Support assembly

An exhaust gas treatment unit for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas treatment unit comprising:

• a housing defining a housing longitudinal axis (L) and being configured to be elongated along said longitudinal axis (L);
• at least one support assembly;
• at least one exhaust gas treatment element axially supported in said housing in the direction of said longitudinal axis (L) by said at least one support assembly;
• and,
• said support assembly defining an assembly center axis (M) and including:
• a carrying body configured to be secured to said housing of said exhaust gas treatment unit;
• said carrying body being further configured to surround said assembly center axis (M) as an annulus;
• at least one flexible support element carried on said carrying body;
• said support element being configured to be an annulus and having an exhaust gas treatment element supporting side for supporting interaction with said exhaust gas treatment element;
• said support element having a carrying body supporting side facing away from said exhaust gas treatment element supporting side thereof;
• said carrying body having a radial limb at least partially engaging radially over said support element on said carrying body supporting side facing away from said exhaust gas treatment element supporting side of said support element and not engaging axially over said support element on a radial inner side thereof;
• said carrying body having an outer limb, said outer limb engaging radially outside axially over said support element and laying on a radial outer side of said support element, said radial limb being at an angle with respect to said outer limb and extending radially inward from said outer limb;
• and,
• said support element being held on said carrying body only by radial interference fit and being supported at said carrying body support side on said radial limb so as to be shiftable radially inward with respect to said carrying body.

A method for making an exhaust gas treatment unit for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas treatment unit including:

• a housing defining a housing longitudinal axis (L) and being configured to be elongated along said longitudinal axis (L);
• at least one support assembly;
• at least one exhaust gas treatment element axially supported in said housing in the direction of said longitudinal axis (L) by said at least one support assembly;
• and,
• said support assembly defining an assembly center axis (M) and including:
• a carrying body configured to be secured to said housing of said exhaust gas treatment unit;
• said carrying body being further configured to surround said assembly center axis (M) as an annulus;
• at least one flexible support element carried on said carrying body;
• said support element being configured to be an annulus and having an exhaust gas treatment element supporting side for supporting interaction with said exhaust gas treatment element;
• said support element having a carrying body supporting side facing away from said exhaust gas treatment element supporting side thereof;
• said carrying body having a radial limb at least partially engaging radially over said support element on said carrying body supporting side facing away from said exhaust gas treatment element supporting side of said support element and not engaging axially over said support element on a radial inner side thereof;
• said carrying body having an outer limb, said outer limb engaging radially outside axially over said support element and laying on a radial outer side of said support element, said radial limb being at an angle with respect to said outer limb and extending radially inward from said outer limb;
• and,
• said support element being held on said carrying body only by radial interference fit and being supported at said carrying body support side on said radial limb so as to be shiftable radially inward with respect to said carrying body;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• a) providing the housing and at least one exhaust gas treatment element which is to be accommodated in the housing;
• b) pushing the at least one exhaust gas treatment element into the housing in the direction of the housing longitudinal axis (L) and positioning the at least one exhaust gas treatment element in the housing in such a manner that the at least one exhaust gas treatment element is held substantially at an axial installation position in the housing;
• and,
• c) positioning the support assembly in the housing on at least one axial end side of the at least one exhaust gas treatment element in such a manner that the support element of the support assembly comes with its exhaust gas treatment element supporting side into contact with a radially outer edge region of the axial end side.