DE102012212110A1 - Fresh air supply device and manufacturing process - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fresh air supply device (1) for an internal combustion engine (31), in particular a motor vehicle, with a housing (2) that defines a fresh air path (4) and with a charge air cooler (3) that goes into the housing (2). is used such that the fresh air path (4) leads through the charge air cooler (3), the housing (2) having an insertion opening (16) through which the charge air cooler (3) can be inserted into the housing (2). The ease of manufacture is obtained if the charge air cooler (3) has a flange (12) on a side assigned to the insertion opening (16), which has a connecting area (13) made of plastic, the housing (2) having an insertion opening (16) Has bordering edge area (17) made of plastic and wherein the closure area (13) is welded to the edge area (17).

Description

The present invention relates to a fresh air supply device for an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a fresh air supply device.

A conventional fresh air supply device comprises a housing which defines a fresh air path, can be supplied via the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine with fresh air. In a supercharged internal combustion engine, the fresh air supply device is usually equipped with a charge air cooler, which can be inserted into the housing so that the fresh air path leads through the intercooler. Usually, the intercooler is manufactured separately from the housing, wherein comparatively large manufacturing tolerances may occur. This can lead to comparatively large positional tolerances between the intercooler and the housing. If fastening points between the intercooler and the housing, for example via flanges and the like, are also specified, tension in the intercooler may occur in the installed state due to the positional tolerances. Such tensions can already lead to damage of the intercooler during assembly. In addition, damage to the charge air cooler may occur during operation of the fresh air supply device, since thermally induced relative movements between the charge air cooler and the housing can increase the voltages generated by the installation position to such an extent that permissible limit stresses are exceeded.

The present invention is concerned with the problem of providing for such a fresh air supply device or for an associated manufacturing method an improved embodiment, which is characterized in particular by the fact that the risk of impermissible tension between intercooler and housing is reduced due to positional tolerances.

This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the general idea, in a fresh air supply device whose housing has an insertion opening for inserting the intercooler in a direction of insertion to equip the intercooler with a flange which is associated with this insertion opening and having a connecting region made of plastic. Furthermore, it is proposed to equip the housing with a plastic edge region enclosing the insertion opening, so that it is possible to weld the closure area to the edge area after insertion of the intercooler. The connection area and the edge area form fastening points of the intercooler and of the housing, which are connected to one another via a welded connection in order to fix the intercooler to the housing. At the same time, the insertion opening is sealed airtight and pressure-tight. During the welding process, the attachment areas are soft and sometimes even liquid, which makes it possible in particular to compensate for positional tolerances between charge air cooler and housing more or less, so that a predetermined relative position between charge air cooler and housing can be adjusted with increased accuracy. As a result, installation-induced tension of the intercooler can be reduced or even avoided.

Particularly advantageous is an embodiment in which the flange is metallic and the connection region is molded onto the flange. Usually, the intercooler can be metallic as a whole, so be made of a metal or of a metal alloy. Due to the expected temperatures, especially light metals or light metal alloys are considered. The metallic flange can be comparatively easily connected to the other components of the charge air cooler sufficiently tight. Usually, the individual components of the intercooler are soldered together. The injection-molding of the connection region to the flange can be implemented particularly inexpensively in order to enable a welded connection between intercooler and housing, which can be used for the above-described tolerance compensation.

According to an expedient development of the flange may have at least one breakthrough, which is penetrated by the plastic of the connecting portion. This results in a positive integration of the flange in the connection area, which can be exposed to high mechanical loads and has the desired air and gas-tightness.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the housing relative to the insertion opening may have an open to the fresh air path trough into which a remote from the flange end portion of the charge air cooler is inserted. As a result, the charge air cooler is positioned on the one hand via the flange and on the other hand via the end portion of the housing, resulting in a secure support of the intercooler on the housing.

Particularly advantageous is a development in which the trough with the inserted End portion cooperates to form a floating bearing for the intercooler. With the help of such a movable bearing can be thermally induced movements of the intercooler relative to the housing allow. The welded connection between the flange and the housing or between the connection area and the edge area forms a fixed bearing for the intercooler on the housing so that thermally induced expansions drive the intercooler from the flange deeper into the recess. With appropriately sized well, which is expediently designed for the maximum expected temperature differences between the intercooler and the housing as well as the maximum expected manufacturing tolerances, thermally induced tensions between the intercooler and the housing can be largely avoided.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the housing may be designed as a distributor housing, depart from which a plurality of separate tubes, which are assigned to separate combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. In particular, the distributor housing can thus be provided for mounting directly on the internal combustion engine.

