Vibration floating washer assembly and method of attaching the same to heat insulating plate

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a vibration floating washer assembly and a method of attaching a vibration floating washer to a heat insulating plate. More particularly to a vibration floating washer assembly for vibration isolation and a method of attaching a vibration floating washer for vibration isolation to a heat insulating plate which is attached to a heat generating source in an automobile.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Since the temperature of an exhaust manifold, an EGR (exhaust gas recirculator) a catalyst, a muffler, and the like of an automobile becomes high, these memers are provided with heat insulating plates for prevention of burns or heat damage to other component parts. However, if the heat insulating plates are directly attached to these members, the heat insulating plates serve as vibrating plates and constitute causes for the generation of noise.

[0006] For example, as shown in FIG. 7, an attaching method has been adopted in which a heat insulating plate 5 is arranged with a vibration floating washer structure by using a washer 1 with a sleeve, a pair of metallic cushioning materials 2, a washer 3, and an attaching bolt 4.

[0007] However, to attach the heat insulating plate 5 on a heat generating source to be attached to in an assembly line by this attaching method, the heat insulating plate 5 is first placed between the pair of metallic cushioning platez 2 arranged around a peripheral edge portion of an attaching-bolt insertion hole 6 in the heat insulating plate 5. The washer 3 is then placed on one side of the cushioning material 2, and a sleeve 7 of the washer 1 with a sleeve is inserted in the insertion hole 6 irom the opposite side of the insertion hole 6.

[0008] Then, in this state, since the washers 1 and 3 and the cushioning materials 2 are not fixed to the insertion hole 6, it has been necessary to insert the attaching bolt 4 into the insertion hole 6 and fix the attaching bolt 4 to a supporting portion 8 while manually holding and fixing the washers 1 and 3 and the like. This method is inefficient, and the positioning of the attaching bolt 4 and the bolt hole in the supporting portion 8 has involved extreme difficulty.

[0009] The present invention is aimed at overcoming the above-described problems, and is characterized by attaching in advance a washer with a sleeve, including a sale washer and a female washer, to an inner side and a peripheral edge portion of an attaching-bolt insertion hole in a heat insulating plate with a metallic cushioning material placed therebetween. A primary object of the present invention is to simplify the operation of attaching the heat insulating plate to a supporting portion to be attached to.

[0010] To attain the above object, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of attaching a vibration floating washer with a sleeve to an inner side and a peripheral edge portion of an attaching-bolt insertion hole in a heat insulating plate with a metallic cushioning material placed therebetween, characterized in that the cushioning material is disposed on the inner side the peripheral edge portion of the attaching-bolt insertion hole, that a male sleeve of a male washer and a female sleeve of a female washer are respectively inserted into the bolt insertion hole from both sides of the heat insulating plate, the male washer and the female washer constituting the vibration floating washer with a sleeve, and that the male washer and the female washer are fitted and fixed to each other by means of fitting means provided on at least one of the male sleeve and the female sleeve while the heat insulating plate is maintained in a state of noncontact with both the male washer and the female washer. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the fitting means provided on at least one of the male sleeve and the;female sleeve is one of an annular projecting portion and a discontinuous projecting portion.

[0011] In addition, in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, the metallic cushioning material comprises a male cushioning material and a female cushioning material, and the male cushioning material has a projecting cross-sectional shape with an axially projecting portion formed thereon, while the female cushioning material has a recessed cross-sectional shape with an axially recessed portion formed therein, both the male cushioning material and the female cushioning material having respective through holes through which the male and female sleeves of the vibration floating washer with a sleeve are passed. In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, the metallic cushioning material is molded by compression molding an SUS mesh.

[0012] Furthermore, there is provided a vibration floating washer assembly for being attached to a heat insulating plate including an attaching-bolt insertion hole. The washer assembly comprising: a vibration floating washer with a sleeve is and a metallic damping element placed between the vibration floating washer. The vibration floating washer includes a male washer including a male sleeve and a female washer including a female sleeve. At least one of the male and female sleeves includes a fitting portion provided thereon so that the heat insulating plate is maintained in a state of noncontact with both the male and female washers.

[0013] In accordance with the present invention, prior to attaching the heat insulating material to the supporting portion, the vibration floating washer with a sleeve, in which the male washer and the female washer can be fitted and fixed to each other by one or the fitting means, is attached and fixed, in advance, to the inner side and the peripheral edge portion of the attaching-bolt insertion hole in the heat insulating plate with the metallic cushioning material placed there between. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify the operation of attaching the heat insulating plate to the supporting portion to be attached to. Further, it is possible to reduce the vibration and facilitate the positional alignment between the attaching bolt and the bolt hole in the supporting portion.

[0014] FIG. 1 is an explanatory exploded view illustrating the attaching method of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is an explanatory vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the state of attachment by the attaching method shown in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 3 is an explanatory vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the state of attachment using a different metallic cushioning material;

[0017] FIGS. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams illustrating examples of a vibration floating washer with a sleeve;

[0018] FIGS. 5A to 5E are explanatory vertical cross-sectional views illustrating other examples of the vibration floating washer with a sleeve;

[0019] FIGS. 6A and 6B to 6D are exploded perspective views and exploded vertical cross-sectional views illustrating examples of the metallic cushioning material, respectively; and

[0020] FIG. 7 is an explanatory vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional attached state.

