Assembly of conduits equipped with a conduit retention device and associated motor

Abstract

This set of hollow conduits (1) comprises a first hollow conduit (2) and a second hollow conduit (3) joined together by partially inserting the second conduit (3) into a portion (4) of the first conduit (2). The set of conduits (1) includes a retaining means (5) for attaching the first conduit to the second conduit. The retaining means (5) is configured to allow partial rotational movement and translational movement of the second conduit (3) relative to the first conduit (2). Figure for the abbreviation: Fig 1

Description

Title of the invention: Assembly of conduits equipped with a conduit retention means and associated motor technical field

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

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

[0003] Vibrations generated during engine operation can introduce relative displacement of the parts, potentially affecting the assembly. Furthermore, the push-fit assembly of conduits regularly reveals positioning defects such as misalignment. Therefore, it is necessary for the conduits to be able to move relative to each other in translation and rotation to compensate for these positioning and displacement defects, and to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the system.

[0004] In particular, some current engines are equipped with an air intake system, which consists of a set of nested ducts, one end of which originates at the outlet of a compressor of a turbocharger for supercharging the engine, and the other end of which opens into the inlet of a throttle body of the engine.

[0005] Also, the operation of the engine must not cause disassembly of the conduits, which could be very dangerous for the safety of the passengers.

[0006] Finally, it is necessary that the assembly of the conduits be easy in order to facilitate the assembly work and make it faster.

[0007] The present invention therefore aims to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to propose a hollow conduit system comprising a means of retaining two conduits together which allows partial rotational and translational movement between the two conduits, easy assembly and good stability during engine operation.

[0008] The invention therefore relates to a set of hollow conduits comprising a first hollow conduit and a second hollow conduit assembled together by partial insertion of the second conduit into a portion of the first conduit, the set of conduits comprising a means of retaining the first conduit to the second conduit.

[0009] In particular, the retaining means is configured to allow partial rotational movement and translational movement of the second conduit relative to the first conduit.

[0010] Advantageously, the retaining means comprises an outgrowth disposed on the second conduit and a blocking means disposed on the first conduit.

[0011] Preferably, the blocking means comprises a first branch and a second branch substantially parallel to each other, the first and second branches enclosing the outgrowth between each other.

[0012] Advantageously, the first branch includes a first restriction and the second branch includes a second restriction, the first and second restrictions being suitable for preventing the escape of the outgrowth from between the branches.

[0013] Preferably, the protrusion is a cylindrical pin.

[0014] In one embodiment, the protrusion is in the shape of a cylinder of revolution.

[0015] In one embodiment, the outgrowth comprises a first leg and a second leg connected together by a common end so that the pin has a "V" shape, the common end of the two legs being positioned opposite the portion of the first conduit.

[0016] Advantageously, the retaining means is configured to allow a rotational movement of about two degrees and a translational movement of about 6 millimeters of the second conduit relative to the first conduit.

[0017] The invention also relates to an engine comprising an air supply system including a first end connected to the outlet of a compressor of a turbocharger for supercharging 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

[0018] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] illustrates a first embodiment of a conduit assembly according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] illustrates a second embodiment of a set of conduits according to the invention; Description of the invention

[0021] Figure 1 schematically represents 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 interlocking. In particular, the second conduit 3 is partially interlocked within a portion 4 of the first conduit 2. This portion 4 It forms a known ball joint of the first conduit 2, and clamps one end of the second conduit 3 to position and connect the two conduits 2 and 3 together. Portion 4 is one end of the first conduit 2.

[0022] For example, duct assembly 1 is a partially represented air intake system for a motor vehicle engine, and the first duct 2 may be a mounting flange for a throttle body of the engine or for a compressor of a turbocharger, the second duct 3 being a central duct connecting the two aforementioned mounting flanges. However, duct assembly 1 may be any duct assembly comprising at least two ducts.

[0023] The conduit assembly 1 includes a retaining means 5 of 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.

[0024] More specifically, the retention means 5 comprises an outgrowth 6 and a blocking means 7.

[0025] The protrusion 6 is disposed on one of the two conduits 2 or 3, and the blocking means 7 is disposed on the other conduit 2 or 3. In [Fig.1], the protrusion 6 is disposed on the second conduit 3 and the blocking means 7 is disposed on the first conduit 2, and more specifically on the portion 4 of the first conduit 2 intended to enclose the end of the second conduit 3.

[0026] 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 for joining the conduits 2 and 3 to 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.

[0027] Branches 7a and 7b are arranged so as to define a space 9 between the branches into which the outgrowth 6 is introduced.

[0028] The space 9 is large 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 arms 7a and 7b of the locking means 7, i.e. along the assembly axis I. It may be a cylinder of revolution or have another cross-section, for example oval, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.

