Exhaust ball seal

• US 5,779,282 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Ezze, Robert James
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHACKELFORD, HEATHER CHUN
• Application Number:
  US08/585,060
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 285/41, 285/261, 285/267, 285/268, 285/263, 285/271, 285/270, 285/266, 285/368, 277/178, 277/183, 277/207 A
• US Class Current: 285/261
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/04 with partly spherical engaging surfaces

Abstract

An exhaust ball seal comprising: a first flange on an exhaust manifold having first and second first flange ears on either side of an exhaust port; an annular seal having a substantially flat seat on a first axial end, a peripheral shoulder on the first axial end proximate to the flat seat and a convex ball seat on a second axial end; a retainer plate having first and second retainer plate ears on either side of a central opening fitting over the seal and an inner lip engaging the peripheral shoulder; a pipe assembly including: (a) a concave ball seat surface engaging the convex ball seat surface of the seal, (b) a second flange, mounted to a pipe, having first and second second flange ears on either side of the pipe; and first and second retainers passing through the second flange ears and threadably engaging the first flange ears wherein each of the first and second retainers has a retaining shoulder proximate to the first flange wherein the retaining shoulders sandwich the retainer plate ears to the first flange, positively retaining the retainer plate to the first flange and ensuring that the seal is seated in the first flange.

Claims

1. An exhaust connection comprising:

a first flange on an exhaust manifold having first and second first flange ears on either side of an exhaust port;

an annular seal having a substantially flat seat on a first axial end, a peripheral shoulder extending radially outwardly from the first axial end and a convex ball seat on a second axial end;

a retainer plate having first and second diametrically opposed retainer plate ears located radially exterior of a central opening fitting over the seal and a lip extending radially inwardly and engaging the peripheral shoulder;

a second flange, mounted to a pipe, having first and second second flange ears on either side of the pipe and a concave ball seat surface engaging the convex ball seat surface of the seal; and

first and second retainers passing through the second flange ears and threadably engaging the first flange ears wherein each of the first and second retainers has a retaining shoulder proximate to the first flange wherein the retaining shoulders sandwich the retainer plate ears to the first flange, positively retaining the retainer plate to the first flange and ensuring that the seal is seated in the first flange.

2. An exhaust connection according to claim 1, wherein each retainer plate ear has a retainer plate ear hole and each second flange ear has a second flange ear hole, wherein each retainer plate ear hole and each second flange ear hole is aligned with a first flange ear hole.

3. An exhaust connection according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second retainers comprises a stud having first and second threaded ends and a body portion having a first diameter greater than a second diameter of each of the first and second threaded ends.

4. An exhaust connection comprising:

a first flange on an exhaust manifold having first and second first flange ears on either side of an exhaust port;

an annular seal having a substantially flat seat on a first axial end, a peripheral shoulder extending radially outwardly from the first axial end and a convex ball seat on a second axial end;

a retainer plate having first and second diametrically opposed retainer plate ears located radially exterior of a central opening fitting over the seal and a lip extending radially inwardly and engaging the peripheral shoulder;

a pipe assembly including;

(a) a concave ball seat surface engaging the convex ball seat surface of the seal,

(b) a second flange, mounted to a pipe, having first and second second flange ears on either side of the pipe; and

first and second retainers passing through the second flange ears and threadably engaging the first flange ears wherein each of the first and second retainers has a retaining shoulder proximate to the first flange wherein the retaining shoulders sandwich the retainer plate ears to the first flange, positively retaining the retainer plate to the first flange and ensuring that the seal is seated in the first flange.

5. An exhaust connection comprising:

an exhaust port flange;

a pipe unit having a pipe flange;

an annular seal seated in the exhaust port flange and including a radially outwardly extending annular shoulder;

a retainer plate having a central opening surrounding the annular seal and including a lip extending radially inwardly and engaging the annular shoulder;

a first retainer having a first retaining shoulder in contact with the retainer plate; and

a second retainer having a second retaining shoulder in contact with the retainer plate, wherein the first and second retainers maintain the retainer plate against the exhaust port flange between the exhaust port flange and the pipe flange, wherein the annular seal remains properly seated in the exhaust port flange.