METHOD OF PRODUCING CERAMIC MANIFOLDS FOR THERMALLY INSULATING EXHAUST CHANNELS

Abstract: In a method for effectively producing ceramic manifolds for thermally insulating exhaust channels, an intermediate product is first formed by drain casting which includes a main ceramic pipe (1) having plural branch pipes (2) extending therefrom. The ends of the branch pipes (2) are connected together by elongated connections (3) in the form of thin plates or bars. The intermediate product is fired and the ends of the branch pipes are then cut off together with the connections. In this manner even ceramic pipes complicated in shape can be readily produced by preventing strains and deformations which may occur in firing.

Description: This invention relates to a method of producing ceramic manifolds having at ends plural branch pipes to be used for thermally insulating exhaust channels of gasoline engines, diesel engines and the like. Ceramic pipes such as port liners for thermally insulating exhaust channels or exhaust manifold liners have openings on engine side and exhaust pipe side, respectively, and are used to prevent temperature lowering of high temperature engine exhaust gases passing therethrough. Such ceramic pipes are generally complicated in shape. Particularly, ceramic pipes for four valve engines increasingly used are very complicated having plural branch pipes extending from ends of the ceramic pipes. Such ceramic pipes have been produced with split molds by drain casting, as disclosed in EP-A-312322. Even if they are formed to exact shapes, they are likely to deform in firing after the forming process. Particularly, in the case of main ceramic pipes having plural branch pipes long extending from ends of main pipes, the plural branch pipes deform by gravity so as to change spaces between the branch pipes to make difficult cast-in bonding of the ceramic pipes in cylinder blocks. GB 420817 discusses the manufacture of blocks and tiles by extrusion and firing. A hollow block is produced by extrusion, fired, and then two tiles are produced by separating opposite lateral walls of the hollow block. A similar method is discussed in FR-A-141828 in which two tiles are connected by rods or ribs which have weakenings to allow separation by fracture. It is an object of the invention to provide a method of producing ceramic manifolds in particular for thermally insulating exhaust channels, which can reduce or eliminate disadvantages of the prior art and enables production of ceramic pipes complicated in shape having plural branch pipes extending from an end of the ceramic pipe with little or no risk of strains and deformations in the ceramic pipe in firing. The method of the present invention is set out in claim 1. According to the invention the plural branch pipes are connected by elongated connections to prevent strains which would occur in firing, thereby facilitating production of complicated ceramic pipes. The invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed specification and claims taken in connection with the appended drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an intermediate product for producing a port liner according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an intermediate product for producing an exhaust manifold according to the invention. Fig. 1 illustrates an intermediate product produced when a ceramic port liner is produced according to the invention. The intermediate product comprises a main ceramic pipe 1 having a plural branch pipes 2 extending from the main ceramic pipe 1 in the form of a fork. Ends of the branch pipes 2 are connected by an integral connection 3 in the form of an elongated thin plate. Such an intermediate product formed in the shape as above described can be integrally formed by pouring a slurry of a ceramic material as aluminum titanate into a cavity of a mold and draining excessive slurry from the mold after the poured slurry has stuck in predetermined thicknesses on inner surfaces of the mold in a conventional method called "drain casting". In the molding, it is preferable to pour and drain the slurry through valve holes 4 formed in upper portions of the branch tubes 2. The intermediate product shown in Fig. 1 is fired together with the connection 3 fixed thereto which serves to prevent the plural branch pipes 2 from moving toward and away from each other to maintain constant distances between the branch pipes 2 in firing. After firing, the ends of the branch pipes 2 including the connection 3 are removed from the main pipe 1 by cutting along phantom lines to obtain a ceramic port liner in an exact configuration. Moreover, in the event that respective openings of the intermediate product on an engine side and an exhaust pipe side are formed integrally with closures for the openings and the closures are cut away after firing, any strains in shape of the openings are also prevented. Fig. 2 illustrates an intermediate product when an exhaust manifold liner is produced according to the invention. As the intermediate product shown in Fig. 2 is to be used for an exhaust manifold for a four cylinder engine, four branch pipes 2 extend from a main ceramic pipe 1. These branch pipes 2 are connected together by bar connections 3 as shown. Ends of the branch pipes 2 are cut off along phantom lines in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The exhaust manifold liner produced in this manner is superior in dimensional accuracy, exactly keeping distances between the branch pipes 2 without any change because no strains occur in firing. Fig. 2 shows partial closures of the ends of the branches 2, these closures being cut away after firing. These embodiments are characterized in connecting together the ends of plural branch pipes 2 by bar-shaped or plate-shaped connections 3. If the connections have too small cross-sections, deformations of the branch pipes in firing may not be completely prevented. However, excessive cross-sections of the connections will unduly restrain entire contractions or shrinkages so as to cause strains in the product. Therefore, with parts of automobile engines of normal sizes, connections having thicknesses of the order of 5 mm and widths of the order of 5-10 mm are preferred. The connections are preferably elongate, i.e. longer between the connected branch pipes than thick or wide. Ceramic materials to be used in the invention are not limited to a particular ceramic material. However, aluminum titanate used in the embodiments is preferable. A ceramic pipe made of aluminum titanate can be freely deflected owing to an elasticity of its material even the ceramic pipe is cast-in bonded in a cylinder block. Therefore, there is no risk of occurrence of cracks in the ceramic pipe due to shrinkage in cooling. As can be seen from the above explanation, according to the invention an intermediate product including plural branch pipes having ends connected together by connections is formed by drain casting and the ends of the branch pipes are cut off after firing, thereby preventing strains which would occur in firing. In this manner, ceramic pipes complicated in shape can be readily produced. This method according to the invention is suitable for producing port liners for four cylinder engines and exhaust manifold liners for multi cylinder engines. Therefore, the invention can greatly contribute to the improvement of the production of ceramic manifolds for thermally insulating exhaust channels. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details can be made therein. The invention is not restricted to exhaust manifolds but may be applied to the production of any ceramic article having main and branch pipes formed in one piece.

Claims: A method of producing a ceramic manifold article having main and branched pipes formed in one piece comprising forming a ceramic product including a main pipe (1) and plural branch pipes (2) extending therefrom characterized in that by drain casting an intermediate ceramic product is formed in which respective end portions of said branch pipes (2), which are longer in said intermediate ceramic product than in said manifold article, are connected together by at least one connection (3), and said end portions are removed together with the connection or connections (3) after firing so as to shorten said branch pipes to the desired length, thereby to obtain the manifold article in an exact configuration. A method according to claim 1 wherein the or each said connection (3) is elongate. A method according to claim 2, wherein said elongate connection (3) is a thin plate. A method according to claim 2, wherein said elongate connection (3) is a bar. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the or each said connection (3) has a thickness of the order of 5 mm and a width of the order of 5-10 mm. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said ceramic article is made of aluminum titanate. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein in forming the intermediate product at least one opening of the product is formed integrally with an at least partial closure for the opening, and the closure is removed after firing. A method according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the ceramic article to be produced is a ceramic manifold for thermally insulating exhaust channels. An intermediate product, for the production of a ceramic manifold article, said intermediate product including a main pipe (1) and plural branch pipes (2) extending therefrom and being formed in one piece, the end portions of said branch pipes (2) being connected together by at least one connection (3), which end portions are to be removed together with the connection or connections (3) after firing to obtain the ceramic manifold article.

Inventors: FUKAO, KANAME, HAMANAKA, TOSHIYUKI, HARADA, TAKASHI
Applicants: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B28B11
IPC codes: F01N7, B28B21, F02B1, B28B11