The present invention relates to a component of a hydraulic device, in particular a fluid line of a hydraulic high-pressure device and/or a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines. The present invention specifically relates to the field of fuel injection systems of motor vehicles in which highly pressurized fuel is preferably injected directly into the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine.
A fuel injection system is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0264231 A1. Here, multiple components, in particular a fuel pump, a fuel rail, and injectors are provided which are connected to one another via suitable lines.
In a fuel injection system, such as the one described in U.S. Patent Application 2010/0264231 A1, a conveyance of a fuel is necessary from a tank to the injectors via a pump and, if necessary, a fuel rail. For this purpose, more or less long connection paths are necessary with regard to the particular installation space specifications at the internal combustion engine, in particular in an engine compartment. A line which is used to bridge such paths must then also potentially include bendings, kinks or the like at suitable points in order to correspond to the spatial conditions.
An example component according to the present invention may have the advantage that an improved implementation and functionality are made possible. In particular, an adaptation to the geometric specifications which are necessary, for example, due to an installation space or required connecting points may be achieved in an improved manner.
The measures described herein make advantageous refinements of the example component.
The component may involve a fluid line, in particular, which conveys a fluid, in particular a liquid fluid, during operation. Specifically, the fluid line may be suitable for a high-pressure device via which a highly pressurized fluid is conveyed during operation. Specifically, the component may be a part of a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines. In the case of applications in motor vehicles, in particular, such a component may, however, also be used in a different device, for example in a metering device for metering a fluid which may be used, for example, to improve exhaust gas values, in particular through an exhaust aftertreatment.
Advantageously, fluid lines may, in particular, be implemented to bridge short and long paths, a very flexible adaptation to installation space and assembly specifications being possible. For example, suitable holding means, in particular holding brackets, may be provided to fasten the component. In addition to the mechanical fastening this may also serve to reduce vibrations. For the purpose of connecting to such holding brackets, which are in general necessary in particular in the case of long fluid lines, suitable deformations are potentially necessary or at least advantageous. For example, an easy assembly and disassembly of the fluid line may be advantageous for a good adaptability to the internal combustion engine.
Moreover, end closures or branch duct closures or connection interfaces may be necessary. A corresponding adaptation and, if necessary, an integrated or a partially integrated implementation may be made possible in this case. For example, the two ends of a fluid line may be formed with regard to a sealing connection interface. In this case, one end or both ends of the fluid line may be advantageously designed to be ready for connection. This simplifies the assembly and additionally prevents assembly errors. As a result, the leakage tightness of the interface may be ensured, in particular, in an improved manner.
To form an interface in a completely or partially integral manner, a diameter and a wall thickness of the base body may be in particular partially reduced in order to enable the forming. If, for the purpose of implementing the interface, a part of the tubular base body which is connected to a connecting element through soldering, welding, gluing or crimping, for example, is used, the diameter and the wall thickness may be reduced at the part at least sectionally in order to enable a geometric adaptation to the connecting element used for the interface and/or other additional elements.
A stainless austenitic steel, which may be used partially in any case as the material for the component, in particular a fluid line, and for the interface parts, enables a good corrosion resistance as compared to, for example, a non-stainless steel in the case of which a special coating would be necessary in this regard to meet the corrosion resistance of the parts.
Due to the limited installation space at the internal combustion engine and the required line length, the geometry of the line cannot be substantially changed in the present application for the purpose of improving the stiffness of the line or the stiffness at an interface, for example. For example, a special guidance of the fluid line which may be achieved in this regard by correspondingly bending the fluid line may be necessary with regard to the internal combustion engine and its add-on components as well as other components accommodated in the engine compartment. Moreover, the bending process or the manufacture of the fluid line itself together with its interfaces and, if necessary, additional elements, which are used, for example, for connecting, represent limitations with regard to larger dimensions and wall thicknesses. Specifically, changes, in particular reductions, of a diameter may be necessary. Sometimes, predefined assembly or connecting geometries, which are predefined, for example, at a pump or at a fuel distributor as the connection partners, and, potentially, also production-related boundary conditions, for example with regard to the assembly tools, such as electric screwdrivers, assembly aids, and test devices, which may be required for checking the leakage tightness, for example, do not allow for an additional increase in the line dimensions.
