Connecting flange for connecting two tubular components to each other

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560261-B2
Application number	US-202418812555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2024
Priority date	Aug 22, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A connecting flange for mutually connecting two tubular components including a flange body annularly surrounding a flange longitudinal axis with a first flange contact region and a second flange contact region, which is arranged in the direction of the flange longitudinal axis at a distance from the first flange contact region. At the first flange contact region, a first inner circumferential contact surface for contact of the flange body against an outer circumferential surface of one of the components to be connected to each other via the connecting flange is provided, and, at the second flange contact region, a second inner circumferential contact surface for contact of the flange body against the outer circumferential surface is provided. An insulating recess extending radially outward with respect to the first inner circumferential contact surface or/and the second inner circumferential contact surface and open radially inward is provided in the flange body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A connecting flange for connecting two tubular components to each other, the connecting flange defining a flange longitudinal axis and comprising:
a flange body annularly surrounding said flange longitudinal axis; said flange body having a first flange contact region and a second flange contact region arranged along said flange longitudinal axis with said second flange contact region being at a distance from said first flange contact region; at said first flange contact region, a first inner circumferential contact surface being provided for contact of said flange body against an outer circumferential surface of one of said tubular components to be connected to each other via said connecting flange; at said second flange contact region, a second inner circumferential contact surface being provided for contact of said flange body against said outer circumferential surface; wherein an insulating recess is provided in said flange body axially between said first inner circumferential contact surface and said second inner circumferential contact surface; wherein said insulating recess opens radially inward in the flange body and at least one of the following applies: i) said insulating recess extends radially outwardly with respect to said first inner circumferential contact surface; ii) said insulating recess extends radially outward with respect to said second inner circumferential contact surface; wherein: said flange body has a flange connecting region disposed axially between said first flange contact region and said second flange contact region, said flange connecting region projecting radially outwardly with respect to said first flange contact region and said second flange contact region and having a connecting region vertex lying axially between said first flange contact region and said second flange contact region, said flange body being at a largest radial distance from said flange longitudinal axis in said connecting region vertex; said flange body has a first connecting surface extending from said connecting region vertex to said first flange contact region at, starting from said connecting region vertex, a decreasing radial distance from said flange longitudinal axis, and has a second connecting surface extending from said connecting region vertex to said second flange contact region at, starting from said connecting region vertex, a decreasing radial distance from said flange longitudinal axis; said flange body defines a sealing element receiving recess open to said first connecting surface; and a sealing element received in said sealing element receiving recess and projecting over said first connecting surface is provided on said flange body axially between said connecting region vertex and said first flange contact region.

2 . The connecting flange of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
i) said flange body has first and second axial end regions; and, said first flange contact region is provided on said first axial end region and said second flange contact region is provided on said second axial end region; and, ii) said first inner circumferential contact surface and said second inner circumferential contact surface are cylindrical surfaces.

3 . The connecting flange of claim 2 , wherein said cylindrical surfaces have a same radius to each other.

4 . The connecting flange of claim 1 , wherein said flange body is curved convexly with respect to said flange longitudinal axis in said connecting region vertex.

5 . The connecting flange of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
i) said first connecting surface, starting from said connecting region vertex, is conically tapered; and, ii) said second connecting surface, starting from said connecting region vertex, is conically tapered.

6 . The connecting flange of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
i) said sealing element surrounds said flange longitudinal axis annularly; and, ii) said sealing element is made with graphite material.

7 . The connecting flange of claim 1 , wherein said insulating recess in a region thereof overlapped axially by said sealing element has a smaller length of extent radially outward than in a region thereof not overlapped axially by said sealing element.

8 . A connector assembly comprising:
a first tubular component; a connecting flange defining a flange longitudinal axis and including: a flange body annularly surrounding said flange longitudinal axis; said flange body having a first flange contact region and a second flange contact region arranged along said flange longitudinal axis with said second flange contact region being at a distance from the first flange contact region; at said first flange contact region, a first inner circumferential contact surface being provided for contact of said flange body against an outer circumferential surface of one of said tubular components to be connected to each other via said connecting flange; at said second flange contact region, a second inner circumferential contact surface being provided for contact of said flange body against the outer circumferential surface; wherein an insulating recess is provided in said flange body axially between said first inner circumferential contact surface and said second inner circumferential contact surface; wherein said insulating recess opens radially inward in the flange body and at least one of the following applies: i) said insulating recess extends radially outwardly with respect to said first inner circumferential contact surface; ii) said insulating recess extends radially outward with respect to said second inner circumferential contact surface; said connecting flange lying with said first inner circumferential contact surface and said second inner circumferential contact surface on the outer circumferential surface of said first tubular component; wherein: said flange body has a flange connecting region disposed axially between said first flange contact region and said second flange contact region, said flange connecting region projecting radially outwardly with respect to said first flange contact region and said second flange contact region and having a connecting region vertex lying axially between said first flange contact region and said second flange contact region, said flange body being at a largest radial distance from said flange longitudinal axis in said connecting region vertex; said flange body has a first connecting surface extending from said connecting region vertex to said first flange contact region at, starting from said connecting region vertex, a decreasing radial distance from said flange longitudinal axis, and has a second connecting surface extending from said connecting region vertex to said second flange contact region at, starting from said connecting region vertex, a decreasing radial distance from said flange longitudinal axis; said flange body defines a sealing element receiving recess open to said first connecting surface; and a sealing element received in said sealing element receiving recess and projecting over said first connecting surface is provided on said flange body axially between said connecting region vertex and said first flange contact region.

9 . The connecting assembly of claim 8 , wherein said connecting assembly is for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine.

10 . The connecting assembly of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
i) said connecting flange is fixedly connected by said first flange contact region to said first tubular component via material bonding and ii) said connecting flange is fixedly connected by said

Assignees

• Purem GmbH

Inventors

• Buchhammer Andrei
• Hermann Lorenz
• Boriga Remus

Classifications

• F16L23/04

  the flanges being connected by members tensioned in the radial plane (F16L23/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01N13/1827

  Sealings specially adapted for exhaust systems (sealings in general F16J15/00) · CPC title

• F01N2450/22

  by welding or brazing · CPC title

• F01N13/16

  Selection of particular materials · CPC title

• F16L23/006

  Attachments · CPC title