Heat insulator mounting structure

Abstract

This invention provides a mounting structure for heat insulators to exhaust system components that have heat retention and heat dissipation suppression properties. [Solution] The system includes a mounting bracket 4 having legs 5a, 5b and a mounting portion 6. The legs 5a, 5b of the mounting bracket 4 are fixed to the exhaust system component 1, a heat insulator 2 is attached to the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4, and a heat insulating material 10 is sandwiched between the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4 and the exhaust system component 1.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an attachment structure of a heat insulator.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a method of attaching a heat insulator, which is a covering member, to exhaust system components of a vehicle such as an exhaust manifold and a catalytic converter, a mount bracket is welded and fixed to the outer surface of the exhaust system component, and the heat insulator is attached to the attachment portion of the fixed mount bracket by screwing means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In recent years, in a muffler incorporating a catalytic converter or a catalyst carrier, which is an exhaust system component, in order to keep the exhaust system component warm and avoid heat influence on surrounding components, a heat insulator covers the entire outer peripheral surface other than the mount bracket of the exhaust system component, and a planar heat insulating material is provided between the exhaust system component and the heat insulator.

[0004] However, there is a problem that a heat insulating material is not provided in the portion of the mount bracket that fixes the heat insulator to the exhaust system component, and heat insulation and heat dissipation suppression of this portion are insufficient.

[0005] In order to suspend an exhaust pipe on a vehicle, it has been proposed to form an opening in the heat insulator, form a base portion having a closed space inside the opening, attach a mount bracket to the base portion, and suppress heat dissipation by an air layer inside the base portion (see Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0007] In the structure of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, if an insulating material is provided between the heat insulator and the exhaust system components, it is not possible to provide an insulating material in the base portion, resulting in insufficient thermal insulation.

[0008] Furthermore, forming a large opening in the heat insulator is undesirable from the standpoint of its intended purpose of heat retention and heat dissipation suppression.

[0009] Since the heat insulator is made of thin sheet metal, forming an opening reduces its rigidity. Furthermore, the mounting bracket and the heat insulator opening are not fixed together, but only loosely supported by wire mesh. This results in the problem that the mounting bracket cannot firmly support the heat insulator.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a mounting structure for a heat insulator that solves the above-mentioned problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a mounting bracket having legs and a mounting portion, the legs of the mounting bracket are fixed to the exhaust system component, and a heat insulator is attached to the mounting portion of the mounting bracket. The present invention is characterized in that a heat insulating material is sandwiched between the mounting portion of the mounting bracket and the exhaust system component.

[0012] Furthermore, the heat insulating material may be provided over the entire inner surface of the mounting portion of the mounting bracket.

[0013] Furthermore, multiple components constituting the heat insulator may be attached to the mounting portion of the mounting bracket. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention includes a mounting bracket having a leg portion and a mounting portion, fixes the leg portion of the mounting bracket to an exhaust system component, attaches a heat insulator to the mounting portion of the mounting bracket, and sandwiches a heat insulating material between the mounting portion of the mounting bracket and the exhaust system component, whereby the heat insulator can be firmly fixed to the exhaust system component. Further, substantially the entire outer peripheral surface of the exhaust system component can be covered with a heat insulating material, and substantially the entire outside thereof can be covered with a heat insulator, thereby reliably ensuring heat retention performance and heat dissipation suppression effect.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the state where a heat insulator is attached to an exhaust system component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] Vertical sectional view of the main part of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] Perspective view of the state where a mounting bracket is attached to an exhaust system component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] Perspective view seen from the inside of the mounting bracket used in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] Perspective view of the state where a heat insulator is attached to an exhaust system component according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 6] Vertical sectional view of the main part of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] Perspective view of the state where a heat insulator is attached to an exhaust system component according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 8] Vertical sectional view of the main part of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] Vertical sectional view of the main part of the state where a heat insulator is attached to an exhaust system component according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] The present invention relates to a mounting structure of a heat insulator for attaching a heat insulator to an exhaust system component used for discharging exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine of an automobile such as an exhaust manifold, a catalytic converter, a muffler, etc. to the outside. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on an embodiment applied to a structure in which a heat insulator is attached to a muffler of an exhaust system component.