In another advantageous embodiment, a welded connection, by means of which the connection region is welded to the edge region, can compensate for positional deviations between the connection region and the edge region. As mentioned, the connection area and the edge area during the production of the welded joint are at least partially soft or even liquid, whereby a predetermined space position for the intercooler can be set in the housing, which can lead depending on the manufacturing tolerance to a positional deviation between the connection region and the edge region. This positional deviation can now be compensated or compensated with the help of the weld joint.

In this case, an embodiment in which a welded connection, by means of which the connection region is welded to the edge region, has a height measured in a direction of insertion of the charge air cooler that compensates for positional deviations between the connection region and the edge region varies in the circumferential direction of the welded connection. The housing defines, for example by the position of the insertion opening and optionally by the position of the aforementioned trough, a housing-side longitudinal axis. In particular, the edge region may lie in an edge region plane which runs more or less exactly perpendicular to this housing-side longitudinal axis. Irrespective of this, the intercooler defines a radiator-side longitudinal axis, for example due to the spatial position of the flange and the spatial position of the end region remote therefrom. In particular, the flange may lie in a flange plane which runs more or less exactly perpendicular to the radiator-side longitudinal axis. In order to set the desired relative position between the housing and intercooler, the housing-side longitudinal axis and the radiator-side longitudinal axis are aligned parallel to each other. As a result of the manufacturing tolerances, the connection area plane and the edge area plane can thereby be inclined more or less strongly to one another. This results in the circumferential direction of the connecting region or the edge region, a varying distance, which is measured parallel to the insertion direction. In order that the welded joint can fix this optimum relative position between the intercooler and the housing, the welded connection is produced such that it has a height which varies in the circumferential direction according to the varying distance in the circumferential direction, which height is also measured parallel to the direction of insertion. Thus, the predetermined optimum relative position between intercooler and housing can be fixed.

According to another advantageous embodiment, it may be provided that at least one catch edge adjoining the weld joint is formed at the connection region on a side facing the edge region. Additionally or alternatively, at least one catch edge adjoining the welded connection may be formed on the edge region on a side facing the connection region. The respective fishing edge can retain liquid plastic during the production of the welded connection and prevent it from escaping from the welding zone, as a result of which the quality of the weld that can be achieved can be considerably improved. Appropriately, both inside and outside of the weld joint adjacent a closed circumferential fishing edge is provided.

In another advantageous embodiment, the connection region may abut against the edge region on an outer side of the housing facing away from the fresh air path and overlap the edge region laterally, ie transversely to the insertion direction. By this design, the production of the welded connection is considerably simplified, since it is realized on the outside and is therefore comparatively easily accessible.

In the inventive method for producing a fresh air supply device, in particular for producing a fresh air supply device of the type described above, the intercooler is first inserted through an insertion opening in the housing in a direction of insertion. Subsequently, a predetermined relative position between intercooler and housing is set. For example, be there a housing-side longitudinal axis and a radiator-side longitudinal axis aligned parallel to each other. Subsequently, the connection area is welded to the edge area. As a result, the set predetermined relative position between charge air cooler and housing is fixed, at the same time the insertion opening is sealed airtight and pressure-tight.

Particularly advantageous is an embodiment in which after setting the predetermined relative position between intercooler and housing a resulting relative position between connecting region and edge region is detected, so that in the subsequent welding of the connection region with the edge region measured in the insertion direction height of the welded joint depending on the detected relative position between connection region and edge region in the circumferential direction along the weld joint can be varied. In this way, a tolerance-related positional deviation between the connection region and the edge region can be taken into account and compensated accordingly.

In a particularly advantageous refinement, when the connecting region is welded to the edge region in the circumferential direction along the weld joint to be produced, a heat input can now be varied depending on the height of the welded joint to be produced. The heat input correlates with the degree of softening or liquefaction of the respective section of the connection region or edge region, whereby the desired height profile of the welded connection in the circumferential direction can be simulated particularly easily in order to be able to compensate for the desired compensation of the relative positional deviation between connecting region and edge region ,

The welding between connection region and edge region can be carried out, for example, as hot gas welding or as laser welding or as infrared welding. These welding methods are particularly suitable for varying the heat input in the respective welding zone in the circumferential direction.

