Sheet metal turbine housing with cellular structure reinforcement
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsHarold Huimin Sun, Leon Hu, David R. Hanna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems are provided for a reinforcement element coupled to a sheet metal turbine housing that imparts desirable thermal-protective and structurally strengthening characteristics to the housing layers. In one example, a system may include a turbine comprising a housing surrounding a turbine rotor, the housing having an outer layer surrounding an inner layer at a distance to form an intermediate space between the inner and outer layers. Moreover, disposed in the intermediate space is a reinforcement element coupled to the inner and outer layers, providing strength and consistent rigidity without a significant increase in weight to the housing.
Claims20
A turbine comprising:
- a housing surrounding a rotor, the housing having:
- an inner layer;
- an outer layer, the outer layer surrounding the inner layer at a distance to form an intermediate space between the inner and outer layers;
- and
- a reinforcement element disposed within the intermediate space and coupled to at least one of the inner layer and outer layer maintaining a threshold length between the inner layer and the rotor.
A turbine, comprising:
- a housing having an inner layer and an outer layer, and an intermediate space formed therebetween;
- and
- one or more reinforcement elements disposed in the intermediate space and coupled to each of the inner layer and outer layer, one or more reinforcement elements comprising a body of corrugated or bellowed layers of a sheet metal forming a pattern having a cross-section of one of a hexagon, sine wave, square, or triangle.
A turbine, comprising:
- a housing having an outer layer and an inner layer, and an intermediate space formed therebetween;
- and
- a reinforcement element disposed in the intermediate space, the reinforcement element having a cross-section of a hexagon and coupled via spot-welding to a first surface of the outer layer facing a turbine rotor and a second surface of the inner layer facing away from the turbine rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.