Method and Apparatus for Sizing a Component Shell Having at Least Two Different Diameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016333758-A1
Application number	US-201514708329-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 11, 2015
Priority date	May 11, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and apparatus forms an exhaust component that includes first and second substrates. An outer shell surrounds the first and second substrates. At least one sensor hole is formed in the outer shell at a location between the first and second substrates. A first end of the outer shell is surrounded with a plurality fingers to size the first end around the first substrate to a first diameter. The plurality of fingers includes an extended finger that is longer than the other fingers such that the extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the first end. A second end of the outer shell is then surrounded by the fingers to size the second end around the second substrate to a second diameter. The extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the second end.

First claim

1 . A method for forming an exhaust component comprising the steps of:
providing at least a first substrate and a second substrate; providing an outer shell that surrounds the first and second substrates, the outer shell defining a center axis; forming at least one sensor hole in the outer shell at a location between the first and second substrates; surrounding a first end of the outer shell with a plurality fingers to size the first end around the first substrate to a first diameter, wherein the plurality of fingers includes at least one extended finger that is longer than the other fingers such that the extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the first end; and surrounding a second end of the outer shell with the plurality fingers to size the second end around the second substrate to a second diameter, wherein the extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the second end.

2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the first and second diameters is greater than the other of the first and second diameters, and further including wrapping the first substrate with a first mat and wrapping the second substrate with a second mat prior to inserting the first and second substrates into the outer shell.

3 . The method according to claim 2 wherein the first substrate has a first substrate diameter and the second substrate has a second substrate diameter different than the first substrate diameter, and including measuring the first and second substrate diameters prior to wrapping the first and second substrates with the first and second mats.

4 . The method according to claim 3 including weighing the first and second mats prior to wrapping the first and second mats around the first and second substrates.

5 . The method according to claim 4 including sizing the first end of the outer shell to the first diameter based on a measured diameter of the first substrate and weight of the first mat, and sizing the second end of the outer shell to the second diameter based on a measured diameter of the second substrate and weight of the second mat.

6 . The method according to claim 5 including aligning the extended finger to completely cover the sensor hole during sizing of the first end to provide a first surface around one side of the sensor hole that is sized to the first diameter.

7 . The method according to claim 6 including removing the first end of the outer shell from the plurality of fingers, rotating the outer shell such that the plurality of fingers surround the second end of the outer shell, aligning the extended finger to completely cover the sensor hole during sizing of the second end to provide a second surface around an opposite side of the sensor hole that is sized to the second diameter.

8 . The method according to claim 7 attaching a sensor boss to the outer shell to surround the sensor hole.

9 . The method according to claim 1 including aligning the extended finger to at least partially cover the sensor hole during sizing of the first end to provide a first surface around one side of the sensor hole that is sized to the first diameter.

10 . The method according to claim 9 including removing the first end of the outer shell from the plurality of fingers, rotating the outer shell such that the plurality of fingers surround the second end of the outer shell, aligning the extended finger to at least partially cover the sensor hole during sizing of the second end to provide a second surface around an opposite side of the sensor hole that is sized to the second diameter.

11 . The method according to claim 10 attaching a sensor boss to the outer shell at the sensor hole.

12 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one extended finger comprises only one extended finger.

13 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of fingers comprises a first set of fingers and a second set of fingers, each of the first and second sets of fingers including at least one extended finger, and including sizing the first end of the outer shell to the first diameter with the first set of fingers, and sizing the second end of the outer shell to the second diameter with the second set of fingers.

14 . An apparatus for sizing an exhaust component having an outer shell defining a center axis extending from a first shell end to a second shell end, a first substrate positioned within the internal cavity at the first shell end, a second substrate positioned within the internal cavity at the second shell end, and at least one sensor hole formed in the outer shell between the first and second substrates, the apparatus comprising:
a base coupled to an actuator; a plurality of discrete fingers to surround the first shell end to size the outer shell about the first substrate to a first diameter and to surround the second shell end to size the outer shell about the second substrate to a second diameter, wherein the fingers extend axially from the base and are circumferentially spaced apart from each other about the central axis; and wherein the fingers are defined by an axial length that extends from the base to a distal finger end, and wherein at least one finger has a longer axial length than the other fingers.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein, when the plurality of fingers surround the first shell end, the at least one finger covers the at least one sensor hole.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein, when the plurality of fingers surround the second shell end, the at least one finger covers the at least one sensor hole.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the plurality of discrete fingers are moved radially inwardly toward the center axis by the actuator to reduce the first shell end to the first diameter and to reduce the second shell end to the second diameter, wherein one of the first and second diameters is greater than the other of the first and second diameters.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the at least one finger comprises only one finger having the longer axial length than the other fingers.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the distal finger end includes a rounded tip portion that extends axially beyond the sensor hole.

20 . The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the plurality of fingers comprises a first set of fingers and a second set of fingers, each of the first and second sets of fingers including at least one extended finger, and wherein the first end of the outer shell is sized to the first diameter with the first set of fingers, and the second end of the outer shell is sized to the second diameter with the second set of fingers

Assignees

• Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies Usa Llc

Inventors

• Hijazi Claudinei
• Warren John

Classifications

• F01N3/0211 Primary

  Arrangements for mounting filtering elements in housing, e.g. with means for compensating thermal expansion or vibration · CPC title

• F01N2560/025

  for measuring or detecting O2, e.g. lambda sensors · CPC title

• F01N3/2853

  using mats or gaskets between catalyst body and housing · CPC title

• F01N13/008

  Mounting or arrangement of exhaust sensors in or on exhaust apparatus (sensor arrangements for engine control F02D41/1439) · CPC title

• B23P15/00

  Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass · CPC title