AU2004229110A1

AU2004229110A1 - Exhaust extractor assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2004229110A1
Application number: AU2004229110A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Richter
Original assignee: Pacemaker Headers Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Pacemaker Headers Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2003-11-19
Filing date: 2004-11-17
Publication date: 2005-06-02

Description

0 54964 PAB:PFB N P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 0 AUSTRALIA Z Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION SFOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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Name of Applicant: PACEMAKER HEADERS PTY LTD Name of inventor: MICHAEL RICHTER Address for Service: COLLISON CO.,117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: EXHAUST EXTRACTOR ASSEMBLY Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Australian Patent Application No. 2003906372 Dated 19 t h November 2003 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2

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The present invention relates to an exhaust extractor assembly, and in particular to O a connector assembly for the exhaust pipes in exhaust extractors.

It is known that reducing restrictions to the flow of the combustion by-products (exhaust) from the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine yields O 5 considerable improvements in the torque and power outputs, and the fuel, volumetric and thermal efficiency of the engine.

Excess exhaust backpressure is detrimental to engine performance. Reducing 0exhaust backpressure serves to improve exhaust gas evacuation from the (Ni combustion chamber, enabling more of each new air/fuel charge to be inhaled into the combustion chamber.

Another benefit of a low restriction exhaust system is a reduction in pumping losses in other words, not as much power is required to drive a piston which is forcing the burnt gasses out of the open exhaust valve(s).

The removal of the exhaust gases from the combustion chamber using the momentum of the exhaust gases in a long exhaust pipe, or by taking advantage of the pressure waves set up in the exhaust pipe by the discharge of the previously expelled gases is known as scavenging. In addition to improving the exhausting of the combustion chamber, this scavenging effect also works in conjunction with the vacuum created by the piston during the inlet stroke, to assist in drawing in a fresh fuel charge.

Exhaust manifolds adapted to maximise scavenging effects are commonly known as 'extractors' or 'headers'.

A well-designed extractor manifold comprises a plurality of bent steel pipes (one per cylinder), physically arranged so as to promote this scavenging effect. The pipes are also arranged in a fashion that consolidates them, so that there is only the one pipe channeling exhaust to the rear of the car for release. These branches of pipes must therefore be consolidated at pipe connections or junctions. For example, a six cylinder may incorporate three 2 into 1 junctions, and a further 3 into 1 junction further downstream.

-i 3 When a plurality of pipes are grouped together, so that a downstream collector pipe can be attached, a hole is created in the center of the incoming pipe pattern.

o The standard method in manufacturing extractors is to cap this hole off with a square z plate. This plate in the center of the incoming pipes creates dead air space, or turbulence, disrupting the air flow in the collector pipe, thereby creating restrictions.

Often the practical requirement of consolidating the number of pipes takes precedent over the requirement to minimise restrictions when designing these C, connections.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector assembly for exhaust pipes which will allow the foregoing requirements to be at least substantially achieved or which will at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

In one form of this invention although this may not necessarily be the only or indeed the broadest form of this there is proposed a connector assembly for exhaust pipes providing for a joining of a plurality of supply pipes from upstream, where each of the supply pipes has a downstream end arranged in a mutually adjoining alignment, which meet an upstream end of a connector pipe, the assembly including a plug adapted to substantially fill the hole between the adjoining supply pipes, such that the connector pipe and the plug are adapted to co-operatively define a substantially helical path in a downstream direction of the connector pipe.

Preferably, the connector pipe has an upstream end with an outer perimeter shape which substantially matches an outer perimeter shape of the adjoined supply pipes, this being thereby a bulbous form aligned for each supply pipe and each such bulbous shape being progressively in a downstream direction less outwardly protruding, but also veering in a curved path which is for each and all of the bulbous shapes in a same handed direction.

4 0 Preferably, the plug includes a portion extending in a downstream direction, which is tapered as it progress's downstream and which also has channels formed into it, O each channel aligned with a respective supply pipe and defining for each a same z handedness helical path. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the supply pipes are arranged so as to complement the firing order of the engine for which the connector 0 assembly is intended, thereby providing a scavenging affect.

N Preferably, the respective bulbous portions define together a helical path in a downstream direction of the single pipe.

Preferably, the helical path defined by the plug and the bulbous portions is adapted to generate a vortex in exhaust gases passing through the connector assembly, which will augment the scavenging affect provided by an extractor manifold.

Preferably an extractor manifold assembly includes four upstream pipes joined by a single hollow pipe having an upstream end with an outer perimeter shape which matches or is intended to match an outer perimeter shape of each respective supply pipe end, and wherein the plug has a substantially square joining portion extending upstream between the four upstream pipes so that they can be welded together.

In a further form, the invention may be said to lie in an installation in which there is an internal combustion engine, with an extractor assembly having one or more of the above-mentioned features.

In a further form, the invention may be said to lie in an exhaust manifold assembly including a connector providing for a joining of a plurality of supply pipes from upstream, where each of the supply pipes has a downstream end arranged in a mutually adjoining alignment, which meet an upstream end of a connector pipe, the assembly including a plug adapted to substantially fill the hole between the adjoining supply pipes, such that the connector pipe and the plug are adapted to co-operatively define a substantially helical path in a downstream direction of the connector pipe.

0 For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with respect to the preferred embodiment which shall be described herein with the assistance of z drawings wherein; Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the extractor assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plug; and (Ni Figure 3 is a perspective view of the extractor assembly of Figure 1, assembled.

SNow referring to the illustrations, and in particular to Figure 1, there is a connector assembly 1 for connecting exhaust pipes, the connector assembly including a plurality of supply pipes from upstream 2, 3,4,5, a plug 6, and a single connector pipe 7.

