Arrangement for removing blow-by gases from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine

Abstract

An arrangement for removing blow-by gases from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, the blow-by gases being able to be supplied to an air intake system via a tube device, the tube device being connected or connectable to a component assigned to the air intake system and to a component which is in fluid connection to the crankcase. The tube device including a blow-by conduit. The risk of a leaking or incorrectly mounted tube device is avoided in that the tube device has a diagnostic conduit, a spurious air flow being detectable via the diagnostic conduit when the tube device is not tightly connected or is not connected.

Claims

1. An arrangement for removing blow-by gases from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, the blow-by gases being able to be supplied to an air intake system via a tube device, the tube device being connectable to a first component assigned to the air intake system and to a second component that is in fluid connection to the crankcase, the tube device comprising: a blow-by conduit; and a diagnostic conduit, wherein a spurious air flow is detectable via the diagnostic conduit when the tube device is not tightly connected or is not connected, wherein the tube device includes an outer tube and an inner tube, and wherein the tube device includes at least one coupling part having a first outer circumferential surface and a second outer circumferential surface, wherein the coupling part is at least partially inserted inside the inner tube and at least partially inserted inside the outer tube, such that an inner surface of the inner tube directly contacts and engages on the first outer circumferential surface of the coupling part, and an inner surface of the outer tube directly contacts and engages on the second outer circumferential surface of the coupling part, and wherein an inlet opening of the coupling part, provided between the first and second outer circumferential surfaces of the coupling part, empties into an outer conduit provided inside of the coupling part, the outer conduit being an extension of the diagnostic conduit.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a first open end of the diagnostic conduit sealingly abuts the first component in a correctly mounted state of the tube device and a second open end of the diagnostic conduit sealingly abuts the second component in the correctly mounted state of the tube device.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein a sealing ring is disposed between an end face of the tube device and the first component at the first open end of the diagnostic conduit.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the inner tube is used as the blow-by conduit, and an annular space between the outer tube and the inner tube is used as the diagnostic conduit.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tube device is connectable to an oil separator housing on one end via the second component, the oil separator housing being in fluid connection with an intake manifold, and wherein the oil separator housing has a diagnostic channel that is in fluid connection to the diagnostic conduit.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling part is connectable to the second component via a locking connection.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein at least one locking tab is formed on an outer ring of the coupling part, the at least one locking tab interacting with a holding contour formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second component.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling part has a cavity extending axially through a center thereof, the cavity forming an inner conduit that is fluidly separated from the outer conduit and wherein the inner conduit forms an extension of the blow-by conduit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of one end of a tube device, which is connected to an oil separator;

(3) FIG. 2 shows another schematic sectional view of another part of the tube device, which is connected to a turbocharger housing;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a coupling part of the tube device, which is used for connection to a connecting piece of the oil separator housing; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic exploded representation of the coupling part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) An arrangement 1 for removing blow-by gases 5 from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, which is not illustrated, is readily apparent in FIG. 1 through 4. Blow-by gases 5 may be supplied to an air intake system 3 via a tube device 2. Only one part of an exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4 is shown here. Corresponding blow-by gases 5 (indicated here by corresponding arrows) are conducted from an oil separator 6, through tube device 2 to the compressor side of the exhaust gas turbocharger. Of oil separator 6, corresponding oil separator housing 7, in particular, is illustrated here. Oil separator 6 is in fluid connection with the crankcase. Tube device 2 is connected, on the one hand, to a component assigned to the air intake system, namely to exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4, and, on the other hand, to a component which is in fluid connection with the crankcase, namely a connecting piece 10 in this case. Connecting piece 10 is mounted on oil separator housing 7. Tube device 2 now includes a blow-by conduit 11.

(7) The disadvantages mentioned at the outset are now avoided in that tube device 2 has a diagnostic conduit 12, a spurious air flow 13 being detectable via diagnostic conduit 12 when tube device 2 is leaking, is not tightly connected or is not connected at all. Spurious air flow 13, in turn, is indicated here by corresponding arrows. When tube device 2 is correctly mounted, diagnostic conduit 12 has a blind end at an end face 14 of exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4. In particular, a sealing ring 15 is disposed here between the end faces of the opening of diagnostic conduit 12 and exhaust gas turbocharger 4 and end face 14, respectively.

(8) The tube device 2 includes an outer tube 16 and an inner tube 17. Inner tube 17 is used as a blow-by conduit, i.e. blow-by gases 5 are conducted within inner tube 17. Outer tube 16 has a larger diameter than inner tube 17. An annular space remains between outer tube 16 and inner tube 17, which forms part of diagnostic conduit 12.

(9) Tube device 2 includes two coupling parts 19, 20. On the tube side, i.e. in the direction of outer tube 16 and inner tube 17, coupling parts 19, 20 have a first outer circumferential surface 21, to which inner tube 17 is attached. Coupling parts 19, 20 have a second outer circumferential surface 22, to which outer tube 16 is attached. At least one inlet opening 23, in particular multiple inlet openings 23, is/are formed between first outer circumferential surface 21 and second outer circumferential surface 22, which empty into an outer conduit 24. Outer conduit 24 forms part of diagnostic conduit 12.

(10) Coupling parts 19, 20 have a tubular design and conduct the blow-by gases in their interior, i.e. in corresponding cylindrical cavity 25. Cavity 25 thus forms part of blow-by conduit 11. This first area of coupling parts 19, 20 may be formed by a first component 26 and 27, respectively. To connect tube device 2 to air intake system 3, or to exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4, a component 28, which in this case now has an in particular offset design and which is connected to component 27, for example welded thereto or connected by an adhesive connection or a joint connection. Component 28 now has a channel 29 for the blow-by gases and a channel 30, which forms part of diagnostic conduit 12. Channel 30 ends on the end face of exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4, where it is disposed together with sealing ring 15 in a sealing manner. Channel 30 extends a short distance farther into exhaust gas turbocharger 4, where it is disposed on the outer circumferential surface in a sealing manner with the aid of a sealing ring 31. A corresponding tubular edge area 32 limits channel 30. Sealing ring 31 abuts the outer circumferential surface of tubular wall area 32.

(11) FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 are now discussed in greater detail below:

(12) Component 26 is connected to another component 33, in which outer conduit 24 is further guided. Outer conduit 24 exits here on an outer circumferential surface 34, which is situated between two annular grooves 35, 36. O rings 37, 38 are disposed in each of annular grooves 35, 36. Outer circumferential surface 34 limits part of an annular space with an inner circumferential surface 39 of connecting piece 10. A diagnostic channel 40 runs from inner circumferential surface 39 within connecting piece 10, which, in turn, empties into another diagnostic channel 41 in exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4. O rings 37 38 in this case seal the annular space between outer circumferential surface 34 against the corresponding, abutting inner circumferential surfaces of connecting piece 10.

(13) Coupling part 19 is screwed, in particular, to exhaust gas turbocharger housing 4. Coupling part 20 is connected to connecting piece 10 with the aid of a locking connection. For this purpose, coupling part 20 has an outer ring 42, on which at least one locking tab 43 is formed. Outer ring 42 is connected to the rest of the body via two arms 44. When outer ring 42 is now pushed onto connecting piece 10, locking tabs 43 are pushed over a holding contour 45 on the outer circumference of connecting piece 10, where they engage.

(14) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.