Forced induction device with insert for reduced flow capacity

Abstract

A forced induction device includes a compressor wheel, a housing, and an intake insert. The compressor wheel has an inducer diameter and an exducer diameter. The housing includes a housing cover member having a central portion and a housing intake portion extending from the central portion. The central portion defines a compressor cavity in which the compressor wheel rotates and having a cavity inlet diameter larger than the inducer diameter. The intake insert defines a conduit extending therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end of the intake insert. The proximal end is received by the housing intake portion with the conduit in fluidic communication with the compressor cavity. At the proximal end, the conduit the conduit has a proximal inner diameter that is less than cavity inlet diameter and the inducer diameter, and the distal end is configured to connect to a coupling portion of an air source.

1 . A forced induction device comprising:
 a compressor wheel having an inducer diameter and an exducer diameter;   a housing including a housing cover member with a central portion and a housing intake portion extending from the central portion, wherein the central portion defines a compressor cavity in which the compressor wheel rotates and that has a cavity inlet diameter; and   an intake insert defining a conduit extending therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end of the intake insert, wherein the proximal end is received by the housing intake portion with the conduit in fluidic communication with the compressor cavity;   wherein at the proximal end, the conduit has a proximal inner diameter that is less than the cavity inlet diameter and the inducer diameter, and the distal end is configured to connect to an air source.   
     
     
         2 . The forced induction device of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the intake insert extends radially from the proximal inner diameter to a proximal outer diameter of the intake insert, and a wall of the proximal end spans across the cavity inlet diameter and the inducer diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The forced induction device of  claim 2 , wherein the housing cover member forms a shoulder extending radially outward from the compressor cavity to the housing intake portion. 
     
     
         4 . The forced induction device of  claim 3 , wherein the wall of the proximal end of the intake insert engages the shoulder. 
     
     
         5 . The forced induction device of  claim 1 , wherein at the distal end of the intake insert, the conduit has a distal inner diameter that is larger than the proximal inner diameter. 
     
     
         6 . The forced induction device of  claim 5 , wherein the distal inner diameter is larger than the cavity inlet diameter and the inducer diameter. 
     
     
         7 . The forced induction device of  claim 5 , wherein an inner diameter of the conduit reduces from the distal inner diameter to the proximal inner diameter. 
     
     
         8 . The forced induction device of  claim 7 , wherein the inner diameter of the conduit reduces at a constant angle. 
     
     
         9 . The forced induction device of  claim 8 , wherein the inner diameter is constant extending from the distal end. 
     
     
         10 . The forced induction device of  claim 1 , wherein the intake insert includes a proximal portion terminating at the proximal end and a distal portion terminating at the distal end, wherein the proximal portion is received by a female recess defined by the housing intake portion, and the distal portion protrudes from the housing intake portion to be connectable to an air source. 
     
     
         11 . The forced induction device of  claim 10 , wherein the proximal portion has a proximal outer diameter, and the distal portion has a distal outer diameter that is greater than the proximal outer diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The forced induction device of  claim 9 , wherein the housing intake portion has an inner diameter that varies. 
     
     
         13 . The forced induction device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor that rotates the compressor wheel, wherein the compressor wheel is formed of a composite material. 
     
     
         14 . The forced induction device of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor that rotates the compressor wheel;
 wherein the proximal end of the intake insert extends radially from the proximal inner diameter to a proximal outer diameter of the intake insert, and material of the proximal end spans across the cavity inlet diameter and the inducer diameter;   wherein the housing cover member forms a shoulder extending radially outward from the compressor cavity to the housing intake portion, and the proximal end of the intake insert engages the shoulder;   wherein at the distal end of the intake insert, the conduit has a distal inner diameter that is larger than the proximal inner diameter, the cavity inlet diameter, and the inducer diameter;   wherein the intake insert includes a proximal portion terminating at the proximal end and a distal portion terminating at the distal end, wherein the proximal portion is received by a female recess defined by the housing intake portion, and the distal portion protrudes from the housing intake portion to be connectable to an air source; and   wherein the compressor wheel is formed of a composite material.   
     
     
         15 . A method for producing forced induction devices of different capacities, the method comprising:
 providing for a first forced induction device a first compressor wheel of a common compressor wheel design, a first compressor housing cover member of a common cover member design, and a first intake insert of a first intake insert design having a first restriction feature for restricting flow through the first intake insert;   assembling the first forced induction device by assembling the first compressor wheel, the first compressor housing cover member, and the first intake insert together;   providing for a second forced induction device a second compressor wheel of the common compressor wheel design, a second compressor housing cover member of the common cover member design, and a second intake insert of a second intake insert design that differently restricts flow than does the first intake insert; and   assembling the second forced induction device by assembling the second compressor wheel, the second compressor housing cover member, and the second intake insert together;   wherein the first forced induction device has a different capacity than the second forced induction device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing for a third forced induction device a third compressor wheel of the common compressor wheel design, a third compressor housing cover member of the common cover member design, and a third intake insert of a third intake insert design without a restriction feature; and
 assembling the third forced induction device by assembling the third compressor wheel, the third compressor housing cover member, and the third intake insert together;   wherein the second intake insert design includes a second restriction feature for restricting flow through the second intake insert; and   wherein the first intake insert restricts flow therethrough greater than the second intake insert restricts flow threrethrough, and the second intake insert restricts flow therethrough greater than the third intake insert restricts flow threrethrough.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the common cover member design includes a cavity inlet diameter, the first intake insert design includes a first proximal inner diameter that is less than the cavity inlet diameter to form the first restriction feature, and the second intake insert design includes a second proximal inner diameter that is different than the first proximal inner diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second proximal inner diameter is greater than the first proximal inner diameter to form a second restriction feature is more restrictive to flow through the second intake insert than the first restriction feature is to flow through the first intake insert. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second proximal inner diameter is greater than or equal to the cavity inlet diameter. 
     
     
         20 . A forced induction device comprising:
 a compressor wheel having an inducer diameter;   a compressor housing having an intake, the compressor wheel being rotatable within the compressor housing: and   an intake insert defining a conduit with a minimum inner diameter that is less than the inducer diameter to restrict air flow to the compressor wheel, wherein a design of the intake insert is selected from among multiple different intake insert designs that differ from each other by having different minimum inner diameters;   wherein the intake insert is permanently coupled to the intake of the compressor, and is connectable to an air source.