Support member and catalyst converter support structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12392273-B2
Application number	US-202118280045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2021
Priority date	Mar 4, 2021
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A support member includes: a pair of first support members provided to sandwich and support an attachment portion, one of the first support members being in contact with a vehicle side; and a second support member provided between the pair of first support members, formed separately from the first support members, and configured to support an inner peripheral side of a through hole. An attachment portion is provided at the other end portion of a plate spring member having one end portion fixed to a catalyst converter, and vibration applied to the catalyst converter is absorbed by elastic deformation of the plate spring member. Vibration in a thickness direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the first support members, and vibration in a longitudinal direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the second support member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A support member configured to support, on a vehicle, a catalyst converter including an attachment portion having a through hole, the support member comprising:
a pair of first support members formed of an elastic material and provided to sandwich and support the attachment portion, one of the first support members being in contact with a vehicle side; and
a second support member provided between the pair of first support members, formed of an elastic material separately from the first support members, and configured to support an inner peripheral side of the through hole, wherein
the attachment portion is provided at an end portion of a plate spring member having another end portion fixed to the catalyst converter, and
vibration applied to the catalyst converter is absorbed by elastic deformation of the plate spring member, vibration in a thickness direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the first support members that vertically sandwich the end portion of the plate spring member, and vibration in a longitudinal direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the second support member disposed on the inner peripheral side of the through hole provided at the end portion of the plate spring member, and
a predetermined gap is provided between the second support member and an inner peripheral surface of the through hole.

2. The support member according to claim 1 , wherein
in a state in which the plate spring member is supported by the first support members and the second support member, a pair of boundary surfaces at which the first support members and the second support member are in contact with one another in a vertical direction are flush with an upper end surface and a lower end surface of the plate spring member in a plane direction.

3. The support member according to claim 1 , wherein
the first support members and the second support member are tubular,
the second support member has an outer diameter smaller than that of the first support members, and
the second support member is sandwiched between the pair of first support members and fixed coaxially with the pair of first support members.

4. The support member according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a washer that is in contact with a surface of one of the pair of first support members which is not in contact with the vehicle, the surface being opposite to the attachment portion;
a collar that passes through inner peripheries of the first support members and the second support member and is in contact with an axial end portion of the washer; and
a bolt that passes through an inner periphery of the collar and fixes the washer to the vehicle.

5. A catalyst converter support structure comprising:
a catalyst converter; and
a support member configured to support the catalyst converter on a vehicle, wherein the catalyst converter includes an attachment portion having a through hole, the support member includes
a pair of first support members formed of an elastic material and provided to sandwich and support the attachment portion, one of the first support members being in contact with a vehicle side, and
a second support member provided between the pair of first support members, formed of an elastic material separately from the first support members, and configured to support an inner peripheral side of the through hole,

the support member has a groove portion which is formed in an entire outer periphery thereof and into which the attachment portion is inserted,
the attachment portion is provided at an end portion of a plate spring member having another end portion fixed to the catalyst converter,
vibration applied to the catalyst converter is absorbed by elastic deformation of the plate spring member, vibration in a thickness direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the first support members that vertically sandwich the end portion of the plate spring member, and vibration in a longitudinal direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the second support member disposed on the inner peripheral side of the through hole provided at the end portion of the plate spring member, and
a predetermined gap is provided between the second support member and an inner peripheral surface of the through hole.

6. The catalyst converter support structure according to claim 5 , wherein
in a state in which the plate spring member is supported by the first support members and the second support member, a pair of boundary surfaces at which the first support members and the second support member are in contact with one another in a vertical direction are flush with an upper end surface and a lower end surface of the plate spring member in a plane direction.

7. A catalyst converter support structure comprising:
a catalyst converter; and
a support member configured to support the catalyst converter on a vehicle, wherein
the catalyst converter includes an attachment portion having a through hole,
the support member has a groove portion which is formed in an entire outer periphery thereof and into which the attachment portion is inserted,
the attachment portion has a chamfered portion at a tip portion inserted into the groove portion,
the support member includes
a pair of first support members formed of an elastic material and provided to sandwich and support the attachment portion, one of the first support members being in contact with a vehicle side, and
a second support member provided between the pair of first support members, formed of an elastic material separately from the first support members, and configured to support an inner periphery side of the through hole,

the first support members and the second support member are coaxial and tubular,
the groove portion is formed in an entire outer periphery of the second support member,
the attachment portion is provided at an end portion of a plate spring member having another end portion fixed to the catalyst converter, and
vibration applied to the catalyst converter is absorbed by elastic deformation of the plate spring member, vibration in a thickness direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the first support members that vertically sandwich the end portion of the plate spring member, and vibration in a longitudinal direction of the plate spring member is absorbed by elastic deformation of the second support member disposed on an inner peripheral side of the through hole provided at the end portion of the plate spring member.

8. The catalyst converter support structure according to claim 7 , wherein a radial length of the attachment portion in the groove portion is 3.0 mm or more.

9. The catalyst converter support structure according to claim 7 , wherein
a radial length of the groove portion is 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm, and
a radial length of the chamfered portion is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.

10. The catalyst converter support structure according to claim 9 , wherein the radial length of the chamfered portion is 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.

11. The catalyst converter support structure according to claim 10 , wherein the radial length of the chamfered portion is 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.

12. The catalyst converter support structure according to claim 7 , wherein the support member further includes
a washer that is in contact with a surface of the other one of the pair of first support members which is not in contact with the vehicle, the surface being opposite to the attachment portion,
a collar that passes through inner peripheries of the first support members and the second support member and is

Assignees

• Marelli Corp

Inventors

• Yamamoto Takaharu
• Yatsuzuka Suguru

Classifications

• F01N13/1822 Primary

  for fixing exhaust pipes or devices to vehicle body · CPC title

• F01N2450/24

  by bolts, screws, rivets or the like · CPC title

• F01N3/10

  by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust · CPC title

• F16B5/0241

  with the possibility for the connection to absorb deformation, e.g. thermal or vibrational · CPC title

• B60K13/04

  concerning exhaust · CPC title