Elastic Clamping Plate for Pump Fixation in Additive Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing delivery units for liquid additives in exhaust gas treatment devices are complex, costly, and difficult to install and maintain, with a need for a simpler, more reliable, and easily removable solution that ensures secure fixation during vehicle operation.

Innovation Solution

A delivery unit with a housing that mounts on the tank, featuring a component carrier with a clamping plate that provides an elastic preload to secure the pump and other components, along with a filter to prevent impurities and a connection element for the additive line, ensuring efficient and secure delivery of the additive to the exhaust gas treatment device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex delivery unit design is used to ensure secure fixation of components, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and ease of installation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure fixation of componentsVSAvoiddelivery unit construction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery unit is divided into a housing and a separate component carrier that can be independently assembled and installed. This segmentation allows the component carrier with pre-assembled components (pump, filter, connection elements) to be manufactured and tested separately, then simply installed into the housing, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining secure fixation through the bracing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping plate incorporates spring sections that provide elastic preload, creating a dynamic fixation mechanism. This elastic bracing adapts to manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansion while maintaining secure contact between components, ensuring reliable fixation without requiring complex rigid mounting structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a complex delivery unit design is used to ensure secure fixation of components, then reliability is improved, but ease of installation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecure fixation of componentsVSAvoidinstallation process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The component carrier is designed as a separate, pre-assembled module containing the pump, filter, and connection elements. This modular approach allows the entire component carrier to be installed as a single unit into the housing, dramatically simplifying the installation process while maintaining secure fixation through the elastic bracing of the clamping plate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Components are pre-assembled on the component carrier before installation into the housing. The spring sections of the clamping plate are pre-formed to provide elastic preload, and the component carrier is pre-configured with all necessary connections and filters, enabling rapid installation without complex on-site assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of repair

If traditional fixation methods are used, then ease of removal for maintenance is improved, but reliability during operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent removal for maintenanceVSAvoidcomponent fixation during operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic spring sections provide continuous preload that secures components during operation, while the modular component carrier design allows the entire assembly to be easily removed as one unit for maintenance. The elastic bracing naturally accommodates assembly and disassembly without requiring complex locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The component carrier is designed as a removable module that can be easily extracted from the housing for maintenance. This segmentation allows the pump, filter, and connection elements to be accessed as a single unit, simplifying maintenance procedures while the elastic clamping plate ensures secure fixation during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If a simple delivery unit design is used to reduce cost, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery unit constructionVSAvoidcomponent fixation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring sections in the clamping plate provide automatic elastic preload that ensures reliable component fixation without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or multiple fasteners. This simple yet effective elastic bracing mechanism maintains secure contact between components while keeping the overall design simple and cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a simple, cost-effective, and reliable delivery unit that securely fixes components during operation, ensuring efficient delivery of the additive while allowing for easy installation and maintenance, with a high percentage of the housing within the tank for effective additive usage and secure attachment to the tank.

Implementation Method 1

at least the clamping plate or the component carrier has at least one spring section. The spring section of the clamping plate and/or of the component carrier is preferably under an elastic reload in order to brace the component carrier in the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The at least one spring section of the clamping plate is preferably embodied as a bent and/or plastically deformed area of the clamping plate which is deformed elastically during installation and thus produces the elastic preload (which is permanent in the installed state)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP2780561B1Delivery unit for delivering a liquid additive
Publication Date: 2017.05.10 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP2780561B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2780561B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2780561B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a delivery unit (1) for delivering a liquid additive from a tank (2) into an exhaust gas treatment device (3), having at least a housing (4), which can be mounted on the tank (2), and a component carrier (5), which carries at least one pump (6) and is fixed in the housing (4) by means of a clamping plate (7).