Engine Flap Bearing Layout for Easy Assembly and Condensate Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flap devices for internal combustion engines and electric vehicles face challenges in complex assembly, high dimensional accuracy requirements, susceptibility to corrosive condensates, and high actuation effort, necessitating expensive motors.
Innovation Solution
A flap device design featuring a slide bearing mounted on a plastic valve body with a metal plate overmolded for simple assembly, an axial slot on the stub shaft for easy insertion, and a needle bearing with integrated sealing rings to prevent condensate ingress, ensuring precise positioning and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a continuous shaft with roller bearings and ball bearings is used, then the flap can be mounted securely, but the assembly becomes complex and requires high dimensional accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bearing function from complex roller/ball bearings and implements it through a simple plastic deformation mechanism. The receiving opening in the flap body deforms plastically to securely hold the shaft end, eliminating the need for separate bearing components while maintaining secure mounting reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a disposable plastic deformation approach where the receiving opening is permanently deformed during assembly to lock the shaft. This simple, inexpensive method replaces expensive precision bearings and eliminates the need for high dimensional accuracy in assembly.
2Reliability
If traditional bearing designs are used, then the flap can be mounted, but the bearings are susceptible to corrosive condensates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional bearing components that are vulnerable to corrosion and replaces them with a plastic deformation locking mechanism. The shaft end is directly held by the deformed receiving opening, eliminating exposed bearing surfaces that would be susceptible to corrosive condensates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite approach where the plastic flap body itself serves as both the structural component and the mounting mechanism. The plastic material provides both the receiving opening structure and the deformation-based locking function, creating an integrated solution resistant to corrosive environments.
3Ease of operation
If high actuation effort is required, then the flap can be actuated, but large and expensive motors are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the actuation system into a two-part mechanism: a first shaft end for receiving actuation force and a second shaft end with gear wheel for force multiplication. This segmentation allows the use of a small, inexpensive motor that can be geared up to provide sufficient actuation effort, rather than requiring a large direct-drive motor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gear wheel as an intermediary between the motor and the flap actuation. The gear wheel on the second shaft end serves as a mechanical advantage multiplier, allowing a small motor to generate the necessary actuation force through gear ratio multiplication, thereby reducing motor size and cost.
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 design enables inexpensive, easy assembly with precise positioning, reduced risk of corrosive damage, and lower actuation effort, while maintaining high sealing integrity and service life.
Implementation Method 1
a slide bearing, which radially surrounds the axle pin and which is arranged in a receiving opening of the flap body, into which the axle pin protrudes
Implementation Method 2
a needle bearing with integrated sealing rings to prevent condensate ingress
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Flap devices for internal combustion engines or electric vehicles, having a flap body (12), a duct housing (10), in which the flap body (12) is arranged in a rotatable manner, an actuator (22) and a stub shaft (18), which projects from the actuator (22) through the duct housing (10) to the flap body (12) and is supported in the duct housing (10) via a first bearing (26), are known. Frequently, problems occur during mounting and with regard to the sensitivity to corrosion by condensates. In order to create a flap device that is insensitive to corrosion and is easy to mount, it is proposed that an axial pin (58) is arranged fixedly in the duct housing (10) on that side of the flap body (12) that is opposite the stub shaft (18), the flap body (12) being supported on said axial pin (58) via a plain bearing (56) which is arranged in a receiving opening (54) of the flap body (12), the axial pin (58) projecting into said receiving opening (54).