CABLE ARRANGEMENT WITH MEANS FOR RETAINING CABLES AND MOTOR THEREFORE

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates, in general, to engines, in particular motor vehicle engines, and relates more particularly to a means of retaining two conduits together. Previous techniques

[0002] In the automotive industry, it is common for a motor vehicle's engine to be equipped with one or more sets of ducts assembled by interlocking.

[0003] For example, document EP 2 957 809 A1 describes a coupling element for connecting two fluid guide conduits.

[0004] Vibrations generated during engine operation can introduce relative displacement of parts that can alter the assembly. In addition, the assembly of conduits by interlocking regularly reveals positioning defects of the parts such as alignment defects. It is therefore necessary for the conduits to be able to perform translational and rotational movement between them in order to compensate for these positioning and displacement defects, and to assist in the assembly and disassembly of the system.

[0005] In particular, certain current engines are equipped with an air intake system, which constitutes a set of nested conduits, one end of which originates at the outlet of a compressor of a turbocharger supercharging the engine, and the other end of which opens at the inlet of a throttle body of the engine.

[0006] Also, the operation of the engine must not cause the ducts to disassemble, which could be very dangerous for the safety of passengers.

[0007] Finally, it is necessary that the assembly of the conduits is easy in order to facilitate the assembly work and make it faster.

[0008] The present invention therefore aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to propose a system of hollow conduits comprising a means for retaining two conduits together which allows partial rotational and translational movement between the two conduits, easy assembly and good holding during operation of the engine.

[0009] The subject of the invention is therefore a set of hollow conduits comprising a first hollow conduit and a second hollow conduit assembled together by partial fitting of the second conduit into a portion of the first conduit, the set of conduits comprising a means for retaining the first conduit to the second conduit.

[0010] In particular, the retaining means is configured to allow partial rotational movement and translational movement of the second conduit relative to the first conduit.

[0011] According to the invention, the retaining means comprises a protrusion arranged on the second conduit and a blocking means arranged on the first conduit.

[0012] The locking means comprises a first branch and a second branch substantially parallel to each other, the first and second branches enclosing the protrusion between them.

[0013] In addition, the first branch comprises a first retaining tab and the second branch comprises a second retaining tab, the first and second retaining tabs being capable of creating a local narrowing of the space between the branches into which the protrusion is introduced and thus preventing the escape of the protrusion from between the branches.

[0014] Preferably, the outgrowth is a cylindrical pin.

[0015] In one embodiment, the protrusion is in the shape of a cylinder of revolution.

[0016] In one embodiment, the protrusion comprises a first leg and a second leg connected to each other by a common end so that the pin has a “V” shape, the common end of the two legs being arranged opposite the portion of the first conduit.

[0017] Advantageously, the retaining means is configured to allow a rotational movement of approximately two degrees and a translational movement of approximately 6 millimeters of the second conduit relative to the first conduit.

[0018] The invention also relates to an engine comprising an air supply system comprising a first end connected to the outlet of a compressor of a turbocharger of the engine and a second end connected to the inlet of a throttle body of the engine, the air supply system comprising a set of hollow ducts as defined above. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which: [ Fig. 1] illustrates a first embodiment of a conduit assembly according to the invention; [ Fig2 ] illustrates a second embodiment of a conduit assembly according to the invention; Statement of the invention

[0020] We have represented schematically on the Figure 1 a set of conduits 1 according to the invention. The set of conduits 1 comprises a first conduit 2 and a second conduit 3 assembled together by fitting together. In particular, the second conduit 3 is partially fitted into a portion 4 of the first conduit 2. This portion 4 constitutes, in a known manner, a ball joint of the first conduit 2, and encloses one end of the second conduit 3 to position and connect the two conduits 2 and 3 together. The portion 4 is one end of the first conduit 2.

[0021] For example, the duct assembly 1 is a partially shown air intake system of a motor vehicle engine, and the first duct 2 may be a flange for attachment to a throttle body of the engine or to a compressor of a turbocharger of the engine, the second duct 3 may be a central duct connecting the two previously mentioned attachment flanges. However, the duct assembly 1 may be any duct assembly comprising at least two ducts.

