WO2018104070A2

WO2018104070A2 - Apparatus and method for disassembling an exhaust arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2018104070A2
Application number: PCT/EP2017/080292
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jack Johnson
Original assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
Priority date: 2016-12-07
Filing date: 2017-11-24
Publication date: 2018-06-14
Also published as: GB2557327B; GB201620793D0; DE112017006171T5; WO2018104070A3; GB2557327A

Abstract

An exhaust arrangement for use in a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, the exhaust arrangement comprising a support rail attachable to the internal combustion engine and configured to support an exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine. The support rail includes a release bolt aperture for receiving a release bolt. The release bolt aperture is configured such that the release bolt is movable through the release bolt aperture to come into contact with, and apply a pressure to, the exhaust manifold when the exhaust manifold is mounted to the support rail so as to separate the exhaust manifold from the support rail to enable disassembly.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISASSEMBLING AN EXHAUST

ARRANGEMENT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an exhaust arrangement for use in a vehicle and particularly, but not exclusively, to an exhaust arrangement that enables disassembly of an exhaust manifold from a support rail of the arrangement. Aspects of the invention relate to an exhaust arrangement, to a vehicle, and to a method.

BACKGROUND

An internal combustion engine of a vehicle, such as an automobile, includes multiple cylinders from which exhaust gases are released when the engine is operational. An exhaust manifold is attached to a cylinder head of the engine and is used to collect the exhaust gases from two or more of the cylinders into a single conduit. The exhaust gases are then directed to one or more devices for treating the gases, such as a catalytic converter, prior to them being released into the atmosphere via an exhaust tailpipe. The exhaust manifold may be positioned relative to the cylinder head by mounting the exhaust manifold on a support rail or compression rail. Commonly, the exhaust manifold and support rail are formed from fine grain cast iron. Clamping bolts are then used to secure the exhaust manifold and support rail to the cylinder head. Specifically, the exhaust manifold includes slots and the support rail includes complementary-shaped flanges through which the clamping bolts are inserted so as to secure the exhaust manifold in place relative to the cylinder head. The slots and flanges provide a convenient way of mounting the exhaust manifold on the support rail.

During use, the iron from which the exhaust manifold and support rail are formed expands and contracts as the manifold and rail heats and cools during thermo or duty cycles. This causes the exhaust manifold and support rail to elastically deform, perhaps permanently after several thermo cycles, leading to tension between, and the fusing together of, the exhaust manifold to the support rail. This tension means that during disassembly of the exhaust manifold from the cylinder head the exhaust manifold can be extremely difficult to remove from the support rail.

In addition, the exhaust manifold slots and support rail flanges are subject to corrosion over time which also adds to the difficultly in removing the manifold from the support rail during disassembly of the system.

It is an aim of the present invention to address disadvantages associated with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided an exhaust arrangement for use in a vehicle including an internal combustion engine. The exhaust arrangement comprises a support rail attachable to the internal combustion engine and configured to support an exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine, the support rail including a release bolt aperture having a bore with a bore thread for receiving a release bolt or screw. The release bolt aperture is configured such that the release bolt is movable therethrough to come into contact with, and apply a pressure to, the exhaust manifold when the exhaust manifold is mounted to the support rail so as to separate the exhaust manifold from the support rail to enable disassembly, whereby movement of the release bolt or screw through the release bolt aperture is achieved by turning the release bolt or screw to engage the bolt or screw with the bore thread. The present invention allows relatively simple disassembly of an exhaust assembly with low implementation cost. In particular, movement of the bolt causes a large amount of axle pressure down a centre line of a joint between the mounted exhaust manifold and support rail. This means that separation of the exhaust manifold from the support rail needs minimal effort compared with simply attempting to pull the components apart, particularly when the exhaust manifold and/or support rail is corroded or deformed because of thermal cycling or any other reason. There is also a reduced chance of causing damage to the exhaust manifold or support rail during disassembly. The release bolt aperture may extend in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the support rail. This ensures a larger component of the force applied to move the release bolt through the release bolt aperture is translated into separating the exhaust manifold from the support rail.

