Patent Publication Number: US-5836281-A

Title: Apparatus for optimizing the interconnection paths of elongate conduits

Description:
The present invention relates mainly to interconnection apparatus, in particular for hydraulic and pneumatic interconnections between the various members of a motor vehicle internal combustion engine. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Proper operation of a motor vehicle engine cannot be achieved without interconnecting various pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical circuits connecting various members of the engine to one another and to external devices. When the vehicle is assembled, or during maintenance thereof, it is therefore essential to be able to pass and connect numerous elongate bodies, in particular flexible hoses, rigid pipes, cables, or bundles of cables in the engine compartment. 
     That gives rise to numerous problems for motor vehicle manufacturers. 
     The paths followed by the various elongate bodies need to take account not only of the space available in the engine compartment, but also of proximity to hot elements such as parts of the engine or certain tubular ducts that risk compromising proper operation of elongate bodies that are fragile or that contain cold liquids. Similarly, it may be necessary to hold cables away from sources of electrical and/or magnetic disturbance. This problem is particularly important for flexible elongate bodies whose position can vary when they are subjected to vibration. Motor vehicle manufacturers have therefore been obliged to design elongate body paths that provide good safety at the expense of not making optimum use of the space available inside the engine compartment. 
     It is also necessary at all costs to avoid connection errors which means that connectors must have keying means to prevent wrong connection and/or that robotized assembly lines should be used. It should be observed that robotized assembly does not prevent future connection errors occurring during maintenance, e.g. when replacing a hose. Also, the disposition of elongate bodies in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle spoils the appearance of the engine unit. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide reliable interconnection apparatus for the various members of a motor vehicle engine. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus that enables optimized interconnections to be achieved by implementing elongate bodies that are short. 
     Another object of the present invention is to minimize interconnections made during vehicle assembly. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide interconnection apparatus of pleasing appearance that matches that of the engine unit. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an engine unit fitted prior to installation in the engine compartment with apparatus that provides at least some of the connections required for proper operation thereof. 
     The invention achieves these objects by a rigid interconnection cradle including means for fixing the cradle to the engine unit such as a fixing plate, and means for fixing elongate conduits to the cradle, in particular rigid pipes, flexible hoses, electric cables, optical fibers, and/or bundles of cables. 
     Advantageously, the cradle includes means for fixing to measurement members, regulation members, and/or members for controlling fluid flows. 
     The invention mainly provides an interconnection cradle for a motor vehicle heat engine, the cradle comprising a plurality of means for fixing to the engine and means for fixing to a plurality of conduits, in particular hoses, so that they follow optimized interconnection paths for the various members of the engine and/or of the vehicle. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, wherein the fixing means comprise elongate section members leaving a space into which a pipe, in particular a hose pipe, can be inserted by force, said members being disposed parallel to said pipes so as to releasably hold the pipes to the cradle by snap-fastening. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, including means for holding electrical or optical cables or any other fluid transfer duct. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, including an incorporated expansion chamber. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, including an incorporated header tank. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, including means for connecting pipes to the engine. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, including pipes, in particular hoses, held by the fixing means. 
     The invention also provides a cradle, wherein the ends of the pipes, in particular of the hoses, are provided with quick couplings or with collars. 
     The invention also provides an engine unit, including a cradle of the invention. 
     The invention also provides an engine unit, including: 
     a radiator connected to the engine by hoses; 
     a heat exchanger connected via hoses; 
     hoses for connection to the vehicle cabin heater; and 
     a hose connected to the admission manifold; and wherein the hoses are fixed to the cradle by snap-fastening. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood from the following description and the accompanying figures given as a non-limiting example, and in which: 
     FIG. 1a is a front three-quarter perspective view from above of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 1b is an analogous view of an engine block fitted with the FIG. 1a apparatus; 
     FIG. 2a is a back three-quarter perspective view from below of the FIG. 1a apparatus; and 
     FIG. 2b is a view analogous to FIG. 2a, showing an engine block fitted with the apparatus of the invention. 
     In FIGS. 1a to 2b the same references are used to designate the same elements. 
    
