rib 58. The holding rib 58 serves for securing a seal 60. The holding ribs 58, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 13 to 15, are attached to the cover shell 18. The holding receptacles 56 are each realized as outer bulges with an approximately U-shaped profile in the longitudinal walls 36 and 38. The holding receptacles 56 extend each approximately in the direction of the z-axis. The holding receptacles 56 are each open across their entire height toward the cooler chamber 22. They each have an undercut on either end of the open side which is facing the cooler chamber 22.

(34) In a bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16 two coolant connectors 66 of the intercooler 14 are arranged. By means of the coolant connectors 66 the intercooler 14 is supplied with appropriate coolant, for example, cooling water.

(35) The bottom side 64, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 9 to 11, has in the area of the cooler chamber 22 a corrugated course in the direction of the x-axis. The corrugated course is realized by a total of three lower inner corrugations 68 which are alternatingly arranged with five lower outer corrugations 70, 71. The lower corrugations 68, 70, and 71 are groove-shaped depressions in the bottom side 64. The lower corrugations 68, 70, and 71 each extend with their longitudinal axes approximately parallel to the y-axis. They extend across the entire width in the direction of the y-axis of the cooler chamber 22.

(36) Respective corrugation walls of the lower inner corrugations 68 each have approximately the profile of a section of a circular cylinder wall whose open side is pointing away from the cooler chamber 22 in outward direction. The corrugation walls themselves extend into the cooler chamber 22, therefore the name inner corrugations. The lower inner corrugations 68 themselves are outwardly open.

(37) Respective corrugation walls of the two central lower outer corrugations 70 have also approximately the profile of sections of circular cylinder walls whose open sides are open toward the interior of the cooler chamber 22, respectively.

(38) A corrugation height 72, which is indicated in FIG. 9, is between approximately 10 mm and approximately 20 mm, preferably approximately 15 mm. The corrugation height 72 corresponds to a spacing between the respective apexes of the corrugation walls of the lower inner corrugations 68 and the two central lower outer corrugations 70.

(39) A corrugation wall of the inlet-side lower outer corrugation 71 that is facing the inlet chamber 20 has on the side that is facing the inlet chamber 20 a lower inlet-side flow contour 74. The lower inlet-side flow contour 74 fits snuggly a lower inlet-side end face edge of a flange plate 76 of a cooler housing 78 of the intercooler 14. The lower inlet-side flow contour 74 extends across the entire width of the cooler chamber 22 in the direction of the y-axis. It forms a ramp of sorts for the flow of the charge air to the inlet side 80 of the intercooler 14. The lower inlet-side flow contour 74 forms a smooth transition from the inlet chamber 22 into the inlet side 80 of the intercooler 14.

(40) A corrugation wall of the outlet-side lower outer corrugation 71 has a lower outlet-side flow contour 82 that is similar to the lower inlet-side flow contour 74 and forms a smooth transition from the outlet side 84 of the intercooler 14 to the outlet chamber 24. The lower outlet-side flow contour 82 engages about a corresponding lower outlet-side end face edge of the flange plate 76.

(41) The flange plate 76 is brazed onto a bottom side of the cooler housing 78 which is facing the bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16. The flange plate 76 is flat and extends approximately parallel to the X-Y plane. The flange plate 76 is positioned with its exterior side across the entire width in the direction of the y-axis seal-tightly on the apexes of the corrugation walls of the lower inner corrugations 68. Also, the lower inlet-side end face edge and the lower outlet-side end face edge of the flange plate 76 are seal-tightly positioned at the corresponding lower flow contours 74 and 82. In this way, no charge air can flow below the flange plate 76 past the exterior side of the intercooler 14.

(42) Moreover, on the bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16 on the inner side which is facing the cooler chamber 22 two lower inner transverse reinforcement ribs 86 are arranged. The lower inner transverse reinforcement ribs 86 extend each within one of the two central lower outer corrugations 70 from their bottom to the exterior side of the flange plate 76. They end approximately at the same height as the apexes of the corrugation walls of the neighboring lower inner corrugations 68. The lower inner transverse reinforcement ribs 86 extend each approximately parallel to the Y-Z plane. The lower inner transverse reinforcement ribs 86 are located each approximately centrally within the corresponding lower outer corrugations 70. Their free rims are each positioned seal-tightly on the exterior side of the flange plate 76.