The rotation of the bolt is turned into axle pressure along a joint between the mounted components. A rotatable bolt may need less input force/effort to cause separation of the exhaust manifold from the support rail. The exhaust arrangement may include the release bolt, i.e. the exhaust arrangement may be manufactured and sold with the release bolt, but it need not be. The release bolt may include a bolt thread, whereby movement of the release bolt through the release bolt aperture is achieved by turning the release bolt to engage the bolt thread and the bore thread. The release bolt may include a release bolt head at one end thereof to enable a force to be applied to effect movement of the release bolt through the release bolt aperture.

It is understood that the release bolt could alternatively be a release screw, the difference being that a bolt has a plain shank portion with no thread whereas a screw is threaded to the head.

In some embodiments the support rail is attachable to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine and/or configured to support the exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the cylinder head.

The exhaust manifold may include an exhaust manifold flange configured for mounting to the support rail, wherein when the exhaust manifold flange is mounted to the support rail the release bolt aperture is adjacent to the exhaust manifold flange. The support rail may include a release bolt flange through which the release bolt aperture extends, wherein the exhaust manifold flange includes an edge including a detent for receiving the release bolt flange. The detent may be of complementary shape to the release bolt flange. When the exhaust manifold flange is mounted on the support rail a rear wall of the detent may be adjacent to the release bolt aperture. The rear wall of the detent may be substantially flat.

In some embodiments the support rail includes a plurality of clamping bolt flanges each having a clamping bolt flange aperture for receiving a respective clamping bolt configured to attach the support rail to the cylinder head, and the edge of the exhaust manifold flange includes a plurality of clamping bolt flange slots for receiving the plurality of clamping bolt flanges. The plurality of clamping bolt flange apertures may extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the release bolt aperture.

In some embodiments the edge of the exhaust manifold is a tapered edge, and the support rail has a sloped surface such that when the exhaust manifold flange is mounted on the support rail the edge of the exhaust manifold abuts the sloped surface of the support rail. The sloped surface of the support rail and the edge of the exhaust manifold may be substantially flat.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle including an exhaust arrangement as described above. The release bolt aperture may be oriented generally perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of disassembling an exhaust arrangement for use in a vehicle including an internal combustion engine. The exhaust arrangement comprises a support rail attachable to the internal combustion engine and configured to support an exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine, and the support rail includes a release bolt aperture having a bore with a bore thread for receiving a release bolt or screw. The method comprises inserting the release bolt into the release bolt aperture, and moving the release bolt through the release bolt aperture, turning the release bolt or screw to engage the bolt or screw with the bore thread, to come into contact with, and apply a pressure to, the exhaust manifold so as to separate the exhaust manifold from the support rail.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 a, 1 b and 1 c show perspective, side and cross-sectional side views of a vehicle internal combustion engine including a cylinder head, and an exhaust arrangement including an exhaust manifold, a support rail and release bolts according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 2a and 2b show first and second perspective views of the exhaust manifold shown in Figure 1 ;

Figures 3a and 3b show first and second perspective views of the support rail and release bolts shown in Figure 1 ; Figures 4a and 4b show schematic views of the support rail shown in Figure 1 ; in particular, Figure 4a shows a cross-sectional side view of the support rail, and Figure 4b shows a plan view of a section of the support rail;

Figures 5a and 5b show schematic views of the support rail and release bolt shown in Figure 1 ; in particular, Figure 5a shows a cross-sectional side view of the support rail and release bolt, and Figure 5b shows a plan view of the release bolt and a section of the support rail; and Figure 6a shows the schematic views of Figures 4a and 5a, and Figure 6b shows the schematic views of Figures 4b and 5b, the exhaust manifold being mounted to the support rail in both cases. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, rotation of a release bolt or release screw results in the release bolt applying a force to a surface in a joint between an exhaust manifold and a support rail of a vehicle internal combustion engine thereby facilitating separation of the exhaust manifold from the support rail during disassembly of an exhaust arrangement.

Figures 1 a, 1 b and 1 c show perspective, side and cross-sectional side views of an internal combustion engine (ICE) 10 and an exhaust arrangement 1 1 of a vehicle. The ICE 10 includes a cylinder head 12. The exhaust arrangement 1 1 includes an exhaust manifold 14 and a support rail 16. In particular, the support rail 16 is attached to the cylinder head 12 via a plurality of support rail clamping bolts 18 (two of which are shown in Figure 1 a). In addition, a plurality of angled top bolts 20 (two of which are shown in Figure 1 a) assist in positioning the exhaust manifold 14 relative to the cylinder head 12, in particular adjacent to the cylinder head 12.

