Diagnosable connector device of a ventilating device for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A connection device for connecting a ventilating line to an intake air flow guide of an internal combustion engine, wherein the connection device has a non-return valve for preventing a flow from the intake air flow guide into the ventilating line. The connection device has at least one hole which is arranged upstream of the non-return valve and connects an interior chamber of the connection device to a surrounding area of the connection device.

Claims

1. A connection device for connecting a ventilation line to a supply air flow guide of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a connection device body that forms an end of the ventilation line and is configured to be inserted into a receiving member on the air supply flow guide so as to connect the ventilation line to the supply air flow guide; a non-return valve for preventing a flow from the supply air flow guide into the ventilation line, wherein the non-return valve is arranged at a downstream end of the connection device body; and at least one hole which is arranged through the connection device body upstream of the non-return valve so as to connect an inner space of the connection device to an exterior environment of the connection device and to thereby form a defined leakage location that indicates an improper connection of the connection device to the ventilation line.

2. The connection device according to claim 1, further comprising: a heating device integrated in the connection device.

3. The connection device according to claim 2, wherein the heating device is an electrical heating element.

4. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein the non-return valve is arranged directly downstream of the at least one hole.

5. A supply air flow guide for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a supply air flow guide connection configured to operatively connect with a connection device having a ventilation line according to claim 1.

6. The supply air flow guide according to claim 5, wherein a sealed region is provided on the supply air flow guide connection, by which the at least one hole in the connection device is sealable.

7. The supply air flow guide according to claim 5, wherein the supply air flow guide connection has at least one stop for the non-return valve of the connection device.

8. A motor vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine; a ventilation line; a supply air flow guide connection; and a connection device comprising: a connection device body that forms an end of the ventilation line and is configured to be inserted into a receiving member on the air supply flow guide so as to connect the ventilation line to the supply air flow guide; a non-return valve for preventing a flow from the supply air flow guide into the ventilation line, wherein the non-return valve is arranged at a downstream end of the connection device body; at least one hole which is arranged through the connection device body upstream of the non-return valve so as to connect an inner space of the connection device to an exterior environment of the connection device and to thereby form a defined leakage location that indicates an improper connection of the connection device to the ventilation line; and at least one seal arranged on an outer face of the connection device, which seals the hole when the connection device is connected to a supply air flow guide connection on the supply air flow guide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, whose ventilation devices have a connection device according to an embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a partial view of the connection device described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 1 which is driven by means of an internal combustion engine 2. The internal combustion engine 2 is driven by means of a piston 3, which carries out lifting movements which are guided in a combustion chamber 4. There is arranged below the piston 3 a crankcase 5 which is ventilated by means of a ventilation line 6a, 6b. The ventilation line 6 has a connection device 10a, 10b and another connection device 11a, 11b. The ventilation line is preferably part of a ventilation device and forms a module or a sub-assembly. The ventilation line 6a, 6b is guided with the connection device 10a, 10b on a supply air flow guide 7. The construction variant according to FIG. 1 has two ventilation lines 6a, 6b. A first ventilation line 6a with a connection device 10a and with another connection device 11a branches off at the crankcase 5 and opens downstream of a throttle valve 8 in the supply air flow guide 7. A second ventilation line 6b with a connection device 10b and with another connection device 11b branches off at the crankcase 5 and opens upstream of a compressor V and downstream of a filter F in the supply air flow guide 7.

(4) Via the supply air flow guide 7, drawn-in ambient air which is cleaned by means of a filter F and which has been compressed by means of a compressor V is guided with a flow direction 9 to the combustion chamber 4. The opening with the connection device 11a downstream of the throttle location 8, when viewed in the flow direction 9, has the advantage that a reduced pressure is generally applied at that location so that the gas which is directed out of the crankcase 5 can reach the clean air guide 7 as a result of the reduced pressure. The opening with the connection device 11b between the filter F and the compressor V, when viewed in the flow direction 9, has the advantage that there is applied a reduced pressure at that location in operating situations in which the internal combustion engine 2 is acted on by the compressor V with a boost pressure.

