Abstract:
An engine exhaust component suspension system comprising one or more engine exhaust component suspension devices is provided for use in supporting replacement or additional exhaust system components and peripherals+installed in an engine exhaust system. The engine exhaust component suspension device is configured to be capable of being fastenerlessly secured to a vehicle frame, allowing mounting of exhaust system components without the need for modification of the vehicle frame. The engine exhaust component suspension system also allows for mounting of exhaust system components that cannot be mounted on a vehicle&#39;s original equipment mounts. A method for installing an engine exhaust component suspension system comprising one or more engine exhaust component suspension devices is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This application is related to supports for automotive components, and in particular for engine exhaust system components and peripherals. 
         [0002]    Modifications to the exhaust systems of internal combustion vehicles often require the addition of new components or the replacement of the vehicle&#39;s exhaust system original equipment. One way to modify an exhaust system is to place an additional or replacement component into the exhaust system, such as an additional catalyst, that may further clean and filter the engine exhaust so that the resulting exhaust has less particulate matter and reduced greenhouse gasses. Such a replacement or addition may be done, for example, in order to meet government-mandated emissions standards. 
         [0003]    Replacement or add-on exhaust system components may not be mechanically suitable for mounting on original equipment supports. When placement of an additional component is required, the vehicle may not be equipped with sufficient support mechanisms on which to place an additional component. For example, a replacement component may be too heavy for the support mechanisms provided as original equipment on the vehicle. Further, existing support mechanisms or mounting points may not be located in a suitable location for the replacement or add-on exhaust system components. Further complicating placement of replacement or additional components and peripherals is the inability to modify the vehicle frame (e.g., due to government safety regulations) in order to enable support of an additional or replacement exhaust component. Modification of a vehicle exhaust system requiring placement of additional or replacement components may require a new support mechanism. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one embodiment, an engine exhaust component suspension device comprises a first bracket piece and second bracket piece. The first bracket piece has a first strut, a second strut, a second bracket piece receiving portion, and a first bracket support portion. The first strut and second strut are capable of being fastenerlessly secured to the first side of a vehicle frame. The second bracket piece has a frame engaging portion and a first bracket piece engaging portion. The frame engaging portion is capable of being fastenerlessly secured to the second side of the vehicle frame. The first bracket piece engaging portion is configured to be secured to the second bracket piece receiving portion. An exhaust component clamp means secures the engine exhaust component to the device. The exhaust component clamp means is configured to be coupled to the first bracket support portion. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, an engine exhaust component suspension device comprises a support bracket piece and a top bracket piece. The support bracket piece has a first strut (optionally in the shape of a fin), and a second strut (optionally in the shape of a fin), a top bracket piece receiving portion, and a support bracket piece clamp hanging portion. The first and second struts each have a frame engaging edge configured to be fastenerlessly secured to a first side of an unmodified vehicle frame. The top bracket piece has a frame engaging portion and support bracket piece engaging portion. The frame engaging portion is configured to be fastenerlessly secured to the second side of the unmodified vehicle frame. The support bracket piece engaging portion is configured to be secured to the top bracket piece receiving portion. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, a method of installing one or more engine exhaust component suspension devices is provided. An example engine exhaust component suspension device to which this method is applicable comprises a first and second bracket piece. The first bracket piece has a first and second strut, a second bracket piece receiving portion, and a first bracket support portion. The first and second struts are configured to be fastenerlessly secured to the first side of an unmodified vehicle frame. The second bracket piece has a frame engaging portion and first bracket piece engaging portion. The frame engaging portion is configured to be fastenerlessly secured to a second side of the unmodified vehicle frame. The first bracket piece engaging portion is configured to be secured to the second bracket piece receiving portion. The method comprises selecting a location on an unmodified vehicle frame for placement of each engine exhaust component suspension device to be installed. For each of the engine exhaust component suspension devices, the first and second strut of the first bracket piece are placed onto the first side of the unmodified vehicle frame at a selected location. The frame engaging portion of each of the second bracket pieces, one for each corresponding first bracket piece, is placed onto the second side of the unmodified vehicle frame at one of the selected location. The second bracket piece receiving portions are secured to the first bracket piece engaging portions, thereby securing the first bracket pieces and second bracket pieces to the frame at the selected locations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary engine exhaust component suspension system comprising three engine exhaust component suspension devices secured to a portion of a vehicle frame. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of one of the engine exhaust component suspension devices illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the engine exhaust component suspension device that includes a peripheral supporting portion. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example engine exhaust component suspension system  10 . The illustrated system  10  has three engine exhaust component suspension devices  12 , although the system  10  need not have three suspension devices  12 . For example, the system  10  may have one or more suspension devices  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, the three devices  12  are placed along a vehicle frame  14  having a first side  16  and a second side  18  opposite the first side  16 . Each of the engine exhaust system suspension devices  12  has an exhaust system clamp  20  that is configured to be capable of being secured to an engine exhaust component (not shown). The system  10  may comprise one or more suspension devices  12  in order to support the weight of the engine exhaust component. When more than one suspension device  12  is used each engine exhaust component suspension device  12  of the engine exhaust component suspension system  10  carries a portion of the weight of the engine exhaust component. The exhaust system clamps  20  shown in  FIG. 1  have a generally circular shape and therefore may be secured to an engine exhaust component having a generally circular cross-section. The exhaust system clamps  20  may be removably secured, as with fasteners  66  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or permanently secured as may be done by various methods including, but not limited to, welding the exhaust system clamps  20  around the exhaust system component (not shown). Further, the clamps  20  need not be in direct contact with the engine exhaust component as an intervening material may be placed between the clamp  20  and the engine exhaust component without interfering with the ability of the clamp  20  to secure the engine exhaust component in place. As used herein, the term secured may mean directly or indirectly secured, permanently, temporarily or removably secured. In an alternative embodiment, the clamps  20  may be configured to have a shape appropriate for securing the clamps  20  to an engine exhaust component having other cross-sectional shapes, such as, without limitation, a rectangular or elliptical cross-sectional shape. The clamps  20  need not precisely track the shape of the engine exhaust component, so long as the engine exhaust component is securely held. The illustrated suspension devices  12  of  FIG. 1  are identical, and therefore reference may be made to any one or more of these illustrated suspension devices  12  in the description of  FIG. 1  herein. However, when more than one is used, the engine exhaust system suspension devices need not be identical. For example, the multiple clamps may also be configured to be capable of being secured to an engine exhaust component having multiple different cross-sectional shapes along its length. 
         [0011]    The engine exhaust component suspension devices  12  shown in  FIG. 1  are secured to the vehicle frame  14  by a frame bracket  22 . The frame bracket  22  is configured to be capable of being secured to the vehicle frame  14  without the use of fasteners, such as bolts, screws, pins, hook or rivets, coming into contact with the vehicle frame  14 , and without the need to alter the vehicle frame  14  in order to accept such a fastener, for example, by drilling a hole into the vehicle frame  14  or welding the frame bracket  22  to the vehicle frame  14 . Instead, a first bracket piece  24 , also referred to herein as a support bracket piece  24 , and second bracket piece  26 , also referred to herein as a top bracket piece  26 , are secured to one another at a selected location on the vehicle frame  14  by fasteners  28 . By securing the frame bracket  22  onto the vehicle frame  14 , the first bracket piece  24  becomes secured to the first side  16  of the unmodified vehicle frame  14 , and the second bracket piece  26  becomes secured to the second side  18  of the unmodified vehicle frame  14 . When the first bracket piece  24  and second bracket piece  26  are fastened to one another and are secured to the first side  16  and the second side  18  of the unmodified vehicle frame  14 , respectively, the entire frame bracket  22  is secured to the vehicle frame  14  at the selected location, and is now able to bear at least a portion of the weight of an engine exhaust component mounted to the engine exhaust component suspension system  10 . As used herein with reference to the vehicle frame  14 , the term “unmodified” or “not modified” should be understood to mean the vehicle frame  14  has not been changed, altered, or otherwise modified in any way, temporarily or permanently, in order to secure the engine exhaust component suspension devices  12  described herein. For example, an unmodified frame would not have the suspension devices  12  described herein welded to the frame  14 , and would not have any bores drilled into the frame  14  in order to secure the suspension devices  12  described herein, for example with a bolt or hook. The definition does not encompass changes, alterations, or other modifications made to the frame  14  that are not used to secure the engine exhaust component suspension devices  12  described herein (e.g., repairs made as a result of an accident involving the vehicle, or application of protective coatings, paints or other finishes to the vehicle frame  14 ). While the illustrated vehicle frame  14  is U-shaped, the suspension devices  12  may be secured to a variety of differently shaped vehicle frames, for example, such as I-shaped or L-shaped frames. 