The exhaust arrangement also has two release bolts 22 (only one of which can be seen in Figures 1 a, 1 b, 1 c) inserted into an aperture of the support rail 16. The function of the release bolts 22 will be described in detail later.

Figures 2a and 2b show perspective views of the exhaust manifold 14. The exhaust manifold 14 has four inlets 30 each of which is to be positioned adjacent to a cylinder outlet of the cylinder head 12. The inlets 30 are for receiving exhaust gases from cylinders of the ICE 10 and collecting these gases via piping 32 into a single conduit 34. The conduit 34 then directs the exhaust gases to one or more aftertreatment devices and eventually to a tailpipe of the vehicle (not described here). The inlets 30 are connected generally by a flange 35 which extends along the length of the manifold 14 and abuts the cylinder head 12 when the exhaust manifold 14 is mounted to the support portion 16. With reference to Figure 2a, the exhaust manifold 14 includes four flange slots 36, each flange slot 36 being adjacent to one of the inlets 30 on a lower side 38 of the exhaust manifold flange 35. The slots 36 are each of the same shape, having a rear part 36a with a semi-circular surface and substantially straight walls 36b extending outwardly from the rear part 36a. The slots 36 are of complementary shape to clamping bolt flanges on the support rail 16 (described later) so that the exhaust manifold 14 may be mounted to the support rail 16. Also on the lower side 38 of the exhaust manifold flange 35 are two release bolt detents 40. A first of the release bolt detents 40 is located equidistantly between a first pair of the flange slots 36, and a second of the release bolt detents 40 is located equidistantly between a second pair of the flange slots 36. The detents 40 are each of the same shape, having a rear wall 40a that is substantially a flat surface and substantially straight walls extending outwardly from the rear wall 40a. When the exhaust manifold 14 is in use in a vehicle, i.e. mounted on the support rail 16, the rear wall 40a of each of the detents 40 is substantially perpendicular to a vertical direction, that is, the rear walls 40a are substantially parallel to a surface over which the vehicle is travelling. The detents 40 are of complementary shape to release bolt flanges on the support rail 16 (described later).

Between the slots 36 and detents 40 are wedge portions 42 that have surfaces 42a which are machined flat. The surfaces 42a are for mating with corresponding surfaces on the support rail 16 (described later) and the thickness of each wedge portion 42 decreases towards the lower side 38 of the exhaust manifold flange 35.

With reference to Figure 2b, the exhaust manifold 14 includes four angled bolt slots 44, each bolt slot 44 being adjacent to one of the inlets 30 on an upper side 46 of the exhaust manifold flange 35. The slots 44 are each of the same shape, having a generally semi- circular internal surface. In particular, the slots 44 are shaped to surround the angled top bolts 20 when the bolts 20 are inserted into the cylinder head 12. This provides further support for the exhaust manifold 14 to ensure that it is securely mounted to the support rail 16 relative to the cylinder head 12. Figures 3a and 3b show perspective views of the support rail 16 and release bolts 22. The support rail 16 is substantially of elongated wedge shape. The support rail 16 has a sloping front surface 50 that is shaped to mate with the surface 42a of the support rail 16, i.e. the front surface 50 abuts the surface 42a when the exhaust manifold 14 is mounted to the support rail 16.

The support rail 16 also has four clamping bolt flanges 52 equidistantly spaced along the support rail 16, and shaped to fit into the slots 36 of the exhaust manifold 14. Each of the flanges 52 has a flange aperture 54 that extends all the way through the flange from the front to the back of the flange 52. The flange apertures 54 are shaped to receive the clamping bolts 18 so that the support portion 16 may be attached to the exhaust manifold 14.

Furthermore, the support rail 16 includes two release bolt flanges 56. A first of the release bolt flanges 56 is located equidistantly between a first pair of the clamping bolt flanges 52, and a second of the release bolt flanges 56 is located equidistantly between a second pair of the clamping bolt flanges 52. The release bolt flanges 56 are each of the same shape, specifically they are shaped to fit into the detents 40 of the exhaust manifold 14.