Each of the supply pipes 2,3,4 and 5 is accepting exhaust emissions from an outlet in an engine block upstream, and these exhaust emissions from the supply pipes are being passed downstream through the connector assembly 1 to a single connector pipe 7, for an eventual release into the atmosphere at the rear of the vehicle.

Each of the upstream pipes 2,3,4 and 5 has a downstream end each of at least a substantially circular shape arranged in a mutually adjoining alignment. The single pipe 7 has an upstream end 8 with an outer perimeter shape that will accept within in it the outer perimeter shape of mutually adjoining supply pipe ends.

The plug 6 has a joining portion 9 at an upstream end, which is square in shape, and sized so as to substantially fill the gap between the upstream pipes 2, 3, 4 and 5. The plug also incorporates a center portion 35 which is supported from a center of the plug and which extends downstream. The center portion 35 has a shape, which includes a plurality of channels 40 incorporated therein, each channel corresponding to a respective supply pipe, and each channel veers in a curved path in a downstream direction, which is for each of the shapes is in the samehanded direction.

As discussed, the connector pipe 7 has an upstream end with an outer perimeter shape that matches the outer perimeter shape of each of the respective supply 6

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0 pipe ends. This end shape is defined by 4 bulbous forms 45, 50, 55 and corresponding with the number of pipes. Each such bulbous shape veering in a z curved path, which is for each and all of the bulbous shapes in the same direction as the centre portion 35 of the plug 6.

The upstream pipes 2, 3, 4, 5, the plug 6, and the single pipe 7 are assembled 0 and welded together to form a connector 1 in an exhaust manifold assembly. An Sexhaust manifold assembly of the type illustrated, would typically be adapted for c use on a four cylinder engine, or a bank of 4 cylinders on a V8 engine, where each of the upstream pipes is receiving combustion by-products from a combustion chamber of a cylinder, and the four pipes are converged into one, for transfer of Scombustion by-products to the rear of the vehicle, where they are released to atmosphere.

A significant advantage of the present invention, is that the plug 6, and the bulbous portions 45, 50, 55, 60 together define a helical path in a downstream direction of the connector pipe 7. This arrangement as illustrated defines a clockwise helical path. The helical path defined by the connector and the bulbous portions therefore, is intended to generate a vortex (clockwise in this case), which will augment the scavenging affect provided by the correct arrangement of supply pipes 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the extractor manifold, that arrangement being one which cooperates with the firing order of the engine in question.

While the extractor assembly as illustrated shows the connector pipe 7 of the connector 1 and the plug 6 adapted to co-operatively define a clockwise helical path in a downstream direction in the single pipe, it is to be understood that the arrangement can be easily mirrored so as to define an anti-clockwise helical path if required.

Furthermore, it would be understood by a person skilled in the art, that use of a connector assembly 1 for exhaust pipes according to the present invention would not be limited to application in exhaust manifolds. Instead such a connector could be utilized at any point in an exhaust system where it is desirable to create a junction between, and consolidate the number of pipes.

It is considered therefore that an exhaust extractor assembly such as that described herein would prove to be of considerable benefit to those who wish to z "7 reduce exhaust back pressure, thereby improving the torque and power outputs, and the fuel, volumetric and thermal efficiency of their engine.

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ZAlthough the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognised that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus

Claims

1. A connector assembly for exhaust pipes providing for a joining of a plurality of supply pipes from upstream, where each of the supply pipes has a downstream end arranged in a mutually adjoining alignment, which meet an 0 5 upstream end of a connector pipe, the assembly including a plug adapted to substantially fill the hole between the adjoining supply pipes, such that the connector pipe and the plug are adapted to co-operatively define a substantially helical path in a downstream direction of the connector pipe.

S2. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in the immediately preceding claim further characterized in that the connector pipe has an upstream end with an outer perimeter shape which substantially matches an outer perimeter shape of the adjoined supply pipes, this being thereby a bulbous form aligned for each supply pipe and each such bulbous shape being progressively in a downstream direction less outwardly protruding, but also veering in a curved path which is for each and all of the bulbous shapes in a same handed direction.

3. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the plug includes a portion extending in a downstream direction, which is tapered as it progress's downstream and which also has channels formed into it, each channel aligned with a respective supply pipe and defining for each a same handedness helical path.

4. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the supply pipes are arranged so as to complement the firing order of the engine for which the connector assembly is intended, thereby providing a scavenging affect.

5. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the respective bulbous portions define together a helical path in a downstream direction of the single pipe.

6. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the helical path defined by the plug and the bulbous portions is adapted to generate a vortex in exhaust gases passing -l 9 through the connector assembly, which will augment the scavenging affect provided by an extractor manifold. O

7. The connector assembly for exhaust pipes as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the assembly includes four upstream pipes joined by a single hollow pipe having an upstream end with an outer perimeter _shape which matches or is intended to match an outer perimeter shape of each respective supply pipe end, and wherein the plug has a substantially square N joining portion extending upstream between the four upstream pipes so that they can be welded together.

8. An exhaust manifold assembly including a connector providing for a joining of a plurality of supply pipes from upstream, where each of the supply pipes has a downstream end arranged in a mutually adjoining alignment, which meet an upstream end of a connector pipe, the assembly including a plug adapted to substantially fill the hole between the adjoining supply pipes, such that the connector pipe and the plug are adapted to co-operatively define a substantially helical path in a downstream direction of the connector pipe.

9. An installation in which there is an internal combustion engine, with an extractor assembly having one or more of the above-mentioned features.

A connector assembly for exhaust pipes substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying illustrations.

11. An exhaust manifold assembly substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying illustrations. Dated this 17 th day of November 2004 PACEMAKER HEADERS PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO