Method for manufacturing a flap carrier for an exhaust gas flap

1. A method for manufacturing a flap carrier for an exhaust gas flap, for an exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a flap housing;

providing a stop ring as an open ring with an interruption area and with an external dimension oversize in relation to an internal dimension of the flap housing;

inserting the stop ring into the flap housing in a position corresponding to an installed position, comprising compressing the stop ring radially in relation to a ring longitudinal axis and holding the stop ring in the installed position by a spreading of the stop ring open radially against the flap housing, wherein a circumferential extension of the interruption area when the stop ring has been inserted into the flap housing is smaller than the cross sectional dimension of a shaft opening to be formed in the stop ring such as to pass through the stop ring in the interruption area;

fixing the stop ring to the flap housing; and

subsequently to fixing the stop ring to the flap housing, forming the shaft opening in the stop ring passing through the stop ring in the interruption area of the stop ring such as to have a circumferential extension that is greater than the circumferential extension of the interruption area when the stop ring has been inserted into the flap housing, the shaft opening being provided for a pivot shaft carrying a flap diaphragm with at least one flap wing.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:

the step of providing the flap housing comprises providing the flap housing with an inner surface, which is essentially cylindrical in at least some areas; or

the step of providing the stop ring comprises providing the stop ring with an essentially cylindrical outer surface; or

the step of providing the flap housing comprises providing the flap housing with an inner surface, which is essentially cylindrical in at least some areas and the step of providing a stop ring comprises providing the stop ring with an essentially cylindrical outer surface.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of fixing the stop ring to the flap housing comprises welding of the stop ring to the flap housing.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the flap housing comprises providing the flap housing with at least one shaft opening.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the shaft opening in the stop ring comprises the forming of the shaft opening such that the shaft opening is positioned at a central position of the stop ring in the direction of the ring longitudinal axis.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a step of forming another shaft opening in the stop ring for the pivot shaft, the shaft opening and the another shaft opening being formed at positions located opposite one another in relation to a flap housing longitudinal axis of the flap housing.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the shaft opening in the stop ring comprises laser cutting the stop ring to form the shaft opening by laser cutting.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein subsequently to forming the shaft opening in the stop ring, mounting at least one bearing bush by welding the bearing bush on the flap housing in an area of the shaft opening.

9. A method for manufacturing an exhaust gas flap arrangement for an exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of:

manufacturing of a flap carrier comprising the steps of:

providing a flap housing;

providing a stop ring as an open ring with an interruption area and with an external dimension oversize in relation to an internal dimension of the flap housing;

inserting the stop ring into the flap housing in a position corresponding to an installed position, comprising compressing the stop ring radially in relation to a ring longitudinal axis and holding the stop ring in the installed position by a spreading of the stop ring open radially against the flap housing, wherein a circumferential extension of the interruption area when the stop ring has been inserted into the flap housing is smaller than the cross sectional dimension of a shaft opening to be formed in the stop ring such as to pass through the stop ring in the interruption area;

fixing the stop ring to the flap housing; and

subsequently to fixing the stop ring to the flap housing, forming the shaft opening in the stop ring passing through the stop ring in the interruption area of the stop ring such as to have a circumferential extension that is greater than the circumferential extension of the interruption area when the stop ring has been inserted into the flap housing;

inserting a pivot shaft into the at least one shaft opening provided at the flap carrier;

mounting at least one flap wing of a flap diaphragm at the pivot shaft such that the at least one flap wing is in contact with the stop ring in a closed position of the flap diaphragm; and

coupling a flap drive for the flap diaphragm with one end area of the pivot shaft protruding over the flap housing.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein:

the step of providing the flap housing comprises providing the flap housing with an inner surface, which is essentially cylindrical in at least some areas; or

the step of providing the stop ring comprises providing the stop ring with an essentially cylindrical outer surface; or

the step of providing the flap housing comprises providing the flap housing with an inner surface, which is essentially cylindrical in at least some areas and the step of providing a stop ring comprises providing the stop ring with an essentially cylindrical outer surface.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising a step of forming another shaft opening in the stop ring for the pivot shaft, the shaft opening and the another shaft opening being inserted at positions located opposite one another in relation to a flap housing longitudinal axis of the flap housing.

12. A method for manufacturing a flap carrier for an exhaust gas flap, for an exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a flap housing;

providing an open ring comprising a ring longitudinal axis and an interruption area, wherein one end of the open ring is located at a spaced location from another end of the open ring to define an opening in the interruption area;

inserting the open ring into the flap housing in an installed position by compressing the open ring radially in relation to the ring longitudinal axis, wherein the open ring is maintained in the installed position after the open ring spreads open radially against the flap housing, the opening having a first dimension when the open ring is in the installed position;

fixing the open ring to the flap housing when the open ring is in the installed position; and

increasing the first dimension of the opening in the open ring after the open ring is fixed to the flap housing such that the opening has a second dimension to define at least a portion of a shaft opening for receiving at least a portion of a pivot shaft carrying a flap diaphragm with at least one flap wing, the second dimension being greater than the first dimension.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the open ring comprises an open ring diameter prior to being inserted in the flap housing, the flap housing comprising an internal dimension, the open ring diameter being greater than the internal dimension of the flap housing.