Exhaust lining having a connecting element

Abstract

An exhaust lining for an exhaust system of a motor vehicle has a first connecting element clamped between a first and second pipe. The first pipe forms a tailpipe. The second pipe forms a tailpipe cover. The tailpipe cover has a tubular inner part held on by means of the first connecting element which clings onto the first pipe via by means of a lever mechanism. A load arm of the lever mechanism, having the distance A, is shorter than an effort arm, having the distance B. The length of the effort arm is precisely defined, because the end of the effort arm lies against the first pipe via a punctiform contact area. A first contact surface of a clamping spring is designed offset from the longitudinal extent of a main body of the first connecting element to save space in the longitudinal direction of the main body.

Claims

1. An exhaust lining for a motor vehicle, the exhaust lining comprising: a first pipe; a second pipe; wherein the first pipe is arranged radially inside the second pipe; an at least partially resilient one-piece first connecting element disposed radially between the first pipe and the second pipe for holding the second pipe to the first pipe; the first connecting element being supported on the first pipe both via an end claw of the first connecting element and via a punctiform contact area of the first connecting element, the first connecting element being formed between the contact of the end claw and the punctiform contact area at a distance along the first pipe; wherein the first connecting element has a clamping spring in the region of an end opposite the end claw which is tensioned radially between the first pipe and the second pipe; wherein the first connecting element is mounted lying against the second pipe in the form of a rocker between the end claw and the punctiform contact area via a projection of the first connecting element, wherein the projection lies against the second pipe; wherein the first connecting element lies against the first pipe radially inwardly via the end claw and the punctiform contact area on the first pipe; wherein a distance B between the projection and the punctiform contact area corresponds to at least 3 times a distance A between the end claw and the projection.

2. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the end claw has two finger projections.

3. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe, the second pipe and/or the first connecting element is/are formed of sheet metal.

4. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the clamping spring extends outwardly from the end opposite the end claw in a direction that is perpendicular to the distance along the first pipe.

5. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the distance B between the projection and the punctiform contact area corresponds to at least 4 times the distance A between the end claw and the projection.

6. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the punctiform contact area is not a linear or planar contact area.

7. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting element, the first pipe and the second pipe extend along a longitudinal axis, wherein the first connecting element extends between the projection and the punctiform contact area comprising two sections with differing angles with respect to the longitudinal axis.

8. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting element has no more than five contact points between the first and second pipes, there being three contacts with the first pipe and two contacts with the second pipe.

9. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein in a circumferential direction of the first pipe further connecting elements are arranged between the first pipe and the second pipe, the further connecting elements being formed equal to the first connecting element.

10. The exhaust lining according to claim 9, wherein the first connecting element and further connecting elements are not connected together, nor connected to either the first pipe or second pipe, before being arranged between the first pipe and the second pipe.

11. The exhaust lining according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe is designed in the form of a tailpipe and the second pipe is designed in the form of a tailpipe cover.

12. The exhaust lining according to claim 11, wherein a radial height H.sub.1 of the clamping spring in a relaxed, unmounted state of the first connecting element exceeds a maximum radial height H.sub.2 between the end claw and the projection.

13. The exhaust lining according to claim 12, wherein the clamping spring has a first contact surface lying against the first pipe and a second contact surface lying against the second pipe, the first contact surface being formed offset from the second contact surface in a circumferential direction of the first pipe.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an exhaust lining;

(3) FIG. 2 is a plan view of the end-side opening of a part of the exhaust lining of FIG. 1 in the installed state;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the part of the exhaust lining of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view according to the plane IV-IV from FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a part of the exhaust lining according to the section V of FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of a first connecting element of the exhaust lining according to FIGS. 1 to 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a rear view of the first connecting element from FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 is a plan view of the first connecting element according to FIGS. 6 and 7; and

(10) FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the first connecting element according to FIGS. 6 to 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) FIG. 1 shows an exhaust lining 10 having a first pipe 12 and a second pipe 14. The first pipe 12 is designed in the form of a tailpipe. The second pipe 14 is designed in the form of a tailpipe cover. The second pipe 14 comprises an inner part 16 and an outer part 18. The inner part 16 is tubular. The outer part 18 is tubular. The second pipe 14, more precisely the inner part 16, is attached via at least one connecting element 20a-20e. In the present case, five fixing elements 20a-20e are provided for fixing the second pipe 14 to the first pipe 12. The outer part 18 is pushed onto the inner part 16 and thereby locked.