(43) Moreover, two lower outer transverse reinforcement ribs 88 are arranged on the bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16 on the exterior side of the intake manifold housing 12 which is facing away from the cooler chamber 22. The lower outer transverse reinforcement ribs 88 extend each approximately parallel to the lower inner transverse reinforcement ribs 86. One of the lower outer transverse reinforcement ribs 88 is positioned in the interior of the inlet-side lower corrugation 68. The second lower outer transverse reinforcement rib 88 is arranged in the interior of the central lower inner corrugation 68. The lower outer transverse reinforcement ribs 88 each are located approximately centrally in the corresponding corrugations 68. In the illustration of the FIGS. 2 and 3, the illustration of the lower outer transverse reinforcement ribs 88 has been omitted for better clarity.

(44) Moreover, the bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16 has at its exterior side a plurality of lower outer longitudinal reinforcement ribs 90. The lower outer longitudinal reinforcement ribs 90 extend each approximately parallel to the X-Z plane. They end in the direction of the z-axis in the area of the central lower outer corrugations 70 approximately at the level of the apexes of the corrugation walls positioned thereat. In the direction of the x-axis, the lower outer longitudinal reinforcement ribs 90 extend across the inlet chamber 20, the cooler chamber 22, and the connecting chamber 24.

(45) In FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, on the exterior side of the lower inlet-side longitudinal wall 34 of the connecting shell 16 several lateral reinforcement ribs are illustrated additionally that each extend approximately parallel to the Y-Z plane. In the other Figures, these lateral reinforcement ribs are not shown for better clarity.

(46) Moreover, viewed in the direction of the x-axis, in the area of the lower inlet-side longitudinal wall 34 of the connecting shell 16 approximately centrally in the cooler chamber 22 a blind bore, shown in FIG. 6, is arranged. The blind bore is open at the side which is facing the cover shell 18. An insert bushing 92 is inserted into the blind bore. The axes of the blind bore and the insert bushing 92 are parallel to the z-axis. The insert bushing 92 is made of metal. It has an inner thread for a corresponding outer thread of a fastening screw 94. The fastening screw 94 is also made of metal. The threads of the insert bushing 92 and of the fastening screw 94 can be preferably metric. Alternatively, also other types of threads can be provided.

(47) The fastening screw 94 extends through a corresponding hole in the flange plate 76 of the intercooler 14. An inner diameter of the hole corresponds approximately to the outer diameter of the fastening screw 94. The fastening screw 94 is arranged relative to a plane that is parallel to the X-Z plane, i.e., radial to its axis, without play in the hole.

(48) The fastening screw 94 and the insert bushing 92 form a fixed bearing 96. The fixed bearing 96 serves for fastening the intercooler 14 in the connecting shell 16. The attachment is stationary relative to the plane that is parallel to the X-Z plane and without preload loss. By connecting the fastening screw 94 of metal with the insert bushing 92 of metal, a fixed connection is provided which maintains its preload even for an extended period of time, preferably for its service life.

(49) Below corresponding semi-circular cylindrical bulges of the lower rearward longitudinal wall 36, two screw holes 98 are arranged in the connecting shell 16 for a thread-forming screw 100, respectively. The screw holes 98 are open, respectively, toward the cover shell 18. The axes of the screw holes 98 extend approximately parallel to the z-axis. One of the screw holes 98 is located approximately at the side of the cooling chamber 22 which is opposite the fixed bearing 96. The other screw hole 98 is located in the vicinity of the inlet chamber 20.

(50) The thread-forming screws 100 extend through corresponding holes in the flanges of the flange plate 76 of the intercooler 14. A respective diameter of the holes is greater than the corresponding outer diameter of the thread-forming screws 100. As long as the thread-forming screws 100 are not tightened yet they are movable radially relative to their respective axis in the holes of the flange plate 76. The screw holes 98 with the respective thread-forming screws 100 form a floating bearing 102, respectively. With the floating bearings 102 the intercooler 14 is fastened in the connecting shell 16. The enlarged holes in the flange plate 76 enable a position-tolerant mounting on this side of the intercooler 14.

