Patent Grant
6938901
The present invention relates to a combustion gas seal for injectors and to a seal structure disposed therewith, for preventing leakage of combustion gas in a state, in which an injector is mounted to an engine head.
Conventionally, there have been combustion gas seals for injectors of the type shown, for example, in
Here, in the case where an injector 50 is mounted to an engine head 60, it is necessary to prevent leakage of combustion gas from a neighborhood of the mounted portion of the injector 50.
Thus, washer-shaped seals 100 and 200 are conventionally provided in two locations on the mount of the injector.50 as shown in
These seals 100 and 200 are formed from a metal such as copper. As shown in
Here, as shown, for example, in
However, in the case of the configuration of the above-described conventional art, the number of parts increases because, in order to carry out the sealing, parts such as sleeves made of ductile metals (copper, brass, etc.) are necessary in addition to the metal washer-shaped seals 100 and 200.
Also, as mentioned above, because the metal washer-shaped seals 100 and 200 are made to seal using a clamping force, the clamp 70, the sleeve, and the seals 100 and 200 contact each other as like metal members. Therefore, vibration is promoted by vibration resulting from the engine and the like, which leads to noise because large sounds are generated by the portions of metal contact.
Moreover, load based on vibrations and heat causes reduction in the clamping force whereby sealing performance is degraded with time.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a combustion gas seal for injectors and a seal structure disposed therewith, in which the number of parts is reduced, vibration and noise are reduced, and sealing performance is improved.
In order to achieve the above-described object, a seal structure of the invention comprises: amounting hole that mounts an injector and is disposed in an engine head; an annular attachment groove disposed in the injector; and a resin-made combustion gas seal for injectors that is attached to the attachment groove and seals an annular space between the mounting hole and the injector, wherein an inclined surface, in which an clearance between the inclined surface and an inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole narrows towards a opposite-pressurized side, is disposed at a groove bottom of the attachment groove.
Thus, sealing is accomplished with the resin-made combustion gas seal for injectors, a clamp or the like is not necessary, vibration is absorbed, and noise is not generated. Also, due to the inclined surface disposed at the attachment groove, surface pressure is generated at the mounting hole side when the combustion gas seal for injectors is pressurized from the pressurized side.
The inclined surface may be a tapered surface whose diameter expands towards the opposite-pressurized side.
Also, the inclined surface is preferably configured by plural tapered surfaces having respectively different angles of inclination, and the angle of inclination of each tapered surface is set so that a degree of diameter expansion of the tapered surfaces becomes successively larger towards the opposite-pressurized side.
Thus, surface pressure is secured by the tapered surface whose degree of diameter expansion is small at the pressurized side, and sliding advancement of combustion gas seal for injectors can be reduced by the tapered surface whose degree of diameter expansion is large at the opposite-pressurized side.
Moreover, the inclined surface may be a curved surface in which a degree of diameter expansion becomes larger towards the opposite-pressurized side.
Thus, sliding advancement of the combustion gas seal for injectors can be reduced.
The attachment groove may be configured by a two-stepped groove that includes a first groove portion, which has a deep groove bottom, and a second groove portion, which has a shallower groove bottom than that of the first groove portion, with the inclined surface being disposed between the first groove portion and the second groove portion, and the combustion gas seal for injectors may be attached, in an initial state, at a portion at which the first groove portion and the inclined surface are disposed.
Thus, because the combustion gas seal for injectors can slid along the second groove portion, no positional regulation is carried out and generation of surface pressure resulting from the inclined surface can be maintained, even in a case where the combustion gas seal for injectors has exceeded the inclined surface due to being pressurized.
A cross-sectional shape of the combustion gas seal for injectors may be rectangular.
An inclined surface, in which the clearance between the inclined surface and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole narrows towards the opposite-pressurized side along the inclined surface disposed at the groove bottom of the attachment groove, is preferably disposed at a seal surface side, against the groove bottom of the attachment groove, of the combustion gas seal for injectors.
