Sheet metal turbine housing with cellular structure reinforcement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016102579-A1
Application number	US-201414511987-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems are provided for a reinforcement element coupled to a sheet metal turbine housing that imparts desirable thermal-protective and structurally strengthening characteristics to the housing layers. In one example, a system may include a turbine comprising a housing surrounding a turbine rotor, the housing having an outer layer surrounding an inner layer at a distance to form an intermediate space between the inner and outer layers. Moreover, disposed in the intermediate space is a reinforcement element coupled to the inner and outer layers, providing strength and consistent rigidity without a significant increase in weight to the housing.

First claim

1 . A turbine comprising:
a housing surrounding a rotor, the housing having:
an inner layer;
an outer layer, the outer layer surrounding the inner layer at a distance to form an intermediate space between the inner and outer layers; and
a reinforcement element disposed within the intermediate space and coupled to at least one of the inner layer and outer layer maintaining a threshold length between the inner layer and the rotor.

2 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement element comprises a body of corrugated or bellowed layers of a sheet metal forming a pattern.

3 . The turbine of claim 2 , wherein the pattern is a honeycomb-like shape such that the cross-section of the reinforcement element is a plurality of hexagons.

4 . The turbine of claim 2 , wherein the pattern is a bellowing wave, such that the cross-section of the reinforcement element is a sine wave.

5 . The turbine of claim 2 , wherein the pattern is a plurality of squares or triangles aligned in series.

6 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement element is in face-sharing contact with a first surface of the outer layer facing toward the turbine rotor and a second surface of the inner layer facing away from the turbine rotor.

7 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement element is coupled to one or more of the inner layer and outer layer by spot welding.

8 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer and outer layer are connected at one or more locations along the housing via welding or bolting.

9 . The turbine of claim 1 , further comprising a scroll portion provided in a space about the turbine rotor and configured to receive exhaust gases from an exhaust manifold and drive the turbine rotor.

10 . The turbine of claim 9 , wherein the inner layer defines a boundary of the scroll portion.

11 . The turbine of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement element is coupled to the outer and inner layer at a region proximal to the scroll portion.

12 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement element is one of a plurality of reinforcement elements, and wherein the plurality of reinforcement elements is spaced at symmetrical intervals intermittently along the housing.

13 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement element is disposed in the intermediate space along an entirety of the housing.

14 . A turbine, comprising:
a housing having an inner layer and an outer layer, and an intermediate space formed therebetween; and one or more reinforcement elements disposed in the intermediate space and coupled to each of the inner layer and outer layer, one or more reinforcement elements comprising a body of corrugated or bellowed layers of a sheet metal forming a pattern having a cross-section of one of a hexagon, sine wave, square, or triangle.

15 . A turbine of claim 14 , wherein one or more reinforcement elements is in face sharing contact with a first surface of the outer layer facing a turbine rotor and a second surface of the inner layer facing away from the turbine rotor.

16 . The turbine of claim 14 , wherein one or more reinforcement elements are coupled to one or more of the inner layer and outer layer by spot welding.

17 . A turbine of claim 14 , wherein one or more reinforcement elements are spaced at even intervals along the entirety of the housing.

18 . A turbine, comprising:
a housing having an outer layer and an inner layer, and an intermediate space formed therebetween; and a reinforcement element disposed in the intermediate space, the reinforcement element having a cross-section of a hexagon and coupled via spot-welding to a first surface of the outer layer facing a turbine rotor and a second surface of the inner layer facing away from the turbine rotor.

19 . The turbine of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement element is one of a plurality of reinforcement elements, and wherein the plurality of reinforcement elements is spaced at symmetrical intervals intermittently along the housing.

20 . The turbine of claim 18 , wherein the inner layer and outer layer are connected at one or more locations along the housing via welding or bolting.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Sun Harold Huimin
• Hu Leon
• Hanna David R

Classifications

• F05D2260/231

  Preventing heat transfer · CPC title

• F05D2250/61

  corrugated · CPC title

• F05D2220/40

  in turbochargers · CPC title

• F05D2250/283

  honeycomb · CPC title

• F01D25/26 Primary

  Double casings; Measures against temperature strain in casings · CPC title