(19)
(11) EP 1 442 255 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
04.07.2007 Bulletin 2007/27

(21) Application number: 02778158.2

(22) Date of filing: 16.10.2002
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
F23J 11/02(2006.01)
B08B 15/00(2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/SE2002/001890
(87) International publication number:
WO 2003/040621 (15.05.2003 Gazette 2003/20)

(54)

GAS EVACUATING ARRANGEMENT

GASEVAKUIERANORDNUNG

DISPOSITIF D'EVACUATION


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR

(30) Priority: 18.10.2001 SE 0103497

(43) Date of publication of application:
04.08.2004 Bulletin 2004/32

(73) Proprietor: FUMEX AB
931 61 Skelleftea (SE)

(72) Inventors:
  • WIKSTRÖM, Bo
    S-931 95 Skelleftea (SE)
  • KARLSSON, Ulf
    S-931 98 Skelleftea (SE)

(74) Representative: Körber, Martin Hans 
Mitscherlich & Partner Patentanwälte Sonnenstrasse 33
80331 München
80331 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
EP-A1- 0 922 506
GB-A- 1 516 931
DE-U1- 29 608 811
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement for evacuation of gases by suction in accordance with the preamble of Claim 1. Such an arrangement is known from document GB-A-1 516 931.

    [0002] With regard to arrangements for evacuating gases by means of suction, e.g. for evacuating exhaust gases from automotive vehicles, it is of the utmost importance that there is obtained an effective seal so as to minimise leakage and also so as to reduce sound levels.

    [0003] One object of the present invention is to provide a highly effective arrangement for the evacuation of gases by suction, said object being achieved by the inventive arrangement that has the features set out in the characterising clauses of respective accompanying Claims.

    [0004] The advantages afforded by the invention include improved suction and lower noise emissions. The inventive arrangement affords both technical ahd economical advantages.

    [0005] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of an inventive arrangement, Figure 2 is a schematic sectioned view in perspective of a part of a suction channel and an associated carriage, and Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the suction channel and carriage.

    [0006] The inventive arrangement includes a flexible suction hose 1 which has a first end 2 that can be connected to the exhaust pipe of an automotive vehicle 100, e.g. to the exhaust pipe of an automobile, through the medium of a connector. The hose 1 also has a second end 3, which communicates with a suction channel 10 via a carriage 40 that is moveable in the longitudinal direction of said channel, said second end 3 of the hose being connected to the carriage 40.

    [0007] The illustrated embodiment of the inventive arrangement includes a balance block 4 which is adapted to act between the carriage 40 and the hose 1 in a manner to raise the hose to an upper parking level when the hose is not in use.
    The channel 10 is mounted in the building or place in which it shall be used, with the aid of fixed fittings 11.

    [0008] The channel 10 may consist of extruded aluminium, and includes an upper part 12 and a lower part 13. The upper part of the channel includes a longitudinally extending projection 14 and the lower part of the channel includes a longitudinally extending groove for co-action with carriage guide wheels. The channel 10 carries a longitudinally extending seal 16 which is anchored to the channel 10 at the upper edge 17 of the seal and the bottom free edge 18 of which is normally in sealing abutment with the channel 10. The seal 16, which is preferably comprised of rubber or a plastic material such as to obtain a desired degree of flexibility, covers a channel inlet opening 19. The channel 10 also includes a projection 20 in the form of an outwardly protruding lip with which the free edge 18 of the seal 16 is normally in abutment.

    [0009] The carriage 40 includes an outer casing 41 that carries two upper guide wheels 42 and two lower guide wheels 43. The upper guide wheels 42 run along the projection 14 on the channel 10, whereas the lower guide wheels 43 run in the channel groove 15, thereby enabling the carriage 40 to be moved along the channel 10.