Other important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, from the drawings and from the associated figure description with reference to the drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail in the following description, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components.

Show, in each case schematically,

1 a longitudinal section of a charge air cooler,

2 a top view of the intercooler according to a line of sight II in 1 without connection area,

3 a top view as in 2 but with connection area,

4 a longitudinal section of a fresh air supply device in the region of the intercooler,

5 an enlarged detail V from 4 .

6 a plan view of the fresh air supply device according to a viewing direction VI in 4 .

7 an isometric view of the intercooler,

8th an isometric view of the fresh air supply device,

9 a circuit diagram-like schematic diagram of an internal combustion engine with such a fresh air supply device.

According to the 1 to 9 includes a fresh air supply device 1 a housing 2 and a charge air cooler 3 , The housing 2 contains or defines a fresh air path 4 , The intercooler 3 is in the case 2 used, in such a way that the fresh air path 4 through the intercooler 3 passes. The intercooler 3 has a coolant inlet in the usual way 5 and a coolant outlet 6 on, in the mounted state outside the housing 2 lie. A first water tank 7 includes an unspecified inlet space which communicates with the coolant inlet 5 communicates, as well as an unspecified outlet space, with the coolant outlet 6 communicated. The first water tank 7 is about a variety of cooling tubes 8th with a second water box 9 fluidly connected, which contains at least one deflection chamber unspecified here. A first group of cooling pipes 8th connects the inlet chamber with the deflection chamber. A second group of cooling pipes 8th connects the deflection chamber with the outlet chamber. Between the cooling pipes 8th are interspaces 10 formed, through which the fresh air path 4 through the intercooler 3 can be passed. In these spaces 10 can lamellae 11 be arranged in what 1 is indicated. It is clear that these slats 11 in all the gaps 10 can be arranged. Furthermore, it is clear that such slats 11 also in the states of 4 and 7 can be present.

At the transition between the first water tank 7 and the cooling pipes 8th points the intercooler 3 a flange 12 on, which has a connection area 13 made of plastic. The connection area is expedient 13 to the flange 12 or to a core 14 of the flange 12 molded. The flange 12 or the core 14 can expedient breakthroughs 15 that of the molded plastic of the connection area 13 are filled. According to 2 can a variety of such breakthroughs 15 be provided in the form of cylindrical bores.

The housing 2 owns according to the 4 and 5 an insertion opening 16 through which the intercooler 3 in the case 2 can be used. The insertion opening 16 is by a border area 17 in one in the 2 . 3 and 6 indicated by a double arrow circumferential direction 48 completely edged, which is made of plastic. In particular, the border area 17 integral to the housing 2 formed, with the housing 2 is preferably made of plastic. In particular, it is the case 2 to an injection molded part.

The flange 12 or its core 14 is suitably metallic, that is made of a metal or of a metal alloy. The entire charge air cooler is preferred 3 metallic, leaving aside the connection area 13 all components of the intercooler 3 namely, coolant inlet 5 , Coolant outlet 6 , first water tank 7 , Coolant pipes 8th , second water tank 9 and lamellae 12 as well as flange core 14 are made of a metal or of a metal alloy.

The flange 12 is the insertion opening 16 assigned, such that the flange 12 in the installed state, the insertion opening 16 closes. In the assembled state is the closure area 13 with the border area 17 welded. A corresponding welded connection is in 5 With 18 designated. Within the welded joint 18 are thus a weld zone 19 of the connection area 13 and a welding zone 20 of the border area 17 cohesively connected to each other.

According to 5 can at the connection area 13 at one of the edge area 17 facing side an outer fishing edge 21 , the outside of the welded joint 18 adjacent, as well as an inner fishing edge 22 provided inside the welded joint 18 borders. Also the border area 17 can at a the connection area 13 facing side an outer fishing edge 23 , the outside of the welded joint 18 adjacent, as well as an inner fishing edge 24 have the inside of the welded joint 18 borders. As well as the welded connection 18 also run the curbs 21 . 22 . 23 . 24 at the connection area 13 or at the edge area 17 completely and closed around the insertion opening 16 around. The connection area 13 is at one of the fresh air path 4 remote from the outside of the housing 2 at the edge 17 arranged. Furthermore, the connection area overlaps 13 the edge area 17 laterally, ie transversely to an insertion direction 25 that in the 1 . 4 . 5 . 7 . 8th each indicated by an arrow in the 1 and 4 coincides with the respective sight line arrow of the viewing directions II and VI.

The housing 2 owns according to 4 opposite the insertion opening 16 a hollow 26 leading to the fresh air path 4 is open and in the one from the flange 12 remote end section 27 of the intercooler 3 dips. This end section 27 This corresponds essentially to the second water tank and a floor 28 coming from the cooling pipes 8th is interspersed and where the second water tank 9 is attached. Such a floor 28 is in the area of the first water box 7 through the flange 12 or through the core 14 of the flange 12 educated. The hollow 26 acts with the end section inserted therein 27 to form a floating bearing for the intercooler 3 together. Such a floating bearing allows thermally induced relative movements between the intercooler 3 and the housing 2 , Through the welded joint 18 between the flange 12 and the housing 2 or between the connection area 13 and the edge area 17 On the other hand, a fixed bearing is defined which does not have any relative movements between the intercooler 3 and housing 2 allows.

How in particular the 6 . 8th and 9 can be removed, the housing 2 preferably be designed as a distributor housing, of which several separate tubes 29 depart, leading to separate combustion chambers 30 (see. 9 ) of an internal combustion engine 31 to lead.

Corresponding 9 includes an internal combustion engine 31 an engine block 32 , in corresponding, here unspecified cylinders, the combustion chambers 30 contains. A fresh air system 33 for the fresh air supply of the combustion chambers 30 serves, contains the fresh air supply device 1 whose housing 2 designed here as a distributor housing and over the pipes 29 on the engine block 32 connected. The fresh air system 33 Contains upstream of the housing 2 a compressor 34 an exhaust gas turbocharger 35 , Between the compressor 34 and the housing 2 is a throttle device 36 arranged. The internal combustion engine 31 also has an exhaust system 37 on, the exhaust from the combustion chambers 30 dissipates. Downstream of an exhaust manifold 38 contains the exhaust system 37 a turbine 39 the exhaust gas turbocharger 35 ,

The intercooler 3 is in a charge air cooling circuit 40 integrated, which is a coolant pump 41 as well as a cooler 42 includes. The engine block 32 is in an engine cooling circuit 43 integrated, which is a coolant pump 44 as well as a cooler 45 includes. The two coolers 42 . 45 the two cooling circuits 40 . 43 are in the example of 9 arranged one behind the other so that they are successively cooled by a flow of cooling air 46 can be flowed through, with the help of a blower 47 can be generated or amplified. In the example of 9 is thus for the intercooler 3 a separate cooling circuit 40 provided separately to the engine cooling circuit 43 is provided.

The production of the fresh air supply device 1 can be done for example as follows:
First, the intercooler 3 , which is independent of the housing 2 has been manufactured, in the insertion direction 25 through the insertion opening 16 in the case 2 used. Subsequently, an orientation of the intercooler 3 relative to the housing 2 to thereby a predetermined relative position between intercooler 3 and housing 2 adjust. Subsequently, the welding of the connection area takes place 13 with the border area 17 ,

Appropriately, after setting the predetermined relative position between intercooler 3 and housing 2 a resulting relative position between the connection area 13 and the edge area 17 be recorded. The relative position between connection area 13 and border area 17 can from an optimal relative position, in which a connection area level in which the connection area 13 extends, and a border area plane, in which the border area 17 extends, parallel to each other, deviate more or less, so that the connection area level is more or less inclined to the edge area plane. During the subsequent welding of the connection area 13 with the border area 17 can now depend on the detected relative position between connection area 13 and border area 17 one in the insertion direction 25 measured height of welded joint 18 in the circumferential direction along the welded joint 18 be varied. This makes it possible, the position deviations between the connection area 13 and the edge area 17 compensate.