         [0012]    With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , each of the engine exhaust component suspension devices  12  has a first bracket support portion  30  that is coupled to the exhaust system clamp  20 , allowing the clamp  20  to hang from the first bracket support portion  30 . As illustrated, the first bracket support portion  30  is indirectly coupled to the exhaust system clamp  20  through a shock-absorbing coupling member  32 . The shock-absorbing coupling member  32  serves to absorb movement of the engine exhaust component during operation of the vehicle, thereby limiting strain on the vehicle frame  14  and the engine exhaust component suspension devices  12  and minimizing the risk of failure of the suspension devices  12 . The shock-absorbing coupling member  32  may be made of, for example, rubber or plastic. In the illustrated embodiment, the shock-absorbing coupling member  32  is directly coupled to two support tabs  34  of the first bracket support portion  30  by the use of a clamp fastener  36 , which may take the form of a standard off-the-shelf nut, bolt, and washer assembled in a manner well known in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, the shock-absorbing coupling member  32  is also directly coupled to two clamp tabs  38  of the exhaust system clamp  20 , again by clamp fastener  36 . The clamp tabs  38  may be integral with the exhaust system clamp  20 , or may be secured to the exhaust system clamp  20 , for example by welding. In another configuration (not shown), the first bracket support portion may be indirectly coupled to the exhaust system clamp through a rigid coupling member, such as a metal plate (not shown). In yet another configuration, the first bracket support portion may be directly coupled to the exhaust system clamp, for example through the use of one or more clamp fasteners directly coupling at least one clamp tab to the first bracket support portion. Generally, an exhaust system clamp may be directly or indirectly coupled to a first bracket support portion through a single clamp tab  38  or a plurality of clamp tabs  38 . Other structures performing the same function as the illustrated clamp tabs  38  of securing a clamp to a first bracket support portion may be used, such as hooks or other interlocking mechanisms. 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of an engine exhaust component suspension device  12 . As illustrated, in some cases the first bracket piece  24  may be separated into a first component  24 ( a ) and a second component  24 ( b ), where the first component  24 ( a ) has a first strut  40  and a second strut  42 , both in the shape of a fin each having a frame engaging edge  44  that engages the vehicle frame  14 . The first strut  40  and a second strut  42  are rigid and provide a force normal to the surface of the vehicle frame  14 , thereby helping to support the weight of the engine exhaust component. The first component  24 ( a ) also has a second bracket receiving portion  46  that is configured to be capable of being engaged with and fastened to the first bracket engaging portion  48  of the second bracket piece  26 . The second bracket piece  26  has a frame engaging portion  50  that engages the second side  18  of the unmodified vehicle frame  14 . As used herein, the terms engaging or engage shall mean both directly engaging, such as being in direct contact, and indirectly engaging, for example when an intervening pad or other protective material is place between two items, such as the frame engaging portion  50  and the second side of the unmodified vehicle frame  14 , or the first strut  40  and a second strut  42  and the first side of the vehicle frame  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first component  24 ( a ) and second bracket piece  26  are secured to one another by fasteners  28 , which may take the form of nuts  28   a , washers  28   b , and threaded bolts  28   c . However, the first component  24 ( a ) and second bracket piece  26  may also be secured to one another by other means, such as by welding the first component  24 ( a ) and second bracket piece  26  together. 
         [0014]    With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the first component  24 ( a ) comprises a first adjustment portion  52  and the second component  24 ( b ) comprises a second adjustment portion  54 . As illustrated, the first adjustment portion  52  has four fastener bores  56  in two columns of two bores  56  in each evenly spaced row. The second adjustment portion  54  has ten fastener bores  56  in two columns each having five evenly spaced rows. The fastener bores  56  in the first adjustment portion  52  and second adjustment portion  54  are spaced such that the first adjustment portion  52  and second adjustment portion  54  may be selectively secured relative to one another with fasteners  60 , which may take the form of threaded bolts  60   a , washers  60   b  and  60   c , and nuts  60   d , allowing for a plurality of different possible lengths for the first bracket support portion  30  of the first bracket piece  24 . Other embodiments may have a different arrangement of bores  56 , or other structures that permit selectively securing the first adjustment portion  52  and second adjustment portion  54 , such as a series of hooks and apertures in which to insert the hooks, for example (not shown). By selectively securing the first adjustment portion  52  relative to the second adjustment portion  54 , the engine exhaust component may be mounted at the desired vertical position relative, for example, to the unmodified vehicle frame  14 , or the surface on which the vehicle travels. It should be noted that in one alternative the first adjustment portion  52  and second adjustment portion  54  may be permanently secured, as by welding, at as selected vertical position. The various components of the engine exhaust component suspension device  12  may be made of a variety of materials, for example and not limited to steel and steel based alloys or other alloys, aluminum, cast metal, or non-metallic materials such as graphite-based materials. 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the frame bracket  22  that can support a peripheral device  70  without the need to modify the vehicle frame  14 . Such peripheral devices  70  may be necessary in order to operate the engine exhaust component. For example, the peripheral device  70  may contain consumable substances used by the engine exhaust component during operation. In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral device  70  is secured to the frame bracket  22  at a peripheral supporting portion  71  of the top bracket piece  26 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the frame engaging portion  50  of the top bracket piece  26  comprises a peripheral supporting portion  71 . However, other implementations of the peripheral supporting portion  71  need not engage the vehicle frame  14 . For example, a peripheral supporting portion may extend from the frame engaging portion  50 , for example by hanging from the frame engaging portion  50  of the top bracket piece  26  without engaging the vehicle frame  14 . 
