Flexible connection arrangement for connecting a pipe of an exhaust system to an engine, especially in a motor vehicle

A flexible connection arrangement for connecting a pipe of an exhaust system to an engine, especially of an exhaust system in a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a fastening flange provided at one axial end of said arrangement for fastening to the engine and a connection piece arranged at the other axial end for receiving one end of the pipe to be connected;
• a helical spring for connecting said connection piece and said fastening flange with one another;
• a metallic bellows being arranged between the connection piece and fastening flange radially inside the helical spring, axial ends of said bellows being connected to the fastening flange and connection piece, respectively, in a gastight manner;
• a damping insert extending coaxially to said bellows and being in a working connection with said bellows, said damping insert enclosing the bellows radially externally, contacting turns of the bellows and, proceeding from the fastening flange, projecting axially into an end region of the connection piece which widens radially on the side of the connection piece facing the damping insert, the axial ends of said damping insert being connected neither to the fastening flange nor to the connection piece;
• a pipe portion being connected with the fastening flange, extending coaxial to the bellows, and being arranged at a radial distance from the bellows and extending at least over a partial region of the axial extension of the bellows and serving as heat protection for the bellows;
• said helical spring being connected at both axial end regions to the connection piece and to the fastening flange, respectively, and said helical spring connection with the fastening flange being effected via at least a first fastening location and a second fastening location located at a distance from the latter;
• said first fastening location being arranged at the end region of the helical spring and the second fastening location being arranged so as to be offset to the first fastening location by a first angle of 45.degree. to 53.degree. in the winding direction of the helical spring, said first fastening location viewed in the winding direction of the helical spring lying at a second angle in the range of 10.degree. to 20.degree. in front of a radially extending tilt axis running perpendicular to the axial longitudinal axis of the connection arrangement;
• said connection arrangement being tilted about the tilt axis during the introduction of occurring forces when used in a prescribed manner.