Abstract
The present invention relates to a sliding cam module for a camshaft, which comprises at least one sliding cam with at least one cam segment, comprising at least two cams with cam tracks that are different to one another as well as a closed bearing element, which is arranged on the sliding cam in a rotatable and axially non-displaceable manner for mounting the sliding cam, wherein the bearing element comprises a recipient area to hold at least one section of a locking device to lock the sliding cam in an axial position. Furthermore, the invention relates to a camshaft with at least one corresponding sliding cam module as well as a shaft, on which the sliding cam module is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner and can be moved in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the shaft and a cover module, which comprises a cylinder-head cover as well as a closed bearing element, which comprises a recipient area to hold at least one section of a locking device to lock the sliding cam in an axial position.
Claims
1. A sliding cam module for a camshaft, the sliding cam module comprising: at least one sliding cam with at least one cam segment having at least two cams with respective cam profiles that are different from to one another; a closed bearing element which is arranged on the at least one sliding cam in a rotatable and axially non-displaceable manner, wherein the closed bearing element includes a recipient area configured to hold at least one section of a locking device for locking the at least one sliding cam in an axial position; the closed bearing element includes a lubricant channel at least partially extending in a radial direction, the lubricant channel communicates with a lubricant outlet opening on an inner surface of the closed bearing element; and a lubricant intake on an outer surface of the closed bearing element and that communicates with the lubricant channel, the lubricant intake is an elongated hole having a longitudinal axis that extends in an axial direction along the outer surface of the closed bearing element.
2. The sliding cam module according to claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises a spring element and an engagement element interacting with the spring element.
3. The sliding cam module according to claim 2, wherein the recipient area comprises a blind hole extending inwardly in the radial direction to receive the spring element of the locking device.
4. The sliding cam module according to claim 2, further comprising a latching element configured to hold the engagement element of the locking device.
5. The sliding cam module according to claim 1, further comprising a shifting gate with a guide path configured to hold a pin element to displace the sliding cam module in the axial direction along a shaft of a camshaft.
6. The sliding cam module according to claim 1, wherein the closed bearing element comprises a lubricant groove to distribute lubricant, the lubricant groove extends at least partially along the outer surface of the closed bearing element in a circumferential direction.
7. A camshaft comprising: at least one sliding cam module having: at least one sliding cam with at least one cam segment having at least two cams with respective cam profiles that are different from one another; a closed bearing element which is arranged on the at least one sliding cam in a rotatable and axially non-displaceable manner, wherein the closed bearing element includes a recipient area configured to hold at least one section of a locking device for locking the at least one sliding cam in an axial position; the closed bearing element includes a lubricant channel at least partially extending in a radial direction, the lubricant channel communicates with a lubricant outlet opening on an inner surface of the closed bearing element; a lubricant intake on an outer surface of the closed bearing element and that communicates with the lubricant channel, the lubricant intake is an elongated hole having a longitudinal axis that extends in an axial direction along the outer surface of the closed bearing element; and a shaft on which the at least one sliding cam module is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
8. The camshaft according to claim 7, further comprising a toothing on an outer surface of the shaft.
9. The camshaft according to claim 7, wherein the at least one sliding cam module further comprises a through bore extending in the axial direction, the shaft extends through the through bore, and wherein the surface of the through bore comprises a toothing.
10. A cover module for arrangement on a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, the cover module comprising: a cylinder-head cover; at least one camshaft held by the cylinder-head cover, the at least one camshaft includes: at least one sliding cam module having: at least one sliding cam with at least one cam segment having at least two cams with respective cam profiles that are different from one another; a closed bearing element which is arranged on the at least one sliding cam in a rotatable and axially non-displaceable manner, wherein the closed bearing element includes a recipient area configured to hold at least one section of a locking device for locking the at least one sliding cam in an axial position; the closed bearing element includes a lubricant channel at least partially extending in a radial direction, the lubricant channel communicates with a lubricant outlet opening on an inner surface of the closed bearing element a lubricant intake on an outer surface of the closed bearing element and that communicates with the lubricant channel, the lubricant intake is an elongated hole having a longitudinal axis that extends in an axial direction along the outer surface of the closed bearing element; and a shaft on which the at least one sliding cam module is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
11. The cover module according to claim 10, wherein the cylinder-head cover comprises at least one bearing path configured for mounting the at least one camshaft and at least two bearing guide elements which are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, wherein the closed bearing element is arranged on at least one of the at least two bearing guide elements in a rotationally fixed manner and the closed bearing element is selectively displaced in the axial direction on the at least one of the at least two bearing guide elements.