A variation in the height of the welded joint 18 can be realized, for example, that during welding of the connection area 13 and border area 17 in the circumferential direction along the welded joint to be produced 18 a heat input depending on the height of the weld to be generated 18 is varied. For example, in areas where a lower height is needed in the weld, more heat is applied to a higher degree of softening of the plastics from the bond area 13 and border area 17 to achieve.

Claims (14)

Fresh air supply device for an internal combustion engine ( 31 ), in particular a motor vehicle, - with a housing ( 2 ) that has a fresh air path ( 4 ), - with a charge air cooler ( 3 ), which is in the housing ( 2 ) is inserted so that the fresh air path ( 4 ) through the intercooler ( 3 ), the housing ( 2 ) an insertion opening ( 16 ), through which the intercooler ( 3 ) in the housing ( 2 ), wherein - the intercooler ( 3 ) at one of the insertion opening ( 16 ) associated side a flange ( 12 ) having a connection area ( 13 ) made of plastic, - wherein the housing ( 2 ) one the insertion opening ( 16 ) bordering area ( 17 ) made of plastic, - wherein the closure area ( 13 ) with the edge area ( 17 ) is welded. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection area ( 13 ) to the otherwise metallic flange ( 12 ) is injected. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the flange ( 12 ) at least one breakthrough ( 15 ), of the plastic of the connection area ( 13 ) is interspersed. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the housing ( 2 ) opposite the insertion opening ( 16 ) one to the fresh air path ( 4 ) open trough ( 26 ) into which one of the flange ( 12 ) remote end portion ( 27 ) of the intercooler ( 3 ) is used. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the trough ( 26 ) with the inserted end section ( 27 ) for forming a floating bearing for the intercooler ( 3 ) cooperates. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing ( 2 ) is designed as a distributor housing, of which several separate tubes ( 29 ), the separate combustion chambers ( 30 ) of the internal combustion engine ( 31 ) assigned. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a welded connection ( 18 ), through which the connection area ( 13 ) with the edge area ( 17 ), positional deviations between connection area ( 13 ) and edge area ( 17 ) compensates. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a welded connection ( 18 ), through which the connection area ( 13 ) with the edge area ( 17 ) is welded, to compensate for positional deviations between connecting region ( 13 ) and edge area ( 17 ) one in the circumferential direction ( 48 ) of the welded connection ( 18 ) varying, in a direction of insertion ( 25 ) of the intercooler ( 3 ) measured height. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that - at the connection area ( 13 ) at one of the margins ( 17 ) facing side at least one of the welded connection ( 18 ) adjacent fishing edge ( 21 . 22 ) is formed, and / or - that at the edge region ( 17 ) at one of the connection areas ( 13 ) facing side at least one of the welded connection ( 18 ) adjacent fishing edge ( 23 . 24 ) is trained. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the connection region ( 13 ) at one of the fresh air path ( 4 ) facing away from the outside of the housing ( 2 ) at the edge area ( 17 ) and the edge area ( 17 ) overlaps laterally. Method for producing a fresh air supply device ( 1 ), in particular according to one of claims 1 to 10, - in which a charge air cooler ( 3 ) in a direction of insertion ( 25 ) through an insertion opening ( 16 ) in a housing ( 2 ) is used, - in which a predetermined relative position between intercooler ( 3 ) and housing ( 2 ), - in which a connection area ( 13 ) made of plastic one of the insertion opening ( 16 ) associated flange ( 12 ) of the intercooler ( 3 ) with an insertion opening ( 16 ) bordering area ( 17 ) made of plastic of the housing ( 2 ) is welded. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that - after setting the predetermined relative position between intercooler ( 3 ) and housing ( 2 ) a resulting relative position between the connection region ( 13 ) and the edge area ( 17 ) is detected, - that when welding connection area ( 13 ) and edge area ( 17 ) one in the insertion direction ( 25 ) measured height of the welded joint ( 18 ) depending on the detected relative position between connection area ( 13 ) and edge area ( 17 ) in the circumferential direction ( 48 ) along the weld joint ( 18 ) is varied. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that when welding connecting region ( 13 ) and edge area ( 17 ) in the circumferential direction ( 48 ) along the weld to be produced ( 18 ) a heat input depending on the height of the weld to be generated ( 18 ) is varied. Method according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the welding is carried out as hot gas welding or laser welding or as infrared welding.

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