Pipe component

Abstract

The invention relates to a pipe component (10) having a pipe (11) between two end regions (14, 18), which comprises a fold package (30). The fold package (30) has at least one first fold region (32) having first folds (40) which extend around an outer circumference (24) of the pipe (11). The fold package (30) has at least one second fold region (34, 36) having second folds (42) which extend part of the way around the outer circumference (24).

Claims

1. A pipe component comprising; a pipe extending from a first end region to a second end region of the pipe, the pipe comprising: a fold package comprising at least one first fold region which has a plurality of first folds which extend fully around an outer circumference of the pipe; wherein the fold package includes at least one second fold region having a plurality of second folds which extend circumferentially only partially around the outer circumference of the pipe; wherein the first end region has a first pipe connection having a first pipe opening where the pipe opens to an outside environment; wherein the second end region has a second pipe connection having a second pipe opening where the pipe opens to an outside environment; wherein the pipe has a central line extending along a center line of an interior of the pipe from the first pipe opening to the second pipe opening, wherein the central line is curved or bent such that the pipe is curved or bent along the central line from the first end region to the second end region; wherein at least some of the first or second folds have fold tips that are rotationally asymmetrical to the central line, such that the fold tips extend at an oblique angle relative to the central line such that the fold tips equidistantly spaced apart on the outer circumference of the curved or bent pipe.

2. The pipe component according to claim 1, wherein the second fold region directly adjoins the first fold region.

3. The pipe component according to claim 1, wherein in the initial relaxed state of the pipe, the plurality of first and second folds extend, at least in regions, at an angle of between 5 degrees and 85 degrees with respect to a portion of the central line that the relevant fold encloses.

4. The pipe component according to claim 1, wherein the second fold regions directly adjoin the first fold region on opposite axial ends of the first fold region, wherein the second fold regions have individual second folds of the plurality of second folds which extend part of the way around the outer circumference of the pipe.

5. The pipe component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second fold region has a first axial end that adjoins the first fold region; wherein the at least one second fold region has an opposite second axial end; the at least one second fold region has an end fold which arranged as a final fold of the plurality of second folds arranged at the second axial end of the at least one second fold region.

6. The pipe component according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of second folds only partially surround the outer circumference of the pipe by an angle of at least 180 degrees.

7. The pipe component according to claim 4, wherein the end folds of the at least one second fold region rest on a circumferential outer surface of the pipe at the first end region or the second end region, which is parallel to an opening surface defined by an outer circumference of a nearest one of the first pipe opening or the second pipe opening.

8. The pipe component according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of first folds or the plurality of second folds having radially outer fold tips which have an arcuate section or a trapezoidal section.

9. The pipe component according to claim 4, wherein the pipe component is a one piece extrusion blow molded pipe.

10. The pipe component according to claim 4, wherein the pipe component is made of a resilient thermoplastic.

11. The pipe component according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the folds in the fold package is circular or rectangular, at least in regions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages can be found in the following description of the drawings. Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them into other appropriate combinations.

(2) In the drawings, by way of example:

(3) FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pipe component according to the prior art;

(4) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pipe component according to an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 is a side view of the pipe component according to FIG. 2; and

(6) FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the pipe component according to FIG. 2.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(7) In the drawings, components which are the same or similar are denoted using the same reference signs. The figures only show examples and are not to be understood as limiting.

(8) FIG. 1, as a comparison, is an isometric view of a pipe component 10 according to the prior art. The pipe component 10 is, for example, an air-conveying connection element of an intake manifold system of an internal combustion engine, which connects an air filter to the internal combustion engine. The pipe component 10 which is designed as bellows comprises a fold package 30 in order to comply with narrow space requirements and installation tolerances.

(9) Due to confined installation space conditions which require a high degree of flexibility in the conduit routing, and in order to compensate for installation tolerances but also to dampen vibrations, pipe components 10, such as straight cylindrical elements or curved pieces, are usually used with bellows. This allows a mechanical decoupling of two components. The folds 40 of the bellows usually extend perpendicular to a central line 22 of the pipe component 10, which line defines a central line which extends in the longitudinal extension through the interior of the pipe component 10 and maintains the greatest possible distance from the outer walls of the component 10. In a cylindrical pipe component 10, the central line 22 corresponds to the central axis of the pipe component 10. In a curved pipe component 10, the central line 22 can be curved, straight or twisted into itself.

(10) In a cylindrical pipe component 10, the folds 40 of a fold region 32 usually extend rotationally symmetrically and form an angle of 90° with respect to the central axis 22 of the cylindrical region.

(11) The pipe component 10 in FIG. 1 is shown in a relaxed initial state, as it is, for example, when it comes out of a manufacturing tool, and is shown having not yet been bent further, as may be necessary, for example, for installation in the engine installation space of a motor vehicle.