12. The cover module according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of the at least two bearing guide element comprises a lubricant supply line.
Description
(1) Embodiments of the sliding cam module according to the invention, the camshaft according to the invention or of the cover module according to the invention will be explained in the following based on the drawings. On a schematic level respectively, the figures show
(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of a sliding cam module according to the invention,
(3) FIG. 2 the embodiment of a sliding cam module according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 in a lateral cross-sectional view arranged in a cylinder-head cover to form an embodiment of a cover module according to the invention.
(4) FIG. 3 the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in a cross-sectional view,
(5) FIG. 4 a perspective view of an embodiment of a bearing element,
(6) FIG. 5 The embodiment of a bearing element shown in FIG. 4 in a cross-sectional view,
(7) FIG. 6 the embodiment of a bearing element shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in top view,
(8) FIG. 7 a perspective view of a section of an embodiment of a cover module according to the invention, which comprises an embodiment of a camshaft according to the invention,
(9) FIG. 8 another embodiment of a sliding cam module according to the invention in a lateral cross-sectional view arranged in a cylinder-head cover to form an embodiment of a cover module according to the invention,
(10) FIG. 9 the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 in a cross-sectional view,
(11) FIG. 10 a perspective view of another embodiment of a sliding cam module according to the invention,
(12) FIG. 11 the embodiment of a sliding cam module according to the invention shown in FIG. 10 in a cross-sectional view arranged in a cylinder-head cover to form another embodiment of a cover module according to the invention, and
(13) FIG. 12 the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 in a cross-sectional view.
(14) Elements with the same function and mode of action are provided in FIGS. 1 to 12 with the same reference numbers respectively.
(15) In FIG. 1, a perspective view of an embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention. The sliding cam module 1 has a sliding cam 2, which comprises a cam segment 3 and another cam segment 3.1. Each of the cam segments 3 and 3.1 each have two cams, 4 and 4.1, to form a full-stroke cam and a zero-stroke cam. As is shown in FIG. 1, consequently, cams 4 and 4.1 of the respective cam segments 3 and 3.1 comprise cam tracks that are different from one another. Furthermore, the sliding cam module 1 comprises a bearing element 5, which is arranged between cam segments 3 and 3.1. The bearing element 5 comprises a lubricant groove 33 having a depression, which fully extends in the circumferential direction on the outer surface 5.2 of the bearing element 5. Furthermore, on the outer surface 5.2 of the bearing element 5, a lubricant intake 32 is formed, which particularly extends in the axial direction, meaning in the width direction of the bearing element 5. The lubricant intake 32 is connected to the lubricant groove 33 in a fluid-conveying manner. When a defined amount of flowable lubricant accrues, this is transported from the lubricant intake 32 into the lubricant groove 33 in order to favourably ensure a sufficient lubricant supply to the circumferential surface, in particular for the outer surface 5.2, whereby, favourably, a low-friction displacement in the axial direction can be ensured. Provided more lubricant is introduced in to the lubricant intake 32 and, consequently, into the lubricant groove 33 than can be accommodated from this, the lubricant escapes into the gap between the bearing element 5 and the cylinder-head cover 41. Furthermore, a shifting gate 20 is shown in FIG. 1 which is used, in interaction with an actuator (not shown here), to make the displacement of the sliding cam module 1 along a longitudinal axis 9, provided that the sliding cam module 1 is arranged on a shaft (not shown here). In respect thereof, the shifting gate 20 favourably comprise a guide groove (not shown here), which is designed, for example as a Y-groove or a double-S-curve groove. The shifting gate 20 is favourably designed as a single piece with the sliding cam 2 to form a sliding cam module 1. It is also conceivable that the sliding cam 2 as well as the shifting gate 20 are designed as a single piece. The sliding cam module 1 additionally comprises a through bore 1.1, which extends in the axial direction along the longitudinal axis 9. The through bore 1.1 is used to hold a shaft (not shown here) to form a camshaft. The through bore 1.1 additionally comprises a toothing, in particular, a longitudinal toothing 1.2, which extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis 9, meaning in the axial direction along the surface of the through bore 1.1. Thereby, the number of teeth of the toothing or longitudinal toothing 1.2 is not limited or restricted to a defined number or can be variably selected.
