Expansion joint for connecting an exhaust collector of an engine to a duct system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010787-A1
Application number	US-201414325402-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An expansion joint for connecting an exhaust collector of an engine to a duct system includes an upper frame, a lower frame, a resilient member, and a fabric membrane. The upper frame is formed from a plurality of first members in which ends of adjacent first members are releasably coupled to each other. The lower frame is disposed in a spaced-apart relation to the upper frame. The lower frame is formed from a plurality of second members in which ends of adjacent second members are releasably coupled to each other. The resilient member is disposed between mutually coupled ends of the first members and between mutually coupled ends of the second members. The resilient member is configured to elastically deform in response to a variation in the lengths of the first and the second members. The fabric membrane is affixed to an outer periphery of the upper and lower frames.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An expansion joint for connecting an exhaust collector of an engine to a duct system, the expansion joint comprising:
an upper frame formed from a plurality of first members, wherein ends of adjacent first members are releasably coupled to each other; a lower frame disposed in a spaced-apart relation to the upper frame, the lower frame formed from a plurality of second members, wherein ends of adjacent second members are releasably coupled to each other; a resilient member disposed between mutually coupled ends of the first members and between mutually coupled ends of the second members, the resilient member configured to elastically deform in response to a variation in the lengths of the first and second members; and a fabric membrane affixed to an outer periphery of the upper frame and the lower frame.

2 . The expansion joint of claim 1 further comprising a shield liner affixed to an inner periphery of the lower frame.

3 . The expansion joint of claim 2 , wherein the shield liner together with an inner periphery of the upper frame is configured to define a gap therebetween.

4 . The expansion joint of claim 1 , wherein the ends of mutually adjacent first members and mutually adjacent second members define axially aligned holes therein.

5 . The expansion joint of claim 4 further including fasteners that are configured to register with the axially aligned holes defined in the ends of the mutually adjacent first members and the mutually adjacent second members.

6 . The expansion joint of claim 5 , wherein the fasteners are at least one of a bolt and nut arrangement, rivets, and screws.

7 . The expansion joint of claim 1 , wherein the resilient member is made from at least one of an elastomer, a polymer, a metal, a resin, a ceramic, a composite material, and any combinations thereof.

8 . An engine including:
an exhaust collector; a duct system disposed in a spaced apart relation to the exhaust collector; and employing the expansion joint of claim 1 to connect the exhaust collector to the duct system, wherein the upper frame is configured to connect to the duct system, and the lower frame is configured to connect to the exhaust collector.

9 . The engine of claim 8 , wherein the engine is a gas turbine engine.

10 . An expansion joint for connecting an exhaust collector of an engine to a duct system, the expansion joint comprising:
an upper frame formed from a plurality of first members, wherein ends of adjacent first members are releasably coupled to each other; a lower frame disposed in a spaced-apart relation to the upper frame, the lower frame formed from a plurality of second members, wherein ends of adjacent second members are releasably coupled to each other; a resilient member disposed between mutually coupled ends of the first members and between mutually coupled ends of the second members, the resilient member configured to elastically deform in response to a variation in the lengths of the first and second members; and a shield liner affixed to an inner periphery of the lower frame.

11 . The expansion joint of claim 10 further comprising a fabric membrane affixed to an outer periphery of the upper frame and the lower frame.

12 . The expansion joint of claim 10 , wherein the shield liner together with an inner periphery of the upper frame is configured to define a gap therebetween.

13 . The expansion joint of claim 10 , wherein the ends of mutually adjacent first members and mutually adjacent second members define axially aligned holes therein.

14 . The expansion joint of claim 13 further including fasteners that are configured to register with the axially aligned holes defined in the ends of the mutually adjacent first members and the mutually adjacent second members.

15 . The expansion joint of claim 14 , wherein the fasteners are at least one of a bolt and nut arrangement, rivets, and screws.

16 . The expansion joint of claim 10 , wherein the resilient member is made from at least one of an elastomer, a polymer, a metal, a resin, a ceramic, a composite material, and any combinations thereof.

17 . A method for manufacturing an expansion joint, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of first members; positioning a resilient member between ends of mutually adjacent first members; releasably coupling the ends of mutually adjacent first members to form an upper frame; providing a plurality of second members; positioning a resilient member between ends of mutually adjacent second members; releasably coupling the ends of mutually adjacent second members to form a lower frame; affixing a fabric membrane to an outer periphery of the upper frame and the lower frame; and affixing a shield liner to an inner periphery of the lower frame.

18 . The method of claim 17 further including defining axially aligned holes in the ends of mutually adjacent first members and mutually adjacent second members.

19 . The method of claim 18 further including positioning one or more fasteners within the axially aligned holes defined in the ends of the mutually adjacent first members and the mutually adjacent second members.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the resilient member is made from at least one of an elastomer, a polymer, a metal, a resin, a ceramic, a composite material, and any combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Solar Turbines Inc

Inventors

• Granda Gino H

Classifications

• F16L27/1021

  comprising an intermediate resilient element, e.g. a ring · CPC title

• F24F13/0209

  characterised by their connecting means, e.g. flanges · CPC title

• F16L27/1004

  introduced in exhaust pipes for hot gases · CPC title

• F16L51/00

  Expansion-compensation arrangements for pipe-lines (telescopic pipes F16L27/12) · CPC title

• F16L23/14 Primary

  for rectangular pipes · CPC title