[0021] A description Will now be given of each embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory exploded view illustrating a vibration floating washer assembly and an attaching method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the state of attachment by the attaching method shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an explanatory vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the state of attachment using a different metallic cushioning material. FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams illustrating one example of a vibration floating washer with a sleeve, and FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagrams illustrating another example of a male sleeve of a vibration floating washer with a sleeve. FIGS. 5A to 5B are explanatory vertical cross-sectional views illustrating other examples of the vibration floating washer with a sleeve. FIGS. 6A and 6B to 6D are an exploded perspective view and exploded vertical cross-sectional views illustrating examples of the metallic cushioning material, respectively.

[0022] First, a description will be given of the vibration floating washer with a sleeve which is used in the present invention. FIGS. 4A and 4B show one example of the vibration floating washer with a sleeve, in which FIG. 4A is an exploded explanatory view, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory vertical cross-sectional view illustrating an assembled state FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagrams illustrating another example of a male sleeve of a vibration floating washer with a sleeve

[0023] A vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve includes a male washer 11aand a female washer 120a. In the illustrated case, if a male sleeve 110aof the male washer 11ais inserted to the inner side of a female sleeve 120aof the female washer 12a, the vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve is formed in which both sleeves 110aand 120aare fitted and fixed together by a fitting portion 13 provided on the outer periphery of the male sleeve 110a.

[0024] Namely, the aforementioned male sleeve 110ahas an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the female sleeve 120a. As an example of the fitting portions 13, an annular protrusion 130 whose outside diameter is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the female sleeve 120ais formed on the outer periphery of the male sleeve 110a. For this reason, if the male sleeve 110ais inserted in the female sleeve 120awith a fixed pressing force, the vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve in which the two members are firmly fitted together by the annular protrusion 130 is formed. Only one annular protrusion 130 is provided in the illustrated case, but two or more annular protrusions 130 may be provided, or a plurality of discontinuous protrusions may be fored. Thus, it is possible to use an arbitrary fitting shapes such as inclined discontinuous protrusions or regular or irregular protrusions. In the drawings, reference numeral 14 denotes a collar portion, and numeral 15 denotes a bolt hole.

[0025] In FIG. 4C, another example of a male alecve 110gis shown. In this example, a fitting portion 13 is provided as a circular protrusion 140 on the periphery of each hole 150. The circular protrusion 140 has functions similar to ones of the annular protrusion 130 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4C.

[0026] FIGS. 5A to 5E illustrate examples different from the above-described vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve. Although their basic construction is the same, there are differences in specific modes.

[0027] A vibration floating washer 10bwith a sleeve shown in FIG. 5A has two annular protrusions 130 formed on an outer periphery of a male sleeve 110b. A vibration floating washer 10cwith a sleeve shown in FIG. 5B has a single annular protrusion 130 formed on an inner periphery of a female sleeve 120c.

[0028] A vibration floating washer 10dwith a sleeve shown in FIG. 5C has the annular protrusion 130 formed on an upper end of the outer periphery of a female sleeve 120d. In the case of a vibration floating washer 10cwith a sleeve shown,in FIG. 5D, the opening edge side of a male sleeve 110eis formed as a gently inclined surface 112, and the arrangement provided is such that both sleeves 110eand 120eare rubbed against each other so as to be fitted and fixed together. A vibration floating washer 10fwith a sleeve shown in FIG. 5E is formed of a metallic material having a spring characteristic, and the arrangement provided is such that a male sleeve 110fhaving a slit 113 in the axial direction is press-fitted to a female sleeve 120fso as to be fitted and fixed together.

[0029] Next, a description will be given of the metallic cushioning material, which is used as a metallic damping element.

[0030] FIGS. 6A to 6D show metallic cushioning materials 20ato 20dof the respective examples.

[0031] The metallic cushioning material 20ashown in FIG. 6A includes a male 21aand a female 22awhich are molded by compression-molding an SUS metal mesh and are both annular in shape. The male cushioning material 21ahas a projecting cross-sectional shape with an axially projecting portion 210 formed thereon, while the female cushioning material 22ahas is a recessed cross-sectional shape with an axially recessed portion 220 formed therein. Both the male cushioning material 21aand the female cushioning material 22ahave respective through holes 23 through which the sleeves 110a, 110b, . . . and 120a, 120b, . . . of each of the above-described vibration floating washers 10a, 10b, . . . with a sleeve are passed.

[0032] Then, as shown in FIG. 2, a heat insulating plate 25 is clamped between a distal shoulder portion 225 of the nonprojecting portion of the male cushioning material 21aand a distal end portion 226 of the female cushioning material 22a, is supported in noncontact with the vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve through the cushioning material 20a. Hence, it is possible to prevent the transmission of the vibration of a supporting portion 28 to the heat insulating plate 25.