[0029] 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 to the first end 8a of the first branch 7a. Similarly, the second restriction 10b is located on an axial end opposite to the first end 8b of the first branch 7b. The restrictions 10a and 10b thus constitute the ends of branches 7a and 7b, and define a local narrowing of the space 9 such 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 for the protrusion 6 between branches 7a and 7b.

[0030] 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 bearing the restrictions 10a and 10b, comes to rest against these restrictions 10a and 10b.

[0031] The first and second restrictions 10a and 10b are therefore suitable for preventing the escape of the protrusion 6 from the space 9 between the branches 7a and 7b during the operation of the engine.

[0032] On the side of branches 7a and 7b opposite the restrictions 10a and 10b, the sliding of the protrusion 6 is axially limited by the portion 4 enclosing the first conduit 2. Thus, the axial sliding of the protrusion 6 between 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.

[0033] For example, this distance is about 6 millimeters so that the retaining means 5 is configured to allow a translational movement of about 6 millimeters of the second conduit 3 relative to the first conduit 2.

[0034] The maximum width of the protrusion 6 is a few millimeters less than the width of the space 9, excluding the restrictions 10a and 10b, so that one of the conduits 2 or 3 can achieve 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 slight rotation of approximately two degrees of one of the conduits 2 and 3 relative to the other conduit 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 free movement without any obstruction. However, if the rotation is greater, the protrusion 6 abuts against one of the branches 7a and 7b, thus blocking the rotational movement.

[0035] The importance of the possible rotation is therefore determined by the relationship between the width of the space 9 and the width of the protrusion 6.

[0036] In the first embodiment illustrated in [Fig.1], the protrusion 6 is a cylindrical pin, for example of hexagonal section.

[0037] Fig. 2 illustrates a second particularly advantageous embodiment in which the protrusion 6 comprises a first leg 1a and a second leg 11b connected to each other by a common end 12 so that the protrusion 6 has a "V" shape.

[0038] 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 1a includes an end 13a opposite the common end 12, and the leg 11b includes an end 13b opposite the common end 12, the distance between the two ends 13a and 13b being consequently the widest part of the V-shaped protrusion 6.

[0039] Thus, the "V" shape of the protrusion 6 not only facilitates the assembly of the duct assembly 1, but also prevents the disassembly of the ducts once they are assembled with greater efficiency than the protrusion of [Fig.1].

[0040] Indeed, during the assembly of 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 move apart progressively in contact with the protrusion 6 until the locking consisting of an axial overshoot of the protrusion 6 by the locking means 7, and more precisely an overshoot of the free ends 13a and 13b of the two legs 1a and 11b by the restrictions 10a and 10b. Then, when this overshoot is carried out, an inverse movement of branches 7a and 7b causes the restrictions 10a and 10b to butt against the free ends 13a and 13b which constitute the widest part of the outgrowth 6 and therefore block the return of branches 7a and 7b.

[0041] In addition, the "V" shape of the protrusion always allows the translation and rotation of conduits 2 and 3 relative to each other.

Claims

Demands

1. A set of hollow conduits (1) comprising a first hollow conduit (2) and a second hollow conduit (3) assembled together by partial insertion of the second conduit (3) into a portion (4) of the first conduit (2), the set of conduits (1) comprising a retaining means (5) of the first conduit to the second conduit, characterized in that the retaining means (5) is configured to allow partial rotational movement and translational movement of the second conduit (3) relative to the first conduit (2), said retaining means (5) comprising a protrusion (6) disposed on the second conduit (3) and a locking means (7) disposed on the first conduit (2), said locking means (7) comprising a first branch (7a) and a second branch (7b) substantially parallel to each other, the first and second branches (7a and 7b) clamping the protrusion (6) between each other,the first branch (7a) comprising a first retaining tab (10a) and the second branch (7b) comprising a second retaining tab (10b) capable of creating a local narrowing of the space (9) and thus preventing the escape of the protrusion (6) from between the branches (7a and 7b).

2. Assembly of hollow conduits (1) according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion (6) is a cylindrical pin.

3. Assembly of hollow conduits (1) according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion (6) is in the form of a cylinder of revolution.

4. A set of hollow conduits according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion (6) comprises a first leg (1a) and a second leg (11b) connected to each other by a common end (12) so that the protrusion (6) has a "V" shape, the common end (12) of the two legs (1a and 11b) being disposed opposite the portion (4) of the first conduit (2).

5. Assembly of hollow conduits (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the retaining means (5) is configured to permit a rotational movement of about two degrees and a translational movement of about 6 millimeters of the second conduit (3) relative to the first conduit (2).

6. An engine comprising an air supply system having a first end connected to the outlet of a compressor of an engine turbocharger and a second end connected at the inlet of an engine throttle body, the air supply system comprising a set of hollow ducts (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images