In a resin-made combustion gas seal for injectors of the invention that is attached at an attachment groove disposed in an injector mounted in a mounting hole of an engine head and seals an annular space between the mounting hole and the injector, the combustion gas seal for injectors includes a first seal surface that is in tight contact with an inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole, and a second seal surface that is in tight contact with a groove bottom of the attachment groove, wherein an abutment portion that abuts against an inclined surface, in which an clearance between the inclined surface and an inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole narrows towards a opposite-pressurized side, that is disposed at a groove bottom of the attachment groove is disposed at the second seal surface.
An inclined surface, in the clearance between the inclined surface and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole narrows towards the opposite-pressurized side along the inclined surface disposed at the groove bottom of the attachment groove, is preferably disposed at the abutment portion.
Preferable embodiments of the invention will be exemplarily described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative dispositions of structural members described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention only thereto.
(First Embodiment)
A combustion gas seal for injectors and a seal structure disposed therewith according to a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to
A combustion gas seal for injectors 1 according to the present embodiment is for preventing combustion gas from leaking from a periphery of a mounting hole when an injector 30 is mounted in a mounting hole disposed in an engine head 40.
As shown in
Here, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 according to the present embodiment is formed by a resin material having high heat resistance. More specifically, pure PTFE or a resin composition comprising PTFE and a filler, or a resin material such as an elastomer having flexibility, can be used.
Also, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 has a ring shape in which an outer diameter thereof is larger than an inner diameter of the mounting hole of the engine head 40 and an inner diameter thereof is smaller than an outer diameter of a groove bottom 31a of the attachment groove 31.
Therefore, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 is ordinarily attached in a compressed state irrespective of the presence or absence of pressure caused by combustion gas. Additionally, the outer diameter side and the inner diameter side of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 are in tight contact with the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40 and the groove bottom 31a of the attachment groove 31 of the injector 30, respectively, and exhibit sealing performance.
That is, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 is disposed with a first seal surface 11, which is in tight contact with the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40, and a second seal surface 12, which is in tight contact with the groove bottom 31a.
As described above, because the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 according to the present embodiment is a resin material, it absorbs vibration even if vibration or the like is transmitted thereto, does not emit noise, and exhibits a sound-insulating effect.
Incidentally, by using a combustion gas seal for injectors formed by a resin material as described above, the number of parts is reduced because a clamp or the like becomes unnecessary, assemblability becomes better, and costs can be reduced. Also, noise can be reduced because metal contact can be eliminated.
However, it was understood that, in a case where the cross-sectional shape of the attachment groove is rectangular, sealing performance is reduced with time due to creep deformation and the influence of heat.
This point will be described with reference to FIGS. 8.
As is illustrated, a combustion gas seal for injectors 300 has a cross-sectional shape that is rectangular. The combustion gas seal for injectors 300 is used by being attached to an attachment groove 501, which is disposed in an injector 500 and has a cross-sectional shape that is rectangular. The combustion gas seal for injectors 300 has a configuration that seals an annular space between the injector 500 and a mounting hole disposed in an engine head 600.
In this case, the combustion gas seal for injectors 300 exhibits stable sealing performance (the state shown in FIG. 8(a)) in an initial state because a mashed portion remains.
However, creep deformation is generated with time by a difference in thermal expansion between the engine head 600 and the combustion gas seal for injectors 300 due to the combustion gas seal for injectors 300 being used for a long period of time in a hot environment, whereby the mashed portion becomes zero (the state shown in FIG. 8(b)).
In this manner, when the environmental temperature becomes low (e.g., −40° C.) in a state in which the mashed portion has become zero, a space is generated by the contraction of the combustion gas seal for injectors 300, and gas leaks (the state shown in FIG. 8(c)).
From the above, it was understood that, when the cross-sectional shape of the attachment groove is rectangular, it is difficult to maintain stable sealing performance over a long period of time.
Thus, in the present embodiment, a tapered surface 31b that serves as an inclined surface in which an clearance between the inclined surface and the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40 narrows from an engine bore side (E), which serves as a pressurized side, towards an atmospheric side (A), which serves as a opposite-pressurized side, is disposed at the groove bottom 31a of the attachment groove 31 of the injector 30.
Additionally, an abutment portion 12a, which abuts against the tapered surface 31b disposed at the groove bottom 31a of the attachment groove 31, is disposed at the combustion gas seal for injectors 1.
