Patent Application
20130213343
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for mounting an apparatus to a port of an internal combustion engine.
Vehicle manufacturers are constantly changing the design of vehicles and looking to increase the size of the passenger compartment without significantly increasing the size of the vehicle. Vehicle manufactures are also increasing the number of features found in vehicles without increasing the size of the vehicle. As a result, space allocated for vehicle engines is ever decreasing. Decreasing engine space, decreases access to ducts and other parts and makes it difficult to secure them to the engine.
Additionally, most vehicles are built on a production assembly line. To avoid delays along the assembly line, ducts and other parts must be easily attachable to partially assembled vehicles. Thus, there is a need for a system that provides easy attachment of ducts and other parts to an engine where there is limited access.
The present disclosure provides a system for mounting a duct to a mounting surface that includes a port structure in an engine. The port mounting includes an opening and a mounting surface that surrounds the opening. The system includes a flange having a flange opening, a first side adjacent the flange opening that accepts fasteners, and a second side opposite the first side with a tongue portion that extends away from the flange opening and mates with the mounting surface of the port mounting. The system may further include a mounting rail having a shoulder spaced away from the mounting surface of the port mounting and mates with the tongue portion of the flange. The mounting rail may be positioned to be parallel to the mounting surface of the port mounting.
In one embodiment, the shoulder is positioned and configured to apply a leveraged clamping force to the tongue portion of the flange. In another embodiment, the flange may be sealed to the port mounting by the shoulder and fasteners applied to the first side of the flange. Additionally, having the shoulder not extending over the mounting surface of the port mounting may allow the tongue portion of the flange to be introduced between the shoulder and the mounting surface of the port mounting at an angled orientation to the mounting surface of the port mounting. In one embodiment, the angle may be approximately 10 degrees.
In one embodiment, the mounting rail may be mounted to an internal combustion engine and may have a “U” shape formed by first and second arms and a connecting arm that extends between the first and second arms. The first and second arms of the “U” shaped mounting rail may be mounted to the mounting surface of the port mounting and the shoulder may be connected to the connecting arm. In another embodiment, the system may include a gasket between the flange and the mounting surface of the port mounting.
The present disclosure further provides a method of mounting a manifold to a port mounting of an engine, wherein the port mounting has an opening and a mounting surface that surrounds the opening. The method may include positioning a mounting rail adjacent the port mounting where the mounting rail has a shoulder spaced away from the mounting surface of the port mounting and that does not extend over the mounting surface of the port mounting. The shoulder may be positioned to be parallel to the mounting surface of the port mounting. The method may further include inserting, e.g. sliding, a tongue portion of a first side of a flange between the mounting surface of the port mounting and the shoulder of the mounting rail so that the tongue portion extends away from an opening in the flange and is opposite a second side of the flange that has fastener openings.
In one embodiment, during the step of inserting the tongue portion, the flange may be at an angle, for example 10 degrees, with respect to the mounting surface of the port mounting. In another embodiment, the method may further include pivoting the flange toward the mounting surface of the port mounting and securing the second side of the flange to the mounting surface of the port mounting using fasteners that extend through the fastener openings.
In one embodiment, the step of securing the second side of the flange to the mounting surface of the port mounting causes the mounting rail to be positioned and configured to apply a leveraged clamping force to the tongue portion of the flange and seal the flange to the mounting surface of the port mounting. In another embodiment, the method may also include positioning a gasket between the mounting surface of the port mounting and the flange.
In one embodiment, the step of positioning the mounting rail adjacent the port mounting may include mounting the mounting rail to an internal combustion engine. In another embodiment, the mounting rail may have a “U” shape and the step of mounting the mounting rail to the internal combustion engine may include mounting first and second arms of the “U” shaped mounting rail to the mounting surface of the port mounting. In another embodiment, the shoulder of the “U” shaped mounting rail may be connected to a connecting arm that extends between the first and second arms.
Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, drawings and claims provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description, including disclosed embodiments and drawings, are merely exemplary in nature, intended for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, its application, or use. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention.
The mounting rail 130 includes a first arm 132, second arm 134, connecting arm 136, and shoulder 138. The mounting rail 130 has a “U” shaped formed by the first arm 132, second arm 134, and connecting arm 136. The first and second arms 132 and 134 form the sides of the “U” and are connected together by the connecting arm 136 that forms the bottom of the “U.” The shoulder 138 connects to the connecting arm 136 and mates with the tongue 118 of the flange 110. It should be understood that the system 100 is not limited to connecting ducting to an engine. Rather, the system 100 may be used to connect any type of manifold such as piping, ducting, tubing, or channeling, to any apparatus. For example, the system 100 may be used to connect a wiring channeling to a wiring panel in a building. In addition, the connected manifold need not be tubular, but may be of a variety of shapes and sizes.
The tongue 118 of the flange 110 contacts the port mounting surface 242 and extends to contact the shoulder 138 of the mounting rail 130 (any gap shown in
As illustrated in
Therefore, the positioning and configuration of both port mounting surface 242 and shoulder 138 is responsible for generating a leveraged force onto tongue 118. This leveraged force exerted by the shoulder 138, in combination with the flange fasteners 122 on the flange 110, results in a seal between the flange 110 and the port mounting surface 242. The shoulder 138 can be configured to have a thickness and/or rigidity that aids in creating a greater leveraged force, and thus a better seal between the mating portions of port mounting surface 242 and shoulder 138.
The seal is created to prevent exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine 260 from escaping as the gas travels out of the opening 244 and into the duct 190. In other embodiments, sealant, gaskets, or other material may be placed between the port mounting 240 and the flange 110. For example,
In another embodiment, the mounting rail 130 may be mounted to another location on the internal combustion engine 260 and not the port mounting surface 242. In this alternative embodiment, the mounting rail 130 may not have a “U” shape, but may be shaped to correctly position the shoulder 138 and to allow the shoulder 138 to apply a force to the flange 110 as previously described. It should be understood that the shape of the mounting rail 130 and where the mounting rail 130 is mounted may vary as long as the shoulder 138 does not extend over the port mounting surface 242, exerts a force on the tongue 118 to secure the bottom portion 116 of the flange 110 to the port mounting 240 when the flange fasteners 122 are secured, and allows the tongue 118 of the flange 110 to be inserted at an angle with minimal force. Furthermore,
As the flange fasteners 122 extend through the port fastener openings 362 to engagement with the port mounting surface 242, the flange 110 further pivots towards the port mounting 240 until the flange 110 contacts the port mounting surface. Furthermore, as the flange fasteners 122 engage the port mounting surface, a lever arm is created between the flange 110 and the port mounting 240 so that the shoulder 138 applies a leveraged clamping force to the tongue 118 of the flange 110 to force the bottom portion 116 of the flange 110 into contact with the port mounting surface 242. The system 400 thereby seals the flange 110 against port mounting surface of the port mounting 240. In another embodiment, the flange 110 may be brought into contact with the port mounting surface before the flange fasteners 122 engage the port mounting surface to further seal the flange against the mounting surface.
The system 400 allows for the flange 110 to be sealed to the port mounting 240 without using bottom fasteners. This is advantageous in many instances, such as when access to bottom fasteners is limited. Furthermore, the system 400 allows unconstrained thermal expansion of the flange 110 thereby reducing warping and improving the seal between the port mounting 240 and the flange 110. Additionally, the system 400 allows for quick assembly of the flange 110 to the port mounting 240 during manufacture.
