INTAKE DISTRIBUTOR WITH AN INTEGRATED HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

Disclosed is an intake distributor for an internal combustion engine that includes an integrated heat exchanger. This exchanger includes a support plate that ensures its rigid mounting in the distributor and peripheral seal that form an essentially continuous circumferential airtight barrier between the exchanger and the distributor, peripherally dividing the interstitial volume into two. The subdivision plane of the interstitial volume is perpendicular in relation to the plane of the support plate, and the peripheral seal consist of two complementary components that are connected to one another and made integral with the exchanger.

Claims

1. Distributor or intake collector for an internal combustion engine, in particular a supercharged air intake distributor, comprising a heat exchanger (2) whose body (2) has a general parallelepiped shape, which is mounted in the housing (1) of said distributor (1) and which is designed to be exposed to the gas stream (F) that passes through said housing (1), With said exchanger (2) comprising or being integral with a plate or a crosspiece (3) for support and attachment, connected to or forming a face (4) of the body (2) of the exchanger (2) and ensuring its rigid mounting in this housing (1), With said exchanger (2) being positioned in said housing (1) with an interstitial volume (5) being formed between them, essentially overlapping the body (2) of said exchanger (2), and peripheral sealing means (6, 7) being connected to the body (2) of the exchanger (2) and on the plate or crosspiece for support and attachment (3) in such a way as to form an essentially continuous circumferential airtight barrier between the latter and the housing (1) of the distributor (1), peripherally dividing the interstitial volume (5) into two, advantageously along a plane (P) that is essentially perpendicular to the direction of circulation of the gas stream (F) that passes through said exchanger (2), wherein the subdivision plane (P) of the interstitial volume (5) is separate from the main plane of the plate or the crosspiece for support and attachment (3), wherein the peripheral sealing means consist of two complementary components (6 and 7) that are connected to one another and made integral with the exchanger (2), namely, a first component (6) in the form of a U-shaped joint that is connected to the three faces (4, 4, 4) of the body (2) of the exchanger (2) that are not associated with the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment (3), and a second component (7) in the form of an essentially linear joint that is connected to the face (4) associated with said crosspiece or plate (3), with said essentially linear joint (7) abutting and being assembled mechanically, in the area of its two opposite longitudinal ends (7, 7), with the free ends (9) of two branches (8, 8) of the U-shaped joint (6).

2. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the two joints (6 and 7) are assembled together, in the area of their two connecting zones, by complementary assembly means (10, 11), working with one another by mechanical engagement with interlocking, clipping or elastic locking.

3. Distributor according to claim 2, wherein the U-shaped joint (6) comprises, in the area of the free ends (9) of the two branches (8, 8) of the U-shaped body (6), catches, hooks, spears or similar prominent hooking formations (10), and wherein at its two opposite ends (7 and 7) of the laterally projecting hooking sites (11), the linear joint (7) comprises in particular handles, eyelets, or similar apertured formations that are able and designed to accommodate the prominent formations (10) of the ends (9) of the U-shaped joint (6) to produce locked mechanical bonds by working together.

4. Distributor according to claim 3, wherein the two joints (6 and 7) that form the two components of the peripheral sealing means are also connected mechanically to the crosspiece or plate for support and attachment (3), with the U-shaped joint (6) advantageously being kept under pressure resting against the faces (4, 4, 4) of the body (2) of the exchanger (2) by means of this bond.

5. Distributor according to claim 4, wherein the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment (3) comprises apertured formations (12), projecting laterally and aligned with the apertured formations (11) of the opposite ends (7 and 7) of the linear joint (7), such as handles, eyelets, or the like, with the prominent hooking formations (10) of the ends (9) of the branches (8, 8) of the U-shaped joint (6) engaging by through-holes and with locking by interlocking, clipping or elastic deformation, with the above-mentioned superposed apertured formations (11 and 12), the linear joint (7) thus being pressed against the crosspiece or the plate (3) at least in the area and close to said superposed apertured formations (11 and 12).

6. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the body (2) of the exchanger (2) is provided, on at least one of its outer faces in question (4, 4, 4), with means (13, 13) for wedging and/or holding the U-shaped joint (6), such as, for example, tabs or the like.

7. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment (3), on the one hand, and the linear joint (7), on the other hand, are provided with indexing means (14, 14) that work together and optionally securing means, such as, for example, pairs [lug (14)/blind hole (14)].

8. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the terminal edges (9) of the free ends (9) of the branches (8, 8) of the U-shaped joint (6) are located beyond the face (4) of the plate or crosspiece for support and attachment (3) supporting the linear joint (7) and connect by abutting with the opposite ends (7, 7) of said linear joint (7).

9. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein each of the three constituent segments (8, 8, 8) of the U-shaped joint (6) consists of, viewed in a transverse cutaway, on the one hand, a first part (15) that rests under pressure on the corresponding face (4, 4, 4) opposite the body (2) of the exchanger (2) and that comprises two mutually divergent longitudinal wings (15 and 15), preferably arched or curved in cross-sections and forming with said faces (4, 4, 4) parts of channels (16), and, on the other hand, a second part (17) that rests on the inner wall (1) of the housing (1) of the exchanger (1) and comprises a longitudinal flexible formation of contact (17) working in an airtight manner with a flat surface portion, a groove (18) or ribs (18) of said inner wall (1).

10. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped joint (6) comprises, in the area of the two corners that connect two by two the three constituent segments (8, 8, 8) of its body (2), projecting and flexible lateral lips (19), in the form of angle bars, resting tightly on the respectively corresponding corner of the body (2) of the exchanger (2).

11. Distributor according to claim 8, wherein the body of the linear joint (7) consists of, on the one hand, a first part (20) that rests under pressure on the inner wall (1) of the body (1) of the housing (1) and that comprises two mutually divergent longitudinal wings (20 and 20), preferably arched or curved in cross-section, and forming with said inner wall (1) a part of a channel (16), and, on the other hand, a second flat part (21) in surface contact with the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment (3).

12. Distributor according to claim 11, wherein the free ends (9) of the branches (8 and 8) of the body (6) of the U-shaped joint (6) essentially seal the opposite openings of the part of the channel (16) that is formed by the linear joint (7) working with the inner wall (1) of the housing (1) of the distributor (1), with the terminal edges (9) of said free ends (9) resting on said inner wall (1).

13. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the body (6) of the U-shaped joint (6) is made of a material, for example a thermoplastic elastomer, that is more flexible than the constituent material of the linear joint (7), for example uncharged polyamide 66.

14. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the housing (1) consists of two complementary constituent parts (22 and 22), namely an upper part (22) and a lower part (22) assembled in the area of the respective working edges, defining an assembly plane (AP) that is inclined in relation to the subdivision plane (P), preferably perpendicular to the latter, with the lower part of the housing (22) comprising attachment sites for the plate or the crosspiece for support and attachment (3).

15. Distributor according to claim 1, wherein the housing (1) is made of plastic material, preferably by airtight assembly of two parts (22 and 22) in the form of half-shells made of thermoplastic material.

16. Motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine, supercharged or not, comprising or not a circuit for recirculation of EGR gases and comprising an air intake system with a distributor or a collector for supercharged air intake, vehicle wherein the distributor is a distributor (1) according to claim 1, creating a multifunctional module integrating in the chamber of its housing (1) at least one heat exchanger (2) in the tubes, fins, or the like of the body (2) from which the supercharged air circulates.

17. Method for manufacturing a distributor according to claim 1, comprising providing the two constituent parts (22 and 22) of a housing (1) of the distributor (1), a heat exchanger (2) that is provided with a plate (3) for support and attachment, a U-shaped joint (6) and a linear joint (7), to mount the two joints (6 and 7) on the body (2) of the exchanger (2), locking the mounting of them by interlocking or clipping and in such a way as to create a peripheral sealing fixture around said body (2), to place the thus equipped exchanger (2) in the lower part (22) of the housing (1) of the distributor (1) and to make said plate (3) integral with attachment sites of this lower part (22), and, finally, to assemble in an airtight manner the upper part (22) with the lower part (22), for example by welding by laser or by hot gas, by bonding or by mechanical securing, to create the housing (1) of the distributor (1).