(16) In FIGS. 2 and 3, the embodiment of the sliding cam module 1 shown in FIG. 1 accommodated in a cylinder-head cover 41 is shown in a different cross-sectional illustration. As is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bearing element 5 comprises a lubricant intake 32, which is connected to a lubricant channel 30 in a fluid-conveying manner. The lubricant channel 30 leads from an outer surface 5.2 of the bearing element 5 through the material of the bearing element 5 primarily at a defined angle radially inwardly to the inner surface 5.1 of the bearing element 5, in particular, to a lubricant outlet opening 31, which is formed on the inner surface 5.1 of the bearing element 5. By means of this, it is possible to transport the lubricant supplied via a lubricant supply line 43 of the cylinder-head cover 41 to the inner surface 5.1 of the bearing element 5, in particular to the contact surface 44 of the cylinder-head cover 41, in particular to the bearing guide element 42 of the cylinder-head cover 41 in order to make a sliding bearing between the bearing element 5 and the sliding cam 2 possible. Furthermore, a locking device 10 is shown, which comprises a spring element 11 as well as an engagement element 12. The engagement element 12 is favourably designed in the shape of a sphere. The spring element 11 is arranged in a recess 13, which extends at least in sections through an area of the bearing guide element 42 of the cylinder-head cover 41. Thereby, the recess 13 is favourably designed as a through bore. A closure element 14 is used to hold and lock the spring element 11. This is arranged on the outer side of the bearing guide element 42 and outwardly seals the recess 13 in the axial direction. Consequently, the spring element 11 is positioned on the closure element 14 and the spring element 11 contacts the closure element 14 in such a way that, by means of the closure element 14, a counter force is applied to the spring element 11. This required so that the spring element 11 can cause a compressive force on the engagement element 12. The engagement element 12 is engaged with a recipient area 6 of the bearing element 5. The recipient area 6 is favourably designed as a latching element 8 in the embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 2 and 3. The latching element 8 comprises at least one depression formed in the axial direction along the longitudinal axis 9 with a wave shape or a W-shape, in particular two depressions arranged adjacent to one another. Favourably, the depression can also be designed in the form of two adjacent V-grooves with variable angles. The depressions and recesses, which primarily form a wave shape, are favourably geometrically comparable to the embodiment of the engagement element 12. According to this, the depressions favourably also comprise a spheroidal shape respectively, in particular being spherical. The latching element 8, in particular, the embodiment of depression using at least two adjacent depressions viewed in the axial direction make the arrangement of the engagement element possible, in particular in a first or a second or, favourably, also another axial position. Thereby, favourably, a first one of depression is the first axial position while the other (second one) of the depressions represents the second axial position etc.
