BALANCE SHAFT

Abstract

A balance shaft for balancing forces of inertia and/or moments of inertia of a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, including: at least one elongate main body; at least one bearing seat, disposed on the elongate main body for the mounting of a radial bearing. In the center point of the bearing seat there is provided the rotational axis of the balance shaft. The elongate main body may be formed of an integral tubular element, and the center of mass of the elongate main body may lie outside the rotational axis of the balance shaft.

Claims

1. A balance shaft for balancing forces of inertia and/or moments of inertia of a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, the balance shaft comprising: at least one elongate main body; at least one bearing seat disposed on the elongate main body for the mounting of a radial bearing, wherein in a center point of the bearing seat is provided a rotational axis of the balance shaft, wherein the elongate main body is formed of an integral tubular element, and wherein a center of mass of the elongate main body lies outside of the rotational axis of the balance shaft.

2. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body has a substantially triangular cross section.

3. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body has a substantially circular cross section.

4. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body is arranged offset from the rotational axis of the balance shaft.

5. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body has at least one impression so that the elongate main body has adjacent wall portions in a region of the at least one impression.

6. The balance shaft according to claim 5, wherein the at least one impression is provided by a cold forming process.

7. The balance shaft according to claim 5, wherein between the adjacent wall portions, in a region of the at least one impression, at least one additional balancing weight is arranged or is clamped between the adjacent wall portions.

8. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein at least one additional balancing weight is arranged on an outer periphery of the elongate main body.

9. The balance shaft according to claim 8, wherein the at least one additional balancing weight arranged on the outer periphery is not configured integrally with the elongate main body, but is bonded, welded and/or soldered to the elongate main body.

10. The balance shaft according to claim 7, wherein the at least one additional balancing weight is produced from a heavy metal.

11. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body has different material densities.

12. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body has different wall thicknesses along a longitudinal extent thereof.

13. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bearing seat is not configured integrally with the elongate main body.

14. The balance shaft according to claim 12, wherein the at least one bearing seat is thermally shrunk onto the elongate main body.

15. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the elongate main body is produced from a metal alloy.

16. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bearing seat is for a roller bearing or is configured as a part of a roller bearing or as a bearing inner ring.

17. The balance shaft according to claim 1, wherein the balance shaft has on at least one end portion an engagement element, which is configured such that the balance shaft is connectable to a drive or a chain drive.

18. A method for producing a balance shaft according to claim 1, the method comprising: providing at least one elongate main body, which is formed of an integral tubular element; arranging at least one bearing seat for the mounting of a radial bearing, wherein in a center point of the bearing seat is provided a rotational axis of the balance shaft, and wherein a center of mass of the elongate main body lies outside of the rotational axis of the balance shaft.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the elongate main body has a substantially triangular or circular cross section.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the elongate main body is arranged offset from the rotational axis of the balance shaft.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein on the elongate main body is made at least one impression such that in a region of the at least one impression are formed adjacent wall portions.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein in a region of the adjacent wall portions, at least one balancing weight is arranged or is clamped between the adjacent wall portions.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the at least one impression is made in the elongate main body by a cold forming process.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the cold forming process comprises a stamping step.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein at least one additional balancing weight is arranged on an outer periphery of the elongate main body .

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the at least one additional balancing weight arranged on the outer periphery is not configured integrally with the elongate main body and is bonded, welded and/or soldered to the elongate main body.

27. The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one bearing seat is not configured integrally with the elongate main body.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the at least one bearing seat is thermally shrunk onto the elongate main body.

29. The balance shaft according to claim 10, wherein the heavy metal is a tungsten alloy, and wherein the tungsten content in the metal alloy is above 90%, and wherein the metal alloy has a density between 17.0 and 19.0 g/cm.sup.3.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0025] FIG. 1a shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a balance shaft according to the invention;

[0026] FIG. 1b shows a schematic view of the embodiment of a balance shaft according to the invention with (part of a) roller bearing;

[0027] FIG. 2a shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 1a along the rotational axis of the balance shaft;

[0028] FIG. 2b shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 1b along the rotational axis of the balance shaft;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 1a perpendicular to the rotational axis of the balance shaft;

[0030] FIG. 4a shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a balance shaft according to the invention of the balance shaft;

[0031] FIG. 4b shows a schematic view of the embodiment of a balance shaft according to the invention with (part of a) roller bearing;

[0032] FIG. 5a shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 4a along the rotational axis of the balance shaft;

[0033] FIG. 5b shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 4b along the rotational axis of the balance shaft;

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 4a perpendicular to the rotational axis of the balance shaft;

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a balance shaft according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 7 along the rotational axis of the balance shaft; and

