WO2021003667A1

WO2021003667A1 - Engine cover clamped on ring crimped over de-oiler hose

Info

Publication number: WO2021003667A1
Application number: PCT/CN2019/095249
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lingshan BU; Patrick Claverie; Caroline VAUCELLE
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2019-07-09
Filing date: 2019-07-09
Publication date: 2021-01-14
Also published as: CN114072304A

Abstract

A vehicle, comprising a fluid hose (10) with an end (10.1) connected to a fitting (8), and a cover (12) with a clamp (14) snapped on the end (10.1) of the fluid hose (10) around the fitting (8); wherein the end (10.1) of the fluid hose (10) is surrounded by a ring (16) on which the clamp (14) is snapped.

Description

ENGINE COVER CLAMPED ON RING CRIMPED OVER DE-OILER HOSE

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The application is directed to the field of vehicles and to more particularly to fastening an accessory with a clamp, like a cover, to a fluid hose.

BACKGROUND

Covers, like engine finishing covers, are common and their fastening to structural parts of the engine can in certain configurations comprise a clamp that is snapped on a fluid hose, more particularly an end of the hose engaging on a fitting. Such a fastening can however cause problems due to vibrations in that the clamp can, over time, damage the elastomer material of the hose to a point of creating a leakage.

Prior art patent document published FR 3 028 820 A1 discloses a fastening means for finishing covers of engines in vehicles. The fastening means forms a shock damper for the finishing cover to absorb a pedestrian shock at the front, when colliding on the bonnet of the vehicle. This does not however provide any solution for the above problem of fastening the cover to a fluid hose.

Prior art document published JP 2005-155599 A discloses an engine finishing cover with side walls fixed to the engine at a lower portion of the side walls in order to avoid fastening elements from projecting from an upper wall of the valve cover of the engine. The fastening elements are of the clip type, i.e. engaging automatically by merely pressing on the finishing cover towards the engine and vice versa. This does not however provide any solution for the above problem of fastening the cover to a fluid hose.

SUMMARY

Technical Problem

The application has for technical problem to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the above cited prior art. More specifically, the application has for technical problem to avoid a hose to get damaged by vibrations of a clamp holding a cover and engaged with said hose.

Technical solution

The application is directed to a vehicle comprising a fluid hose with an end connected to a fitting; and a cover with a clamp snapped on the end of the fluid hose, around the fitting; wherein the end of the fluid hose is surrounded by a ring on which the clamp is snapped.

According to an alternative embodiment, the ring is crimped so as to exert along a periphery of said ring a pressure on the end of the fluid hose.

According to an alternative embodiment, the ring is made of an endless tape.

According to an alternative embodiment, the tape has a flat profile.

According to an alternative embodiment, the ring shows a width that is at least two times a width of the clamp.

According to an alternative embodiment, the fitting is a hose barb.

According to an alternative embodiment, the fitting is on a valve cover of an engine of the vehicle, the fluid hose a de-oiler hose and the cover is a finishing upper cover of the engine.

According to an alternative embodiment, the clamp is integrally formed with the cover.

According to an alternative embodiment, the clamp is C-shaped.

According to an alternative embodiment, the ring shows an outer cylindrical surface with no protrusion along its whole circumference.

Advantages of the application

The application is particularly interesting in that it avoids damages to the fluid hose without requiring any additional protective part since the ring pressing the fluid hose on the fitting serves, in addition, as a receiving surface for the clamp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a valve cover on the top of an engine of a vehicle, and a finishing cover of said engine attached to a de-oiler hose.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the de-oiler hose of Fig. 1, as a sub-assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 illustrates an upper part of an engine of a vehicle. The engine 2 comprises a valve cover 4 provided with a cap 6 for refilling the engine with oil, and a fitting 8 for a fluid connection with a decanter for de-oiling the vapours accumulating at the top of the engine 2. A fluid hose 10 is fluidly connected to the fitting 8 for fluidly connecting the engine 2 to a decanter (not represented and well known as such) . The fluid hose 10 extends horizontally about a portion of the valve cover 4. A finishing cover 12 is placed above the engine, essentially for acoustic and aesthetic purposes. The finishing cover 12 is attached to the engine, among others, by a clamp 14 that is snapped on the fluid hose 10. The clamp 14 is advantageously C-shaped, i.e. forming an opened circular inner shape by two flexible legs. It is however understood that other shapes and configurations of clamps can be considered. The finishing cover 12 can of course be fastened by other fastening means at various places over the extent of said cover.