(17) According to the invention, the sliding cam 2 is favourably mounted or pre-mounted to the single-piece (closed) bearing element 5. Thereby, the bearing element 5 is favourably positioned and arranged on a mounting section 2.1 of the sliding cam 2. Thereby, favourably, the bearing element is inserted onto the sliding cam 2 far enough until this contacts a cam segment 3 or 3.1, which already formed and arranged on the sliding cam 2. In order to prevent an undesired displacement of the bearing element 5 in the axial direction, in the following, another cam segment 3.1, which can be referred to as a joined cam segment, is pushed onto the sliding cam 2, in particular, onto a positioning section 2.3 of the sliding cam 2, and that being favourably far enough into the axial direction until the other cam segment 3.1 also contacts or almost contacts the bearing element 5 in order to ensure a rotational movement of the sliding cam 2. The bearing element 5 is consequently arranged between the (first) cam segment 3 and the other (joined) cam segment 3.1. Favourably, a material elevation, for example, in the form of a toothing or aggregate layer (not shown here) is applied to the outer surface 2.2 in the area of the positioning segment, by means of which a material displacement is generated when applying the other cam segment 3.1 and consequently, a press fit is implemented. By means of this, manufacturing an embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention is made possible.
(18) It is conceivable that the bearing element 5 is manufactured (mounted) together with the sliding cam 2 as a sliding cam module 1 and is built into and arranged in the cylinder-head cover 41 as a unit during a later (subsequent) process step. Since the locking of the sliding cam 2, in particular, of the sliding cam module 1 is made possible by means of the locking device 10, which is arranged between the bearing element 5 and the cylinder-head cover 41, favourably, processing effort can be reduced for the inner diameter of the sliding cam 2, in particular for the inner surface in the area of the through bore 1.1 of the sliding cam 2. Favourably, by means of this, it is possible to also manufacture the closed bearing element 5 in split cylinder-head cover mountings or in split bearing frames.
(19) In FIGS. 4 to 6, a preferred embodiment of a bearing element 5 is shown in various views. Here, the bearing element 5 comprises an outer surface 5.2, on which a lubricant groove 33 fully extends in the circumferential direction, which is connected to a lubricant intake 32 in a fluid-conveying manner. The lubricant intake 32 primarily extends in the form of an elongated hole or an elongated hole depression or a depression, which ensures an overlapping with the lubricant supply line 43 in all assumable axial positions in order to ensure fluid conveyance in the axial direction, meaning in the width direction of the bearing element 5. Furthermore, the embodiment of a lubricant channel 30 is shown, which is connected to the lubricant intake 32 in a fluid-conveying manner and extends from an outer surface 5.2 of the bearing element 5 to an inner surface 5.1 of the bearing element 5 and favourably leads into a lubricant outlet opening 31. Furthermore, a recipient area 6 of the bearing element is shown, which is favourably designed as a latching element 8 to particularly hold an engagement element 12 of a locking device 10, as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Favourably, the recipient area 6 is spaced away from the area of the lubricant channel 30 and consequently lines on the opposite side of the bearing element 5 in a favourable manner.
(20) An embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention arranged in a cylinder-head cover 41 to form an embodiment of a cover module 40 according to the invention shown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a camshaft 24 according to the invention, which comprises a shaft 25 as well as a sliding cam 2 or the sliding cam module 1. The embodiment shown of the sliding cam module 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 7 essentially corresponds to the embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 so that the features and advantages concerning this explained here can be accordingly taken into consideration. The sliding cam module 1 is arranged in a bearing guide element 42 of the cylinder-head cover 41. The bearing guide element 42 is, for example, is designed as a bearing bridge, such as a split bearing bridge or, favourably, also a closed bearing bridge. A lubricant supply line 43 to convey or supply a lubricating medium or lubricant to the bearing element 5 extends through the material of the bearing guide element 42 of the cylinder-head cover 41 as is particularly shown in FIG. 3. A shaft 25, which is designed as a solid shaft in accordance with FIG. 7, extends through the through bore 1.1 of the sliding cam module 1. The shaft 25 comprises a toothing/longitudinal toothing 26, which is engaged with a toothing/longitudinal toothing 1.2 (not shown, hidden) (in comparison to FIG. 2) of the sliding cam module 1 in order to make a displacement of the sliding cam module 1 in the axial direction along the longitudinal axis 9 possible, in the case of consistent torque transmission between the shaft 25 and the sliding cam module 1.
