Patent Grant
7118140
It is believed that sealed connections are used in fluid communication assemblies. These sealed connections typically include a threaded inner bore that is formed in a female fitting. The female fitting typically also has a conical seal-seating surface formed at its outer end. The connection also generally provides a male fitting that is threaded in the outer bore. The male fitting typically also has a conical seal-seating surface formed on the outer bore. The seal-seating surface of the male fitting is generally complementary to the conical surface formed at the outer end of the bore of the female fitting. The connection further provides a sealing member formed of a compliant metallic material. The sealing member typically has a generally complementary seal-seating surface that provides a sealed connection. The sealing member is typically compressed between the complementary sealing surfaces. The male fitting is generally tightened to a predetermined torque and the sealing member fluidly seals the female and male fitting members.
It would be beneficial to provide a sealed connection without having to provide male and female fittings that are threaded. In addition, it would be beneficial to eliminate the step of tightening the threaded fittings to a predetermined torque in order to seal the connection.
The present invention provides a fuel handling assembly for retaining a component within a base. The fuel handling assembly includes the base having a wall disposed about a longitudinal axis. The wall has a surface exposed to the longitudinal axis. The surface defines a chamber. The wall has an end that defines an aperture to the chamber. The assembly further includes a component having a housing. The housing has an exterior surface. A portion of the exterior surface is disposed within the chamber. A metallic member having an inner surface and an outer surface is contiguous with the exterior surface of the component. The outer surface is contiguous with the surface of the wall so that the portion of the exterior surface of the component is retained within the chamber and the aperture of the chamber is hermetically sealed.
The present invention further provides a method of retaining a component within a base. The method can be achieved by disposing a metallic member about an end of the component and inserting the end of the component into a base to form a seal between the base and the metallic member and between the metallic member and the component. The component is retained within the fuel passage without engagement between the component and the base.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention.
With reference to
In particular, the fuel rail 114 has an inside diameter (“ID114”) that is generally the same as the outside diameter (“OD10a”) of a first portion 10a of the first connection member 10. Preferably, the ID114 of the fuel rail 114 and the OD10a of the first portion 10a should be configured so as to permit a “slip-fit” between the connection member 10 and the fuel rail 114. It should be understood that a slip-fit, in most practical applications, denotes a semi-permanent attachment of the connection member to a component that also allows repositioning of the connection member, such as, for example, during initial installation or adjustment thereafter. That is, as used throughout this disclosure, the term “slip-fit” denotes a fit where accuracy of location is important, but a small amount of either clearance or interference is permissible. Adhesives can also be used in conjunction with the connection member to assist the slip-fit in the retaining and sealing function of the connection member 10 to the components of the fuel system.
The first portion 10a has an inside diameter (“ID10a”) that is approximately the same as the outside diameter (“OD112”) of the fuel rail end cap 112. Preferably, the ID10a of the first portion 10a and the OD112 of the fuel rail end cap 112 should be configured so as to permit a “press-fit.” It should be understood that a press-fit, in practical applications, denotes a permanent attachment of the connection member to a component that may cause substantial damage on the connection member so as to render it unusable upon removal. That is, as used herein, the term “press-fit” denotes a fit characterized by an approximately constant bore pressure between the connection member and the respective components, and which pressure is below a yield point for plastic deformations. Adhesives can also be used in conjunction with the connection member 10 to assist the press-fit in retaining and sealing the connection member 10 to the rail end cap 112.