[0033] This SUS metal mesh is molded under the following conditions.

[0034] Material: a stainless steel wire of SUS 316, SUS 3105, SUS 301, or SUS 304

[0035] Wire diameter: 0.05-0.35 mm

[0036] Weaving style: knitting in a unit of 1-5 strand(s) of the wire of the aforementioned diameter

[0037] Density: 05-03 g/³

[0038] Spring constant K: 0.01-10 kgf/mm Preferably, 0.1-2.0 kgf/mm

[0039] It should be noted that these conditions are also applied to the metallic cushioning materials 20b-20dwhich will be described below.

[0040] The metallic cushioning material 20bshown in FIG. 6B is similarly comprised of a male cushioning material 21band a female cushioning material 22b. The male cushioning material 21bis formed as a ring 212 whose inner peripheral upper end side on the through hole 23 side is formed as an edged portion 211, while the female cushioning material 22bhas a ring 222 whose inner peripheral lower end on the through hole 23 side is formed as a notched portion 221. The arrangement provided is such that, at the time of use, the inner peripheral edge of the heat insulating plate is clamped by an upper surface 218 of the ring 212 and a lower surface 228 of the ring 222.

[0041] The metallic cushioning material 20c shown in FIG. 6C is comprised of a male cushioning material 21cand a female cushioning material 22c. The male cushioning material 21cis formed as a projecting portion 214 having an axially projecting portion 213 in its cross-sectional shape, while the female cushioning material 22ccorresponding thereto is formed as a ring 223 whose cross-sectional shape is rectangular.

[0042] The arrangement provided is such that, at the time of use, the projecting portion 213 of the male cushioning material 21c is fitted to the Inner side of the ring 223 of the female cushioning material 22c, and the inner peripheral portion of the heat insulating plate is clamped by an upper surface 231, which forms a shoulder portion at a rear end of the projecting portion 213 of the male cushioning material 21c, and a lower surface 232 of the ring 223 of the female cushioning material 22c.

[0043] The metallic cushioning material 20dshown in FIG. 6D is comprised of a pair of cushioning materials 21d, each having a flared croso-sectional portion 215 whose through hole 23 side has a larger thickness. The arrangement provided is such that, at the time of use, the peripheral edge portion of the heat insulating plate is clamped in a space 216 which is formed between the pair of flared cross-sectional portions 215 when the two cushioning materials 21dare superposed on top of each other to abut against each other.

[0044] A description will now be given of a method of a method of attaching the vibration floating washers assembly in which each of the vibration floating washers 10a, 10b, . . . with a sleeve and each of the metallic cushioning materials 20a, 20b, . . . are assembled in advance onto the heat insulating plate 25.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows an example in which the vibration floating washer 10a(11a, 12a) with a sleeve and the metallic cushioning material 20a(21a, 22a) are used. First, the projecting portion 210 of the male cushioning material 21aof the projecting shape is inserted in an attaching-bolt insertion hole 26 in the heat insulating plate 25, and the recessed portion 220 of the female cushioning material 22ais fitted to the projecting portion 210 from the opposite side of the heat insulating plate 25.

[0046] Then, the respective male and female sleeves 110aand 120aof the male washer 11aand the female washer 12aare inserted into the bolt insertion hole 26 from both sides thereof. The male sleeve 110ais then inserted into the female sleeve 120a, and the two members are fitted and fixed together by the fitting portion 13 by applying a pressing force thereto. Consequently, the heat insulating plate 25 is obtained to which the male and female washers 11aand 12aare fixed in the attaching-bolt insertion hole 26 with the male and female cushioning materials 21aand 22aplaced therebetween. Reference numeral 27 denotes a fastening bolt.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows an example of use in which the vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve and the metallic cushioning material 20aare used, and the heat insulating plate 25 is attached to the supporting portion 28 to be attached to by means of the fastening bolt 27 in the vibration floating structure.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows an example of use in which the vibration floating washer 10 with a sleeve and the metallic cushioning material 20dare used, and the inner side and the peripheral edge portion of the bolt inserting hole 26 of the heat insulating plate 25 are clamped in the space 216 formed by the flared cross-sectional portions 215 of the pair of cushioning materials 21d, so as to attach the vibration floating washer 10awith a sleeve in the vibration floating structure.

[0049] In the present invention, as described above, since, prior to attaching the heat insulating material to the supporting portion, the vibration floating washer with a sleeve is attached and fixed, in advance, to the attaching-bolt insertion hole in the heat insulating plate with the metallic cushioning material placed therebetween, it is possible to overcome the difficulties in the operation in the conventional assembly line and attain the simplification of the attaching operation. Further, it is possible to overcome other difficulties including the positioning of the bolt.

[0050] Further, the vibration floating washer with a sleeve and the metallic cushioning material which are used have simple construction, and can be provided at low cost.

[0051] While only a certain embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described herein, it will be apparent that numerous modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0052] The present invention is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-139230 which is incorporated herein by reference.