18. The distributor or intake collector of claim 1, wherein the subdivision plane (P) of the interstitial volume is inclined.

19. The distributor or intake collector of claim 18, wherein the subdivision plane (P) of the interstitial volume is essentially perpendicular in relation to the main plane of the plate or the crosspiece.

20. The distributor of claim 4, wherein the two joints that form the two components of the peripheral sealing means are also connected mechanically to the crosspiece or plate for support and attachment (3) in the area of their ends (7, 7, 9) assembled together.

Description

[0027] The invention will be better understood, owing to the description below, which relates to preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting examples, and explained with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an intake distributor that integrates a heat exchanger, for forming a multifunctional module according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a cutaway elevation view, along a plane that is perpendicular to the plane that contains the peripheral sealing means formed by a U-shaped joint and a linear joint, of the distributor of FIG. 1 in the assembled state;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heat exchanger as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, before mounting of the peripheral sealing means;

[0031] FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the exchanger of FIG. 3, with the peripheral sealing means being in place;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a partial view of the lower part of the object shown in FIG. 3;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a view of the detail A of FIG. 4B, on a different scale;

[0034] FIG. 7A is a partial bottom perspective view of the object of FIG. 6, with the lower linear joint not being shown;

[0035] FIG. 7B is a partial bottom view, in the direction B of the object of FIG. 6;

[0036] FIG. 7C is a partial side view, in the direction C of the object of FIG. 6, with the lower part of the U-shaped joint being removed;

[0037] FIG. 8 is a partial view of the detail D of the object of FIG. 2;

[0038] FIGS. 9A to 9C are views that are similar to those of FIG. 8, illustrating the implementation of structural variants of the peripheral joint;

[0039] FIG. 10 is a view of the detail E of FIG. 4A, on a different scale;

[0040] FIG. 11 is a view that is similar to that of FIG. 10 of the joint by itself, and,

[0041] FIG. 12 is a view of the detail G of FIG. 3, on a different scale.

[0042] FIGS. 1 and 2, and partially FIGS. 3, 4, 8 and 9, illustrate a distributor or intake collector for an internal combustion engine, comprising a heat exchanger 2 whose body 2 has a general parallelepiped shape, which is mounted in the housing 1 of said distributor 1 and which is designed to be exposed to the gas stream F that passes through said housing 1.

[0043] This exchanger 2 comprises or is integral with a plate or a crosspiece 3 for support and attachment, connected to or forming a face 4 of the body 2 of the exchanger 2 and ensuring its rigid mounting in this housing 1.

[0044] This exchanger 2 is positioned in said housing 1, whereby an interstitial volume 5 is formed between them, which essentially surrounds the body 2 of said exchanger 2, and peripheral sealing means 6, 7 are connected to the body 2 of the exchanger 2 and to the plate or crosspiece for support and attachment 3 in such a way as to form an essentially continuous circumferential airtight barrier between the latter and the housing 1 of the distributor 1, peripherally dividing the interstitial volume 5 into two, advantageously along a plane P that is essentially perpendicular to the direction of circulation of the gas stream F that passes through said exchanger 2.

[0045] The housing 1 can, for example, be formed by the assembly of two parts (lower 22 and upper 22) in the form of shells (FIG. 1).

[0046] In accordance with the invention, it is provided that the plane P that subdivides the interstitial volume 5 is separate from the main plane of the plate or the crosspiece for support and attachment 3, and is advantageously inclined and preferably essentially perpendicular in relation to the latter.

[0047] In addition, the peripheral sealing means consist of two complementary components 6 and 7 that are connected to one another and made integral with the exchanger 2, namely a first component 6 in the form of a U-shaped joint connected to the three faces 4, 4, 4 of the body 2 of the exchanger 2, not associated with the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment 3, and a second component 7 in the form of an essentially linear joint that is connected to the face 4 associated with said crosspiece or plate 3, with said essentially linear joint 7 abutting and being assembled mechanically, in the area of its two opposite longitudinal ends 7, 7, with the free ends 9 of the two branches 8, 8 of the U-shaped joint 6.

[0048] Owing to these arrangements, the mounting and peripheral sealing functions of the exchanger are clearly differentiated and separated from one another, and sealing is provided in the area of the four faces or peripheral sides of the exchanger 2 located opposite the inner wall 1 of the housing 1 that houses it.