[0017] [Example 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a state in which a heat insulator 2 is attached to a muffler 1 of an exhaust system component according to Example 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 1.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the outer shell member 3 constituting the muffler 1 is formed by joining a first outer shell member 3a and a second outer shell member 3b in a monaka-like manner. A mount bracket 4 is fixedly provided so as to straddle a joint portion 3c where the end portion of the first outer shell member 3a and the end portion of the second outer shell member 3b are joined. The number of mount brackets 4 to be attached to the outer shell member 3 is arbitrarily set.

[0019] The mount bracket 4 is composed of a pair of leg portions 5a, 5b and a mounting portion 6 provided between the leg portions 5a, 5b. One leg portion 5a is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the first outer shell member 3a by welding or the like, and the other leg portion 5b is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the second outer shell member 3b by welding or the like.

[0020] The mounting portion 6, the first outer shell member 3a, and the second outer shell member 3b are separated from each other, and a space 7 is formed between the left and right leg portions 5a, 5b and between the mounting portion 6 and the first outer shell member 3a and the second outer shell member 3b.

[0021] A mat-like heat insulating material 10 is provided over the entire inner surface of the mounting portion 6 in the space 7. In this embodiment, the heat insulating material 10 is fixedly provided on the inner surface of the mounting portion 6. Note that the heat insulating material 10 may be configured by filling a fiber complex in the space 7 instead of being in a mat shape.

[0022] Two components, a first heat insulator 11 and a second heat insulator 12, which constitute the heat insulator 2, are attached to the outside of the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4.

[0023] The end portion 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end portion 12a of the second heat insulator 12 are joined together at the joint portion 13 in a clamshell-like manner, and are joined to each other by welding.

[0024] The direction of extension of the joint 13 between the first heat insulator 11 and the second heat insulator 12 is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of extension of the joint 3c between the first outer shell member 3a and the second outer shell member 3b.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, a mat-shaped insulating material 17 is provided between the heat insulator 2 and the outer shell member 3 that constitutes the muffler 1, and the insulating material 17 is sandwiched between the heat insulator 2 and the outer shell member 3. The insulating material 17 is provided so as to cover almost the entire outer surface of the muffler 1. In addition to being a mat, the insulating material 17 may also be constructed by filling the space between the heat insulator 2 and the outer shell member 3 with a fiber interwoven material or the like.

[0026] The ends 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 are not joined to each other at the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, an opening 15 is formed.

[0027] Within the opening 15, the end portion 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4 are joined by linear welding W1. Also within the opening 15, the end portion 12a of the second heat insulator 12 and the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4 are joined by linear welding W2. In this way, multiple first heat insulators 11 and second heat insulators 12, which are components constituting the heat insulator 2, are attached to the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4.

[0028] Within the opening 15, the end 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 are in close proximity but not in contact with each other. Alternatively, both members 11 and 12 may be attached to the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4 such that the end 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 are in contact with each other.

[0029] This ensures that the heat insulator 2 is firmly fixed to the muffler 1.

[0030] Furthermore, the heat insulator 2 can be fixed to the muffler 1 by forming only a minimal opening 15 in the heat insulator 2. In addition, since the portion where the opening 15 is located is also insulated with heat insulating material 10 on the inside, the required heat retention performance and heat dissipation suppression effect can be ensured, and the reduction in rigidity of the heat insulator 2, which is made of thin plate, can be kept to a minimum.

[0031] By providing the insulating material 10 across the entire inner surface of the mounting portion 6, the area where the insulating material 17 is absent is minimized, and the outer surface of the muffler 1 can be covered with the insulating materials 10 and 17, and the outermost part can be covered with the heat insulator 2, thereby reliably ensuring heat retention performance and heat dissipation suppression effect.

[0032] [Example 2] In the above embodiment 1, an opening 15 is formed in the heat insulator 2, and the end 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 are fixed to the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4 by welding. A through hole 20 is formed in the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4, a through hole 21 is formed in the outer shell member 3 of the muffler 1, and a projection nut 23 is fixed to the inner surface of the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4. The axes of the through hole 20 in the mounting portion 6, the through hole 21 in the outer shell member 3, and the projection nut 23 are arranged to be substantially coaxial.

