Resilient Injector Mounting Flange for Compact Engine Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mounting injectors on motor vehicle engine cylinder heads are inadequate when the flange is inaccessible during injector insertion, particularly in compact engine designs where the cylinder head cover is already in place, leading to difficulties in achieving precise positioning and fixing the injector.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a fixing flange with holding elements that include a lower abutment face for vertical stability, a flat end to prevent rotation, and a ball-and-socket compensation washer for pivoting, along with an elastic return member to maintain limited movement, allowing the flange to be fixed to the cylinder head via a camshaft support after the cylinder head cover is mounted, and an access passage for screw tightening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the flange is fixed to the cylinder head before injector insertion, then the injector positioning is precise, but the flange becomes inaccessible for fixing when the cylinder head cover is already in place in compact engine designs
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing flange is divided into two independent parts: a first part (fork-shaped end with holding elements) that engages with the injector, and a second part (fixing part) that attaches to the cylinder head. This segmentation allows the first part to be accessible during injector insertion while the second part can be fixed afterward through the cylinder head cover's access passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cylinder head cover serves as an intermediary structure that provides an access passage for fixing the second part of the flange after the injector is inserted. This intermediary element enables the fixing operation without requiring direct access to the flange from above, resolving the accessibility issue in compact engine designs.
2Volume of moving object
If the cylinder head cover is positioned close to the cylinder head in compact engine designs, then the engine size is reduced, but the flange becomes inaccessible for fixing during injector insertion
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the flange into two parts allows the first part to engage the injector while the second part is fixed through the cylinder head cover's access passage, making the fixing operation possible even when the cover is positioned close to the cylinder head in compact engine designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing operation is moved from a vertical approach (requiring access from above the cylinder head cover) to a horizontal approach (through the access passage in the cylinder head cover), enabling fixing in compact designs where vertical access is blocked.
3Ease of operation
If the holding elements are made resilient to allow insertion, then the injector can be inserted even with slight misalignment, but the fixing precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The holding elements are designed as resilient (flexible) components that can dynamically adapt during injector insertion to accommodate slight misalignments, then maintain secure engagement once the injector is in position, balancing ease of insertion with fixing precision.
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
This arrangement enables precise and secure mounting of the injector even when the flange is initially inaccessible, facilitating easier assembly and maintenance by allowing the injector to be inserted and fixed without compromising the cylinder head cover's tightness, thus addressing the challenges of compact engine designs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one elastic return member which stores and releases energy so as to maintain the holding elements in a resilient state
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement for mounting an injector (28) on a cylinder head (10) of a thermal engine of a motor vehicle, the injector (28) having at least two transversely opposed lateral notches (42), the arrangement having a fixing flange (50) which includes: - two retaining elements (66) which are intended to be inserted into the lateral notches (42); - a fixing part (58) which is intended to be fixed to the cylinder head (10); characterized in that the two retaining elements (66) are mounted movably transversely between a spread position in which they are spread apart by a distance greater than the largest diameter (D1) of the injection section (30) and a close position towards which they are elastically drawn back and in which each retaining element (66) is capable of being fitted transversely into the associated lateral notch (42).