[0049] In addition, a composition in two parts of the continuous peripheral sealing 6, 7 allows an easy manufacturing and mounting, while limiting the number of elementary components to assemble and to premount on the exchanger 2 before its installation in said housing 1.

[0050] This structural decomposition of the continuous peripheral seal also makes it possible, taking into account in particular the oriented placement of the exchanger 2 in the distributor 1, with definition of an upper side and a lower side, to use, if necessary, a different joint profile in the area of this lower side, under the plate or support crosspiece 3, more suited to this region.

[0051] The profiles of U-shaped joints 6 and linear joints 7 are, of course, suited for ensuring the sealing despite the manufacturing tolerances and the thermal expansions or under pressure of the body 2 of the exchanger 2 and of the housing 1 of the distributor 1.

[0052] For the purpose of facilitating their connecting, without using the additional piece or tools or particular technological method, the two joints are preferably assembled together in the area of their two connecting zones, by complementary assembly means 10, 11, working with one another by mechanical engagement with interlocking, clipping, or elastic locking.

[0053] Advantageously, in the area of the free ends 9 of the two branches 8, 8 of the U-shaped body 6, the U-shaped joint 6 comprises catches, hooks, spears, or similar prominent hooking formations 10, and at its two opposite ends 7 and 7 of the laterally projecting hooking sites 11, the linear joint 7 comprises in particular handles, eyelets, or similar apertured formations that are able and designed to accommodate the prominent formations 10 of the ends 9 of the U-shaped joint 6 to produce locked mechanical bonds by working together.

[0054] So as to allow a simple and reliable premounting of the joints 6 and 7 on the body 2 of the exchanger 2, to regroup geographically the securing sites and to be able to carry out, if necessary simultaneously, the assembly and premounting operations, the two joints 6 and 7 that form the two components of the peephole sealing means are also connected mechanically to the crosspiece or plate for support and attachment 3, preferably in the area of their ends 7, 7, 9 that are assembled together, with the U-shaped joint 6 advantageously being kept under pressure resting against the faces 4, 4, 4 of the body 2 of the exchanger 2 by means of this bond.

[0055] In accordance with a very preferred structural embodiment, as shown in particular in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7, the crosspiece or plate for support and attachment 3 comprises apertured formations 12, projecting laterally and aligned with the apertured formations 11 of the opposite ends 7 and 7 of the linear joint 7, such as handles, eyelets, or the like, with the prominent hooking formations 10 of the ends 9 of the branches 8, 8 of the U-shaped joint 6 engaging by through-holes and with locking by interlocking, clipping or elastic deformation, with the above-mentioned superposed apertured formations 11 and 12, the linear joint 7 thus being pressed against the crosspiece or the plate 3 at least in the area and close to said superposed apertured formations 11 and 12.

[0056] For the purpose of securing the seal 6, 7 on the body 2 and preventing its movement, said body 2 can be provided, as FIGS. 3 and 12 show by way of example, on at least one of its outer faces in question 4, 4, 4, of means 13, 13 for wedging and/or holding the U-shaped joint 6, such as, for example, tabs or the like.

[0057] These wedging means can, for example, consist of wings, lips or projecting tabs 13, 13 in the form of extensions or recesses of said body 2 or of its outer casing.

[0058] In a similar manner, it may be provided that the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment 3, on the one hand, and the linear joint 7, on the other hand, are provided with indexing means 14, 14 that work together and optionally securing means, such as, for example, pairs [lug 14/blind hole 14] (see FIGS. 5 and 8).

[0059] So as to ensure a continuity of sealing in the area of the zones of corners or smaller angles of the body 2 of the exchanger 2, the terminal edges 9 of the free ends 9 of the branches 8, 8 of the U-shaped joint 6 are located beyond the face 4 of the plate or crosspiece for support and attachment 3 that supports the linear joint 7 and are connected by abutting with the opposite ends 7, 7 of said linear joint 7 (see FIGS. 4B, 6 and 7).