         [0016]    With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , the peripheral device  70  may be secured to the peripheral supporting portion  71  by threaded fasteners  75 , which may take the form of off-the-shelf threaded bolts passed through the peripheral supporting portion  71 , washers  60   b  and nuts  60   d . The threaded fastener  75  may also be integral to the peripheral supporting portion  71 . In addition, other structures, such as hook placed on the peripheral supporting portion  71  and a corresponding mating aperture on the peripheral device  70  may be used. A shelf  72  may be implemented to assist in supporting the peripheral device  70 . In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf  72  is placed between the peripheral device  70  and the peripheral supporting portion  71 . A threaded fastener  75  passes through the shelf  72  at aperture  80  and secures the shelf  72  and peripheral device  70  to the peripheral supporting portion  71  by the use of washers  60   b  and nuts  60   d . Alternatively, the shelf  72  may be omitted, and the peripheral device  70  may be directly or indirectly secured to the peripheral supporting portion  71 . 
         [0017]    Installing the engine exhaust component suspension device  12  such as shown in  FIG. 2  may begin by selecting the location or locations along the unmodified vehicle frame  14  for installing one or more of the engine exhaust component suspension devices  12 . Once a location is selected for placement of an engine exhaust system suspension device  12 , the support bracket piece  24  and top bracket piece  26  may be placed into position at the selected location. When placed in the selected position, the top bracket receiving portion  46  of the support bracket piece  24  engages the support bracket engaging portion  48  of the top bracket piece  26 , allowing the top bracket receiving portion  46  to be secured to the support bracket engaging portion  48 . Placement of the support bracket piece  24  and top bracket piece  26  in the selected position also results in the frame engaging edges  44  of the first fin  40  and the second fin  42  engaging the first side  16  of the unmodified vehicle frame  14 . Further, the frame engaging portion  50  of the top bracket piece  26  engages the second side  18  of the vehicle frame  14 . In general, when assembling the components of the engine exhaust component suspension devices  12 , the respective components that are secured to one another may be secured in a removable manner, such as with removable fasteners, or in a permanent or semi-permanent manner, such as with rivets or welding, where desired. Upon securing the top bracket receiving portion  46  to the support bracket engaging portion  48  and upon the vehicle frame  14  as described, the frame bracket  22  is considered to be fastenerlessly secured to the vehicle frame  14 . 
         [0018]    In one aspect of a method of assembling the engine exhaust component suspension system  10 , the first adjustment portion  52  and second adjustment portion  54  are selectively secured to one another, for example by selecting particular fastener bores on the first adjustment portion  52  and second adjustment portion  54  through which to place fasteners  60 , which as illustrated in  FIG. 2  made up of threaded bolts  60   a , washers  60   b  and  60   c , and nuts  60   d , thereby securing the first adjustment portion  52  at a particular location with respect to the second adjustment portion  54 , which in turn dictates the vertical position of the engine exhaust component relative, for example, to the unmodified vehicle frame  14 , or the surface on which the vehicle travels. In another aspect of a method of assembling the engine exhaust component suspension system  10 , the exhaust system clamp  20  is directly coupled to a shock-absorbing coupling member  32  through at least one clamp tab  38  and using fastener  36 , and is also secured to the engine exhaust component. In the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust system clamp  20  is secured to the engine exhaust component by fastener  66 , which may be made up of a threaded bolt  66   a , washers  66   b  and  66   c , and nut  66   d . The shock-absorbing coupling member  32  is also secured to the first bracket support portion  30 , in particular to at least one support tab  34  of the support portion  30  by fastener  36 , which in the illustrated embodiment is made up of a threaded bolts  36   a , washers  36   b  and  36   c , and nuts  36   d . As previously mentioned, in lieu of shock-absorbing coupling member  32 , a rigid coupling member may similarly be secured to the first bracket support portion  30  and the exhaust system clamp  20 . In yet another alternative method, the exhaust system clamp  20  may be directly coupled to the first bracket support portion  30 . 
         [0019]    Securing additional engine exhaust component suspension devices  12  at additional selected locations may be performed, for example, according to the method described herein for securing a single engine exhaust component suspension device  12 . For example, installing the engine exhaust component suspension system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  would entail selecting three locations along the unmodified vehicle frame  14  and assembling an engine exhaust component suspension device  12  at each of the three locations. 
         [0020]    Although the foregoing apparatuses and methods have been described in some detail, certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims. For example, the engine exhaust component suspension system  10  need not be limited to supporting engine exhaust system components, and may be applied to other instrumentalities that may be secured to a vehicle frame, such as storage components or engine components.