(12) The pipe component 10 according to the prior art in FIG. 1 comprises a pipe 11 between two end regions 14, 18 which has the fold package 30. The fold package 30 has a single first fold region 32 having first folds 40 which extend around an outer circumference 24 of the pipe 11. The first fold region 32 is arranged on a cylindrical portion of the pipe 11. The folds 40 are rotationally symmetrical and extend perpendicular to the central line 22 of the pipe portion in the first fold region 32. The central line 22 is only shown in the cylindrical part of the pipe 11 in FIG. 1, as the central axis, since the fold package 30 having the fold region 32 is only formed in this part.

(13) Cross sections of the fold tips 46 are circular in the example in FIG. 1.

(14) The ends of the end regions 14, 18 that face away from the first fold region 32 open into connection regions 16, 20, it being possible for the connection region 16 to be connected to the air filter, and for the connection region 20 to be connected to the internal combustion engine, for example.

(15) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pipe component 10 according to an embodiment of the invention, while FIG. 3 is a side view of the pipe component 10 and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section of the pipe component 10.

(16) The pipe component 10 is shown in a relaxed initial state, as it is, for example, when it comes out of a manufacturing tool, and is shown having not yet been bent further, as may be necessary, for example, for installation in the engine installation space of a motor vehicle.

(17) In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the fold package 30 has a first fold region 32 which is arranged between second fold regions 34, 36 on both sides. The first fold region 32 has first folds 40 which extend all the way around the pipe 11 on the outer circumference 24. The second fold region 34, 36 has second folds 42, which extend only part of the way round around the outer circumference 24. In this case, the second fold regions 34, 36 directly adjoin the first fold region 32 on both sides, in order to accommodate the largest possible number of second folds 42 in the available installation space of the end regions 14, 18 of the pipe 11.

(18) A central line 22 is also strongly curved due to the curved longitudinal extension of the pipe 11.

(19) The first folds 40 of the first fold region 32 and the second folds 42 extend in parallel with one another. In particular, the first and second folds 40, 42 are rotationally asymmetrical, i.e. they are not rotationally symmetrical to a central line 22 which the relevant fold 40, 42 encloses.

(20) The first folds 40 and the second folds 42, in particular in the relaxed state of the pipe 11, extend, at least in regions, at an angle of not equal to 90° with respect to a portion of the central line 22 which the relevant fold 40, 42 encloses. In particular, the angle can extend at substantially less 90° with respect to a portion of the central line 22 which the relevant fold 40, 42 encloses, extend. Since the first and second folds 40, 42 extend in parallel to one another in the initial state of the pipe 11, in particular in the relaxed state of the pipe 11, said folds extend at very different angles, depending on the position of the fold 40, 42 with respect to the central line 22.

(21) The second folds 42 surround the circumference 24 of the pipe 11 at the transition to the first fold region 32 at least in regions, by at least 180° around the central line 22. As the distance from the first fold region 32 increases, the region around which the partially circumferential second folds 42 surround the circumference 24 gradually decreases and can be significantly smaller than 180°. As can be seen in particular in the longitudinal section in FIG. 4, the ends 44 of the second folds 42 rest on a surface 52 which is parallel to a surface 50 defined by an opening 28 of the adjacent connection region 16.

(22) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the ends 44 of the partially circumferential second folds 42 are shown spaced apart from the connection regions 16, 20. In an alternative embodiment, however, the folds can also directly adjoin the connection regions 16, 20 of the pipe 11, in order to accommodate a maximum number of folds 42 in the available installation space.

(23) Due to the great flexibility resulting from the second fold regions 34, 36, the pipe component 10 in the shown embodiment according to the invention can be bent in a very favorable manner when installed in an intake manifold system between an air filter and an internal combustion engine, in order to meet the restricted installation space requirements of an engine compartment of a motor vehicle. At the same time, the pipe component can be made of material which is sufficiently solid to also meet the corresponding pressure requirements. In this case, the flexibility is provided by the large number of first and second folds 40, 42, which can be accommodated on the same length of a pipe 11, by comparison with the prior art. The pipe component 10 can therefore favorably assume various bends, and can also advantageously be subjected to shear stress.

(24) As shown in the embodiment in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cross section of the fold package 30 can be circular at least in regions. Alternatively, however, rectangular cross sections are also possible. The pipe 11 can advantageously be produced, for example, by blow molding, in particular by extrusion blow molding, and consist of a resilient thermoplastic, such as, for example, PA or EPDM.

(25) The cross section of a fold tip 46 can be designed, for example, as an arcuate section, as shown in the prior art in FIG. 1, or as a trapezoidal section, as can be seen in the embodiment in FIG. 4. Folds in the shape of a trapezoidal section often have a slightly higher flexibility than folds in the shape of an arcuate section. The use of installation space is also more favorable using folds in the shape of a trapezoidal section.