Here, the cross-sectional shape of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 may be rectangular. Also, the abutment portion 12a may have a tapered shape, along the tapered surface 31b disposed at the groove bottom 31a of the attachment groove 31, in which the clearance between the inclined surface and the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40 similarly narrows towards the atmospheric side (A).
Thus, as shown in
Also, even if creep deformation occurs with time, the abutment portion 12a of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides along the tapered surface 31b disposed at the groove bottom 31a due to the pressure PO being applied from the engine bore side (E). Therefore, the first seal surface 11 is always in tight contact with the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole in a state in which sufficient surface pressure is held.
In this manner, in the present embodiment, sealing performance is improved and stable sealing performance is exhibited over a long period of time.
Next, the shapes and dimensions of each configuration will be described with particular reference to
First, the cross-sectional shape of the attachment groove 31 disposed in the injector 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
As is illustrated, a taper angle α (in the cross-sectional shape, the angle of inclination toward the inner peripheral surface 41 from a surface parallel to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40) of the tapered surface 31b disposed at the groove bottom 31a is 0 to 90°, preferably 5 to 60°, and more preferably 5 to 45°.
A height a of the side surface at the side at which the taper is disposed is 0 mm or more, and preferably 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.
A length b of the portion disposed with the taper is, with respect to a length c of the overall groove bottom (b+c), 90% or less, and more preferably 20 to 50%.
Next, the cross-sectional shape of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.
As is illustrated, a taper angle β in a case where the abutment portion 12a disposed at the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 has a tapered shape is set so that it is equal to or less than the taper angle α of the tapered surface 31b disposed at the groove bottom 31a (i.e., so that β≦α). It should be noted that it is preferable that β=0°, i.e., to make the cross section rectangular without disposing a taper.
A length d of the portion disposed with the taper is set so that it is equal to or less than the length b of the portion disposed with the taper in the tapered surface 31b disposed at the groove bottom 31a (i.e., so that d≦b). However, as described above, it is preferable that d=0 mm, i.e., to make the cross section rectangular without disposing a taper.
By setting, in this manner, the dimensions and the cross-sectional shapes of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 and the attachment groove 31 disposed in the injector 30, sealing performance is, as mentioned above, improved, and it becomes possible to exhibit stable sealing performance over a long period of time.
Next, the filling coefficient of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 will be described. In the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 according to the embodiments of the invention, the filling coefficient with respect to the attachment portion is set to be 100% or less.
That is, as shown in
Next, results when evaluation was conducted in relation to the combustion gas seal for injectors according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to
With regard to evaluation testing, as shown in
The jig 202 was configured by a supply shaft 301 corresponding to the injector, a supply housing 302 corresponding to the engine head, and an O-ring 202a that prevented leakage from the space therebetween.
And, the combustion gas seal for injectors was attached to the attachment groove disposed in the supply shaft 301, and the annular space between the supply shaft 301 and the supply housing 302 was sealed. The N2 gas was sent to the seal portion.
More specifically, first, after the combustion gas seal for injectors was attached, the combustion gas seal for injectors was left in an environment of 150° C. for 50 hours with no pressure. Thus, the leakage amount was measured at −40° C. by pressurizing the N2 gas after creep deformation had been accelerated.
Here, in order to conduct evaluation in regard to the combustion gas seal for injectors according to the embodiments of the invention, the evaluation was conducted using, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a supply shaft 301a in which the attachment groove including the tapered surface was formed, and using, as shown in FIG. 6(d), an combustion gas seal for injectors 1b having a cross-sectional rectangular shape that was not disposed with a tapered surface.
The dimensions of each part were as illustrated.
Similarly, in order to conduct evaluation in regard to the combustion gas seal for injectors according to the embodiments of the invention,the evaluation was conducted using, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the supply shaft 301a in which the attachment groove including the tapered surface was formed, and using, as shown in FIG. 6(b), an combustion gas seal for injectors 1a including a tapered surface. The dimensions of each part were as illustrated.