    [0010] The hose 1 communicates with a gas chamber 45 in the carriage 40 via a sleeve 44 and said chamber, in turn, communicates with the channel 10 via an arcuate lifting plate 46. The lifting plate 46 functions to lift the channel seal 16 to an extent which provides the requisite gas flow communication of the carriage 40 with the channel 10 as the carriage moves along the channel, whilst the suction effect ensures an effective sealing function at the same time. The flow of gas through the carriage 40 is shown by arrows A in Fig. 3. The lifting plate 46 on the carriage 40 is curved upwardly and extends along the full length of the carriage 40 and has a so-called climbing portion 46a at each end. Only half of the plate 46 is shown in Fig. 2.

    [0011] The carriage 40 carries along the whole of its length a seal 50 that co-acts with the projection/lip 20 on the channel 10. The seal 50, which is preferably made of rubber or a plastic material, is anchored to the carriage 40 and has a free long-side edge that slides against the underside of the lip 20 as the carriage 40 moves along the channel 10 in response to movement of the vehicle 100 in said building or space. The seal 50 is adapted to lie against the underside of the lip 20 with a given biasing force. This results in a very efficient sealing effect in concert with the suction effect. The seal 50 has been found highly significant in the achievement of an effective sealing function and a low sound level.

    [0012] The channel 10 is, of-course, provided with necessary end walls and means for connecting it to an appropriate suction or gas-evacuation device, so that the suction-evacuated exhaust gas can be discharged from said building or space in a suitable manner.

    [0013] Should it be necessary to lengthen the channel 10 with the aid of a splice or corresponding join, it is ensured that the projection 20 will be guided effectively so as not to jeopardise the function of the seals 16 and 50 at the location of the splice or join, by virtue of guide pins received in a guide groove 21.

    [0014] It will be understood that structural modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

    [0015] The invention is therefore not limited to the described and illustrated embodiment since changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the following claims.


    Claims

    1. An arrangement for evacuating gas by suction, particularly in respect of the handling of vehicle exhaust gases, wherein the arrangement comprises a suction channel (10) that includes a longitudinally extending seal (16) which can be lifted along a free edge (18), a carriage (40) moveable along the channel (10) comprising means (46) for lifting temporarily the free sealing edge (18) and creating gas communication between the channel (10) and a suction hose (1) which has a first end (2) that can be connected to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle (100) and a second end (3) which is connected to the carriage (40), characterised in that the carriage (40) carries a longitudinally extending seal (50); and in that the channel (10) includes a longitudinally extending projection (20) against which the seal (50) carried by said carriage abuts.
     
    2. An arrangement according to Claim 1, characterised in that the seal (50) carried by the carriage (40) is biased into abutment with an underside of the projection (20) on the channel (10).
     
    3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the upper side of the channel includes a longitudinally extending projection (14) for co-action with upper guide wheels (42) on the carriage (40).
     
    4. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the underside of the channel (10) includes a longitudinally extending groove (15) for co-action with lower guide wheels (43) on the carriage (40).
     
    5. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 - 4, characterised in that the channel (10) has at its projection (20) for the carriage seal (50) a guide groove (21) for co-action with a guide pin at a channel splicing location.
     
    6. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 3 - 5, characterised in that the upper guide wheels (42) have a generally horizontal axis of rotation.
     
    7. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 4 - 6, characterised in that the lower guide wheels (43) have a generally vertical axis of rotation.
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Anordnung für das Gasabführen durch Absaugen, insbesondere betreffend die Handhabe von Fahrzeugauspuffgasen, worin die Anordnung umfasst:

    einen Absaugkanal (10), der eine in Längsrichtung verlaufende Dichtung (16) beinhaltet, die entlang eines freien Randes (18) angehoben werden kann, einen Schlitten (40), der entlang des Kanals (10) bewegbar ist und Mittel (46) zum vorübergehenden Anheben des freien abdichtenden Randes (18) aufweist und zur Schaffung einer Gasverbindung zwischen dem Kanal (10) und einem Absaugschlauch (1), welcher ein erstes Ende (2), das mit dem Auspuffrohr des Fahrzeugs (100) verbunden werden kann, und ein zweites Ende (3), welches mit dem Schlitten (40) verbunden ist, aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Schlitten (40) eine in Längsrichtung verlaufende Dichtung (50) aufweist; und dass der Kanal (10) einen in Längsrichtung verlaufenden Vorsprung (20) beinhaltet, an den die Dichtung (50), die von dem Schlitten getragen wird, anliegt