Each of the flanges 56 has a release bolt aperture 58 that extends all the way from a lower to an upper side of the flange 56. The apertures 58 are shaped to receive the release bolts 22. In the described embodiment, the apertures are perpendicular to a longitudinal axis X of the support rail 16. In Figures 3a and 3b, the release bolts 22 are partially inserted into the lower side the release bolt apertures 58 such that a head 22a of each release bolt 22 protrudes from the lower side of the support rail 16 but such that the release bolt 22 does not protrude out of the upper side of the release bolt aperture 58. The release bolts 22 and the release bolt apertures 58 are threaded such that the release bolt 22 may be inserted and rotated into its respective aperture 58. The threaded portions of the release bolts 22 are longer than the release bolt apertures 58, meaning that when one of the release bolts 22 is inserted and rotated fully into one of the apertures 58, for example when the head 22a abuts the flange 56, then the threaded portion of the release bolt 22 extends out the upper side of the flange 56.

Figures 4a and 4b show schematic cross-sectional side and plan views, respectively, of a section of the exhaust manifold flange 35. In particular, there is shown a surface 42a of the wedge portion and the detent 40 in the surface 42a. Similarly, Figures 5a and 5b show schematic side and plan views, respectively, of a section of the support rail 16 with one of the release bolts 22 inserted into its respective release bolt apertures 58. When the exhaust arrangement 1 1 is being assembled and attached to the ICE 10, the support rail 16 will be attached to the cylinder head 12 via the support rail clamping bolts 18 as described above. The exhaust manifold 14 will then be mounted to the support rail 16 by lowering the exhaust manifold flange 35 into the support rail 16. Specifically, the slots 36 are lowered into the clamping bolt flanges 52 of the support rail 16, the slots 40 are lowered into the release bolt flanges 56 of the support rail 16, and the exhaust manifold flange surfaces 42a mate with the support rail surface 50. The angled top bolts 20 will then be inserted through the angled bolt slots 44 in the exhaust manifold flange 35 and into complementary apertures in the cylinder head 12. When in an assembled state in the vehicle, the release bolts 22 and release bolt apertures 58 are oriented in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a direction of travel of the vehicle. In particular, the release bolt head 22a faces downwards towards the ground over which the vehicle travels, ensuring easy access during disassembly. Also, when the exhaust manifold flange 35 is mounted to the support rail 16 each of the release bolt apertures 58 is adjacent to the exhaust manifold flange 35, and optionally abuts the exhaust manifold flange 35.

The exhaust manifold 14 and support rail 16 are formed of metal, perhaps fine grain cast iron. During use of the ICE 10 to propel the vehicle, the exhaust manifold 14 and support rail 16 will heat up and expand. When the ICE 10 is switched off, the exhaust manifold 14 and support rail 16 will cool back down and contract back to their original dimensions. The support rail clamping bolts 18 and the angled top bolts 20 are also subject to such expansion and contraction. After several of these thermal cycles in which the expansions and contractions become progressively greater, the exhaust manifold 14 and support rail 16 may expand beyond return, i.e. they will no longer contract back to their original dimensions, causing tension between the components. This may also result in the components fusing together. In addition, as the exhaust manifold 14 and support rail 16 are formed of metal they are subject to corrosion over time. The increased tension between components because of thermal cycling and/or the formation of relatively hard, brittle rust on the surface of the components because of corrosion means that removing the exhaust manifold from the support rail by simply trying to lift one component out of the other may be difficult during disassembly of the exhaust arrangement 1 1 .

Figures 6a and 6b show how the release bolts 22 may be used to overcome the problems caused by thermo cycling and corrosion to remove or dismount the exhaust manifold 14 from the support rail 16. When the ICE 10 is in use the release bolts 22 may be partially inserted into their respective release bolt apertures 58 so that the threaded portions 22b do not protrude from the upper side of the apertures 58. Alternatively, the release bolts 22 may not be inserted at all into the apertures 58 before dismounting of the exhaust manifold 14 is needed.