In order to couple the fuel rail end cap 112 to the fuel rail 114, the internal damper 110 is inserted into the fuel rail, and the first connection member 10 is inserted into an opening in the fuel rail 114. The fuel rail end cap 112 is then inserted, instead of being torqued, threaded or twisted, into an opening of the first connection member 10. Here, the first connection member 10 should be a material of greater compliance (i.e. having a linear elastic behavior) than the parts that are to be attached together. Thus, due to the compliant nature of the first connection member 10 and its physical geometries, the first connection member 10 retains the fuel rail end cap 112 and allows a high pressure hermetic seal to be formed between fuel rail 114 and the fuel rail end cap 112 by only inserting the fuel rail end cap 112 into the first connection member 10 that has been mounted beforehand in the fuel rail 114. Alternatively, the first connection member 10 could also be pre-mounted on the fuel rail end cap 112 before the fuel rail end cap 112 is inserted into the fuel rail 114. Preferably, the fuel rail end cap 112 and the fuel rail 114 are made of steel, and the first connection member 10 is made of brass or alloys of copper. It should be noted, however, that the fuel rail end cap 112 can be made of the same or a different material from the fuel rail 114 as long as the first connection member 10 has a greater linear elastic behavior than the material(s) for the fuel rail end cap 112 and the fuel rail 114. That is, the connection member 10 should not undergo plastic, or permanent deformations upon insertion of the fuel rail end cap 112 to the fuel rail 114 or vice versa.
The fuel injector 116 is mounted in an intake plenum or manifold (not shown) of an internal combustion engine (also not shown). The fuel injector 116 is coupled to the fuel rail 114 by a fuel injector cup 118 having a first opening 122 and a second opening 124 which is affixed to the fuel rail 114. Specifically, an inlet end 120 of the fuel injector 116 is coupled to the first opening 122 of the fuel injector cup 118 via a second connection member 12 to receive pressurized fuel 40. In particular, the first opening 122 has an inside diameter (“ID122”) that is generally the same as the outside diameter (“OD12a”) of a first portion 12a of the second connection member 12. The first portion 12a of the second connection member 12 has an inside diameter (“ID12a”) that is approximately the same as the outside diameter (“OD120”) of the fuel injector inlet 120. In particular, the fuel rail 114 has an inside diameter (“ID114”) that is generally the same as the outside diameter (“OD10a”) of a first portion 12a of the connection member 12. Preferably, the ID122 of the opening 122 and the OD12a of the first portion 12a should be configured so as to permit a “slip-fit” between the connection member 12 and the opening 122. It should be understood that a slip-fit, in most practical applications, denotes a semi-permanent attachment of the connection member to a component that also allows repositioning of the connection member, such as, for example, during initial installation or adjustment thereafter. That is, as used throughout this disclosure, the term “slip-fit” denotes a fit where accuracy of location is important, but a small amount of either clearance or interference is permissible. Adhesives can also be used in conjunction with the connection member to assist the slip-fit in the retaining and sealing functions of the connection member 12 to the opening 122.
The first portion 12a has an inside diameter (“ID12a”) that is approximately the same as the outside diameter (“OD122”) of the opening 122. Preferably, the ID12a of the first portion 12a and the OD122 of the opening 122 should be configured so as to permit a “press-fit.” It should be understood that a press-fit, in practical applications, denotes a permanent attachment of the connection member to a component that may cause substantial damage on the connection member so as to render it unusable upon removal. That is, as used herein, the term “press-fit” denotes a fit characterized by an approximately constant bore pressure between the connection member and the respective components, and which pressure is below a yield point for plastic deformations. Adhesives can also be used in conjunction with the connection member to assist the press-fit in retaining and sealing the connection member 12 to the opening 122.
The second connection member 12 also includes a second portion 12b that extends along at least one, preferably, two radii of curvatures so as to terminate in a flared end portion 12c. In order to couple the fuel injector inlet 28 to the first opening 122 of the injector cup 118, the second connection member 12 can inserted into the first opening 122 of the cup 118 or the second connection member 12 can be mounted on the inlet 120 of the fuel injector. The fuel injector 116 is mounted into an intake plenum or an intake manifold. The fuel rail 114, with the injector cup 118 aligned with the inlet 120 of the fuel injector 116 is then displaced along a longitudinal axis A—A of the fuel injector 116 so as to form a hermetic seal between the cup 118 and the inlet 120 of the fuel injector. Here, the second connection member 12 should be a material of greater compliance (i.e. having a linear elastic deformation behavior) than the parts that are to be attached together. Thus, due to the compliant nature of the second connection member 12 and its physical geometries, the second connection member 12 allows a high pressure hermetic seal to be formed between the injector cup 118 and the fuel injector 116 by simply coupling the two parts together with the second connection member 12 being either pre-mounted to either the injector cup 118 or, preferably, to the inlet 120 of the fuel injector 116. Preferably, the injector cup 118 and the inlet 120 are made of steel, and the second connection member 12 is made of brass or alloys of copper. It should be noted, however, that the inlet 120 can be made of the same material or a different material from the injector cup 118 as long as the second connection member 12 has a greater linear elastic behavior than the material(s) for these components. That is, the connection member 12 should not undergo plastic, or permanent deformation upon insertion of the inlet 120 in the injector cup 118 or vice versa.
The first portion 14a has an inside diameter (“ID14a”) that is approximately the same as the inside diameter (“OD202a ”) of the opening 202a. Preferably, the ID14a of the first portion 14a and the OD202a of the opening 202a should be configured so as to permit a “press-fit.”Alternatively, adhesives can also be used in conjunction with the press-fit of the connection member 14 to the opening 202a of the mounting cup 202.
It should be noted that the third connection member 14 operates similarly to the first and second connection members 10 and 12 except for minor differences in materials or dimensional parameters. In particular, the connection member 14 is mounted to the mounting cup 202 by a slip-fit. The fuel damper 200 with its second housing portion 206 is then press-fitted into the connection member 14. Here, as with the connection members 10 and 12, the connection member 14 allows the components to be installed in a single motion, thereby eliminating threaded, barbed or specialized fittings. The connection member 14, due to its elastic deformation and physical geometries when the components are installed, also allows a hermetic seal to be formed and the components to be retained to each other under both operative and burst pressures.
Details of the connection member 14 can be seen in
The intermediate portion 18b and the second curved portion 18c have generally the same thickness T2. The flat portion or stop portion 20 extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis and terminates at a second outside diameter D2.
In one preferred embodiment, the first diameter D1 is approximately 13.38 millimeter, the second diameter is approximately 17 millimeter, the first radius of curvature R1 is approximately 0.35 millimeter, the second radius of curvature R2 is approximately 1 millimeter, the roughness Ra of the inner surface 16c is preferably between approximately 0.32 micron to approximately 1.6 micron, the roughness Ra outer surface 16d is approximately 0.8 micron to approximately 2.0 micron, the angle α is approximately 20 degrees or less but not greater than 37 degrees, the thickness T1 is approximately 0.35 millimeter with a tolerance of ±0.02 millimeter and the thickness T2 is approximately 0.35 millimeter with a tolerance of +0.06 millimeter and (−)0.02 millimeter. Testing procedures have demonstrated that the preferred connection member (having the preferred parameters) will form a hermetic seal upon installation between different components of a fuel delivery system such that the connection member remains a hermetic seal at operating fuel pressure of approximately 2–60 pounds per square-inch (“psi”) and beyond a rated burst pressure of approximately 600 to 1000 psi, in a environment between approximately −20 degrees Celsius to over 150 degrees Celsius. It has also been demonstrated through testing procedures that approximately 445 Newton of force is required for insertion of one component to another component with the connection member pre-mounted on one of the components.
It should be noted that although the connection members 10, 12 and 14 have been shown for specific fuel supply components, the connection member can be used in devices that require a retainer to provide a hermetic seal but which do not need or require threaded, barbed or specialized fittings. It should also be understood that the connection member can be used for a variety of pressurized environments and is not limited to the tested environment. The devices can be, for example, air pump components, air intake plenum or manifolds, valve cover components, positive and negative pressure pumps. Thus, the connection member would connect and hermetically seal two operative components within any one of these devices.
It is contemplated that other type of devices that require a retainer and a hermetic seal (for pressurized or unpressurized environment) without barbed, threaded, or special fittings will be known to those skilled in the art, and such devices are within the scope of the preferred embodiments.
While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20030080556 A1 | May 2003 | US |