[0033] The first heat insulator 11 and / or the second heat insulator 12 have through mounting holes 25. From the outside of the heat insulator 2, a bolt 26 is inserted through the mounting hole 25, the through hole 20 of the mounting portion 6, and the through hole 21 of the outer shell member 3, and screwed into a projection nut 23, thereby fastening the bolt 26 and the projection nut 23 together. The bolt 26 and the projection nut 23 constitute a screw-fastened member 30. A portion of the projection nut 23 fits into the mounting hole 25, and the projection nut 23 penetrates the outer shell member 3.

[0034] The first heat insulator 11 may be attached to the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4 by screwing member 30 with the end 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 in contact with each other, or the end 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 may be attached to the mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4 by screwing member 30 with the end 11a of the first heat insulator 11 and the end 12a of the second heat insulator 12 overlapping.

[0035] The mounting portion 6 of the mounting bracket 4 is attached to the first heat insulator 11 and the second heat insulator 12, which are components of the heat insulator 2, with their ends 11a and 12a overlapping each other.

[0036] The portion through which the bolt 26 is inserted does not have insulation material 10.

[0037] The bolt 26 closes the mounting hole 25 through-hole 20 and through-hole 21, maintaining airtightness inside the muffler 1.

[0038] The rest of the structure is the same as in Example 1 above, so its explanation will be omitted.

[0039] This second embodiment also produces the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0040] In this embodiment 2 as well, the area where the heat insulating materials 10 and 17 are absent is minimized, and the entire outer surface of the muffler 1 can be covered with the heat insulating materials 10 and 17, and the entire outside can be covered with the heat insulator 2, thereby reliably ensuring heat retention performance and heat dissipation suppression effect. Alternatively, the projection nut 23 may not penetrate the outer shell member 3, and the projection nut 23 and the outer shell member 3 may be spaced apart.

[0041] [Example 3] In the above embodiment 2, a projection nut 23 was fixed to the inner surface of the mounting portion 6 of the mount bracket 4, but a projection bolt 31 may also be fixed. The projection bolt 31 has a shaft portion 31a that is inserted through the through hole 20 and protrudes outward from the mounting portion 6. Note that the outer shell member 3 of the muffler 1 does not have a through hole 21.

[0042] The shaft portion 31a of the projection bolt 31 is inserted through the mounting hole 25 that penetrates the first heat insulator 11 and / or the second heat insulator 12, and the nut 32 is screwed onto the shaft portion 31a of the projection bolt 31 from the outside of the heat insulator 2 to fasten it. The projection bolt 31 and the nut 32 constitute a screw-fastened member 35.

[0043] The rest of the structure is the same as in Examples 1 and 2 above, so we will omit its explanation.

[0044] This third embodiment also produces the same effects as in the first and second embodiments described above.

[0045] [Example 4] In the above embodiment 2, the bolt 26 was inserted through the mounting holes 20 and 21 of the heat insulator 25 from the outside and screwed into the projection nut 23. However, instead of the bolt 26, a stud bolt 41 may be used, and the stud bolt 41 and the projection nut 23 may be screwed together.

[0046] A nut 42 is screwed onto the outer end of the stud bolt 41. The stud bolt 41, projection nut 23, and nut 42 constitute a screw-connected member 45.

[0047] The rest of the structure is the same as in Example 2 above, so its explanation will be omitted.

[0048] This embodiment 4 also achieves the same effects as in embodiment 2. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 1. Muffler (exhaust system part) 2 Heat Insulator 4 Mounting Brackets 5a,5b Legs 6. Mounting part 10. Insulation

Claims

1. It comprises a mounting bracket having legs and a mounting portion, the legs of the mounting bracket are fixed to the exhaust system component, and a heat insulator is attached to the mounting portion of the mounting bracket. A mounting structure for a heat insulator, characterized in that a heat insulating material is sandwiched between the mounting portion of the mounting bracket and the exhaust system component.

2. The mounting structure for a heat insulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat insulating material is provided over the entire inner surface of the mounting portion of the mounting bracket.

3. The mounting structure for a heat insulator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plurality of members constituting the heat insulator are attached to the mounting portion of the mounting bracket.

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