[0060] Preferably, and as FIGS. 6, 7, 9A, 9B and 9C illustrate by way of structural variants, each of the three constituent segments 8, 8, 8 of the U-shaped joint 6 consists of, viewed in a transverse cutaway, on the one hand, a first part 15 that rests under pressure on the corresponding face 4, 4, 4 opposite the body 2 of the exchanger 2 and comprising two mutually divergent longitudinal wings 15 and 15, preferably arched or curved in cross-sections and forming with said faces 4, 4, 4 parts of channels 16, and, on the other hand, a second part 17 that rests on the inner wall 1 of the housing 1 of the exchanger 1 and comprises a longitudinal flexible formation of contact 17 working in an airtight manner with a flat surface portion, a groove 18 or ribs 18 of said inner wall 1.

[0061] To ensure the sealing in the area of the angular regions that connect the lateral faces 4 and 4 to the upper face 4 of the exchanger 2 and to adapt to the structural dispersiveness of the latter, it can be provided that the U-shaped joint 6 comprises, in the area of the two corners that connect two by two the three constituent segments 8, 8, 8 of its body 2, projecting and flexible lateral lips 19, in the form of angle bars, which rest tightly on the respectively corresponding corner of the body 2 of the exchanger 2.

[0062] Advantageously, the second part 17 of the joint 6 has a cross-section that is similar to the first part of 20 of the joint 7.

[0063] At the very least, it can be provided that the free ends 9 of the branches 8 and 8 of the body 6 of the U-shaped joint 6 essentially seal the opposite openings of the part of the channel 16 that is formed by the cooperation of the linear joint 7 with the inner wall 1 of the housing 1 of the distributor 1, with the terminal edges 9 of said free ends 9 resting on said inner wall 1.

[0064] Advantageously, the body of the linear joint 7 consists, on the one hand, of a first part 20 that rests under pressure on the inner wall 1 of the body 1 of the housing 1 and that comprises two mutually divergent longitudinal wings 20 and 20, preferably arched or curved in the cross-section and that form with said inner wall 1 a part of channel 16, and, on the other hand, a second flat part 21 in surface contact with the crosspiece or the plate for support and attachment 3.

[0065] Taking into account their positioning of their separate roles, the body 6 of the U-shaped joint 6 is made of a material, for example a thermoplastic elastomer, that is more flexible than the constituent material of the linear joint 7, for example uncharged polyamide 66.

[0066] In accordance with a preferred practical structure, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 1 consists of two complementary constituent parts 22 and 22, namely an upper part 22 and a lower part 22 assembled in the area of working respective edges, defining an inclined assembly plane AP in relation to the subdivision plane P, preferably perpendicular to the latter, with the lower part of the housing 22 comprising attachment sites for the plate or the crosspiece for support and attachment 3.

[0067] Advantageously, the housing 1 is made of plastic material, preferably by airtight assembly of two parts 22 and 22 in the form of half-shells made of thermoplastic material.

[0068] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine, supercharged or not, comprising a circuit for recirculation of the EGR gases or not and comprising an air intake system with a distributor or intake collector for supercharged air. This vehicle is characterized in that the distributor is a distributor 1 as described above, creating a multifunctional module that integrates at least one heat exchanger 2 in the chamber of its housing 1 in the tubes, fins or the like of the body 2 from which the supercharged air circulates.

[0069] Finally, the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a distributor as described above.

[0070] This method consists in providing the two constituent parts 22 and 22 of a housing 1 of the distributor 1, a heat exchanger 2 that is provided with a plate 3 for support and attachment, a U-shaped joint 6 and a linear joint 7, to mount the two joints 6 and 7 on the body 2 of the exchanger 2, locking the mounting of them by interlocking or clipping and in such a way as to create a peripheral sealing fixture around said body 2, to place the thus equipped exchanger 2 in the lower part 22 of the housing 1 of the distributor 1 and to make said plate 3 integral with attachment sites of this lower part 22, and, finally, to assemble in an airtight manner the upper part 22 with the lower part 22, for example by welding by laser or by hot gas, by bonding or by mechanical securing, to create the housing 1 of the distributor 1.

[0071] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, in particular from the standpoint of the composition of the various elements or by substitution of equivalent techniques, without thereby exceeding the field of protection of the invention.