Cylinder head structure for internal combustion engine and internal combustion engine

Abstract

A cam carrier includes a pair of longitudinal frames provided parallel to an axial direction of a camshaft and a plurality of transversal frames connected to the pair of longitudinal frames to be spaced from each other and supporting the camshaft via cam bearings. A flexible structure suppressing amounts of change in a relative position and an inclined angle of the cam bearings relative to the camshaft due to a thermal expansion is provided on at least one of wall surfaces of the longitudinal frames, the wall surfaces being located between adjacent transversal frames.

Claims

1. A cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head structure comprising: a cylinder head; and a monolithic cam carrier placed on a top of the cylinder head, the monolithic cam carrier including: a pair of longitudinal frames provided parallel to an axial direction of a camshaft; a plurality of transversal frames connected to the pair of longitudinal frames to be spaced from each other and supporting the camshaft via cam bearings; and a flexible structure provided on at least one wall surface of a plurality of wall surfaces of the pair of longitudinal frames, and suppressing change due to a thermal expansion in a relative position and an inclined angle of the cam bearings relative to the camshaft, the at least one wall surface being located between adjacent transversal frames of the plurality of transversal frames, wherein the at least one wall surface of the pair of longitudinal frames is in contact with the cylinder head.

2. The cylinder head structure according to claim 1, wherein the flexible structure is configured as a convex-shaped structure, in which a part or all of the at least one wall surface is formed in a convex shape in a direction perpendicular to the at least one wall surface.

3. The cylinder head structure according to claim 1, wherein the flexible structure is configured as a slit-shaped structure, in which at least one slit cut from a lower surface or an upper surface of the at least one wall surface in a height direction of the pair of longitudinal frames is provided on a part of the at least one wall surface.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising the cylinder head structure according to claim 1.

5. A cylinder head structure fir an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head structure comprising: a cylinder head; and a cam carrier attached on a top of the cylinder head, the cam carrier including: a pair of longitudinal frames extending in a direction parallel to an axial direction of a camshaft; and a plurality of transversal frames extending in a direction intersecting with the pair of longitudinal frames, each transversal frame including a cam bearing that is attached on each transversal frame and supports the camshaft, wherein the pair of longitudinal frames includes a flexible structure provided on at least a part of a plurality of wall portions connecting the plurality of transversal frames and absorbing a deformation of the cam carrier due to a thermal expansion, wherein the at least a part of the plurality of wall portions provided with the flexible structure of the pair of longitudinal frames is in contact with the cylinder head.

6. A cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head structure comprising: a cylinder head; and a monolithic cam carrier placed on a top of the cylinder head, the monolithic cam carrier including: a pair of longitudinal frames provided parallel to an axial direction of a camshaft; a plurality of transversal frames connected to the pair of longitudinal frames to be spaced from each other and supporting the camshaft via cam bearings; and a flexible structure provided on at least one wall surface of a plurality of wall surfaces of the pair of longitudinal frames and suppressing change due to a thermal expansion in a relative position and an inclined angle of the cam bearings relative to the camshaft, the at least one wall surface being located between adjacent transversal frames of the plurality of transversal frames, wherein the flexible structure is configured as a slit-shaped structure, in which at least one slit cut from a lower surface or an upper surface of the at least one wall surface in a height direction of the pair of longitudinal frames is provided on a part of the at least one wall surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a section A in FIG. 1, illustrating a convex-shaped flexible structure provided on a longitudinal frame of a cam carrier.

(3) FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a section of a cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure corresponding to the section A in FIG. 1, illustrating a slit-shaped flexible structure provided on a longitudinal frame of a cam carrier.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing a configuration of an internal combustion engine according to the related art.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing a section A in FIG. 4.

(6) FIG. 6 is a view showing when viewing FIG. 5 in a B direction, schematically illustrating a positional relationship between a cylinder head and a cam carrier of the related art under a normal running condition of the engine.

(7) FIG. 7 is a view showing when viewing FIG. 5 in the B direction, schematically illustrating a positional relationship between the cylinder head and the cam carrier of the related art and a deformation of the cam carrier under an overrunning condition of the engine.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(8) Hereinafter, a cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine and an internal combustion engine according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a so-called SOHC (single overhead cam carrier) engine, in which a single camshaft has a plurality of cams for opening and closing an intake valve and an exhaust valve arranged on an upper portion of the inside of each cylinder of the engine and is supported by a cam carrier, will be described by way of example. However, the present disclosure can be also applied to a so-called DOHC (double overhead camshaft) engine, in which two camshafts, including an intake valve camshaft having a plurality of cams for operating intake values and an exhaust valve camshaft having a plurality of cams for operating exhaust valves, are equipped on a cam carrier.

