Exhaust Isolator Bracket With Polygon Aperture Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in automotive exhaust system mounting is maintaining alignment and proper positioning of exhaust isolators on vehicles due to limited packaging space and access to fasteners, which complicates the installation process and vibration isolation.
Innovation Solution
An isolator bracket with a polygon-shaped aperture and a corresponding feature on the vehicle body, along with a specialized tool, ensures angular and positional alignment during installation, allowing for secure fixation with a single fastener while maintaining vibration isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional exhaust isolator mounting methods are used, then the isolator can be installed, but maintaining proper alignment and positioning is difficult due to limited packaging space and access to fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator bracket incorporates self-aligning features including a polygon-shaped aperture that interfaces with a corresponding aperture in the vehicle body, and a tool retention feature that holds an alignment tool during installation. These features enable the bracket to self-align without requiring complex external alignment equipment or multiple fasteners, thus improving ease of operation while reducing installation complexity
Solution Approach 2:
An alignment tool serves as an intermediary element between the isolator bracket and the vehicle body during installation. The tool engages with the polygon-shaped aperture in the bracket and a corresponding aperture in the vehicle body, providing precise angular and positional alignment. The tool retention feature temporarily holds the tool in place during the fastening process, ensuring accurate alignment is maintained until the fastener secures the bracket
2Reliability
If multiple fasteners are used to secure the isolator, then secure fixation is achieved, but access to multiple fasteners is difficult due to limited packaging space
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts the alignment and positioning function from the fastening process itself. By incorporating a polygon-shaped aperture that provides inherent alignment and a tool retention feature that holds the alignment tool, the system separates the alignment function from the fastening operation. This allows a single fastener to suffice, eliminating the need for installers to access multiple fasteners in difficult-to-reach locations while maintaining secure fixation
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment features are added to the isolator bracket, then alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture in the isolator bracket is configured with a specific polygon shape (e.g., hexagon) that provides inherent angular and positional alignment when engaged with a corresponding polygon aperture in the vehicle body. This asymmetric geometric feature ensures precise alignment without requiring additional alignment marks, adjustment mechanisms, or complex positioning systems, thus improving manufacturing precision while minimizing added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The polygon-shaped aperture serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides precise angular and positional alignment, guides the insertion of the alignment tool, and interfaces with the corresponding aperture in the vehicle body. The tool retention feature similarly serves dual purposes by holding the alignment tool during installation and potentially serving as a reference feature for quality control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate alignment components, improving precision without proportionally increasing complexity
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
Facilitates efficient and accurate alignment and installation of exhaust system components, reducing installation time and weight while ensuring effective vibration isolation and structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The isolators may incorporate flexible mounting members or elastomeric internal components to isolate the vehicle's body from the exhaust system
Data Source
AI summary
An isolator for supporting an exhaust component from a portion of a vehicle via a hanger includes elastomeric isolator element having at least one aperture adapted to receive the hanger and an isolator or bracket for receiving and supporting the elastomeric isolator element. The isolator bracket includes a mounting structure including a first aperture and a second aperture. The isolator bracket is adapted to be fixed to the vehicle by a single fastener extending through the first aperture. The second aperture extends through the isolator bracket and includes an internal wall shaped as a polygon. A target orientation of the isolator bracket relative to the vehicle is obtained when the internal wall of the second aperture is angularly oriented and coaxially aligned with a corresponding aperture in the portion of the vehicle having an internal surface with the same polygon shape as the second aperture.