HOLDER FOR AN EXHAUST SYSTEM OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

Abstract

A holder for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a holder body having a holder base and a holder wall extending from the holder base, and a holder pin. The holder pin extends from an outer face of the holder wall wherein, in the holder pin, a pin recess is formed in at least one peripheral region.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of German patent application no. 10 2023 127 777.4, filed Oct. 11, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

A holder can be used to hold an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine in a vehicle.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present disclosure is that of providing a holder for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine with greater mechanical strength.

According to the disclosure, this object is achieved by a holder for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, including:

• • a holder body having a holder base and a holder wall extending from the holder base,
  • a holder pin extending from an outer face of the holder wall,wherein, in the holder pin, a pin recess is formed in at least one peripheral region.

By configuring the holder pin in such a way that the pin has a pin recess in at least one peripheral region, within an outer peripheral contour line of the holder pin, a volumetric region which is not filled with the structural material of the holder pin is produced, which leads to a faster and more uniform solidification of the free-flowing structural material which is used to produce the holder. The production of regions which are potentially weakened as a result of the material structure can thus be avoided.

In the case of the holder according to the disclosure, the holder base can be formed so as to be substantially plate-shaped. In order to fix the holder for example in the region of an underbody of a vehicle, a fastening member reach-through opening can be provided in the holder base. Furthermore, an anti-rotation protrusion extending in the opposite direction to the holder base with respect to an extension direction of the holder wall can be provided on the holder base so as to be able to lock the holder in a defined position for example in the region of an underbody of a vehicle.

A high stability of the holder while using as little material as possible can be provided for example in that the holder wall extends at least in some regions along an outer peripheral region of the holder base, and/or in that the holder wall is formed in an annular manner substantially without interruptions, and/or in that the holder wall has a varying wall height starting from the holder base.

Since an essential function of the holder wall is also that of connecting the holder pin to the holder body, it is further proposed to provide the holder pin on the holder wall in a region having a maximum wall height.

To increase the stability of the holder, at least one reinforcing protrusion adjoining the holder base can be provided on an inner face of the holder wall.

With respect to the rigidity of the holder, it is particularly advantageous for two reinforcing protrusions arranged at a distance from one another to be provided on the inner face of the holder wall, wherein the holder pin adjoins the outer face of the holder wall substantially between the two reinforcing protrusions, and/or at least one reinforcing protrusion adjoins the holder wall in an overlapping manner.

At least one reinforcing protrusion can be in the form of a rib. Furthermore, it can be provided that at least one reinforcing protrusion transitions into a wall region of the holder wall with a greater wall thickness which decreases in the direction away from the reinforcing protrusion. A greater volumetric region filled with the structural material of the holder is thereby produced, adjoining a reinforcing protrusion of this type, which region affects the solidification behavior of the structural material of the holder in such a way that, in particular the structural material present in the transition region between the holder pin and the holder wall solidifies with high structural strength before the solidification sets-in in this wall region having a greater thickness.

Since the transition between the holder wall and the holder pin is especially critical with respect to the structural strength of the holder, it is particularly advantageous for the pin recess in the holder pin to be formed at least in a first end region of the holder pin adjoining the holder wall.

The holder pin can be formed so as to extend in the direction of a pin longitudinal axis, and the pin recess can be formed in the holder pin extending in the direction of the pin longitudinal axis so as to be open to the outside radially in order to simplify carrying out a die-casting process.

In order to achieve a reliable interaction of the holder with for example rubber-elastic suspension elements for an exhaust system, a pin head protruding with respect to an outer dimension of the holder pin can be provided on a second end region of the holder pin which is remote from the holder wall. For a fast and uniform solidification of the structural material of the holder in particular in the region of the holder pin, it is particularly advantageous in this case for the pin recess to extend as far as the pin head.

The effect on the solidification behavior of the structural material of the holder introduced by providing a pin recess can then be used particularly efficiently when a recess depth of the pin recess is at least 30%, preferably at least 50%, of a cross-sectional dimension of the holder pin in a recess depth direction.

In order to ensure that the production leads to a stable construction but simultaneously is economical to carry out, it is proposed to form the holder body integrally with the holder pin as a die-cast part, preferably from aluminum. It should be noted that the expression “integrally” means that all the components of the holder are produced in one work process as one block of material and are not produced as separate components and then assembled.

The disclosure further relates to a method for producing a holder constructed according to the disclosure for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. In this method, the holder body is produced integrally as a die-cast part, preferably from aluminum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a holder for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine;

FIGS. 2A and 2B show the solidification method of the holder from FIG. 1 produced in a die-casting process;

FIG. 3 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1 of a holder constructed according to the disclosure;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the solidification method of the holder from FIG. 3 produced in a die-casting process;

FIG. 5 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1 of a holder constructed according to the disclosure;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show the solidification method of the holder from FIG. 5 produced in a die-casting process; and,

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a holder pin of the holder from FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A holder 10 of this type is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 1. The holder 10 which is generally produced as an aluminum die-cast part includes a holder body 12 having a substantially plate-shaped holder base 14 and a holder wall 16 extending along an outer peripheral region of the base 14 in an approximately orthogonal direction away from the base. In a central region of the holder base 14, a fastening member reach-through opening 18 is provided, through which a fastening member which is for example in the form of a threaded bolt or the like can be guided in order to fix the holder 10 for example in the region of an underbody of a vehicle. In order to ensure a defined position of the holder 10, an anti-rotation protrusion 22 can be provided for example on a tab 20 protruding from the base 14, which protrusion can be positioned so as to engage in an assigned opening for example in the region of the underbody and can thereby hold the holder 10 against rotation about the fastening member extending through the fastening member reach-through opening 18.

