Guide assembly for valve lifters of engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10247052-B2
Application number	US-201715663870-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2017
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A guide assembly for a valve lifter of an engine. The valve lifter is at least partly received within a bore of a body of the engine and an end portion of the valve lifter is exposed to an outside of the body. The guide assembly includes a pin and a guide. The pin is adapted to be fixedly coupled to the end portion of the valve lifter, while the guide is adapted to be coupled to the body. The guide defines a channel. The pin is received within the channel and cooperates with the channel to facilitate a movement of the valve lifter along an axis of the bore and to restrict a rotation of the valve lifter about the axis of the bore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A guide assembly for a valve lifter of an engine, the guide assembly comprising:
a pin adapted to be fixedly coupled to an end portion of the valve lifter, wherein the valve lifter is at least partly received within a bore of a body of the engine, with the end portion of the valve lifter being exposed to an outside of the body of the engine; and
a guide adapted to be coupled to the body, the guide defining a channel, wherein
the pin is received within the channel and cooperates with the channel to facilitate a movement of the valve lifter along an axis of the bore and to restrict a rotation of the valve lifter about the axis of the bore;
wherein the body includes one or more slots, the guide including one or more stems adapted to be inserted and press-fitted into the one or more slots to facilitate a coupling of the guide to the body.

2. The guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the guide is adapted to be coupled to the body such that the channel is exposed to the outside of the body.

3. The guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pin is adapted to be coupled to the end portion such that the pin extends normal to a longitudinal axis of the valve lifter.

4. The guide assembly of claim 1 , further including an O-ring disposed around each of the one or more stems, each O-ring adapted to facilitate a retention of the one or more stems within the one or more slots.

5. The guide assembly of claim 1 , wherein the guide includes a first guide member and a second guide member spaced apart from the first guide member, the channel being defined between the first guide member and the second guide member.

6. A valve train for an engine, the engine including a body, the valve train comprising:
a valve lifter adapted to be at least partly received within a bore of the body and being movable along an axis of the bore, the valve lifter including an end portion adapted to be exposed to an outside of the body;
a pin fixedly coupled to the end portion; and
a guide adapted to be coupled to the body, the guide defining a channel, wherein
the pin is received within the channel and cooperates with the channel to facilitate a movement of the valve lifter along the axis and to restrict a rotation of the valve lifter about the axis;
wherein the body includes one or more slots, the guide including one or more stems adapted to be inserted and press-fitted into the one or more slots to facilitate a coupling of the guide to the body.

7. The valve train of claim 6 , wherein the guide is adapted to be coupled to the body such that the channel is exposed to the outside of the body.

8. The valve train of claim 6 , wherein the pin is coupled to the end portion such that the pin extends normal to a longitudinal axis of the valve lifter.

9. The valve train of claim 6 , wherein the end portion defines an aperture, the pin is coupled to the end portion by being press-fitted within the aperture.

10. The valve train of claim 6 , further including an O-ring disposed around each of the one or more stems, each O-ring adapted to facilitate a retention of the one or more stems within the one or more slots.

11. The valve train of claim 6 , wherein the guide includes a first guide member and a second guide member spaced apart from the first guide member, the channel being defined between the first guide member and the second guide member.

12. An engine, comprising:
a body defining a bore;
a valve lifter at least partly received within the bore and being movable along an axis of the bore, the valve lifter including an end portion exposed to an outside of the body;
a pin fixedly coupled to the end portion;
a guide coupled to the body, the guide defining a channel, wherein
the pin is received within the channel and cooperates with the channel to facilitate a movement of the valve lifter along the axis and to restrict a rotation of the valve lifter about the axis;
wherein the body includes one or more slots, the guide including one or more stems inserted and press-fitted into the one or more slots to facilitate a coupling of the guide to the body.

13. The engine of claim 12 , wherein the guide is coupled to the body such that the channel is exposed to the outside of the body.

14. The engine of claim 12 , wherein the pin is coupled to the end portion such that the pin extends normal to a longitudinal axis of the valve lifter.

15. The engine of claim 12 , wherein the end portion defines an aperture, the pin is coupled to the end portion by being press-fitted within the aperture.

16. The engine of claim 12 , further including an O-ring disposed around each of the one or more stems, each O-ring facilitating a retention of the one or more stems within the one or more slots.

17. The engine of claim 12 , wherein the valve lifter is a first valve lifter, the bore is a first bore, the axis is a first axis, and the pin is a first pin, the engine further including:
at least one second valve lifter moveable along a second axis of a second bore of the body, the at least one second valve lifter including a second end portion; and
a second pin coupled to the second end portion, wherein
the second pin is received within the channel and cooperates with the channel to facilitate a movement of the at least one second valve lifter along the second axis and to restrict a rotation of the at least one second valve lifter about the second axis.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Hittle Craig P
• Schroeder Eric L

Classifications

• F01L1/181

  Centre pivot rocking arms · CPC title

• F01L2301/00

  Using particular materials · CPC title

• F01L2305/00

  Valve arrangements comprising rollers · CPC title

• F02F7/006

  Camshaft or pushrod housings · CPC title

• F01L2307/00

  Preventing the rotation of tappets · CPC title