In order to increase the static and dynamic stiffness of the fluid line, the dimensions or the wall thickness of the fluid line may be increased at least partially. An increased stiffness is in general necessary when the loads acting on the fluid line increase, for example, the hydraulic load due to an increase in the fluid pressure of the hydraulic system or the mechanical loads due to masses excited by oscillations. In particular, an increase in the fuel pressure may be desirable to improve a combustion.
By using a material based on at least one duplex steel, the stiffness and the fatigue strength of the fluid line may be improved, without increasing its dimensions, making the manufacturability more difficult or impairing the chemical resistance. In particular, a desirable fluid through-flow per time unit may be implemented by using a flexible fluid line having small dimensions, the dimensions and the mass or the weight not requiring an increase.
A duplex steel is characterized by a mixed microstructure made of austenitic and ferritic components. The crystallographic structure may also be affected by additives in this case. For example, nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), nitrogen (N), and others, such as copper (Cu), may be used as additives, nickel in particular being capable of having an impact on the crystallographic structure. The typical microstructure of a duplex steel represents a basis for the improved material properties.
It is understood that the advantages named above based on the fluid line and possible embodiments and refinements are also implementable in a corresponding manner in the case of other components of a hydraulic device. In particular, the stiffness and the service life of the component may be improved and a fatigue may be reduced.
Possible duplex steels, on which the material for the base body may be based, represent steels having the international steel number EN 1.4162, EN 1.4362, EN 1.4662, EN 1.4462, EN 1.4410 and comparable types of steel. Here, it is also understood that such a duplex steel may be suitably modified, if necessary, in particular by varying the proportions of the intended additives and/or by omitting at least one additive and/or by adding at least one additional additive. Furthermore, it is in principle also possible that the part of the base body which is formed from a material based on at least one duplex steel, is additionally coated. However, the duplex steel is preferably selected in such a way that no additional coating is necessary in order to meet the requirements with regard to a corrosion resistance, for example.
In order to implement a closure, in particular an end closure, or a connection, in particular an end connection, different shapes, geometries or wall thicknesses may be implemented, without impairing the manufacturability. This allows for adaptations to different interfaces. The implementation of the part of the base body from the material based on at least one duplex steel is thus advantageously suitable for the refinements in accordance with the present invention.
If a duplex steel is used for the component, an optimized corrosion resistance may be achieved which is, for example, advantageous in the case of a fuel line. Here, it is particularly advantageous according to a refinement in accordance with the present invention that the part of the base body is formed completely or essentially from one or multiple duplex steel(s).
The component may be designed completely from the material based on at least one duplex steel. The base body may, in this case, be specifically completely formed from this material. It is, however, also possible that one or multiple parts of the base body are formed from such a material. The specification that a part of the base body is formed from a material based on at least one duplex steel is to be understood in this case in such a way that this includes a merely partial formation of the base body from such a material as well as a complete formation of the base body form such a material.
One refinement in accordance with the present invention may have the advantage that a deformation of the base body may be advantageously carried out at interfaces, for example, or at a closure. In addition to a good manufacturability, an optimal corrosion resistance may be achieved in this case at the part which is subjected to corresponding loads due to its interface function, for example.
In one of the refinements in accordance with the present invention, a connecting element may be implemented which also has the advantageous properties, which result from the duplex steel, for implementing an interface or the like. In this case, integral and/or form-locked connections may be moreover implemented between the base body and the connecting element. Examples of such integral and/or form-locked connections which are particularly advantageous are also provided in accordance with the present invention. In one possible refinement of the present invention, the connecting element may be based on at least one duplex steel or a combination of a connecting element based on austenitic steel and a part of the base body based on at least one duplex steel may also be implemented.