(12) FIG. 2 shows the exhaust lining 10 in the assembled state. From FIG. 2 it can be seen that the connecting elements 20a-20e are arranged equidistantly between the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 14 with respect to the circumferential direction of the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 14.

(13) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the exhaust lining 10 for illustrating the sectional plane IV-IV of FIG. 4.

(14) FIG. 4 shows the partial representation of the exhaust lining 10 with the first pipe 12, the second pipe 14 and the first fastening element 20a. The first fastening element 20a is at least partially, in particular completely, resilient. The first connecting element 20a is integrally formed, that is, in one piece.

(15) FIG. 5 shows the detail V of the exhaust lining 10 of FIG. 4 in an enlarged view. In FIG. 5, the part of the exhaust lining 10 is visible with the first connecting element 20a. The first connecting element 20a has at one axial end an end-side claw 22, which “clings into” the first pipe 12. Furthermore, the first connecting element 20a has a punctiform contact area 24 which lies against the first pipe 12. The punctiform contact area 24 is formed by the contact of a fold 26 of the first connecting element 20a against the curvature of the first pipe 12. In particular, the straight fold 26 lies against the curved outer circumferential surface of the first pipe 12. Between the fold 26 or the punctiform contact area 24 and the end claw 22, the first connecting element 20a has a projection 28. The projection 28 forms the mounting point for a lever mechanism of the first connecting element 20a. In this case, a short load arm A between the projection 28 and the end claw 22 is formed. An effort arm B is formed between the projection 28 and the punctiform contact area 24. B is larger A. Preferably, B is more than twice A, in particular more than three times A, preferably more than four times A. As a result, the end claw 22 can be particularly firmly “clawed into” the first pipe 12.

(16) FIG. 6 shows the first connecting element 20a alone in the unassembled, relaxed state. It can be seen from FIG. 6 that the first connecting element 20a has a clamping spring 30 at its axial end opposite the end claw 22. The radial height H.sub.1 of the clamping spring 30 can exceed the radial height H2 between the end claw 22 and the projection 28. As a result, the first connecting element 22a is mounted particularly firmly between the first pipe 12 (see FIG. 4) and the second pipe 14 (see FIG. 4).

(17) FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the first connecting element 20a. From FIG. 7 it is seen that the clamping spring 30 has a first contact surface 32 and a second contact surface 34. The second contact surface 34 is radially spaced from the first contact surface 32 with respect to the radial extent of the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 14, respectively (see FIG. 2). Furthermore, the second contact surface is spaced from the first contact surface with respect to the circumferential direction of the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 14 (see FIG. 2).

(18) FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the first connecting element 20a. FIG. 8 illustrates that the first contact surface 32 is formed transversely to the longitudinal axis 36 of the main body 38 of the first connecting element 20a. In the direction of the longitudinal axis 36, the first connecting element 20a is thus designed to save space especially well.

(19) FIG. 9 shows an isometric view of the first connecting element 20a. It can be seen from FIG. 9 that the end claw 22 has a plurality of finger projections 40a, 40b, in particular at least one finger projection 40a, 40b, preferably two finger projections 40a, 40b. The at least one finger projection 40a, 40b may be sharp-edged or rounded. Furthermore, FIG. 9 shows the straight, linear fold 26 of the first connecting element 20a, which forms a punctiform contact area 24 (see FIG. 5) lying against the curved outer surface of the first pipe 12 (see FIG. 5).

(20) Considering all the figures of the drawing taken together, the invention in summary relates to an exhaust lining 10 for an exhaust system of a motor vehicle. The exhaust lining 10 has at least one first connecting element 20a, which is clamped between a first pipe 12 and a second pipe 14 of the exhaust lining 10. The first pipe 12 is preferably in the form of a tailpipe, the second pipe 14 in the form of a tailpipe cover. The tailpipe cover can have a multi-piece design. The tailpipe cover preferably has a tubular inner part 16, which is held on the tailpipe by means of the at least one first connecting element 20a. The first connecting element 20a clings onto the first pipe 12 via, i.e. by means of a lever mechanism. A load arm of the lever mechanism, having the distance A, is preferably shorter than an effort arm, having the distance B. According to the invention, the length of the effort arm is very precisely defined, because the end of the effort arm lies against the first pipe 12 via a punctiform contact area 24. A first contact surface 32 of a clamping spring 30 can be designed offset from the longitudinal extent of a main body 38 of the first connecting element 20a in order to save space in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the main body 38.