U.S. patent application number 11/277468 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-27 for anti-tipping roller follower.
This patent application is currently assigned to GenTek Technologies Marketing, Inc.. Invention is credited to John E. Brune, Blaine R. Lingenfelter, Scott P. Smith.
Application Number | 20070221154 11/277468 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38532017 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070221154 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Smith; Scott P. ; et
al. |
September 27, 2007 |
ANTI-TIPPING ROLLER FOLLOWER
Abstract
An anti-tipping feature for a roller follower is provided that
is positioned at the socket end of a Type II roller follower. The
anti-tipping feature is designed to fit around the plunger of a
lash adjuster. The feature has legs that extend down around the
plunger to provide stability for the roller follower. Tipping of
the roller follower is controlled by the formed legs that extend
down the plunger. The length of the legs and clearance determine
the amount of roller follower tipping. The valve guide wall height
can be shortened enough to still provide valve containment and
reduce moving mass which comprises a key component to engine
performance.
Inventors: |
Smith; Scott P.;
(Temperance, MI) ; Lingenfelter; Blaine R.;
(Hartland, MI) ; Brune; John E.; (Stockbridge,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARTHUR J. PLANTAMURA;GENERAL CHEMICAL PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS LLC.
90 EAST HALSEY ROAD
PARSIPPANY
NJ
07054
US
|
Assignee: |
GenTek Technologies Marketing,
Inc.
Parsippany
NJ
|
Family ID: |
38532017 |
Appl. No.: |
11/277468 |
Filed: |
March 24, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/90.44 ;
123/90.27; 123/90.39 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01L 2001/187 20130101;
F01L 1/185 20130101; F01L 2305/00 20200501; F01L 1/2405 20130101;
F01L 2303/00 20200501; F01L 2820/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/090.44 ;
123/090.27; 123/090.39 |
International
Class: |
F01L 1/02 20060101
F01L001/02; F01L 1/18 20060101 F01L001/18 |
Claims
1. In a roller follower that pivots about a lash adjuster of
internal combustion engines comprising a one-piece, cold-formed,
elongate metal body having a generally U-shaped cross-section and
having an intermediate portion, a first valve contact end portion,
and a second lash adjuster contact end portion, said intermediate
portion having two substantially parallel side walls and a large
elongate upper opening, said first end portion having a top wall
and two side walls extending downwardly therefrom generally
inverted U-shaped recess to receive an end of a valve stem, said
second end lash adjuster contact portion having a second top wall
and side walls extending downwardly there from, the improvement
comprises an anti-tipping clip secured to the lash adjuster end and
having a pair of legs extended around the lash adjuster contact so
as to afford stability for the assembly.
2. The roller follower of claim 1 wherein legs of the lash adjuster
clip comprises a flat configuration.
3. The roller follower of claim 1 wherein the lash adjuster clip
comprises a wire leg configuration.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a roller follower for a Type II
internal combustion engine and more particularly to a roller
follower devised with an anti-tipping feature placed at the socket
end of the rocker arm.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A key factor for roller follower design is mass at the valve
end. Reducing the amount of moving mass can improve engine
performance by using more aggressive valve lift profiles, which in
turn can improve engine power, raise limiting speed, and reduce
hydrocarbon emissions. It is common knowledge a Type II valve train
roller follower is configured to include a socket end to engage a
lash adjuster, a valve pad end to engage a valve, and a bearing
between the ends that contacts an over head cam. When the roller
follower is placed in the head on the lash adjuster and valve,
before the cam shaft is installed, there is a degree of freedom for
the roller follower to tip side to side. The roller follower needs
that side to side freedom for any misalignment that may have
occurred when the bearing was installed into the roller follower.
This misalignment allows the roller follower to still be functional
and perform as designed. During engine operation if the bearing is
not exactly parallel to the valve pad the roller follower, without
any valve containment feature, can slide off the valve stem causing
the cylinder to misfire and reducing engine performance. To keep
the roller follower from sliding off the valve integral formed
guide walls or an additional part is added to the roller follower
at the valve pad end.
[0003] Another important function of the rocker arm valve guide
walls is to prevent the roller follower from tipping over and
falling into the engine head during the automated engine assembly
process. Once the cam shaft is put into place during the assembly
process the roller follower will be securely held on the lash
adjuster and valve tip. To keep the roller follower from tipping
the rocker arm valve guide walls need to be greater than about 3 mm
in height. This provides enough valve stem to guide wall contact to
limit how much the roller follower can tip and not fall off. By
adding wall height to control tipping you also add additional
moving mass which is undesirable for engine performance.