Moreover, for comparison, the evaluation was conducted using, as shown in. FIG. 6(c), a supply shaft 301b in which the cross-sectionally rectangular attachment groove was not disposed with a tapered surface, and using, as shown in FIG. 6(d), the cross-sectionally rectangular combustion gas seal for injectors 1b that was not disposed with a tapered surface. The dimensions of each part were as illustrated.
It should be noted that, in regard to any of these, aluminium (AL) was used for the material of the supply housing 302, stainless steel (SUS) was used for the material of the supply shaft 301, and filler-including PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) was used for the material of the combustion gas seal for injectors.
As a result of the evaluation testing, the relation between the pressure of the supplied N2 gas and the gas leakage amount was as shown in the graph of FIG. 7.
As is clear from the drawing, it will be understood that the combustion gas seal for injectors in which the tapered surface was disposed at the attachment groove, as in the embodiments of the present invention, had excellent sealing performance with little gas leakage in comparison with the case in which the tapered surface was not disposed.
It will also be understood that the combustion gas seal for injectors whose cross-section was rectangular and in which the taper was not disposed was more excellent.
(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment is shown in FIG. 9. In the first embodiment, a case was described in which the inclined surface disposed at the bottom of the attachment groove was configured by one tapered surface. However, in the present embodiment, a case is described in which the inclined surface is configured by plural tapered surfaces.
Because the other structures and action in the present embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same structural portions and explanation thereof will be omitted.
As is illustrated, the present embodiment has a configuration in which a first tapered surface 33b and a second tapered surface 33c that serve as inclined surfaces in which the clearance between the inclined surfaces and the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40 narrows from the engine bore side, which serves as a pressurized side, towards the atmospheric side, which serves as a opposite-pressurized side, are adjacently disposed at a groove bottom 33a of an annular attachment groove 33 disposed in (the outer periphery of) the edge portion of the injector 30.
And, the angles of inclination of the first tapered surface 33b and the second tapered surface 33c are set so that the degree of diameter expansion, in which the diameter expands towards the opposite-pressurized side, becomes greater in the second tapered surface 33c at the opposite-pressurized side.
That is, in
According to the above configuration, similar to the case of the first embodiment, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides toward the opposite-pressurized side due to pressure being applied thereto from the engine bore side as creep deformation proceeds with time. And, in this case, surface pressure with respect to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole is generated by a reaction force received from the first tapered surface 33b, and it becomes possible to maintain sealing performance.
Additionally, in the case of the present embodiment, the first tapered surface 33b and the second tapered surface 33c, which have respectively different angles of inclination, are disposed, and the degree of diameter expansion is greater in the second tapered surface 33c. Therefore, it is clear that, in a case in which pressure P is received from the engine bore side, the relation between a sliding amount X1, when the end portion of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides along the first tapered surface 33b, and a sliding amount X2, when the end portion of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides along the second tapered surface 33c, is one in which X1 is greater than X2.
Thus, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides toward the opposite-pressurized side with time, but the sliding amount is reduced when the end portion thereof reaches the second tapered surface 33c. Thus, in comparison with the case of the first embodiment, it becomes possible to extend the period of time in which it is possible for the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 to slide.
Therefore, because surface pressure with respect to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole can be maintained during the period in which it is possible for the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 to slide, stable sealing performance can be maintained. Thus, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 has excellent longevity in comparison with the case of the first embodiment.
Here, the smaller the groove depth, the greater the surface pressure with respect to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole becomes, and the greater the sliding amount of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 becomes. Conversely, the larger the groove depth, the smaller the surface pressure with respect to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole becomes, and the smaller the sliding amount of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 becomes.
Therefore, although it is preferable for the sliding amount to be small and for the surface pressure to be large, it is difficult to balance both with only the groove depth. Thus, in the present embodiment, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 can maintain surface pressure with the first tapered surface 33b and can reduce the sliding amount by reaching the second tapered surface 33c.
It should be noted that, although description has been given in the explanation up until now of a case where the inclined surfaces are configured by two types of tapered surfaces, the embodiment is of course not limited to two types, and the inclined surfaces can be further configured by plural tapered surfaces. In this case, it goes without saying that the angle of inclination of each tapered surface should be set so that the degree of diameter expansion of the tapered surfaces becomes successively larger towards the opposite-pressurized side.