The holder wall 16 has a varying wall height in the peripheral direction starting from the holder base 14. In a region having a maximum wall height, on an outer face of the holder wall 16, a holder pin 24 is provided extending substantially orthogonally away from the holder wall 16 with respect to an extension direction of the holder wall 16 away from the holder base 14. A first end region 26 of the holder pin 24 adjoins the outer face of the holder wall 16 and has a cross-sectional geometry which is substantially constant, for example substantially circular in the direction of a pin axis Z. On a second end region 28 of the holder pin 24, a pin head 30 which is dimensioned so as to be greater than the outer dimension of the holder pin 24 is provided.

Two reinforcing protrusions 32, 34 which are provided on an inner face of the holder wall 18 in the region in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the outer face of the holder wall 16 ensure greater stability. The protrusions extend, starting from the holder base 14, substantially parallel to one another along the inner face of the holder wall 16 and form a recess 36 therebetween which is open to the inside, that is, toward the fastening member reach-through opening 18. The reinforcing protrusions 32, 34 are positioned on the holder wall 16 in such a way that the holder pin 14 is arranged on the outer face of the holder wall 16 substantially between or overlapping the protrusions, and the pin longitudinal axis Z extends between the reinforcing protrusions 32, 34 through the recess 36.

Via the holder pin 24, resilient suspension elements which are constructed for example from rubber-type material can be supported, which suspension elements can also be suspended on corresponding holding members of an exhaust system, and the exhaust system can thereby be resiliently supported with respect to the holder 10 and thus also with respect to the associated vehicle.

The holder 10 is produced together with the holder body 12 and the holder pin 24 for example from aluminum material in a die-casting method. FIGS. 2A and 2B show, via model calculations, the solidification behavior of the structural material, introduced into a die-casting mold in a liquid state, of the holder 10.

FIG. 2A shows the solidification state approximately 2.4 seconds after the start of the die-casting process. It should be noted that the structural material of the holder 10 is solidified as far as possible. Only in the region of the holder pin 24 and in particular in the region in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16, a core region labeled 38 is present, in which the structural material of the holder 10 is not yet solidified.

Approximately 2.9 seconds after the start of the die-casting process, a non-solidified core region 38 of this type remains, as illustrated by FIG. 2B, only where the first end region 26 of the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16. Since no more liquid structural material is introduced into the die-casting mold in this state, the delayed solidification of the structural material of the holder 10 leads to a relatively porous, unstable material structure in particular in the transition region which is exposed to high mechanical stress between the holder pin 24 and the holder wall 16.

In the following, various configuration types of holders configured according to the disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. With respect to the basic structure thereof, that is, with respect to the configuration of the holder 10 including the holder body 12 and the holder pin 24 extending away from the holder wall 16, these configuration types correspond to the configuration already described previously with reference to FIG. 1. Therefore, with respect to this basic structure, reference is made to the statements above relating to FIG. 1.

In FIG. 3, it should be noted that in the holder pin 24, a pin recess generally labeled 40 is formed. The pin recess 40 extends from the first end region 26, that is, from the region in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16, as far as the pin head 30 substantially in a straight line in the direction of the pin longitudinal axis Z. The pin recess 40 is open to the outside radially with respect to the pin longitudinal axis Z and preferably has a cross-sectional geometry which remains substantially the same in the direction of the pin longitudinal axis Z.

FIG. 7 illustrates that the pin recess 40 has, in a recess depth direction RT, a depth T which, in the embodiment shown, is greater than half of the cross-sectional dimension D of the holder pin 24 in the recess depth direction RT.

By providing the pin recess 40, a relatively large volume which is not filled with and is not to be filled in the die-casting process with the structural material of the holder 10 is present in the cross section of the holder pin 24. This volume of the pin recess 40 which is not to be filled with the structural material of the holder 10 substantially affects the solidification behavior of the structural material of the holder 10 when carrying out a die-casting process.