[0037] FIG. 9 shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft from FIG. 7 perpendicular to the rotational axis of the balance shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 1 a shows an embodiment of a balance shaft 10 according to the invention. The balance shaft 10 comprises on opposite end portions two engagement elements 11, 12, with which the balance shaft 10 is connectable to a drive, in particular a chain drive, and which are arranged on an integrally configured tubular main body 13. In addition, the balance shaft 10 comprises two bearing seats 14, 15 for the mounting of a radial bearing. In the center point of the bearing seats 14, 15 lies the rotational axis of the balance shaft 10. In particular through the use of a tubular main body 13, a considerable weight saving can here be achieved, to be precise in the order of magnitude of 30% to 40% in comparison to the known forged balance shafts. This weight saving here has no or no significant effect on the functioning of the balance shaft 10, since the weight saving is mainly gained by the removal of virtually surplus mass in the rotationally symmetrical regions of the balance shaft 10.

[0039] As can clearly be seen in FIG. 1a, the tubular main body 13 has three impressions 16, 17, 18. The impressions 16, 17, 18 have here been made in the tubular main body 13 by a cold forming process (preferably a stamping process). Thus the possibility exists of producing a balance shaft 10 according to the invention without a hot forming process, in particular no otherwise customary drop forging process, necessarily having to be used. As already stated above, the use of a cold forming process constitutes a particularly preferred production process for a balance shaft 10 according to the invention, since such a forming process can be conducted free from burrs. With this kind of particularly preferred method for producing a balance shaft 10 according to the invention, the possibility thus exists of saving the, in practice, relatively time-consuming and thus cost-intensive step of deburring and remachining.

[0040] In addition, the possibility exists of assembling a balance shaft 10 according to the invention virtually from standard components. Here, only the bearing seats 14, 15 and the engagement portions 11, 12 have to be arranged on the previously appropriately stamped tubular main body 13 in order to obtain a balance shaft 10 according to the invention. This virtually modular structure of a balance shaft 10 according to the invention leads to high flexibility in the production of different designs of balance shafts and to a considerable cost saving, since recourse can be made to standard components. Moreover, for the production of a balance shaft 10 according to the invention, no relatively cost-intensive and inflexible drop forging process has any longer to be performed. In the shown first embodiment, the bearing seats 14, 15 are arranged in regions of the balance shaft 10 at which this (more precisely the tubular main body 13) has not been deformed by the impressions 16, 17, 18. In other words, the bearing seats 14, 15 are preferably arranged between the impressions 16, 17, 18 on the balance shaft 10 (or on the tubular main body 13).

[0041] As can clearly be seen in FIG. 1a, in this preferred embodiment, the bearing seats 14, 15 respectively comprise a bearing receiving ring 25, 26, onto which the bearings (not shown) can subsequently be clipped. A bearing receiving ring 25, 26 here preferably respectively comprises two contact regions 27, 28, 29, 30, which, in the direction parallel to the rotational axis of the balance shaft 10, provides (lateral) contact surfaces for the bearings.

[0042] It is also conceivable, for instance, to provide standard bearings on the shown bearing seats 14, 15, in that they are slipped laterally onto the bearing seats 14, 15. Prior to the slip-on action, on the bearing seat a corresponding contact surface (such as, for instance, contact regions 28, 29) is respectively provided for the bearing. The bearing can then be slipped laterally onto the bearing seat 14, 15 and brought into engagement with the contact surface. Following this, a second contact region 27, 30 is formed by a forming process, in particular by a calibration (calibration stroke), on the bearing seat 14, 15, so that the bearing is held or received by the two contact regions or shoulders. Precisely through the use of standard bearings, considerable cost advantages can be achieved by the present invention, since the cost-intensive and time-consuming refinement or final machining steps (hardening, grinding, finishing) with respect to the bearing can be dispensed with.

[0043] FIG. 1b shows an embodiment of a balance shaft 10 in an alternative having two roller bearings. According to this illustrative embodiment, the bearing seat 14, 15 at the same time forms a bearing inner ring 31, 32 for a corresponding bearing. For the rest, the shown embodiment corresponds to that embodiment of the balance shaft 10 which is shown in FIG. 1a, so that, with respect to the further details, reference is made to the above.

[0044] FIG. 2a shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft 10 from FIG. 1a along the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10. Identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols.

[0045] As can clearly be seen in FIG. 2a, as a result of the impressions 16, 17, 18 an asymmetrical mass and weight distribution with respect to the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10 is obtained. As can likewise clearly be seen in FIG. 2a, the tubular main body 13 is arranged, furthermore, offset from the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10, in order to shift the center of mass of the tubular main body 13 still further from the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10. Thus, in the first preferred embodiment, an unbalance (i.e. a shift of the center of mass of the main body 13 relative to the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10) is achieved, on the one hand by virtue of the impressions 16, 17, 18 (i.e. by the displacement of the mass from one side to the opposite side of the main body 13) and on the other hand by the offset arrangement of the main body 13 with respect to the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10.

