Camshaft phaser cover element and camshaft phaser

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cover element for a camshaft phaser and a camshaft phaser. The cover element includes a journal and a cover plate, the journal is used to form sealing engagement with an oil seal, and the journal and the cover plate are connected by welding. A positioning portion is formed on the surface of the cover plate for positioning the journal. The cover element is formed by welding the cover plate and the journal, which are processed separately, so as to conveniently perform different processing of the cover plate and the journal. A positioning portion for positioning the journal is formed on the surface of the cover plate so as to easily position the journal during the welding process, which enables the journal and the cover plate to be easily welded together without requiring complicated fastening. This improves processing efficiency and reduces production costs.

Claims

1. A cover for a camshaft phaser, wherein the cover includes a journal and a cover plate, the journal configured to form sealing engagement with an oil seal, and the journal and the cover plate configured to be connected by welding, wherein a positioning portion for positioning the journal is formed on a surface of the cover plate.

2. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the cover is a front cover of the camshaft phaser.

3. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the positioning portion is a step formed on the surface of the cover plate, and an axial thickness of the cover plate at the step is greater than an axial thickness of other portions of the cover plate.

4. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 3, wherein the step is located radially inside of the journal.

5. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 3, wherein the step is annular-shaped, an outer diameter of the step is substantially the same as an inner diameter of the journal.

6. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the journal and the cover plate are welded and connected by one of laser welding, resistance welding, arc welding or brazing.

7. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the journal is heat-treated before attachment to the cover plate.

8. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate is manufactured from a metal plate by stamping, cutting, or machining.

9. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the journal is made from a seamless tube.

10. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 3, wherein the step is located radially outside of the journal.

11. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 3, wherein the step is located radially inside and radially outside of the journal.

12. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 11, wherein the step is configured with a groove to receive the journal.

13. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 3, wherein the step is annular-shaped, and an inner diameter of the step is substantially the same as an outer diameter of the journal.

14. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the cover is configured to engage an axial seal of a stator of the camshaft phaser.

15. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate and positioning portion are configured to position the journal relative to the cover plate both axially and radially.

16. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 1, wherein the positioning portion is configured to position the journal relative to the cover plate both axially and radially.

17. A camshaft phaser comprising: a stator, a rotor arranged radially inward of the stator, a front cover, and a back cover; the back cover, the stator and the front cover are fixedly connected by a bolt, and, at least one of the front cover or the back cover include: a first journal, and a cover plate, the journal configured to form sealing engagement with an oil seal, and the journal and the cover plate are configured to be connected by welding, wherein a positioning portion for positioning the journal is formed on a surface of the cover plate.

18. The cover for a camshaft phaser according to claim 17, wherein a remaining one of the front cover or the back cover includes second journal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a structure of a front cover of a current art camshaft phaser.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of another current art camshaft phaser.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates an axial cross-sectional view of still another current art camshaft phaser.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates an axial cross-sectional view of a camshaft phaser according to one implementation of the present disclosure.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic view of a front cover journal of the camshaft phaser in FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of a front cover plate of the camshaft phaser in FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of a front cover consisting of the front cover journal in FIG. 5 and the front cover plate in FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a front cover with a step arranged radially outward of a front cover journal.

(9) FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a front cover configured with a groove to receive a front cover journal.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(10) 1 front cover journal 1A front cover journal 1B front cover journal 2 front cover plate 2A front cover plate 2B front cover plate 3 seal rings 4 rotor 5 back cover 6 bolt 7 stator 8 front cover 8A front cover 8B front cover 21 central hole 22 step 22A step 22B step 23 threaded holes 24B groove 25 oil seal 51 back cover journal 52 back cover plate 100 front cover 101 plate member 102 cylindrical member 103 hole edge 104 crimped portion 201 stator 202 first cover 203 flange 204 drive wheel 205 second cover 301 front cover 302 stator 303 bolt 304 back cover 305 rotor 306 sealing rings 307 plate portion 308 journal portion

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) Exemplary implementations of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that these specific descriptions are only used to teach those skilled in the art how to implement the present disclosure and are not intended to be exhaustive of all possible variations of the present disclosure, nor to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

(12) The overall structure of the camshaft phaser of the present disclosure will be described first with reference to FIG. 4.

(13) The camshaft phaser of the present disclosure includes a stator 7, a rotor 4, a front cover 8 and a back cover 5. A bolt 6 is passed through the back cover 5, the stator 7 and the front cover 8 in sequence to fixedly connect these three. The rotor 4 is located radially inside of the stator 7. The back cover 5 includes a back cover journal 51 and a back cover plate 52 that are integrally formed. The back cover plate 52 is annular plate-shaped, the back cover journal 51 is cylindrical-shaped, and the back cover journal 51 protrudes from the surface of the back cover plate 52.

(14) In order to achieve a seal between the stator 7 and the front cover 8 and the back cover 5, seal rings 3 are provided between the stator 7 and the front cover 8 and between the stator 7 and the back cover 5. The stator 7 may be formed with corresponding grooves for accommodating the seal rings 3.

