ROLLER TAPPET FOR A FUEL PUMP

Abstract

A roller tappet for a fuel pump includes an integral and hollow-walled guide housing, which has a drive-side edge that encloses a roller mounted on a pin. The ends of the pin are seated in openings in arranged in indented flat surfaces that originate from the drive-side edge and are diametrically opposite each other. An output-side edge of the guide housing has a bridge piece that extends continuously from an inner wall of the one of the flat surfaces to an inner wall of the other flat surface. The bridge piece projects beyond the inner wall towards the outer wall of the particular flat surface, and the output-side outer face of the bridge piece has a contact surface for a pump piston. The flat surfaces are completely continuous from the drive-side edge to the output-side edge of the guide housing.

Claims

1. A roller tappet for a fuel pump, the roller tappet comprising: an integral and hollow-walled guide housing, having: a drive-side edge enclosing a roller mounted on a pin, a first end of the pin seated in a first opening arranged in a first indented flat surface of the hollow-walled guide housing, and a second end of the pin seated in a second opening arranged in a second indented flat surface of the guide housing the first and second indented flat surfaces originating from the drive-side edge of the guide housing and arranged diametrically opposite each other, a bridge arranged at an output-side end of the guide housing, the bridge extending continuously from a first inner wall of the first indented flat surface to a second inner wall of the second indented flat surface, an output-side outer face of the bridge having a contact surface configured for a pump piston, and the first and second indented flat surfaces extending continuously from the drive-side edge to an output-side edge of the guide housing, and the bridge has a first end region seated in a first receptacle of the first indented flat surface, and a second end region seated in a second receptacle of the second indented flat surface, and the first and second receptacles pass through each wall of the first and second indented flat surfaces, and the contact surface of the bridge is formed by a longitudinal flattened portion.

2. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the hollow-walled guide housing has a length which corresponds to at least 1.5 times its diameter in a circumferential section outside of the first and second indented flat surfaces.

3. The roller tappet according to claim 1, wherein the bridge has a polygonal profile.

4. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the bridge is one of either a tubular or solid cylindrical piece on which the longitudinal flattened portion is arranged as the contact surface.

5. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of cylindrical circumferential sections of the hollow-walled guide housing define a circle, and at least one of the pin or the bridge protrudes axially beyond the first and second indented flat surfaces without intersecting the circle.

6. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the bridge is non-rotatably attached to the hollow-walled guide housing.

7. The roller tappet according of claim 1, wherein the first and second indented flat surfaces each have a greater wall thickness than remaining cylindrical circumferential sections of the hollow-walled guide housing.

8. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein cylindrical circumferential sections of the hollow-walled guide housing are cut out axially.

9. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the roller is guided by the first and second inner walls.

10. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the hollow-walled guide housing is cut from a hollow extruded profile.

11. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the hollow-walled guide housing is formed from sheet steel via deep drawing.

12. The roller tappet of claim 1, wherein the bridge projects beyond the first and second inner walls.

13. A roller tappet comprising: a hollow-walled guide housing of one-piece construction, the hollow-walled guide housing having: a drive-side edge, an output-side edge, a first indented flat extending continuously in an axial direction from the drive-side edge to the output-side edge, the first indented flat having a first opening and a first receptacle, a second indented flat extending continuously in the axial direction from the drive-side edge to the output-side edge, the second indented flat: i) having a second opening and a second receptacle, and ii) arranged diametrically opposite to the first indented flat, and a roller arranged protruded relative to the drive-side edge, the roller supported by a pin disposed within first and second openings, and a bridge having a first end disposed within the first receptacle and a second end disposed within the second receptacle, the bridge formed with a flat surface configured to receive a follower element.

14. The roller tappet of claim 13, wherein the hollow-walled guide housing further comprises a first cylindrical circumferential section and a second cylindrical circumferential section, the second cylindrical circumferential section arranged diametrically opposite to the first cylindrical circumferential section.