[0046] FIG. 2b shows a representation, corresponding to FIG. 2a, of the balance shaft 10 from FIG . 1b, so that, with respect to the further details, reference is in turn made to the above.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft 10 from FIG. 1a perpendicular to the rotational axis 19 of the balance shaft 10. Identical parts are in turn provided with identical reference symbols.

[0048] As can clearly be seen in FIG. 3, the material of the tubular main body 13 is displaced in the region 20 of the impressions 16, 17, 18 in such a way onto one side of the main body 13 that the wall portions of the main body 13 are arranged adjacent to one another. Optionally, an additional balancing weight (not shown) can be arranged in this region 20 or be clamped by the wall portions in the main body 13.

[0049] FIG. 4a shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of a balance shaft 100 according to the invention. The balance shaft 100 in turn comprises on opposite end portions two engagement elements 110, 120, with which the balance shaft 100 is connectable to a drive, in particular a chain drive, and which are arranged on an integrally configured main body 130. In addition, the balance shaft 100 likewise comprises two bearing seats 140, 150 for the mounting of a radial bearing. In the center point of the bearing seats 140, 150 lies the rotational axis 190 of the balance shaft 100.

[0050] Unlike the first illustrative embodiment, the main body 130 has a substantially triangular cross section, to be precise over the entire longitudinal extent of the main body 130 (i.e. the main body 130 of the second preferred embodiment has no impressions 16, 17, 18). FIG. 4b shows a balance shaft 100 in the second embodiment in an alternative having two roller bearings, in which alternative the bearing seats 140, 150 at the same time form a bearing inner ring 310, 320 for a corresponding bearing.

[0051] FIG. 5a shows a schematic sectional view of the balance shaft 100 from FIG. 4a along the rotational axis 190 of the balance shaft 100. Identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols. As can clearly be seen in FIG. 5a, the main body 130 is in turn offset from the rotational axis 190 of the balance shaft 100, so that, already as a result thereof, an appropriate unbalance is obtained. As can clearly be seen in FIG. 6, for the enlargement of the unbalance, moreover, one side 200 of the cross-sectionally triangular main body 130 is configured with a greater or with different wall thicknesses. FIG. 5b shows a representation, corresponding to FIG. 5a, of the balance shaft 100 from FIG. 4b.

[0052] FIGS. 7 to 9 show a schematic view of a third embodiment of a balance shaft 10 according to the invention.

[0053] Here, the balance shaft 10 shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 has no three separate impressions 16, 17, 18 (cf. FIGS. 1), but only one continuous impression 16. The impression 16 here extends substantially over the entire length of the balance shaft 10, i.e. substantially in the entire region between the opposite engagement elements 11 and 12 and, in particular, also in the region of the bearing seats 14, 15.

[0054] In the shown embodiment of the balance shaft 10, the bearings L1, L2 are provided already complete with a bearing inner ring 31, 32 (for instance in the form of a standard bearing) and slipped, as a kind of composite, in each case laterally onto the bearing seat 14, 15. In this case, it is preferred that, prior to the slip-on operation, an appropriate contact surface is respectively provided for the bearing L1, L2 (more precisely for the bearing inner ring 31, 32) on the tubular main body 13. The composite of bearing outer ring 33, 34, rolling element 35, 36 and bearing inner ring 31, 32thus in general terms the bearing L1, L2can then respectively be slipped onto the main body 13 and be brought into engagement with the contact surface. Preferably, a second contact region is subsequently formed on the main body 13 by a forming process, in particular by a calibration (i.e. through a so-called calibration stroke), so that the bearing inner rings 31, 32, and thus the bearings L1, L2, can be held or received by the two contact regions (cf. FIG. 8).

[0055] The present invention is not limited to the preceding illustrative embodiments, as long as it is embraced by the subject of the following claims. Furthermore, the preceding illustrative embodiments are mutually combinable and intercombinable in any chosen manner. In particular, those alternative designs of the bearings which are shown in the first and third embodiment can be intercombined in any chosen manner on a balance shaft. The shifting of the center of mass of the main body with respect to the rotational axis of the balance shaft can further be realized by a displacement of the mass of the main body and/or by an offset arrangement of the main body with respect to the rotational axis of the balance shaft. Various additional balancing weights can also be provided in the main body (preferably arranged or clamped in the region of the impressions 16, 17, 18), and/or various additional balancing weights can be arranged on the outer periphery of the balance shaft. Finally, it should be pointed out that the respective masses or the bearing seats of the balance shaft can be adapted, with respect to their arrangement in the direction of the rotational axis, to the respectively specific installation environment. The bearings and attachment parts can be fitted moreover, apart from by the described processes, also by thermal shrink fit or alternative joining methods. By identical reference symbols is understood within the scope of the invention only the appropriate numeral, irrespective of the hyphens for differentiation of the embodiments.

[0056] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.