(Third Embodiment)
A third embodiment is shown in FIG. 10. Although a case was described in the first embodiment in which the inclined surface disposed at the bottom of the attachment groove was configured by a tapered surface, a case where the inclined surface is configured by a gently curved surface is described in the present embodiment.
Because the other structures and action in the present embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same structural portions and explanation thereof will be omitted.
As is illustrated, the present embodiment has a configuration in which a gently curved surface 34b that serves as an inclined surface in which the clearance between the inclined surface and the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole of the engine head 40 narrows from the engine bore side, which serves as a pressurized side, towards the atmospheric side, which serves as a opposite-pressurized side, is disposed at a groove bottom 34a of an annular attachment groove 34 disposed in (the outer periphery of) the edge portion of the injector 30.
This can be said to be a configuration in which, in the configuration disposed with plural tapered surface as in the second embodiment, a limitless number of tapered surfaces are continuously disposed.
By configuring the invention is this manner, the sliding amount as the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides towards the opposite-pressurized side with time is gradually reduced, and it becomes possible to obtain the same effects as in the case of the second embodiment.
(Fourth Embodiment)
A fourth embodiment is shown in FIG. 12. In the present embodiment, the attachment groove is configured by a two-stepped groove.
Because the other structures and action in the present embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same structural portions and explanation thereof will be omitted.
Because the first embodiment, as shown in
Therefore, depending on the conditions of the respective dimensions, shapes and pressure, and environmental conditions, sometimes the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 moves with time towards the atmospheric side (A) and, as shown in FIG. 11, the end surface thereof abuts against the side wall surface 31c.
Because the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 does not slide any further when the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 abuts against the side wall surface 31c, surface pressure with respect to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole is not generated and sealing performance drops.
Thus, the present embodiment has a configuration in which sliding regulation of the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 is eliminated.
As is illustrated, in the present embodiment, the annular attachment groove 32 disposed in (the outer periphery of) the edge portion of the injector 30 is configured by a two-stepped groove that includes a first groove portion 32a, which has a deep groove bottom, and a second groove portion 32b, which has a shallower groove portion than that of the first groove portion 32a. Also, a tapered surface 32c that serves as an inclined surface joins the first groove portion 32a and the second groove portion 32b.
In an initial state, similar to the first embodiment, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 is attached at a position at which the first groove portion 32a and the tapered surface 32c are disposed.
According to the above configuration, even in a case where the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 slides toward the atmospheric side (A) due to creep deformation with time and the end at the atmospheric side exceeds the tapered surface 32c, the combustion gas seal for injectors 1 can further slide only by the amount disposed with the second groove portion 32b in comparison with the case of the first embodiment, whereby surface pressure with respect to the inner peripheral surface 41 of the mounting hole can be maintained.
Therefore, a drop in surface pressure can be prevented, and it also becomes possible to improve seal life.
It should be noted that the inclined surface joining the clearance between the first groove portion 32a and the second groove portion 32b is not limited to the one tapered surface 32c shown in FIG. 12. The inclined surface may be configured by plural tapered surfaces, as in the second embodiment, or by a curved surface, as in the third embodiment.
As described above, with the present invention, it becomes possible to reduce vibration and noise while reducing the number of parts, and to improve sealing performance.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-395924 | Dec 2000 | JP | national |
| 2001-165339 | May 2001 | JP | national |
This is a nationalization of PCT/JP01/08380, filed Sep. 26, 2001 and published in Japanese.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP01/08380 | 9/26/2001 | WO | 00 | 12/3/2003 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO02/05214 | 7/4/2002 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3244377 | Roosa | Apr 1966 | A |
| 3750960 | Back et al. | Aug 1973 | A |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 57-54647 | Mar 1982 | JP |
| 60-178697 | Nov 1985 | JP |
| 1-176747 | Dec 1989 | JP |
| 05-240356 | Sep 1993 | JP |
| 08-042700 | Feb 1996 | JP |
| WO0212717 | Feb 2002 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040080115 A1 | Apr 2004 | US |