When the exhaust manifold 14 is to be dismounted from the support rail 16, the angled top bolts 20 should first be removed from the cylinder head 12. The release bolts 22 should then be rotated or turned clockwise in the release bolt apertures 58 to engage the threads and move the release bolts 22 through the apertures 58. It is envisaged that the rotation will be effected by a machine such as a drill. After sufficient rotation the threaded portions 22b of the release bolts 22 will protrude from the apertures 58 and come into contact with the rear walls 40a of the detents 40 on the exhaust manifold flange 35. Continued rotation of the release bolts 22 will result in a force/pressure being applied to the rear walls 40a. In particular, rotation of the release bolts 22 is converted into a relatively large amount of axle pressure along the centre line of the intersection between the exhaust manifold 14 and the support rail 16, i.e. the joint between the exhaust manifold 14 and the support rail 16. This results in the exhaust manifold 14 being lifted away from, i.e. separated from, the support rail 16 as shown in Figures 6a and 6b.df

In the above-described embodiment, each release bolt 22 and release bolt aperture 58 are both threaded so that rotation of the release bolt 22 within the aperture 58 moves the bolt through the aperture. In alternative embodiments, the release bolt and the release bolt aperture may not be threaded so that application of an axial force to the release bolt within the aperture, for example by use of a hammer, is sufficient to affect movement through translation of the release bolt through the aperture. It will be appreciated that any suitable number of release bolts 22, support rail clamping bolts 18, and angled top bolts 20 may be used.

The support rail 16 is described as being attached to the cylinder head 12 of the ICE 10; however, the support rail 16 may be attached to a different part of the ICE 10.

Many modifications may be made to the above examples without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

An exhaust arrangement for use in a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, the exhaust arrangement comprising;

a support rail attachable to the internal combustion engine and configured to support an exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine, the support rail including a release bolt aperture having a bore with a bore thread for receiving a release bolt or screw, wherein the release bolt aperture is configured such that the release bolt or screw is movable

therethrough to come into contact with, and apply a pressure to, the exhaust manifold when the exhaust manifold is mounted to the support rail so as to separate the exhaust manifold from the support rail to enable disassembly, whereby movement of the release bolt or screw through the release bolt aperture is achieved by turning the release bolt or screw to engage the bolt or screw with the bore thread.

An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 1 , wherein the release bolt aperture extends in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the support rail.

An exhaust arrangement according to any previous claim, comprising the release bolt or screw.

An exhaust arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein the support rail is attachable to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine and/or configured to support the exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the cylinder head.

An exhaust arrangement according to any previous claim, comprising the exhaust manifold including an exhaust manifold flange configured for mounting to the support rail, wherein when the exhaust manifold flange is mounted to the support rail the release bolt aperture is adjacent to the exhaust manifold flange.

An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 5, the support rail including a release bolt flange through which the release bolt aperture extends, wherein the exhaust manifold flange includes an edge including a detent for receiving the release bolt flange.

7. An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 6, wherein the detent is of complementary shape to the release bolt flange.

8. An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein when the exhaust manifold flange is mounted on the support rail a rear wall of the detent is adjacent to the release bolt aperture.

9. An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 8, wherein the rear wall of the detent is substantially flat.

10. An exhaust arrangement according to any of Claims 6 to 9, the support rail including a plurality of clamping bolt flanges each having a clamping bolt flange aperture for receiving a respective clamping bolt configured to attach the support rail to the cylinder head, and the edge of the exhaust manifold flange including a plurality of clamping bolt flange slots for receiving the plurality of clamping bolt flanges.

1 1 . An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 10, wherein the plurality of clamping bolt flange apertures extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the release bolt aperture. 12. An exhaust arrangement according to any of Claims 6 to 1 1 , the edge of the exhaust manifold being a tapered edge, and the support rail having a sloped surface such that when the exhaust manifold flange is mounted on the support rail the edge of the exhaust manifold abuts the sloped surface of the support rail. 13. An exhaust arrangement according to Claim 12, wherein the sloped surface of the support rail and the edge of the exhaust manifold are substantially flat.

14. A vehicle including the exhaust arrangement of any of Claims 1 to 13. 15. A method of disassembling an exhaust arrangement for use in a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, the exhaust arrangement comprising a support rail attachable to the internal combustion engine and configured to support an exhaust manifold mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine, the support rail including a release bolt aperture having a bore with a bore thread for receiving a release bolt or screw, and the method comprising:

moving a release bolt or screw through the release bolt aperture, by turning the release bolt or screw to engage the bolt or screw with the bore thread, to come into contact with, and apply a pressure to, the exhaust manifold so as to separate the exhaust manifold from the support rail.