# US 10,309,563 B2 · Drive unit, internal combustion engine, spacer element for a fluid line arrangement, and tool kit for mounting a spacer element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,563 B2 - Document ID: US10309563B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/062,483 - Filed: 2016-03-07 - Published: 2016-06-30 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-12 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Andreas Meder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309563B2 ## CPC - F16L 21/06: with a divided sleeve or ring clamping around the pipe ends (flanged joints F16L23/00; couplings of the quick-acting type F16L37/00) - F01L 1/047: Camshafts - F01M 9/10: Lubrication of valve gear or auxiliaries - F01M 9/106: {Oil reservoirs} - F01M 11/02: Arrangements of lubricant conduits - F01L 2001/0475: {Hollow camshafts} - F01L 2810/02: Lubrication - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES - F01M: LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING ## Abstract A drive unit, in particular an internal combustion engine, has a fluid line arrangement, wherein the fluid line arrangement has a cavity accessible for a fluid via a bore in a first wall element. A spacer element for the fluid line arrangement has a resilient clamping sleeve which can be introduced through the bore. The clamping sleeve has a first longitudinal section which is provided so as to remain in the bore in contact with the bore wall and a second longitudinal section which is set back from the first longitudinal section by way of at least one notch which runs transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the clamping sleeve. The second longitudinal section is configured as an axially slotted tube which serves as the spacer element, the borders of the slot being bent radially outwards. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive unit, comprising: a fluid line arrangement having a cavity, the cavity having a first wall element with a bore and a second wall element; a resilient clamping sleeve configured to be introduced through the bore in the first wall element, wherein the resilient clamping sleeve has a first length portion and a second length portion set back from the first length portion via at least one notch that runs transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the resilient clamping sleeve, the first length portion of the clamping sleeve is configured to remain in the bore in contact with a bore wall, the second length portion is configured as a tube with an axial slot having borders, the borders of the axial slot being curved radially outward, the second length portion serving as a spacer element to maintain a defined distance between the first wall element and the second wall element of the cavity, the cavity being accessible for a fluid via the bore in the first wall element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is an internal combustion engine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive unit according to claim 2, wherein the fluid line arrangement is an oil line arrangement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the resilient clamping sleeve is formed from sheet metal, the sheet metal being made of stainless steel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the first length portion of the clamping sleeve has an axial slot, a diameter of the resilient clamping sleeve being defined such that the first length portion located in the bore is compressively stressed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein outer corners of the borders of the axial slot located on an outer end of the resilient clamping sleeve in the second length portion are curved radially inward. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the second length portion of the resilient clamping sleeve has perforations through which the fluid is flowable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein outer corners of the resilient clamping sleeve are configured as rounded outer corners. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein one end of the at least one notch of the resilient clamping sleeve has at least one round internal angle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drive unit according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion that extends into the second length portion is formed at one end of the at least one notch of the resilient clamping sleeve. ### Claim 11 A spacer element for a fluid line arrangement having a cavity adjoined by a first wall element and a second wall element, the first wall element having a bore leading into the cavity and through which a fluid is flowable, wherein the spacer element comprises: a resilient clamping sleeve configured to be introduced through the bore in the first wall element, wherein the resilient clamping sleeve has a first length portion and a second length portion set back from the first length portion via at least one notch that runs transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the resilient clamping sleeve, the first length portion of the resilient clamping sleeve is configured to remain in the bore in contact with a bore wall, the second length portion is configured as a tube with an axial slot having borders, the borders of the axial slot being curved radially outward, the second length portion serving as a spacer element to maintain a defined distance between the first wall element and the second wall element of the cavity, the cavity being accessible for a fluid via the bore in the first wall element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the resilient clamping sleeve is formed from sheet metal, the sheet metal being made of stainless steel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the first length portion of the resilient clamping sleeve has an axial slot, a diameter of the resilient clamping sleeve being defined such that the first length portion located in the bore is compressively stressed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein outer corners of the borders of the axial slot located on an outer end of the resilient clamping sleeve in the second length portion are curved radially inward. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the second length portion of the resilient clamping sleeve has perforations through which the fluid is flowable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The drive unit according to claim 11, wherein outer corners of the resilient clamping sleeve are configured as rounded outer corners. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) A toolkit for mounting a spacer element according to claim 11 in a drive unit, the spacer element being configured for the fluid line arrangement having the cavity adjoined by the first wall element and the second wall element, the first wall element having the bore leading into the cavity and through which the fluid is flowable, wherein the toolkit comprises: a prestressing tool and a pressing-in tool, wherein the prestressing tool has a bore with a diameter of a same size or smaller than the bore in the first wall element, and the pressing-in tool has a pressing-in cylinder with a diameter of a size such that the pressing-in cylinder is introducible into the bore of the prestressing tool in a manner substantially free from play. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The toolkit according to claim 17, wherein the prestressing tool has a clamping sleeve guide tube introducible into the bore of the first wall element, and/or the pressing-in tool has a guide cylinder introducible into the resilient clamping sleeve prestressed in the prestressing tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The toolkit according to claim 17, wherein the prestressing tool and the pressing-in tool have stops, the stops are dimensioned such that, when the resilient clamping sleeve is correctly fitted, a stop of the prestressing tool strikes against the first wall element and a stop of the pressing-in tool strikes against the prestressing tool. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The toolkit according to claim 17, further comprising: a test gauge that determines a position of the second wall element, wherein the test gauge has a test sleeve and a test pin displaceable in the test sleeve, the test pin is pushable completely into the test sleeve when the second wall element is in the correct position.