(9) A cylinder head structure 1A for an internal combustion engine according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is a structure in which a monolithic cam carrier 20 is placed on the top of a cylinder head 10 and then is fixed thereto by bolts 50 as shown in FIG. 1.

(10) Also, in the cylinder head structure 1 for the internal combustion engine, the cam carrier 20 includes a pair of longitudinal frames 21 provided parallel to an axial direction (longitudinal direction) of a camshaft 30 and a plurality of transversal frames 22 (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e) connected to the pair of longitudinal frames 21 to be spaced from each other and supporting the camshaft 30 via cam bearings 31.

(11) Herein, directions as shown in FIG. 1 will be described. A longitudinal direction is a longitudinal direction of the cylinder head 20 and is the same as an axial direction of the camshaft 30. Also, this direction is the same as an axial direction of the cam bearings 31 arranged on the respective transversal frames 22 of the cam carrier 20. In addition, a transversal direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, is a transversal direction of the cylinder head 10 and is the same as a direction along which each of the transversal frames 22 of the cam carrier 20 is arranged. Further, a height direction is a height direction of the cylinder head 10 and is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the transversal direction of the cylinder head 10.

(12) The transversal frames 22 are provided to correspond to the number of cylinders (four cylinders in a configuration of FIG. 1) of the engine 1 and to straddle the respective cylinders as viewed from above. Also, the camshaft 30 is provided with a plurality of cams 32 for opening and closing intake valves and exhaust valves.

(13) In the configuration of the present embodiment, a flexible structure 40 (40a, 40d) for suppressing amounts of change in a relative position and an inclined angle of the cam bearings 31 relative to the camshaft 30 due to a thermal expansion, is also provided on at least one wall surface (23a, 23d) (two wall surfaces in the configuration of FIG. 1) of wall surfaces 23 (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) of the longitudinal frames 21, which are located between adjacent transversal frames 22. In FIG. 1, the longitudinal frame 21 arranged on a back side to the sheet is omitted for simplification of drawing, but the flexible structure 40 of the present disclosure as described below can be also applied to the longitudinal frame 21.

(14) The flexible structure 40 is a structure configured to absorb a relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 by reducing a stiffness of the longitudinal frame 21 in the axial direction of the camshaft 30, i.e., in a direction along which a large relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 occurs. Also, the flexible structure 40 is a structure configured to absorb a difference in thermal expansion between an upper surface side and a contact surface side of the longitudinal frame 21, i.e., a structure in which the flexible structure 40 can be deformed in the axial direction of the camshaft 30 by an amount corresponding to the difference in thermal expansion.

(15) In a case that the flexible structure 40 is provided on the wall surface on the end portion side (23a, 23d in FIG. 1) of the longitudinal frame 21, since a relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 can be absorbed at a site where the relative displacement is larger as compared with a case where the flexible structure 40 is provided on the wall surface (23b, 23c in FIG. 1) on the middle side thereof. Also, in a case where a thermal expansion of the transversal frames 22 becomes a problem, the flexible structure 40 may be provided on a wall surface of each of the transversal frames 22 of the cam carrier 20.

(16) In the cylinder head structure 1A for the internal combustion engine according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the flexible structure 40 is configured as a convex-shaped structure, as shown in FIG. 2, in which a part or all of at least one of the wall surfaces 23 of the longitudinal frame 21 of the cam carrier 20 is formed in a convex shape by providing thereon a protrusion 41 protruding in a direction perpendicular to the wall surfaces 23. The convex-shaped structure can be easily formed, for example, by pressing the wall surfaces 23 of the longitudinal frame 21 of the cam carrier 20 in the direction perpendicular to the wall surfaces 23 or the like. Also, according to this configuration, the flexible structure 40 can be formed on the longitudinal frame 21 of the cam carrier 20 by a relatively simple processing, such as pressing, and also can be easily applied to existing engines.

(17) The detailed specification of the protrusion 41, such as a shape and dimensions, is set on a basis of an amount of relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 under an overrunning condition of the internal combustion engine, which is previously obtained by experiment, simulation and the like. Also, in a case where a plurality of protrusions 41 is provided on the wall surfaces 23, the detailed specification of each flexible structure 40, such as a shape and dimensions, is set in the same manner.

