Electric cam phaser with fixed sun planetary

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10107154-B2
Application number	US-201515315871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	Jun 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A cam phaser (30, 130, 230) dynamically adjusts a rotational relationship of a camshaft (32) of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft operably connected with a phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242). The cam phaser (30, 130, 230) can include a planetary gear assembly having a ring gear (34, 134, 234) driven by the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242), a planetary gear carrier (36, 136, 236) connected to the camshaft (32), a sun gear (38, 138, 238), and at least one rotatable planetary gear (40, 140, 240). The cam phaser (30, 130, 230) can include a sprocket housing (44, 144, 244) connected with the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242) and operable for connection with the ring gear (34, 134, 234), a cover plate (46, 146, 246) secured to the carrier (36, 136, 236), and a adapter (48) connected between the sun gear (38, 138, 238) and an electric motor (47) for changing an angular position of the sun gear (38, 138, 238) and adjustably varying a cam phase position of the camshaft (32) relative to the crankshaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric cam phaser ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) for dynamically adjusting a rotational relationship of a camshaft ( 32 ) of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft, the improvement comprising:
a phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) to be operably driven by the crankshaft;
a planetary gear assembly having a ring gear ( 34 , 134 , 234 ) driven by the phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ), a planetary gear carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) connected to the camshaft ( 32 ), and a sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ), all rotatable about a common axis, the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) supporting at least one rotatable planetary gear ( 40 , 140 , 240 ) in meshing engagement between the ring gear ( 34 , 134 , 234 ) and the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 );
a sprocket housing ( 44 , 144 , 244 ) connected for rotation with the phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ), the sprocket housing ( 44 , 144 , 244 ) connecting the phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) and the ring gear ( 34 , 134 , 234 ) for rotation; and
a timing bracket ( 54 ) connected to the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) and operable for limiting angular rotation of the sun gear ( 38 ) between first and second end limits of travel.

2. The improvement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover plate ( 46 , 146 , 246 ) rotatable about the common axis and secured to the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) and closing an open end of the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ), the cover plate ( 46 , 146 , 246 ) enclosing the planetary gear assembly.

3. The improvement of claim 1 , further comprising:
an adapter ( 48 ) connected between the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) and an electric motor ( 47 ), the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) driven in rotational movement by the electric motor ( 47 ) for changing an angular position of the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ), the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) driving the at least one planetary gear ( 40 , 140 , 240 ) thereby changing a rotational position of the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) and adjustably varying a cam phase position of the camshaft ( 32 ) relative to the crankshaft.

4. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein the ring gear ( 34 , 234 ) is formed integrally on a splined inner diameter of the sprocket housing ( 44 , 244 ).

5. The improvement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation prevention mechanism including at least one serrated washer ( 39 a ) and a belleville washer ( 66 ) interposed between the at least one serrated washer ( 39 a ) and the carrier ( 236 ), the at least one serrated washer ( 39 a ) normally biased against the sun gear ( 238 ) by the belleville washer ( 66 ) preventing rotation of the sun gear ( 238 ) when the carrier ( 236 ) is disconnected from the camshaft ( 32 ), the belleville washer ( 66 ) compressible and allowing rotation of the sun gear ( 238 ) when the carrier ( 236 ) is connected to the camshaft ( 32 ).

6. The improvement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drive gear assembly ( 72 ) operable for driving the sun gear ( 238 ) including a worm gear ( 76 ) operably driven by an electric motor ( 47 ) and driving a pinion gear ( 71 ), a wedged shaped bushing ( 94 ) connected to the pinion gear ( 71 ), a keyed bushing ( 98 ) connected to the sun gear ( 238 ), a split ring ( 96 ) interposed between the keyed bushing ( 98 ) and the wedge shaped bushing ( 94 ), and a tensioning bolt ( 77 ), the split ring ( 96 ) operable for radial expansion when the tensioning bolt ( 77 ) extends through the wedged shaped bushing ( 94 ) and the split ring ( 96 ) to threadedly engage the keyed bushing ( 98 ) connecting the sun gear ( 238 ) and the pinion gear ( 71 ).