[0022] The conduit assembly 1 comprises a means 5 for retaining the second conduit to the first conduit which is configured to allow a partial rotational movement and / or a translational movement of the second conduit 3 relative to the first conduit 2.

[0023] More particularly, the retaining means 5 comprises a protrusion 6 and a blocking means 7.

[0024] The protrusion 6 is arranged on one of the two conduits 2 or 3, and the blocking means 7 is arranged on the other conduit 2 or 3. On the Figure 1 , the protrusion 6 is arranged on the second conduit 3 and the blocking means 7 is arranged on the first conduit 2, and more precisely on the portion 4 of the first conduit 2 intended to enclose the end of the second conduit 3.

[0025] The locking means 7 comprises a first branch 7a and a second branch 7b substantially parallel to each other and to an assembly axis I which defines an axis of interlocking of the conduits 2 and 3 with each other. Each of the branches 7a and 7b extends from the portion 4 towards the second conduit 3 in the direction of the assembly axis I. The branch 7a thus comprises a first end 8a fixed to the portion 4, and the branch 7b also comprises a first end 8b fixed to the portion 4.

[0026] The branches 7a and 7b are arranged so as to define a space 9 between the branches into which the protrusion 6 is introduced.

[0027] The space 9 is wide enough to accommodate the protrusion 6 and allow a small rotational movement of the second conduit 3 relative to the first conduit 2. The protrusion 6 is a cylindrical pin capable of sliding between the branches 7a and 7b of the locking means 7, that is to say along the assembly axis I. It may be a cylinder of revolution or having another section, for example oval, hexagonal, octagonal, etc. The first branch 7a comprises a first restriction 10a and the second branch 7b comprises a second restriction 10b. The first restriction 10a is located on an axial end opposite the first end 8a of the first branch 7a. Similarly, the second restriction 10b is located on an axial end opposite the first end 8b of the first branch 7b.The restrictions 10a and 10b thus constitute the end of the branches 7a and 7b, and define a local narrowing of the space 9 so that the radial distance between the restrictions 10a and 10b is less than the width of at least a portion of the protrusion 6. In other words, the restrictions 10a and 10b constitute retaining tabs of the protrusion 6 between the branches 7a and 7b.

[0028] In this way, the protrusion 6 can slide between the branches 7a and 7b but cannot slide between the restrictions 10a and 10b. Indeed, the protrusion 6 sliding to the ends of the branches 7a and 7b carrying the restrictions 10a and 10b comes into abutment against these restrictions 10a and 10b.

[0029] The first and second restrictions 10a and 10b are therefore capable of preventing the outgrowth 6 from escaping from the space 9 between the branches 7a and 7b during operation of the engine.

[0030] On the side of the branches 7a and 7b opposite the restrictions 10a and 10b, the sliding of the protrusion 6 is limited axially by the portion 4 enclosing the first conduit 2. Thus, the axial sliding of the protrusion 6 between the branches 7a and 7b of the locking means 7 is limited. The axial sliding of the protrusion 6 corresponds to a translational movement of one of the two conduits 2 and 3 relative to the other. Thus, the two conduits 2 and 3 are able to slide relative to each other within the limit of the distance between the portion 4 and the restrictions 10a and 10b.

[0031] For example, this distance is approximately 6 millimeters so that the retaining means 5 is configured to allow a translational movement of approximately 6 millimeters of the second conduit 3 relative to the first conduit 2.

[0032] The maximum width of the protrusion 6 is a few millimeters less than the width of the space 9 outside the restrictions 10a and 10b, so that one of the conduits 2 or 3 can perform a limited rotational movement relative to the other conduit 2 and 3. In particular, the retaining means 5 and therefore the width of the protrusion 6 are configured to allow a small rotation of approximately two degrees of one of the conduits 2 and 3 relative to the other of the conduits 2 and 3. Indeed, when a first conduit 2 or 3 undergoes a rotation of less than 2 degrees relative to the other conduit, the branches 7a and 7b or the protrusion 6 undergo a movement free of any obstacle. However, if the rotation is greater, the protrusion 6 comes into abutment against one of the branches 7a and 7b, which blocks the rotational movement.

