Exhaust system having segmented service flange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687784-B2
Application number	US-201514677012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

An assembly may include first and second components and a service flange. The first component has a first opening. The second component has a second opening in communication with the first opening. The service flange may be mounted to the first component such that the first component is disposed between the service flange and the second component. The service flange extends around the periphery of the first opening and may include a plurality of separate and discrete segments that are individually secured to the first component. Adjacent segments define joints that movably connect the segments together while allowing for relative movement between the segments before the first component is secured to the second component. The segments include mounting apertures spaced apart from the joints and receiving fasteners configured to fixedly secure the first component to the second component. Each fastener only engages a single segment of the service flange.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly comprising:
a first component including an end wall at least partially defining a pressurized cavity, the end wall including a central aperture and fastener apertures surrounding the central aperture;
a second component having a second opening in communication with the first opening and the pressurized cavity, the second component including a mounting flange surrounding the second opening and extending parallel to the end wall; and
a service flange mounted on a surface of the end wall and being positioned within the pressurized cavity of the first component such that the surface is disposed between the service flange and the mounting flange of the second component, the service flange extending around a periphery of the first opening, the service flange including a plurality of separate and discrete segments that are individually secured to the first component, wherein adjacent ones of the segments define joints that movably connect the segments together while allowing for relative movement between the segments before the first component is fixedly secured to the second component, the segments including mounting apertures spaced apart from the joints and receiving fasteners configured to extend through the fastener apertures and fixedly secure the first component to the second component, each fastener extending through only a single one of the mounting apertures and engaging only a single segment of the service flange to clamp the end wall between the service flange and the mounting flange.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fastener apertures of the first component include diameters that are larger than diameters of the mounting apertures of the segments.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a first gasket disposed between and directly contacting the first and second components.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first component is formed from sheet metal.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the joints are lap joints.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of flexible tabs each having a first end fixed to the first component and a second free end that contacts a corresponding segment of the service flange and clamps the corresponding segment against the first component.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of the fasteners includes a bolt head and a bolt shaft, the bolt shaft including an unthreaded portion pressed into the corresponding mounting aperture of the service flange.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a second gasket disposed between and directly contacting the service flange and the first component.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the first component is planar and the segments each include a planar sealing surface extending between opposite ends of the segments such that a surface area of the service flange is maximized.

10. An assembly comprising:
a first component including a wall having a first opening, the wall at least partially defining a pressurized cavity;
a second component having a second opening in communication with the first opening and the pressurized cavity, the second component including a mounting flange surrounding the second opening and extended parallel to the wall; and
a service flange mounted on a surface within the pressurized cavity of the first component such that the surface is disposed between the service flange and the mounting flange of the second component, the service flange extending around a periphery of the first opening, the service flange including a plurality of separate and discrete segments that are individually secured to the first component, the service flange including joints movably connecting adjacent segments while allowing for relative movement between the segments before the first component is fixedly secured to the second component, each segment including a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the segments being shaped to receive the second end of the adjacent segment such that each first end includes a first surface complementary in shape to a second surface on each second end, the segments including mounting apertures spaced apart from the joints and receiving fasteners configured to fixedly secure the first component to the second component, each fastener extending through only a single one of the mounting apertures and engaging only a single segment of the service flange.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first component includes mounting apertures receiving the fasteners, the mounting apertures of the first component having diameters that are larger than diameters of the mounting apertures of the segments.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a first gasket disposed between and directly contacting the first and second components.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first component is formed from sheet metal.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the joints are lap joints.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of flexible tabs each having a first end fixed to the first component and a second free end that contacts a corresponding segment of the service flange and clamps the corresponding segment against the first component.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the fasteners includes a bolt head and a bolt shaft, the bolt shaft including an unthreaded portion pressed into the corresponding mounting aperture of the service flange.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a second gasket disposed between and directly contacting the service flange and the first component.

18. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the surface of the first component is planar and the segments each include a planar sealing surface extending between opposite ends of the segments such that a surface area of the service flange is maximized.

19. An assembly comprising:
a first component including a wall having a first opening, the wall at least partially defining a cavity and including a first plurality of fastener apertures surrounding the first opening;
a second component including a second opening in communication with the first opening and the cavity, the second component including a mounting flange surrounding the second opening and extending parallel to the wall, the mounting flange including a second plurality of fastener apertures surrounding the second opening and positioned to align with the first plurality of fastener apertures; and
a service flange positioned within the cavity and extending substantially parallel to the wall and the mounting flange, the service flange including a plurality of separate and discrete segments extending about a periphery of a first opening, each segment including at least one mounting aperture, a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the segments being shaped to receive the second end of the adjacent segment such that each first end includes a first surface complementary in shape to a second surface on each second end, the first surface and the second surface each being configured such that the segments may be moved relative to each other and relative to the first component to align the first plurality of fastener apertures, the second plurality of fastener apertures and the mounting apertures of each segment for receipt of fasteners configured to fixedly secure the first component to the second component and clamp the wall between the service flange and the mounting flange.

20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the joints are lap j

Assignees

• Tenneco Automotive Operating Co Inc

Inventors

• Peters Erwin
• Pieniazek Keith
• Reeder Kevin
• Mellon Dennis
• Eggleston Dan
• Neal Mickey
• Porter Andy
• Anderson Matthew

Classifications

• F01N13/1816

  the pipe sections being joined together by flexible tubular elements only, e.g. using bellows or strip-wound pipes · CPC title

• F16L23/032

  characterised by the shape or composition of the flanges · CPC title

• F16L23/12

  specially adapted for particular pipes · CPC title

• F01N13/1855 Primary

  the connection being realised by using bolts, screws, rivets or the like · CPC title

• F01N13/1827

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