(51) The cover shell 18, shown, for example, in detail in FIG. 13, has four upper distributor tube sections 104. When the intake manifold 10 is assembled, the upper distributor tube sections 104 close off one of the lower distributor tube sections 44 of the connecting shell 16, respectively, and thus form part of one of distributor tubes 46, respectively.

(52) Moreover, the cover shell 18 has an inlet cover section 106 which closes off a corresponding lower inlet section of the inlet 28 at the side of the connecting shell 16.

(53) A topside 108 of the cover shell 18, shown at the top in FIGS. 1 and 9, is corrugated similar to the bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16. It has a total of three upper inner corrugations 110 and 111 and five upper outer corrugations 112 and 114. The two central upper corrugations 112, the inlet-side upper outer corrugation 114, the inlet-side upper inner corrugation 110, and the central upper inner corrugation 110 are positioned, relative to a mirror plane which is parallel to the X-Y plane, approximately mirror-symmetrical to the corresponding lower corrugations 68, 70, and 71.

(54) A corrugation wall of the inlet-side upper outer corrugation 114 has an upper inlet-side flow contour 116 which engages, similar to the lower inlet-side flow contour 74, the upper inlet-side end face edge of the cooler housing 78. It forms in this way a smooth flow transition from the inlet chamber 22 into the inlet side 80 of the intercooler 14.

(55) At a transition between the corrugation walls of the outlet-side upper inner corrugation 111 and the outlet-side upper outer corrugation 114, a seal holder bay 118 is realized which is illustrated in FIG. 17 in detail. The seal holder bay 118 is open toward the cooler chamber 22. In the seal holder bay 118, viewed in the direction of the x-axis, a radial section 120 of the holding rib 58 is approximately centrally arranged and is radial to the main axis 62 of the intercooler 14. The radial section 120 extends approximately in a plane parallel to the Y-Z plane.

(56) The main axis 62 extends through the inlet side 80 and the outlet side 84 of the intercooler 14. The main axis 62 indicates roughly the average flow of the charge air into the intercooler 14 at the inlet side 80 and out of the intercooler 14 at the outlet side 84. The main axis 62 is an imaginary axis. It is only provided for the purpose of orientation. It does not necessarily indicate precisely the average flow direction of the charge air through the intercooler 14. The main axis 62 extends approximately parallel to the x-axis.

(57) The seal holder bay 118 extends into an upper inlet-side longitudinal wall 122 of the cover shell 18 and at the opposite side into an upper rear longitudinal wall 124 of the cover shell 18. The lateral legs of the seal holder bay 118 provided in the upper longitudinal walls 122 and 124 each have an undercut at the open side that is facing the cooler chamber 22.

(58) As a whole, the holding rib 58, viewed in the direction of the x-axis, is approximately U-shaped. Lateral legs of the holding rib 58 project each freely into the corresponding lateral legs of the seal holder bay 118. The lateral legs of the holding rib 58 extend approximately parallel to the z-axis. The lateral legs of the holding rib 58 each project past the upper welding flange 54. When the intake manifold housing 12 is assembled, the lateral legs of the holding rib 58 project into the respective holding receptacles 56 of the connecting shell 16.

(59) The lateral legs of the holding rib 58 have each a T-shaped profile wherein the lower leg of the T-profile forms the radial section 120. At the transitions of the lateral legs to a horizontal section, the holding rib 58 has an approximately round radius of curvature, respectively.

(60) At the end faces of the free ends of the legs of the holding ribs 58, the respective radial section 120 is provided with a seal securing groove 126, respectively. In FIG. 14 one of the seal securing grooves 126 is shown. As illustrated in FIG. 15, a corresponding seal securing web 128 engages in the seal securing groove 126. The seal securing webs 128 are located at the free ends of the legs of the seal 60, respectively.