15. The roller tappet of claim 14, wherein: the first cylindrical circumferential section comprises a first axially extending cut-out, and the second cylindrical circumferential section comprises a second axially extending cut-out.

16. The roller tappet of claim 14, wherein the first indented flat defines a first wall thickness, and the first cylindrical circumferential section defines a second wall thickness less than the first wall thickness.

17. The roller tappet of claim 16, wherein the bridge and the roller are separated by a hollow space that continuously extends in the axial direction from the roller to the bridge.

18. The roller tappet of claim 13, wherein the bridge has a polygonal profile.

19. A roller tappet comprising: a hollow-walled guide housing of one-piece construction, the hollow-walled guide housing having: a drive-side edge, an output-side edge, a first indented flat extending continuously in an axial direction from the drive-side edge to the output-side edge, the first indented flat having a first opening and a first receptacle, a second indented flat extending continuously in the axial direction from the drive-side edge to the output-side edge, the second indented flat: i) having a second opening and a second receptacle, and ii) arranged diametrically opposite to the first indented flat, and a first cylindrical circumferential section having a first axially extending cut-out, and a second cylindrical circumferential section arranged diametrically opposite to the first cylindrical circumferential section, the second cylindrical circumferential section having a second axially extending cut-out, and a roller arranged protruded relative to the drive-side edge, the roller supported by a pin disposed within first and second openings, and a bridge having a first end disposed within the first receptacle and a second end disposed within the second receptacle, the bridge configured to receive a follower element.

20. The roller tappet of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second cylindrical circumferential section is adjoined with both the first and second indented flats.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The disclosure is evident from the drawing. In the figures:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows the roller tappet in an exploded view;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the roller tappet according to FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional view; and

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a guide housing of the roller tappet in an alternative lightweight solution.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] A roller tappet 1 for a fuel pump is shown in FIGS. 1, 2. It has a one-piece, thin-walled and ‘elongated’ guide housing 2. ‘Elongated’ here means that the roller tappet 1, more precisely its guide housing 2, is at least 1.5 times higher than it is wide. Optionally, a ratio>approx. 1.2 is also considered.

[0024] A roller 5 mounted on a pin 4 is framed by a drive-side edge 3 of the guide housing 2, which slightly protrudes beyond the drive-side edge 3 and is guided on inner walls 9 by flat surfaces 7 discussed below. In the case of an output-side edge 8 of the guide housing 2, a rod 10 with a polygonal profile extending from its inner wall 9 to the inner wall 9 is applied. On its output side outer face 11, it has a flattened contact surface 12 for a follower element (pump piston).

[0025] It can be seen that the guide housing 2 has two diametrically opposite, axially continuous flat surfaces 7. Here, on the one hand, there are openings 6 on the drive side, in which the pin 4 carrying the roller 5 is seated. On the other hand, there are output-side receptacles 13 with a polygonal profile, in which the rod 10 extends in a torsion-proof manner in solid material. Edges 3, 8 of the guide housing 2 are completely flat, which simplifies the construction and, among other things, also facilitates assembly of the guide housing with its other components and transport in pallets or the like.

[0026] It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the pin 4 and the rod 10 slightly protrude axially beyond the flat surface 7. In this case, however, they do not intersect an imaginary circular arc of the guide housing 2 in the cross section at the flat surfaces 7. In this solution, the pin 4 and rod 10 are caulked in the flat surface 7 at the end.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a guide housing 2 in a modified variant. In this case, cylindrical circumferential sections 15 of the guide housing 2 are cut out over a large area axially outside the openings 6 and receptacles 13.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0028] 1 Roller tappet [0029] 2 Guide housing [0030] 3 Drive-side edge [0031] 4 Pin [0032] 5 Roller [0033] 6 Opening [0034] 7 Flat surface [0035] 8 Output-side edge [0036] 9 Inner wall [0037] 10 Bridge piece, rod [0038] 11 Outer face, bridge piece [0039] 12 Contact surface [0040] 13 Receptacle [0041] 14 Longitudinal edge [0042] 15 Circumferential section [0043] 16 End pin