     
    2. Anordnung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die durch den Schlitten (40) getragene Dichtung (50) in Anlage mit einer Unterseite des Vorsprungs (20) an dem Kanal (10) vorgespannt ist.
     
    3. Anordnung gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Oberseite des Kanals einen in Längsrichtung verlaufenden Vorsprung (14) für das Zusammenwirken mit oberen Führungsrädern (42) an dem Schlitten (40) beinhaltet.
     
    4. Anordnung gemäß irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1 - 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Unterseite des Kanals (10) eine in Längsrichtung verlaufende Nut (15) für das Zusammenwirken mit unteren Führungsrädern (43) an dem Schlitten (40) beinhaltet.
     
    5. Anordnung gemäß irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1-4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kanal (10) an seinem Vorsprung (20) für die Schlittendichtung (50) eine Führungsnut (21) für das Zusammenwirken mit einem Führungsstift an einer Kanalspleißstelle aufweist.
     
    6. Anordnung gemäß irgendeinem der Ansprüche 3 - 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die oberen Führungsräder (42) eine allgemein horizontale Drehachse aufweisen.
     
    7. Anordnung gemäß irgendeinem der Ansprüche 4-6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die unteren Führungsräder (43) eine allgemein vertikale Drehachse aufweisen.
     


    Revendications

    1. Système d'évacuation de gaz par aspiration, en particulier en ce qui concerne la manipulation de gaz d'échappement de véhicules, dans lequel le système comprend un canal d'aspiration (10) qui inclut une garniture d'étanchéité (16) s'étendant longitudinalement et qui peut être soulevée le long d'un bord libre (18), un chariot (40) mobile le long du canal (10) comprenant des moyens (46) permettant de soulever temporairement le bord d'étanchéité libre (18) et d'établir une communication de gaz entre le canal (10) et un tuyau d'aspiration (1) qui a une première extrémité (2) qui peut être reliée au tuyau d'échappement du véhicule (100) et une deuxième extrémité qui est reliée au chariot (40), caractérisé en ce que le chariot (40) supporte une garniture d'étanchéité (50) s'étendant longitudinalement ; et en ce que le canal (10) inclut une saillie (20) s'étendant longitudinalement et contre laquelle la garniture d'étanchéité (50), supportée par ledit chariot, vient en butée.
     
    2. Système selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la garniture d'étanchéité (50) supportée par le chariot (40) est poussée de façon à venir en butée sur un côté inférieur de la saillie (20) sur le canal (10).
     
    3. Système selon l'une des revendications 1 et 2, caractérisé en ce que le côté supérieur du canal inclut une saillie (14) s'étendant longitudinalement et qui coopère avec des roues de guidage supérieures (42) sur le chariot (40).
     
    4. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisé en ce que le côté inférieur du canal (10) inclut une gorge (15) s'étendant longitudinalement et qui coopère avec des roues de guidage inférieures (43) sur le chariot (40).
     
    5. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que le canal (10) possède, au niveau de sa saillie (20) pour la garniture d'étanchéité (50) du chariot, une gorge de guidage (21) qui coopère avec une broche de guidage à un emplacement de raccord de canal.
     
    6. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications 3 à 5, caractérisé en ce que les roues de guidage supérieures (42) ont un axe de rotation généralement horizontal.
     
    7. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 6, caractérisé en ce que les roues de guidage inférieures (43) ont un axe de rotation généralement vertical.
     




    Drawing














    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description