The implementation of the sealed connections between the connecting partners which are formed from duplex steels or from a duplex steel and an austenitic steel in the area of the connection, may take place via a thermal connection process. For example, local soldering may be used which may be made possible in particular by local inductive heating. Welding may advantageously also be used as a thermal connecting process which may be carried out in a kiln, for example. An integral connection may be implemented in this or in another way. However, reshaping and/or folding and/or crimping are possibilities to establish a connection by way of a form-locked connection. By taking into account the particular application, gluing may also be used to establish the connection. It is understood that a combination of different connection processes may in principle also be used. In particular, a form-locked connection, such as the one achievable by crimping, may serve as a preparatory stage for a thermal connecting process.
In one refinement in accordance with the present invention, a connection may be advantageously implemented which is well manufacturable in terms of processing and which is highly stressable during operation. The recess of the connecting element is not necessarily cylinder-shaped in this case. In one additional refinement in accordance with the present invention, a stop or a limitation may be in particular predefined at a step of the stepped bore, when the part is inserted into the recess of the connecting element for the purpose of subsequently establishing the connection. The stepped bore may be axially symmetrical in this case. However, other designs, in particular rotatably fixed designs, are also possible. Furthermore, one advantageous embodiment which is suitable in particular for fluid lines designed as connecting lines, if these are designed in a corresponding manner at both their ends, is possible with the aid of one refinement according to the present invention. This makes it possible, for example, to connect a pump, in particular a high-pressure pump, and a fuel distributor to one another.
Advantageous refinements according to the present invention may be implemented particularly well especially if a material is used which is based on at least one duplex steel. In particular, not only round, in particular circular, fluid lines may be manufactured. But also fluid lines having a square or another polygonal cross section may be easily implemented, thus resulting in a wide range of applications due to the flexible implementation possibility.
As a result of the good formability of the duplex steel, the manufacture of the fluid line, a bending or a similar deformation of the fluid line, locally required or desirable geometry modifications or the like may be implemented economically in terms of processing. This also applies, as already mentioned, to other components. Possible applications include a reduction of the diameter for connection interfaces or other interfaces having small geometries, the reduction of the diameter taking place in particular continuously or at one step.
Seamless, drawn fluid lines, welded fluid lines having a round design and those having a round as well as non-round design of the cross section are advantageous examples which may be manufactured due to the material based on at least one duplex steel.
A non-symmetric design of the cross section of the fluid line, which is potentially advantageous in the particular application, may also be implemented. Here, geometric and/or material-related differences may be implemented. For example, different stiffnesses in different radial directions of the cross section may be advantageous in certain applications. In this way, a good bending property, i.e., a minor stiffness, and a high stability, i.e., a great stiffness, which are predefined in different radial directions may be achieved. In this way, it is possible, for example, that a fluid line is designed having a particularly small bending radius in one bending direction and, at the same time, deformations, such as the ones which may be induced as a result of vibrations, are reduced perpendicularly to the bending direction due to the selected high stiffness.
Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in greater detail below with reference to the figures in which corresponding elements are provided with matching reference numerals.
Components 2, 3 are designed as fluid lines 2, 3 in this specific embodiment. Here, fluid lines 2, 3 are used as fuel lines 2, 3. Fuel line 2 is connected, on the one hand, at an interface 12 designed as a connecting point 12 and, on the other hand, at an interface 13 designed as a connecting point 13 to high-pressure pump 6. Fluid line 3 is, on the one hand, connected at an interface 14 designed as a connecting point 14 to high-pressure pump 6 and, on the other hand, guided into tank 5. Components 2, 3 each have a tubular base body 15, 16. Fuel distributor 4 has a tubular base body 17 and is designed as a fuel distribution rail 4 in this exemplary embodiment. During operation, fuel is drawn by high-pressure pump 6 from tank 5 via fluid line 3 and delivered into fuel distribution rail 4 via fluid line 2 under high pressure. The highly pressurized fuel stored in fuel distribution rail 4 may then be injected into combustion chambers 10, 11 via injectors 7, 8. High pressures of the fuel in particular allow for an improved injection which results in an improved combustion and thus improved exhaust gas values.