(61) At the inner side of the upper inlet-side longitudinal wall 122 that is facing the cooler chamber 22 there is moreover a captive securing rib 130 arranged at the fixed bearing. The fixed bearing-side captive securing rib 130 is monolithically connected with the longitudinal wall 122 and the topside 108 of the cover shell 18. The fixed bearing-side captive securing rib 130 has a cross-shaped profile. It extends in its longitudinal direction approximately parallel to the z-axis and projects past the upper welding flange 54. When the intake manifold housing 12 is assembled, the fixed-bearing side captive securing rib 130 is located approximately at the opposite side, in the direction of the z-axis, of the screw head of the fastening screw 94 of the fixed bearing 96. An end face of the fixed bearing-side captive securing rib 130 is located near the screw head and prevents that the fastening screw 94 can unscrew from the insert bushing 92.

(62) Likewise, on the side of the upper rearward longitudinal wall 124, in a respective bulge, two floating bearing-side captive securing ribs 132 for securing the screws 100 of the floating bearings 102 are arranged. The floating bearing-side captive securing ribs 132 have each an approximately L-shaped profile. A first one of the legs of the L-shaped profile extends respectively on the side which is facing away from the cooler chamber 22 approximately in a plane parallel to the Y-Z plane. The other leg extends respectively approximately parallel to the X-Z plane and points away from the first leg toward the inlet chamber 20.

(63) Moreover, the topside 108 of the cover shell 18 has at its inner side a plurality of upper inner longitudinal reinforcement ribs 134. The upper inner longitudinal reinforcement ribs 134 each extend in the area of the cooler chamber 22 approximately parallel to the X-Z plane.

(64) Moreover, the topside 108 has at its inner side a plurality of upper inner transverse reinforcement ribs 140. The upper inner transverse reinforcement ribs 140 extend approximately parallel to the Y-Z plane. The heights of the upper inner longitudinal reinforcement ribs 134 and of the upper inner transverse reinforcement ribs 140 in the direction of the z-axis correspond approximately to the corrugation heights of the wave shape that is formed by the upper corrugations 110, 111, 112, and 114. The upper inner transverse reinforcement ribs 140 are located each within one of the central upper outer corrugations 112.

(65) On the exterior side of the cover shell 18, a plurality of upper outer longitudinal reinforcement ribs 143 and upper outer transverse reinforcement ribs 142 are extending, respectively. The upper outer longitudinal reinforcement ribs 143 extend each approximately parallel to the X-Z plane. The upper outer transverse reinforcement ribs 142 extend each approximately parallel to the Y-Z plane. In accordance with the outer lower transverse reinforcement ribs 88, in the interior spaces of the inlet-side and the central upper inner corrugation 110, an upper outer transverse reinforcement rib 142 is arranged, respectively.

(66) In FIGS. 1 and 13, on the exterior side of the upper inlet-side longitudinal wall 122 of the cover shell 18 several additional lateral reinforcement ribs are additionally illustrated which extend each approximately parallel to the Y-Z plane. In the other Figures, these lateral reinforcement ribs are not shown for the purpose of better clarity.

(67) The seal 60 is made of an elastic material. The seal 60 has a Y-shaped profile, as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 15 to 17. The two upper legs of the Y-profile are oriented toward the corresponding exterior sides of the intercooler 14. The central leg of the Y-profile extends approximately in a plane parallel to the Y-Z plane. It faces toward the exterior side of the intake manifold housing 12. It has a groove-shaped securing rib receptacle 136 which is open toward the exterior side of the intake manifold housing 12. The radial section 120 of the holding rib 58 is inserted into the holding rib receptacle 136.

(68) The seal 60 is approximately U-shaped when viewed in the direction of the x-axis. It is open at the side which is facing the bottom side 64 of the connecting shell 16 and extends circumferentially relative to the main axis 62. At the free ends of the legs of the seal 60 of which one is shown in an exemplary fashion in FIG. 15, the holding rib receptacle 136 is closed off with the seal securing web 108 provided thereat. By engagement of the seal securing web 128 in the seal securing groove 126 in the radial section 120 of the holding rib 58, the seal 60 is secured at its free end, respectively.

