# US 9,038,987 B2 · Flap assembly, in particular exhaust gas flap assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,987 B2 - Document ID: US9038987B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/257,646 - Filed: 2010-03-16 - Published: 2012-01-12 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-24 - Assignees: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH - Applicants: Ronald Hegner; Andreas Thoss - Inventors: Ronald Hegner; Andreas Thoss - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038987B2 ## CPC - F02D 9/106: {Sealing of the valve shaft in the housing, e.g. details of the bearings} - F02D 9/04: concerning exhaust conduits (throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08) - F02D 9/06: Exhaust brakes - F16C 27/02: Sliding-contact bearings - F16K 1/224: {Details of bearings for the axis of rotation} - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract For a flap assembly, in particular an exhaust gas flap assembly, with the flap mounted on both sides via bearing devices in the housing, the disclosure describes a design in which a bearing body is supported radially against an annular collar of the bearing device and, by way of the annular collar, is held braced in a radially spring-loaded manner in a predefined radial position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flap arrangement with a case-side bearing assembly comprising a bearing box retained in an annular cuff, wherein the bearing box is braced radially resiliently in a predefined radial position by the annular cuff; wherein the annular cuff is divided into annular sectors separated in a circumferential direction, said annular sectors being radially resiliently clamped together. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one annular sector is stabilized relative to the bearing assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the annular cuff comprises a supporting body of the bearing assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The flap arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the annular cuff comprises at least one each of an annular sector stabilized relative to the supporting body and one radially mobile annular sector relative to the supporting body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The flap arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the at least one radially mobile annular sector is radially elastically flexibly connected with the supporting body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The flap arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the at least one radially mobile annular sector forms a separate component from the supporting body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The flap arrangement according claim 4, wherein the annular cuff comprises at least three annular sectors, one of which forms a one-piece part which is stabilized relative to the supporting body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the annular sectors are clamped together in a cuff-like fashion using a surrounding coil spring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the radial position of the bearing box relative to the annular cuff is defined by the at least one annular sector stabilized relative to a supporting body of the bearing assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly comprises spherical bearing assemblies, the bearing assemblies comprising a spherical segment and a recess expanding toward and retaining said spherical segment, of which the spherical segment or the recess is provided on the bearing box. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The flap arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the recess is on the bearing box in a dome-shaped design. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The flap arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the spherical segment is part of a shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according claim 1, wherein the flap arrangement includes a flap, wherein the flap is axially clamped down against the bearing assembly by clamping spring-loaded appliances in the direction of its axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The flap arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the annular cuff is a supporting body of the bearing assembly, and wherein the bearing box is braced against the supporting body by the spring-loaded appliances. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the annular sectors is a separate piece independent from at least one of the other annular sectors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The flap arrangement according to claim 15, further comprising a separate and independent element surrounding the annular sectors radially, the separate and independent element thereby radially resiliently clamping together the annular sectors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The flap arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the element is a coil spring. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a first one of the annular sectors forms a separate component from at least a second one of the annular sectors. ### Claim 19 A flap arrangement with a case-side bearing assembly comprising a bearing box retained in an annular cuff, wherein the bearing box is braced radially spring-loaded on a predefined radial position by the annular cuff; wherein the annular cuff is divided into annular sectors separated in circumferential direction, said annular sectors being clamped together; and wherein the annular sectors are clamped together in a cuff-like fashion using a surrounding coil spring.