Outlet Module for an Emissions Cleaning Module

Abstract

Outlet module for an emissions cleaning module includes a tubular member mounted in an aperture of a housing, an internal portion of the tubular member being located within the housing and an external portion of the tubular member cantilevering from the housing. The outlet module may allow flexibility in the location of the tubular member and thus the connection point with a section of external pipework. The outlet module may provide for the cantilevered support of the section of the external pipework so that the need for additional physical support of the section of external pipework is avoided.

1 . An outlet module for an emissions cleaning module of a combustion engine, the outlet module comprising:
 i) a housing defining an outlet chamber, the housing being provided with a first aperture forming an inlet of the outlet module and a second aperture; and   ii) a tubular member forming an outlet of the outlet module;   wherein the tubular member is mounted in the second aperture such that an internal portion of the tubular member is located within the outlet chamber and an external portion of the tubular member extends from the housing in a cantilevered manner.   
     
     
         2 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a tapered shape defining a large end and a small end; wherein the first aperture is located at the large end and the second aperture is located at the small end. 
     
     
         3 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein both the first aperture and the second aperture are provided in a first face of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the internal portion of the tubular member comprises a plurality of apertures for conveying a fluid flow into an interior of the tubular member. 
     
     
         5 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first cover member and a second cover member which are connected together; the first cover member defining both the first aperture and the second aperture of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the tubular member extends within the housing into a mounting contact with the second cover member. 
     
     
         7 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises a first open end forming the outlet and a second end that is closed by an end cap. 
     
     
         8 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a clamping member for clamping the outlet module to an emissions cleaning module. 
     
     
         9 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises at least one of:
 (a) a W-shaped stiffening groove; 
 (b) a U-shaped stiffening groove; and 
 (c) a pair of spaced-apart U-shaped stiffening grooves. 
 
     
     
         10 . An emissions cleaning module comprising an outlet module as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The emissions cleaning module of  claim 10  wherein the housing comprises a mounting flange which is welded to the emissions cleaning module. 
     
     
         12 . The emissions cleaning module of  claim 10  further comprising a clamping member which clamps the outlet module to the emissions cleaning module. 
     
     
         13 . The emissions cleaning module as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising a tubular member connected at the outlet of the housing, wherein the tubular member is orientated parallel to a conduit of the emissions cleaning module. 
     
     
         14 . The emissions cleaning module as claimed in  claim 10  wherein a heat shield is located on the emissions cleaning module overlying the outlet module; and wherein a portion of the outlet module, including at least a portion of the tubular member, projects to the exterior of the heat shield. 
     
     
         15 . An exhaust arrangement comprising the emissions cleaning module of  claim 10  and a section of external pipework, wherein the section of external pipework is mounted to the outlet module in a cantilevered manner without other physical support. 
     
     
         16 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein both the first aperture and the second aperture are provided in a first face of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the internal portion of the tubular member comprises a plurality of apertures for conveying a fluid flow into an interior of the tubular member. 
     
     
         18 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the internal portion of the tubular member comprises a plurality of apertures for conveying a fluid flow into an interior of the tubular member. 
     
     
         19 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a first cover member and a second cover member which are connected together; the first cover member defining both the first aperture and the second aperture of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . An outlet module as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises a first cover member and a second cover member which are connected together; the first cover member defining both the first aperture and the second aperture of the housing.