(18) Further, in a cylinder head structure 1B for an internal combustion engine according to a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the flexible structure 40 (40a in FIG. 3) is configured as a slit-shaped structure, in which at least one slit 42 cut from a lower surface or an upper surface of the wall surfaces 23 in the height direction of the longitudinal frames is provided on a part of the at least one of the wall surfaces 23. The slit-shaped structure can be easily formed, for example, by cutting in the height direction of the cylinder head 10 or the like. Also, according to this configuration, the flexible structure 40 can be formed on the longitudinal frame 21 of the cam carrier 20 by a relatively simple processing, such as cutting, and also can be applied to existing engines.

(19) The detailed specification of the slit-shaped structure 40, such as a shape and dimensions, is set on the basis of an amount of relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 under an overrunning condition of the engine 1, which is previously obtained by experiment, simulation and the like. Also, in a case where a plurality of slits 42 is provided on the wall surfaces 23, the detailed specification of each flexible structure 40, such as a shape and dimensions, is set in the same manner.

(20) Further, an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one of the cylinder head structures 1A, 1B for the internal combustion engine according to the first and second embodiments as described above.

(21) According to the cylinder head structures 1A, 1B and the internal combustion engine configured as described above, the flexible structure 40 can reduce a stiffness of the longitudinal frame 21 in the axial direction of the camshaft 30, thereby absorbing a relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 caused by a difference in thermal expansion therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit contact surfaces between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 from being damaged due to fretting.

(22) Further, by reducing the stiffness of the longitudinal frame 21 in the axial direction of the camshaft 30, the flexible structure 40 can absorb a difference in thermal expansion between the upper surface side and the contact surface side of the longitudinal frame 21 so as to inhibit an occurrence of wear or seizing of the cam bearings 31. In other words, the flexible structure 40 can be deformed in the axial direction of the camshaft 30 by an amount corresponding to the difference in thermal expansion, and therefore an influence of a thermal deformation, which is caused by a difference in thermal expansion occurring from unevenness in temperature created inside the cam carrier 20, on a relative position and an inclined angle of the cam bearings 31 relative to the camshaft 30 is reduced so as to inhibit the occurrence of wear or seizing of the cam bearings 31.

(23) As a result, in the cylinder head structure 1A, 1B for the internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine, in which the monolithic cam carrier 20 is placed on the top of the cylinder head 10, a relative displacement between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 can be absorbed even under a running condition of the engine, under which a difference in temperature between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 occurs, thereby inhibiting contact sites between the cylinder head 10 and the cam carrier 20 from being damaged due to fretting. In addition, by absorbing a thermal deformation caused by unevenness in temperature inside the cam carrier 20, amounts of change in relative position and relative angle between the camshaft 30 and the cam bearings 31 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to maintain a coaxial machining accuracy of the cam bearings 31 arranged on the respective transversal frames 22 of the cam carrier 20, thereby inhibiting wear or seizing of the cam bearings 31.

(24) Further, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine, including:

(25) a cylinder head; and

(26) a cam carrier attached on the top of the cylinder head, the cam carrier including:

(27) a pair of longitudinal frames extending in a direction parallel to an axial direction of a camshaft; and

(28) a plurality of transversal frames extending in a direction intersecting with the pair of longitudinal frames and each having a cam bearing attached thereon to support the camshaft,

(29) wherein the pair of longitudinal frames includes a flexible structure provided on at least a part of a plurality of wall portions connecting the plurality of transversal frames and absorbing a deformation of the cam carrier due to a thermal expansion.

(30) This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-219400 filed on Nov. 9, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(31) The cylinder head structure for the internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine according to the present disclosure exhibit the effects that it is possible to inhibit contact sites between the cylinder head and the cam carrier from being damaged due to fretting and also to inhibit wear or seizing of the cam bearings, and thus are useful in that performance or durability of the internal combustion engine can be enhanced with a simple structure.

REFERENCE NUMERALS LIST

(32) 1A, 1B, 1X Cylinder head structure for an internal combustion engine 10 Cylinder head 20 Cam carrier 20r Contact surface 20t Upper surface 21 Longitudinal frame 22 (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e) Transversal frame 23 (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) Wall surface of the longitudinal frame between the transversal frames 30 Camshaft 31 Cam bearing 32 Cam 40, 40a, 40d Flexible structure 41 Protrusion 42 Slit 50 Bolt Pr Position of the center of the bolt on the contact surface Pt Position of the center of the bolt on the upper surface