Grommet and grommet assembly for machine fluid system

Abstract

A grommet includes a skirt portion made at least in part of a skirt material. The grommet further includes a carrier attached to the skirt portion and made at least in part of a second material more resistant to deformation than the skirt material. The grommet further includes a plurality of bolt holes formed in the carrier, and formed at least in part by the second material. Forming the bolt holes at least in part of the second material imparts greater resistance to the carrier taking a set in the vicinity of the bolt holes and reducing a bolting load on the grommet over time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid system for a machine comprising:
 a tank;   a header piece;   a sock filter; and   a grommet connected to the sock filter, the grommet including a skirt portion made at least in part of a first material, and a flange portion made at least in part of a second material, the second material being less compressible than the first material; and   a plurality of bolt holes formed within the flange portion, formed at least in part by the second material.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid system of  claim 1  wherein the skirt portion includes a first piece and the flange portion includes a second piece irreversibly attached to the first piece. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid system of  claim 1  wherein the second material includes a non-rubber material, and the first material includes a rubber or a rubber-like material. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid system of  claim 1  wherein the bolt holes are annularly arranged in the flange portion. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid system of  claim 4  further comprising a plurality of notches formed in part within the skirt portion and in part within the flange portion, and the plurality of notches forming the plurality of bolt holes. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid system of  claim 1  further including at least two vents in the skirt portion. 
     
     
         7 . A grommet assembly for an engine aftertreatment system comprising:
 a sock filter;   a grommet connected to the sock filter, the grommet including a skirt portion made of a first material, and a carrier made at least in part of a second material and attached to the skirt portion; and   a plurality of bolt holes formed in the carrier.   
     
     
         8 . The grommet assembly of  claim 7  wherein the skirt portion is irreversibly attached to the carrier by a tongue-in-groove connection. 
     
     
         9 . The grommet assembly of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of bolt holes are formed in part by the second material. 
     
     
         10 . The grommet assembly of  claim 9  further including at least two vents formed in the skirt portion. 
     
     
         11 . The grommet assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of notches formed in part within the skirt portion and in part within the carrier, and the plurality of notches forming the plurality of bolt holes. 
     
     
         12 . The filter assembly of  claim 10  wherein the second material includes a non-rubber material, and the first material includes a rubber or a rubber-like material. 
     
     
         13 . A grommet comprising:
 a skirt portion made at least in part of a skirt material;   a carrier made at least in part of a second material more resistant to deformation than the skirt material, and attached to the skirt portion; and   a plurality of bolt holes formed in the carrier, and formed at least in part by the second material.   
     
     
         14 . The grommet of  claim 13  wherein the carrier has an annular shape and the bolt holes are annularly arranged in the carrier. 
     
     
         15 . The grommet of  claim 13  wherein each respective bolt hole includes an inner bolt surface formed in part by the skirt material and in part by the second material. 
     
     
         16 . The grommet of  claim 15  wherein a minority of each respective inner bolt surface is formed by the skirt material, and a majority of each respective inner bolt surface is formed by the second material. 
     
     
         17 . The grommet of  claim 13  wherein the skirt material includes a rubber or rubber-like material, and the second material includes a plastic material. 
     
     
         18 . The grommet of  claim 17  wherein the skirt portion is attached to the carrier by a tongue-in-groove connection formed by a tongue of the carrier and a mating groove formed in the skirt portion, and wherein the skirt portion includes an annular protrusion forming the mating groove. 
     
     
         19 . The grommet of  claim 13  wherein the skirt portion is formed uniformly of the skirt material, and the carrier is formed uniformly of the second material, and wherein the skirt portion is attached to the carrier via an interlocking mechanical attachment and via an adhesive attachment including an adhesive interposed abutting surfaces of the skirt portion and the carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The grommet of  claim 13  wherein a set-resistance of the second material to a bolting load is greater than a set-resistance of the skirt material to the bolting load.