7. In an electric cam phaser ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) for dynamically adjusting a rotational relationship of a camshaft ( 32 ) of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft, the improvement comprising:
a phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) to be operably driven by the crankshaft;
a planetary gear assembly having a ring gear ( 34 , 134 , 234 ) driven by the phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ), a planetary gear carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) connected to the camshaft ( 32 ), and a sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ), all rotatable about a common axis, the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) supporting at least one rotatable planetary gear ( 40 , 140 , 240 ) in meshing engagement between the ring gear ( 34 , 134 , 234 ) and the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ), the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) being stationary for maintaining a cam phase position of the camshaft ( 32 ) relative to the crankshaft and being driven in rotation to different adjustable angular positions for varying the cam phase position;
a sprocket housing ( 44 , 144 , 244 ) connected for rotation with the phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ), the sprocket housing ( 44 , 144 , 244 ) operable for connecting the phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) and the ring gear ( 34 , 134 , 234 ) for rotation; and
a rotation prevention mechanism including at least one serrated washer ( 39 a ) and a belleville washer ( 66 ) interposed between the at least one serrated washer ( 39 a ) and the carrier ( 236 ), the at least one serrated washer ( 39 a ) normally biased against the sun gear ( 238 ) by the belleville washer ( 66 ) preventing rotation of the sun gear ( 238 ) when the carrier ( 236 ) is disconnected from the camshaft ( 32 ), the belleville washer ( 66 ) compressible and allowing rotation of the sun gear ( 238 ) when the carrier ( 236 ) is connected to the camshaft ( 32 ).

8. The improvement of claim 7 , further comprising:
a timing bracket ( 54 ) connected to the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) and operable for limiting angular rotation of the sun gear ( 38 ) between first and second end limits of travel.

9. The improvement of claim 7 , further comprising:
an adapter ( 48 ) connected between the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) and an electric motor ( 47 ), the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) driven in rotational movement by the electric motor ( 47 ) for changing an angular position of the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ), the sun gear ( 38 , 138 , 238 ) driving the at least one planetary gear ( 40 , 140 , 240 ) thereby changing a rotational position of the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) and adjustably varying a cam phase position of the camshaft ( 32 ) relative to the crankshaft.

10. The improvement of claim 7 , further comprising:
a cover plate ( 46 , 146 , 246 ) rotatable about the common axis and secured to the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ) and closing an open end of the carrier ( 36 , 136 , 236 ), the cover plate ( 46 , 146 , 246 ) enclosing the planetary gear assembly.

11. The improvement of claim 7 , further comprising:
a drive gear assembly ( 72 ) operable for driving the sun gear ( 238 ) including a worm gear ( 76 ) operably driven by an electric motor ( 47 ) and driving a pinion gear ( 71 ), a wedged shaped bushing ( 94 ) connected to the pinion gear ( 71 ), a keyed bushing ( 98 ) connected to the sun gear ( 238 ), a split ring ( 96 ) interposed between the keyed bushing ( 98 ) and the wedge shaped bushing ( 94 ), and a tensioning bolt ( 77 ), the split ring ( 96 ) operable for radial expansion when the tensioning bolt ( 77 ) extends through the wedged shaped bushing ( 94 ) and the split ring ( 96 ) to threadedly engage the keyed bushing ( 98 ) connecting the sun gear ( 238 ) and the pinion gear ( 71 ).

12. In an electric cam phaser ( 30 , 130 , 230 ) for dynamically adjusting a rotational relationship of a camshaft ( 32 ) of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft, the improvement comprising:
a phaser sprocket ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) to be operably driven by

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc
• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Pluta Christopher J
• Marsh Michael
• Grieb Michael

Classifications

• F01L1/352 Primary

  using bevel or epicyclic gear · CPC title

• F01L2001/3522

  with electromagnetic brake · CPC title