[0004] Consequently, there exists a need for a roller follower that
combines using guide walls less then 3 mm to reduce valve pad end
mass and still provide enough stability to not tip during engine
assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The anti-tipping arrangement of the invention comprises
providing legs of a suitable height at the socket end of a Type II
roller follower. This anti-tipping feature of the invention is
advantageously devised with legs that extend down around the lash
adjuster plunger to provide stability for the roller follower.
[0006] The stability providing feature of the invention has no
significant impact on, i.e., is not a detriment to, the mass at the
valve end. Additional advantages of the invention will be apparent
from the detailed description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a valve train
including an overhead camshaft with cam lobes, lash adjuster, valve
and roller follower.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective disassembled bottom view of the clip
and roller follower with roller.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective more detailed bottom view of the
roller follower per se, i.e., with roller omitted.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled roller
follower with clip in place.
[0011] FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the assembled roller
follower with clip in place.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the top
of the lash adjuster with the roller follower of the invention in
place.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pivot clip of the
invention provided with an outer socket clearance hole, a plunger
body clearance hole and flat clip legs.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the roller
follower with the clip device of FIG. 7 in place.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the roller
follower with an alternative anti-tipping device comprising a wire
clip in position on the roller follower.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Referring to the figures of the drawings, FIG. 1 refers to a
Type II Valve Train design which includes overhead camshaft 16
provided with cam 10 having a cam lobe 11, lash adjuster 12, valve
13 and roller follower 14. The roller follower 14 is in contact
with the camshaft cam lobe 11. As the lobe camshaft 16 and cam 11
rotate the cam lobe 11 displaces the roller follower 14. The roller
follower 14 pivots, i.e., reciprocates on the lash adjuster 12. The
lash adjuster is devised to maintain zero clearance between the
cam, rocker arm and valve throughout the lift event so that there
is no separation between the valve contact portion 22 of the rocker
arm and valve 13 causing what is known as valve loss motion
resulting in poor engine performance. The roller follower 14
translates the rotating camshaft motion into linear motion which
opens and closes the valve 13.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, elements of the roller
follower are illustrated. The roller follower 14 comprises a main
body 18 with side walls 20 generally comprising U-shape
cross-section, pivot socket 19 which engages the lash adjuster 12
and valve contacting portion 22. An opening 21 is provided in the
side walls 20 to mount a shaft 26 which passes through the roller
follower body and is preferably surrounded by t multiple needle
bearings 27 (shown in FIG. 1) and roller 17. Roller 17 is
positioned between side walls 20 and pivot socket 19 and valve
contacting portion, valve pad 22. The valve contact portion is
provided with guide extensions 23 that are parallel to side walls
20. As shown in FIG. 2, roller follower 14 is illustrated in
accompaniment but not engaged with the anti-tipping clip 15.
[0018] In FIGS. 4 and 5 the anti-tipping clip 15 shown separate in
FIG. 2 and FIG. 7 is engaged on the assembled roller follower
14.
[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-section at the top of the lash
adjuster 12 which engages the pivot socket 19 of the roller
follower.
[0020] In FIG. 7 the pivot clip 15 which contains socket clearance
hole 24, plunger body clearance hole 26 and clip leg 25 is
shown.
[0021] In the enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 8, the clip 15 in
position is illustrated in greater detail.
[0022] FIG. 9 illustrates an alternated clip 30 with wire form legs
31 and 32, secured to the roller follower body 18a. Reference
numbers followed by the lower case "a" in FIG. 9 identify elements
that function similar to the earlier mentioned elements bearing
similar numbers.
[0023] To keep the roller follower 14 from sliding off the valve 13
integral formed guide walls 23 or an additional part is added to
the roller follower contiguous to the valve pad 22 end. Another
important function of the rocker arm valve guide walls is to
prevent the roller follower from tipping over and falling into the
engine head during automated engine assembly process, e.g., in
order to keep the roller follower from tipping the rocker arm valve
guide walls need to be greater than about 3 mm in height. This
provides reasonable assurance that enough valve stem to guide wall
contact is provided so that any occurring tipping of the roller
follower will not result in a displacement of the roller follower.
It is to be noted that adding wall height to control tipping also
results in additional moving mass which is undesirable for engine
performance. It is thus seen that a roller follower is provided
that uses minimum necessary guide walls of the order of less than 3
mm to reduce valve pad end mass and still provide enough stability
to prevent tipping during engine assembly. The anti-tipping feature
of the invention is advantageously devised with legs that extend
down around the lash adjuster plunger to provide stability for the
roller follower. The stability providing anti-tipping adjunct of
the invention does not introduce a significant impact on, i.e., is
not a detriment to, the mass at the valve end of the roller
follower.
[0024] Although the invention has been described in terms of a
specific embodiment, one skilled in the art can vary or substitute
other obvious elements or embodiments and these are meant to be
included herein. The invention is only to be limited by the scope
of the appended claims.
* * * * *