(21) In FIGS. 8 and 9, another embodiment of the sliding cam module 1 according to the invention is shown as well as its arrangement in a cylinder-head cover 41 to form another embodiment of the cover module 40 according to the invention, shown in different cross-sectional views. Deviating from the embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 comprises a bearing element 5, the recipient area 6 of which is designed in the form of a blind hole 7. The blind hole 7 primarily extends from an outer surface 5.2 of the bearing element 5 inwardly in the radial direction. The blind hole 7 favourably is at least partially used or used in sections to hold the locking device 10, which comprises a spring element 11 as well as an engagement element 12. The spring element 11 is favourably fully accommodated within the blind hole 7 while the engagement elements 12 is engaged with the latching means 15, which is formed in the cylinder-head cover 41, in particular, in the bearing guide element 42 of the cylinder-head cover 41. It is furthermore conceivable that, in addition to the design of the blind hole 7, a sleeve 16 is arranged in the blind hole 7 in order to make a removal of the engagement elements 12 in the radial direction possible, in particular, in the direction of the latching means 15. Favourably, it is also conceivable that the sleeve 16 engages at least in the areas of the latching means 15 in sections in order to facilitate and generate a rotationally fixed connection between the bearing guide element 42 and the bearing element 5. Comparable to the embodiment shown in the FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover module shown in the FIGS. 8 and 9 comprises a lubricant supply line 43, which is arranged at a lubricant intake 32 of the bearing element 5 in a fluid-conveying manner. The lubricant intake 32 is connected to the lubricant channel 30 in a fluid-conveying manner, which extends from the outer surface 5.2 through the material of the bearing element 5 to the inner surface 5.1 and flows in a lubricant outlet opening 31.
(22) In FIG. 10, a perspective view of another embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention. This only differs from the embodiment of a sliding cam module 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 due to the fact that the bearing element 5 comprises a smaller bearing diameter, which means a smaller height extending into the radial direction. Consequently, the bearing element 5 is designed with small dimensions in such a way that it stands backviewed in the radial directionunder the cam heights of the cam 4, 4.1 of the cam segment 3 and 3.1 designed as a full-stroke cam. Favourably, the bearing diameter, in particular, the outer diameter of the bearing element corresponds to the diameter, in particular, the outer diameter of cam 4 or 4.1 or 11.3 of the respective cam segment 3 or 3.1 designed as a full-stroke cam. Provided that the sliding module should be used in a closed bearing structure, favourably, the other cam segment 3.1 is firstly mounted in the cover.
(23) FIGS. 11 and 12 show the embodiment of the sliding cam module 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 10 is arranged in a cylinder-head cover 41 to form an embodiment of a cover module 40 according to the invention. Essentially, the embodiment of the cover module 40 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 corresponds to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the recess 13 is only designed to be longer and larger due to the decreased bearing diameter of the bearing element 5viewed in the radial direction. In order to generate an operational connection between the locking device 10 and the bearing element 5, consequently a recess 13 with very long dimensions in the bearing guide elements 42 is required, which primarily extends from an outer side of the bearing guide elements 42 of the cylinder-head cover 41 radially inward in the direction of the bearing element 5. Accordingly, a correspondingly extended spring element 11, which is arranged in the recess 13, is also required.
REFERENCE LIST
(24) 1 sliding cam module 1.1 Through bore 1.2 toothing/longitudinal toothing 2 sliding cam 2.1 mounting section 2.2 outer surface 2.3 positioning section 3 (first) cam segment 3.1 (second/joined) cam segment 4 cam 4.1 cam 5 bearing element 5.1 inner surface 5.2 outer surface 6 recipient area 7 blind hole 8 latching element 9 longitudinal axis 10 locking device 11 spring element 12 engagement element 13 recess 14 closure element 15 latching means 16 sleeve 20 shifting gate 24 camshaft 25 shaft 26 toothing/longitudinal toothing 30 lubricant channel 31 lubricant outlet opening 32 lubricant intake 33 lubricant groove 40 cover module 41 cylinder-head cover 42 bearing guide element 43 lubricant supply line 44 contact surface