(15) The structure of the front cover 8 of the camshaft phaser of the present disclosure will be further described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

(16) The front cover 8 includes a front cover plate 2 and a front cover journal 1. The front cover journal 1 is cylindrically-shaped, and the front cover plate 2 is annular plate-shaped and includes a central hole 21. The front cover journal 1 is coaxial with the front cover plate 2, and the front cover journal 1 and the front cover plate 2 may be connected by means of welding. The welding process includes, but is not limited to, laser welding, resistance welding, arc welding and brazing. Threaded holes 23 for fixing the bolt 6 are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the front cover plate 2.

(17) The diameter of the central hole 21 is smaller than the inner diameter of the front cover journal 1, so that a portion around the central hole 21 of the front cover plate 2 is within the radially inside region of the front cover journal 1. The portion of the front cover plate 2 located radially inside of the front cover journal 1 may function as a seal and may prevent an axial oil leakage.

(18) A step 22 is formed on a side surface of the front cover plate 2, that is, the surface facing the front cover journal 1, so that the axial thickness of the front cover plate 2 at the step 22 is greater than the axial thickness of other portions. In other words, the front cover plate 2 includes a thick portion located radially inside the front cover journal 1 and a thin portion located radially outside of the front cover journal 1. The step 22 is formed into an annular shape, and the outer diameter of the step 22 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the front cover journal 1, so that the front cover journal 1 can be positioned at the outer periphery of the step 22, thus the front cover journal 1 and the front cover plate 2 can be effectively positioned. The other side surface of the front cover plate 2, that is, the surface facing the stator 7 may be formed as a flat surface. In the case where the step 22 is located radially inside of the front cover journal 1, the material amount of the front cover plate 2 may be minimized while ensuring the strength.

(19) The step may be located not only radially inside of the front cover journal 1, but also radially outside of the front cover journal 1 as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8's embodiment of a front cover 8A, a step 22A is located radially outside of the front cover journal 1, and the inner diameter of the step is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the front cover journal 1, thereby facilitating positioning of the front cover journal 1 relative to the front cover plate 2A.

(20) The front cover plate 2, 2A may be made of a metal plate. The front cover plate 2, 2A may be manufactured by various processes such as stamping (especially fine stamping), cutting and/or machining.

(21) The front cover journal 1 can be made using existing seamless tube profile.

(22) However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto; the front cover journal 1 may also be made using one or more processes of such as, but not limited to, extrusion, spinning, rolling, machining, and the like.

(23) In order to ensure the wear resistance of the front cover journal 1 and the floating oil seal 25, the front cover journal 1 may be heat-treated before the front cover journal 1 is welded to the front cover plate 2, 2A.

(24) While the specific technical solutions of the present disclosure have been described in detail in Detailed Description, it should be noted that:

(25) (1) In the above implementations, the bolt 6 is passed through the back cover 5, the stator 7 and the front cover 8, 8A in sequence to fixedly connect these three, and the threaded holes 23 are formed on the front cover 8, 8A to cooperate with the bolt 6 to connect. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto; the threaded holes 23 on the front cover 8, 8A may also be through holes; in this case, a nut may be used to engage with the bolt 6 to connect the back cover 5, the stator 7, and the front cover 8, 8A.

(26) (2) In the above implementations, the step 22, 22A formed on the surface of the front cover plate 2, 2A is located radially inside or radially outside of the front cover journal 1. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto; as shown in FIG. 9, the step 22B may be located both radially inside and radially outside of the front cover journal 1B to form a groove 24B between two steps, for accommodating the front cover journal 1B, and the front cover journal 1B is positioned within the groove 24B, so that the front cover journal 1B and the front cover plate 2B may still be effectively positioned. For example, the groove may be formed by stamping the front cover plate 2B having a uniform thickness. For clarity purposes of FIG. 9's arrangement (particularly, the groove 24B), the front cover journal 1B is drawn with broken lines.

(27) (3) In the above implementations, the back cover 5 includes a back cover journal 51 and a back cover plate 52 that are integrally formed. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto; it is also possible that the back cover 5 employs a structure similar to that of the front cover 8, that is, the split back cover journal 51 and the back cover plate 52 are connected by welding, and the surface of the back cover plate 52 may be provided with a step so that the back cover journal 51 is positioned by the step.

(28) The benefits of the above implementations of the present disclosure will be described below.

(29) (1) The front cover journal 1, 1B and the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B are connected by welding, which reduces the workload of machining, improves material utilization and processing efficiency, and reduced costs. The above advantages will be more apparent, especially when the ratio of the axial length to the diameter of the front cover journal 1 engaged with the floating oil seal 25 is large.

(30) (2) The front cover journal 1, 1B may be heat treated separately, which may simplify the heat treatment process and reduce costs.

(31) (3) A step 22, 22A, 22B is formed on the surface of the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B, causing the step 22, 22A, 22B to radially restrict the front cover journal 1, 1B, so that the front cover journal 1, 1B and the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B can be effectively positioned. Furthermore, the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B is thickened by the step 22, 22A, 22B, so that the rigidity of the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B may be increased. When the front cover journal 1, 1B is connected to the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B by welding, the deformation of the front cover journal 1, 1B and the front cover plate 2, 2A, 2B in welding may be reduced, which is suitable for the high precision requirements of the engagement seal of the front cover journal 1, 1B and the floating oil seal 25.

(32) Of course, the present disclosure is not limited to the above implementations, and those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the above implementations of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure under the teaching of the present disclosure.