In this exemplary embodiment, injectors 7, 8 are fastened to fuel distribution rail 4 without additional fluid lines, i.e. via cups or the like, for example. In one modified embodiment, fluid lines may, however, also be provided which are designed correspondingly to fluid line 2, for example, in order to connect injectors 7, 8 to fuel distribution rail 4.
Component 2 includes tubular base body 15, a connecting element 20, and a fastening element 21. In this way, interface 13 which is designed as connecting point 13 may be implemented at an end 22 of tubular base body 15. However, such additional elements 20, 21 are not necessarily provided in modified embodiments and it is also possible for one or multiple other elements to be provided at end 22 or at another point of tubular base body 15.
Fastening element 21 includes a recess 24 which is designed at least sectionally as bore 24 including a female thread 25. In this exemplary embodiment, female thread 25 allows for fastening element 21 to be screwed in at high-pressure pump 6.
Recess 24 has a beveled base 26 through which a supporting surface 26 is formed at fastening element 21. Base 26 is open at a through opening 27 which is formed as a through bore 27. Here, a part 28 of tubular base body 15 extends through through opening 27 into recess 24. Here, there is moreover an operative connection between base body 15 and supporting surface 26 at fastening element 21 via connecting element 20. Connecting element 20 has a recess 29. Recess 29 is an integral part of a stepped bore 30. In this exemplary embodiment, recess 29 is cylinder-shaped, a section 31 which adjoins recess 29 also being cylinder-shaped, but having a reduced diameter. In this exemplary embodiment, part 28 is designed along a straight longitudinal line 32 at least in the illustrated section. Connecting element 20 and fastening element 21 are aligned with regard to straight longitudinal line 32 and are additionally formed rotationally symmetrically with regard to longitudinal line 32 in this exemplary embodiment. A gap between end 22 and connecting element 20 which is also rotationally symmetric with regard to longitudinal line 32 and which is initially present during a manufacturing process, is filled with a connecting material 33 in this exemplary embodiment. Connecting material 33 may be a solder 33 or a glue 33. In one modified embodiment, the connection may also be established by welding, so that a weld seam 33 results instead of connecting material 33. Other modifications are furthermore conceivable in which a form-locked and/or a force-fitted connection is implemented. For example, a form-locked connection may be established by crimping, folding or reshaping.
In this exemplary embodiment, the connection between end 22 and connecting element 20 is implemented as a high-pressure tight connection. In this way, a front side 34 of connecting element 20 may be used to achieve a sealing with regard to a counterpart at high-pressure pump 6 directly or via a suitable sealant. Numerous modifications are conceivable here. For example, a circumferential cutting edge may also be implemented at front side 34 in order to form a copper sealing ring, for example. In such a case, connecting element 20 is preferably formed from a sufficiently hard material with regard to the copper ring, for example.
At least part 28 and here, for example, also a part 28′ of base body 15 is formed from a duplex steel. In one modified embodiment, the material for part 28 may also be based on a duplex steel, a portion of a different steel or of different metals being added, for example, to form the material.
In general, part 28 of base body 15 is thus made from a material which is based on at least one duplex steel. The above-named possible embodiments also apply accordingly to the other described exemplary embodiments.
In this exemplary embodiment, part 28 is designed as a connecting part 28. This results in a particularly good connectability to connecting element 20. Connecting element 20 may also be formed from a material which is based on at least one duplex steel depending on the application and design.