[0033] The extent of possible rotation is therefore determined by the relationship between the width of space 9 and the width of protrusion 6.

[0034] In the first embodiment illustrated in the Figure 1 , the outgrowth 6 is a cylindrical pin, for example of hexagonal section.

[0035] There Figure 2 illustrates a second particularly advantageous embodiment in which the protrusion 6 comprises a first leg 11a and a second leg 11b connected to each other by a common end 12 so that the protrusion 6 has a “V” shape.

[0036] The common end 12 is the point of the protrusion 6 closest to the portion 4 of the first conduit 2, and is therefore opposite the portion 4. The leg 11a comprises an end 13a opposite the common end 12, and the leg 11b comprises an end 13b opposite the common end 12, the distance between the two ends 13a and 13b consequently being the widest part of the “V”-shaped protrusion 6.

[0037] Thus, the "V" shape of the protrusion 6 not only facilitates the assembly of the conduit assembly 1, but also prevents the disassembly of the conduits once they are assembled with greater efficiency than the protrusion of the Figure 1 .

[0038] Indeed, when assembling the two conduits 2 and 3, the branches 7a and 7b first come into contact with a narrower part of the protrusion 6, because it is closer to the common end 12, and the restrictions 10a and 10b can slide and gradually move apart in contact with the protrusion 6 until locking consists of an axial projection of the protrusion 6 by the locking means 7, and more precisely in a projection of the free ends 13a and 13b of the two legs 11a and 11b by the restrictions 10a and 10b. Then, when this overshoot is carried out, a reverse movement of the branches 7a and 7b causes the restrictions 10a and 10b to stop against the free ends 13a and 13b which constitute the widest part of the protrusion 6 and therefore block the return of the branches 7a and 7b.

[0039] In addition, the "V" shape of the outgrowth still allows the translation and rotation of conduits 2 and 3 relative to each other.

Claims

1. Hollow duct assembly (1) comprising a first hollow duct (2) and a second hollow duct (3) assembled together by partially nesting the second duct (3) in a portion (4) of the first duct (2), the duct assembly (1) comprising a retaining means (5) for retaining the first duct with the second duct, whereby the retaining means (5) is configured to allow a partial rotational movement and a translational movement of the second duct (3) relative to the first duct (2), said retaining means (5) comprising a protrusion (6) arranged on the second duct (3) and a locking means (7) arranged on the first duct (2), this locking means (7) comprising a first limb (7a) and a second limb (7b) substantially parallel to each other, the first and the second limb (7a and 7b) gripping the protrusion (6) between them, characterized in that the first limb (7a) comprises a first retaining tongue (10a) and the second limb (7b) comprises a second retaining tongue (10b), which tongues are capable of creating a local constriction of the space (9) between the limbs (7a and 7b) into which the protrusion (6) is introduced, and thus preventing the protrusion (6) from escaping from between the limbs (7a and 7b).

2. Hollow duct assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion (6) is a cylindrical pin.

3. Hollow duct assembly (1) according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion (6) is in the form of a cylinder of revolution.

4. Hollow duct assembly according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion (6) comprises a first lug (11a) and a second lug (11b) interconnected by a common end (12) such that the protrusion (6) is "V"-shaped, the common end (12) of the two lugs (11a and 11b) being arranged facing the portion (4) of the first duct (2).

5. Hollow duct assembly (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the retaining means (5) is configured to allow a rotational movement of approximately two degrees and a translational movement of approximately 6 millimeters of the second duct (3) relative to the first duct (2).

6. Engine comprising an air supply system comprising a first end connected to the outlet of a compressor of a turbocharger of the engine and a second end connected to the inlet of a throttle body of the engine, the air supply system comprising a hollow duct assembly (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4.