As this is apparent in Fig. 1, in particular in the magnified area, a ring 16 is provided around the fluid hose 10 and on which the clamp 14 is fitted. This means that the clamp 14 does not contact directly the fluid hose 10 but in fact only the ring 16. This means that the vibrations inherent in an engine and in a vehicle will not cause the clamp 14 to damage the fluid hose 10.

The ring 16 is advantageously made of metal, e.g. stainless steel. The ring 16 can show a flat cross-sectional profile, as in Fig. 1 whereas alternatively it could show a U-shaped cross-sectional profile. Such a profile would be advantageous in that it would limit a possible axial displacement of the clamp 14 along the ring 16. Advantageously, the ring shows an outer cylindrical surface with no protrusion along more than half of its whole circumference, alternatively along its whole circumference, so that there is no collision with the clamp 14.

As this is apparent, the ring 16 shows advantageously a width that is at least two times the width of the clamp 14.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the de-oiler hose of Fig. 1, as a sub-assembly. The sub-assembly 18 comprises the fluid hose 10 as such, the ring 16 pressing the first end 10.1 of said hose 10 on the fitting of the engine valve cover 4 (Fig. 1) , however not visible in Fig. 2, and another fitting 20 attached to the second and opposed end 10.2 of the fluid hose 10. The ring 16 is for instance an endless ring crimped on the fluid hose 10 engaged on the fitting by a crimping tool which is as such well known.

When assembling the engine, at least the engine valve cover, the first end 10.1 of the fluid hose 10 is engaged on the fitting which can be a hose barb. A hose barb is well known as such, it is a cylindrical piece or part for attaching and securing of hoses, with barb-like rings on the cylindrical piece allowing for an easy push-connection of flexible-plastic or rubber tubing that is not so easily disconnected. The un-crimped ring 16 is slid around the fluid hose 10 prior to engaging the first end thereof on the fitting. Once the fluid hose is properly engaged on the fitting, the ring 16 can be properly positioned so at to be around the fitting and the hose, e.g. at a longitudinal central position relative to the fitting. The ring 16 can then be crimped with the above mentioned crimping tool. Such a tool encircles a major portion of the outer peripheral surface of the ring and exerts a radial pressure thereon so as to plastically and uniformly deform the ring in compression until it reaches an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the fluid hose 10, thereby permanently pressing the material of the fluid hose against the fitting, for instance the hose barb.

It is however understood that other configurations of the ring can be considered provided that such ring provides enough space on its outer surface for receiving the clamp.

Claims

Vehicle comprising:

-a fluid hose (10) with an end (10.1) connected to a fitting (8) ; and

-a cover (12) with a clamp (14) snapped on the end (10.1) of the fluid hose (10) , around the fitting (8) ;

characterized in that,

the end (10.1) of the fluid hose (10) is surrounded by a ring (16) on which the clamp (14) is snapped.
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ring (16) is crimped so as to exert along a periphery of said ring a pressure on the end (10.1) of the fluid hose (10) .
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ring (16) is made of an endless tape.
Vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the tape has a flat profile.
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ring (16) shows a width that is at least two times a width of the clamp (14) .
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fitting (8) is a hose barb.
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fitting (8) is on a valve cover (4) of an engine (2) of the vehicle, the fluid hose (10) a de-oiler hose and the cover (12) is a finishing upper cover of the engine (2) .
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the clamp (14) is integrally formed with the cover (12) .
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the clamp (14) is C-shaped.
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ring (16) shows an outer cylindrical surface with no protrusion along its whole circumference.