However, another material, in particular an austenitic steel may also be used for connecting element 20. The same applies to fastening element 21. Connecting element 20 and/or fastening element 21 may also be manufactured from a non-corrosion-resistant steel or from a non-corrosion-resistant material, for example, a suitable anti-corrosion coating, i.e., a coating which prevents corrosion, being preferably provided. Specifically, for fastening element 21, the implementation from a non-corrosion-resistant material, in particular steel, is a preferred approach which is cost-effective among other things.
In this exemplary embodiment, a section 22 of part 28, i.e. end 22, of base body 15 is inserted into recess 29 of connecting element 20. This results in high mechanical strength. This is achieved, on the one hand, through the large-scale embodiment of connecting material 33 at both its boundary surfaces toward end 22 and toward connecting element 20 or through correspondingly large implementations of a welded joint or the like. On the other hand, the connection is relieved from occurring transverse forces which occur radially to longitudinal line 32. As a result, other embodiments are also conceivable in which a connection may be established by folding or a different type of reshaping, for example.
To install component 2 at high-pressure pump 6, fastening element 21 may be screwed onto a corresponding counterpart at high-pressure pump 6. In this case, connecting element 20 is pressed against the counterpart, and the connection is established. The tensile forces acting on tubular base body 15 along longitudinal line 32 are supported via connecting material 33 or the like and connecting element 20 is supported at fastening element 21 in a corresponding manner. An additional mechanical protection in the case of occurring external transverse forces is moreover provided via through opening 27 which makes possible a radial support of part 28 in the case of a correspondingly narrow design. Even undesirable bendings of tubular base body 15 may then occur at least essentially only outside of fastening element 21, so that the connection via connecting material 33 or the like is not impaired.
Tubular base body 15 has an external geometry 35 which is predefined as a circular external geometry 35 in this exemplary embodiment. With regard to its interior space 36, tubular base body 15 furthermore has an opening cross section 37 which is predefined as a circular opening cross section 37 in this exemplary embodiment. At least in the section illustrated in
In this embodiment, a large opening cross section 37 may be achieved via a large section 40, so that a sufficiently minor throttling effect is implemented. This results in an improved fluid conveyance.
At the same time, an advantageous connectability is made possible between end 22 and connecting element 20. This connectability may be implemented in one possible manner, as described based on
Moreover, a front side 34′, in which an opening 44 is provided, is formed at end 22 as a result of enlarged external geometry 35.
In addition, sections 40, 41, 42 are provided at tubular base body 15.
In the case of the exemplary embodiments described based on
In contrast thereto, wall thickness 45 described in the fifth exemplary embodiment based on
In one modified embodiment, it is also possible that a variation of wall thickness 45 is also implemented at end 22, which may in particular be such that opening cross section 37 of interior space 36, potentially including opening 44, does not change along longitudinal line 32. It is furthermore understood that other combinations are also conceivable, for example instead of end 22 having enlarged external geometry 35, such as the one illustrated in
In this exemplary embodiment, a variation of wall thickness 45 is furthermore implemented along a circumferential direction 53. The design of cross section 50, such as the one illustrated in
In this way, advantageous geometries of component 2 and, correspondingly, of components 3, 4 may be implemented, an advantageous manufacturability as well as advantageous chemical and mechanical properties being implementable at the same time, especially due to the fact that at least one part 28, 28′ of base body 15 is formed from a material based on at least one duplex steel, which includes the case that entire base body 15 is formed from the material based on at least one duplex steel.
A tubular base body 15, 16, 17 may be formed from a seamlessly drawn, tubular component 15, 16, 17. Alternatively, tubular base body 15, 16, 17 may be based on a tight-welded sheet metal. For this purpose, a planar sheet metal, for example, may be bent and tight-welded correspondingly to desired cross section 50. A tubular base body 15, 16, 17 may in particular have a round or a rectangular cross section 50.
The present invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiments and modifications.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2015 226 795.4 | Dec 2015 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2016/079577 | 12/2/2016 | WO | 00 |