(69) At the free ends of the legs of the seal 60, the two upper legs of the Y-shaped profile are provided each with a bevel 138. The two upper legs of the Y-profile have in their relieved state an opening angle of approximately 90 degrees.

(70) The cooler housing 78 is circumferentially closed relative to the main axis 62 of the intercooler 14. The cooler housing 78 as a whole is approximately parallelepipedal and open at the inlet side 80 and the outlet side 84. The charge air to be cooled can flow in at the inlet side 80 into a heat exchanger area of the intercooler 14, passes through appropriate flow passages in which a heat exchange with the corresponding cooling medium takes place, and can flow out through appropriate openings at the outlet side 84. The intercooler 14 can be, for example, a so-called plate-type cooler. In the heat exchanger area flow areas for the charge air are fluid-tightly separated from flow areas for the coolant and are thermally connected to each other.

(71) On the side of the cooler housing that is facing the lower inlet-side longitudinal wall 34 of the connecting shell 16 and the upper inlet-side longitudinal wall 122 of the cover shell 18, the cooler housing 78 has a recess 144. The recess 144 extends across the entire height of the cooler housing 78 in the direction of the z-axis. Through the recess 144 the fastening screw 94 of the fixed bearing 96 can be introduced.

(72) In the assembled intake manifold 10, the apexes of the corrugation walls of the upper inner corrugations 110 and 111 which are facing the intercooler 14, the free rims of the upper inner transverse reinforcement ribs 140 and of the upper inner longitudinal reinforcement ribs 134 are each spaced apart from the upper exterior side of the cooler housing 78 located thereat.

(73) A sealing of the sidewalls and the top wall of the cooler housing 78 relative to the inner side of the intake manifold housing 12 is realized by means of seal 60 in a position-tolerant way.

(74) For assembly of the intake manifold 10, the intercooler 14 is first inserted with the coolant connectors 66 leading in the direction of the z-axis into the cooler chamber 22 of the connecting shell 16.

(75) The fastening screw 94 of the fixed bearing 96 is screwed in through the corresponding hole in the flange plate 76 into the thread of the insert bushing 92 and tightened up to the stop. The intercooler 14 is secured with the fixed bearing 96 without preload loss for the lifetime in the connecting shell 16.

(76) Subsequently, the thread-forming screws 100 of the floating bearings 102 are screwed in through the corresponding holes in the flanges of the flange plate 76 into the corresponding screw holes 98 of the connecting shell 16. The thread-forming screws 100 are tightened up to the stop. The intercooler 14 is thus also fixed at this side on the connecting shell 16. The floating bearings 102 may have over their lifetime a preload loss.

(77) The lower flow contours 74 and 82, the apexes of the corrugation walls of the lower inner corrugations 68, and the rims of the lower inner transversely extending transverse reinforcement ribs 86 are positioned seal-tightly on the exterior side of the flange plate 76. In this way, no charge air can bypass the intercooler 14.

(78) Subsequently, the cover shell 18 is mounted from above in the direction of the z-axis onto the connecting shell 16. In this context, the free legs of the holding ribs 58 and the seal 60 are inserted into the corresponding holding receptacles 56 of the connecting shell 16. The bevels 138 simplify pushing on the seal 60 onto the cooler housing 78. The two upper legs of the Y-profile of the seal 60 bend apart in the direction of the x-axis. The two upper legs of the Y-profile of the seal 60 snuggly fit the corresponding exterior sides of the cooler housing 78.

(79) The end faces of the captive securing ribs 130 and 132 of the cover shell 18 are located in the final mounted state of the cover shell 18 on the corresponding heads of the fastening screw 94 and the thread-forming screws 100.

(80) The connecting shell 16 and the cover shell 18 are welded to each other along the lower fastening flange 52 and the upper fastening flange 54.

(81) The assembled intake manifold 10 is connected by means of the outlet connector flange 50 with the cylinders of the internal combustion engine. The intake manifold housing 12 is fastened with the fastening flanges 38 on the frame part of the internal combustion engine. The inlet connector flange 32 is connected with the inlet line.

(82) While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.