Analogously to FIGS. 2A and 2B, FIGS. 4A and 4B show the solidification behavior, determined on the basis of model calculations, of the structural material of the holder 10. In the state illustrated in FIG. 4A, which is present approximately 2.4 seconds after the start of the die-casting process, the structural material of the holder 10 is not yet solidified substantially only in a relatively small core region 38, wherein this core region 38 is also positioned where the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16. After approximately 2.9 seconds, shown in FIG. 4B, the structural material of the holder 10 introduced into a die-casting mold is completely solidified. There is no remaining core region in which there is a solidification behavior leading to another material structure. In particular the volumetric region of the then solidified structural material of the holder 10 in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16 is cured with a uniform, very stable material structure. Thus, in comparison with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, despite the fact that the holder pin 24 is less solid and is constructed with less material as a result of providing the pin recess 40, a more stable structure of the holder 10 which is more resistant to the mechanical loads occurring during the operation of a vehicle is achieved.

An alternative embodiment of such a holder pin 24 formed with a pin recess 40 is shown in FIG. 5. In principle, the holder pin 24 has the same structure as shown in FIG. 3. However, adjoining the reinforcing protrusion 34 is a wall region 42 of the holder wall 16 in which the holder wall 16 has a greater thickness by comparison with the other regions thereof positioned around the holder base 14 in the peripheral direction. For example, where the reinforcing protrusion 34 transitions into this region 42 of the holder wall 16, the holder wall 16 has a thickness which corresponds to the wall thickness in the other regions of the holder wall 16 plus the height of the reinforcing protrusion 34. The wall thickness of the holder wall 16 decreases in the direction away from the reinforcing protrusion 34 so that, in conjunction with the decreasing protrusion height of the holder wall 16 from the holder base 14, the holder wall 16 approaches the structure shown in the lower region of FIG. 5 with a smaller protrusion height from the holder base 14 and a substantially more constant, smaller wall thickness.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate that, by providing the wall region 42 of the holder wall 16 laterally next to the region of the holder wall 16 in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the wall, when solidifying the structural material of the holder 10 when carrying out a die-casting process, a core region 38′ remains in which, approximately 2.4 seconds after the start of the die-casting process, the structural material is not yet solidified. The volumetric region of the not-yet-solidified structural material is thus moved further away from the volumetric region in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16. This also contributes to more uniform solidification behavior in this volumetric region in which the holder pin 24 adjoins the holder wall 16.

It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A holder for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, the holder comprising: a holder body having a holder base and a holder wall extending from said holder base;a holder pin extending from an outer face of said holder wall; and,said holder pin having a pin recess being formed in at least one peripheral region thereof.

2. The holder of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following applies: i) said holder base is formed so as to be plate-shaped; and,ii) a fastening member reach-through opening is provided in said holder base; and,iii) an anti-rotation protrusion extending in an opposite direction to an extension direction of said holder wall with respect to said holder base is provided on said holder base.

3. The holder of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following applies: i) said holder wall extends at least in some regions along an outer peripheral region of the holder base; and,ii) said holder wall is formed in an annular manner substantially without interruptions; and,iii) said holder wall has a varying wall height starting from said holder base.

4. The holder of claim 3, wherein said holder pin is provided on said holder wall in a region thereof having a maximum wall height.

5. The holder of claim 1, wherein at least one reinforcing protrusion adjoining said holder base is provided on an inner face of said holder wall.

6. The holder of claim 5, wherein two of said reinforcing protrusions arranged at a distance from one another are provided on said inner face of said holder wall; and, wherein at least one of the following applies: i) said holder pin adjoins said outer face of said holder wall between said two reinforcing protrusions; and,ii) at least one of said two reinforcing protrusions adjoins said holder wall in an overlapping manner.

7. The holder of claim 5, wherein at least one of the following applies: i) at least one of said two reinforcing protrusions is in the form of a rib; and,b) at least one of said two reinforcing protrusions transitions into a wall region of said holder wall having a greater wall thickness which decreases in a direction away from said one reinforcing protrusion.

8. The holder of claim 1, wherein said pin recess in said holder pin is formed at least in a first end region of said holder pin adjoining said holder wall.

9. The holder of claim 1, wherein said holder pin defines a pin longitudinal axis and extends in a direction of said pin longitudinal axis; and, said pin recess is formed in said holder pin extending in the direction of said pin longitudinal axis so as to be open radially to the outside.

10. The holder of claim 1, wherein said holder pin has a second end region remote from said holder wall; and, said holder pin has a pin head protruding with respect to an outer dimension of said holder pin at said second end region; and, said pin recess extends up to said pin head.

11. The holder of claim 1, wherein said pin recess has a recess depth that is at least 30% of a cross-sectional dimension of said holder pin in a recess depth direction.

12. The holder of claim 1, wherein said pin recess has a recess depth that is at least 50% of a cross-sectional dimension of said holder pin in a recess depth direction.

13. The holder of claim 1, wherein said holder body is formed integrally with the holder pin as a die-cast part.

14. The holder of claim 1, wherein said holder body is formed integrally with the holder pin as a die-cast part made from aluminum.

15. A method for making a holder for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, the holder including: a holder body having a holder base and a holder wall extending from the holder base; a holder pin extending from an outer face of the holder wall; and, the holder pin having a pin recess being formed in at least one peripheral region thereof; the method comprising: making the holder body integrally as a die-cast part.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the die-cast part is made integrally from aluminum.