    
     MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the figures, there can be seen the preferred embodiment of a cradle 1 of the invention comprising on elongate support member having a first branch 3 of length substantially equal to the width of an engine 5 (FIGS. 1b and 2b), a second branch 7 parallel to the first branch 3 and of length substantially equal to half the width of the engine 5, and interconnected by a third branch 9 which is orthogonal to the branches 3 and 7. The branches 3 and 9 carry respective fixing plates 11 and 13 for fixing the cradle 1 to the engine block 5. 
     The cradle 1 of the present invention is advantageously made of a plastics material, e.g. by extrusion blow-molding or by thermoforming. It may be provided with means for absorbing vibrations, electro-magnetic screening disposed close to sources of electro-magnetic disturbance, in particular around signal transmission cables, and thermal insulation means disposed close to sources of heat, around pipes or signal transmission cables. 
     The cradle 1 includes releasable conduit connectors 15 for fixing elongate conduits such as electric cables 19 or preferably-flexible tubular ducts 17, for example. 
     The configuration of the cradle of the present invention is a function of the engine block 5 to be fitted and in particular of the layout of the various members of the engine and its various fluid inlets and outlets. 
     The releasable conduit connectors 15 for fixing tubular ducts 17 comprise, for example, two elongate section members each defining a fraction of a cylindrical channel for receiving tubular ducts. A gap between the section members enables the elongate conduit to be forced through while it is being put into place and subsequently to be releasably held by snap-fastening. Naturally, other fixing methods could be used, e.g. using fixing plates, collars, adhesive, etc. without going beyond the ambit of the present invention. 
     In the example shown in FIGS. 1b and 2b, the outlet from the pump of the engine 5 is connected through the fixing plate 11 to a water inlet tank 21 carrying the elongate support member of the cradle of the present invention. The water inlet tank 21 is connected firstly via a hose 17.1 provided with a quick coupling 23.1 at its end to a radiator 25, and secondly via a hose 17.2 whose end is fitted with a quick coupling 23.2 to the inlet of a heat exchanger 27 for cooling engine oil. 
     Advantageously, the cradle 1 of the present invention includes an integral expansion chamber 29 carrying the elongate support member. An outlet from the water/oil heat exchanger is connected via a hose 17.3 whose end is fitted with a quick coupling 23.3 to a first inlet of the expansion chamber 29. A hose 17.4 having one end fitted with a quick coupling 23.4 connects the radiator 25 to an inlet of a water outlet tank 26 carrying the elongate support member. The engine block 5 is fed with water that has been cooled in the radiator 25 via a pipe passing through the fixing plate 11. 
     A hose 17.5 terminated by a quick coupling 23.5 feeds the vehicle cabin heater with hot water, water return taking place via a hose 17.6 terminated by a quick coupling 23.6. A hose 17.7 connects the degassing volume included in the expansion chamber 29 to the admission manifold of the vehicle. 
     It should be observed that the hoses 17.1 to 17.7 extend from the cradle 1 of the present invention for the purpose of being connected to the various members of the vehicle and/or of the engine. 
     Naturally, the present invention is not limited to use with tubular ducts, and it can equally well be applied to ducts of different section, e.g. ducts that are square or rectangular in section. 
     The cradle of the present invention can be used to pass the cables that are necessary for operation of the engine, e.g. cables connecting the ignition system to the engine spark plugs, and cables connecting the electrical power supply to the ignition system and to the starter. The cradle of the present invention can also be used to pass electrical or optical cables for interconnecting the engine with other members of the vehicle, e.g. cables connecting the various sensors for detecting proper operation of the engine to the vehicle dashboard. 
     The present invention is mainly applicable to the automotive industry.