(5) On the ventilation lines 6a, 6b there is preferably in each case also a pressure sensor 13a, 13b by means of which a pressure can be established in the ventilation device 21. A tank ventilation connection 14a, 14b is also provided in each case on the ventilation lines 6a, 6b in order to connect a tank ventilation.

(6) FIG. 2 now illustrates the first connection device 10a, 10b and the corresponding supply air flow guide connection 15 on the supply air flow guide 7 as an enlarged view. In the lower region, the supply air flow guide 7 is illustrated with a circular cross-section. Therefore, FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the supply air flow guide 7. The ventilation line 6a, 6b is in this instance connected to the supply air flow guide 7 by means of a plug type connection, wherein this plug type connection is formed by the supply air flow guide connection 15 and the connection device 10a, 10b. The diagnosable interface 12 comprises in particular at least one hole (bore) 16. Downstream of the hole 16, when viewed in the flow direction 9, there is provided a non-return valve 12a, 12b which allows the gas flowing out of the crankcase to pass through in the direction of the flow direction 9. In the opposite direction, however, as a result of the non-return valve 12a, 12b, a return flow of gas from the clean air guide 7 back in the direction of the crankcase is prevented.

(7) In order to ensure a fluid-tight connection between the supply air flow guide connection 15 and the ventilation line 6a, 6b or the connection device 10a, 10b, sealing device 17 are provided and are constructed in this instance as O-rings which are arranged in grooves 18 in an outer face 24 on the connection device 10a, 10b. These sealing device 17 which are constructed as O-rings serve in this instance not only to seal the connection device 10a, 10b in the supply air flow guide connection 15. They also serve to seal the at least one hole 16. Preferably, the at least one hole 15 is arranged between two sealing device 17 on the connection device 10a, 10b. Inside the connection device 10a, 10b there is also a heating device 19 which serves to produce and/or to distribute heat in the connection device 10a, 10b. On the supply air flow guide connection 15, there is also provided in this instance a stop 20, which the non-return valve 12a, 12b can strike in the connection device 10a, 10b if it is connected to the supply air flow guide connection 15. A maximum opening angle of the non-return valve 12a, 12b is thereby predetermined and a deformation of the non-return valve 12a, 12b can thus be prevented.

(8) The sealed region 23 ensures that the hole 16 no longer connects the inner space 21 to the environment 22. As soon as the connection device 10a, 10b is correctly connected to the supply air flow guide connection 15, the environment 22 and the inner space 21 are separated from each other or are no longer connected.

(9) Finally, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated here. Instead, numerous modifications of the invention are possible within the scope of the patent claims. In particular, using the present invention different variants with/without a non-return valve and/without heating are illustrated alone via the connection device for crankcases, ventilation lines and tank ventilation lines so that the component of the clean air guide can remain uniform. Furthermore, the invention can ensure that the ventilation device is monitored by means of the diagnosable interface 12 in such a manner that it is correctly installed and remains functional during operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(10) 1 Motor vehicle 2 Internal combustion engine 3 Piston 4 Combustion chamber 5 Crankcase 6a Ventilation line of a first ventilation device 6b Ventilation line of a second ventilation device 7 Supply air flow guide 8 Throttle flap 9 Flow direction 10a Connection device of a first ventilation device 10b Connection device of a second ventilation device 11a Additional connection device of a first ventilation device 11b Additional connection device of a second ventilation device 12a Non-return valve of a first ventilation device 12b Non-return valve of a second ventilation device 13a Pressure sensor of a first ventilation device 13b Pressure sensor of a second ventilation device 14a Tank ventilation connection of a first ventilation device (optional) 14b Tank ventilation connection of a second ventilation device (optional) 15 Supply air flow guide connection 16 Hole 17 Sealing device 18 Grooves 19 Heating device 20 Stop 21 Inner space 22 Environment 23 Sealed region 24 Outer face F Filter V Compressor