Method for assembling a composite housing fitted with a shaft and associated mounted elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10478926-B2
Application number	US-201414787762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2014
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A method and device for assembling a composite housing fitted with a shaft and at least one associated mounted element are disclosed. The method may include the steps of: arranging the housing in a predetermined position with respect to an actuator; arranging the shaft in a predetermined position with respect to the housing and the actuator; selecting a mounting element to be mounted on the shaft; conveying the mounting element into a predetermined position within the housing; pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes successively through an opening of the housing and an opening of the mounting element; and positioning the mounting element in a position adjacent to a heat source for a predetermined duration after the step of selecting the mounting element and prior to conveying the mounting element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for assembling a composite housing fitted with a shaft and at least one associated mounted element, comprising the steps of:
a) arranging the housing in a predetermined position with respect to an actuator, the housing having at least one opening configured to receive a shaft;
b) arranging the shaft in a predetermined position with respect to the housing and the actuator;
c) selecting a mounting element to be mounted on the shaft within the housing, the mounting element having an opening configured to receive the shaft;
d) conveying the mounting element into a predetermined position within the housing;
e) pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes successively through the opening in the housing and the opening in the mounting element to be mounted;
wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
f) subsequent to selecting the mounting element to be mounted on the shaft within the housing according to step c), and prior to conveying the mounting element into a predetermined position within the housing according to step d), further including positioning the mounting element in a position adjacent to a heat source for a predetermined duration;
g) subsequent to pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes successively through the opening in the housing and the opening in the mounting element to be mounted according to step e), selecting at least one additional mounting element and conveying the at least one additional mounting element into a predetermined position within the housing, the at least one additional mounting element having an opening configured to receive the shaft, and wherein subsequent to selecting the at least one additional mounting element, and prior to conveying the at least one additional mounting element into a predetermined position within the housing, further including positioning the at least one additional mounting element in a position adjacent a heat source for a predetermined duration; and
h) pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes through the opening in the at least one additional mounting element to be mounted.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the selected mounting element is heated to a predetermined temperature prior to conveying the selected mounting element into the predetermined position.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the selected mounting element is heated by an induction coil.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the selected mounting element is heated in a separate oven.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step h) further includes pushing an end of shaft to a predetermined position with respect to the housing after the shaft passes the opening in the at least one additional mounting element to be mounted and holding the shaft in the predetermined position for a predetermined duration.

6. A device for assembling a composite housing fitted with a shaft and at least one associated mounted element, comprising:
a support for receiving the housing, the housing having at least one opening configured to receive a shaft;
an actuator for pushing the shaft through the at least one opening of the housing;
at least one locating tool structured and arranged to select an associated mounting element to be mounted on the shaft and convey the associated mounting element to a first predetermined position within the housing;
at least one additional locating tool structured and arranged to select an additional associated mounting element to be mounted on the shaft and convey the additional associated mounting element to a second predetermined position within the housing that is disposed axially spaced apart from the first predetermined position; and
wherein the at least one additional locating tool is moveable with respect to the at least one locating tool when the actuator is operated to push the shaft.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein each of the locating tools are positioned in a predetermined, non-aligned position relative to each other before conveying each of the associated elements into the respective predetermined positions.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a heat source associated with at least one of the mounting element and the additional mounting element to be mounted on the shaft, the heat source being arranged outside the housing and at predetermined position relative to the housing.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the heat source is an induction coil.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the heat source is a separate oven.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising equipping an internal combustion engine with the assembled composite housing.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the selected at least one additional mounting element is heated to a predetermined temperature prior to conveying the selected at least one additional mounting element into the predetermined position.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the selected at least one additional mounting element is heated by an induction coil or in a separate oven.

14. A method for assembling a composite housing fitted with a shaft and at least one associated mounting element, comprising the steps of:
a) arranging the housing in a predetermined position with respect to an actuator, the housing having an opening configured to receive a shaft;
b) arranging the shaft in a predetermined position with respect to the housing and the actuator;
c) selecting a first mounting element to be mounted on the shaft within the housing, the first mounting element having an opening configured to receive the shaft;
d) conveying the first mounting element into a first predetermined position within the housing;
e) pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes successively through the opening in the housing and the opening in the first mounting element to be mounted;
wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
f) subsequent to selecting the first mounting element to be mounted on the shaft within the housing, and prior to conveying the first mounting element into a predetermined position within the housing, further including positioning the first mounting element in a position adjacent to a heat source and heating the first mounting element to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined duration;
g) selecting a second mounting element to be mounted on the shaft and conveying the second mounting element into a second predetermined position within the housing subsequent to pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes successively through the opening in the housing and the opening in the first mounting element to be mounted, the second mounting element having an opening configured to receive the shaft, and wherein subsequent to selecting the second mounting element to be mounted on the shaft within the housing, and prior to conveying the second mounting element into a second predetermined position within the housing, further including positioning the second mounting element in a position adjacent a heat source and heating the second mounting element to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined duration; and
h) pushing the shaft via the actuator so that the shaft passes through the opening in the second mounting element to be mounted;
wherein the second mounting element is conveyed into the second predetermined position after the shaft passes through the opening in the first mounting element and advances further through the housing past the first mounting element.

15

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Moreau Mikael M
• Coulaud Daniel M
• Dautel Frank
• Cutrona Roberto
• Menonna Antonio
• Flender Thomas
• Steichele Stefan

Classifications

• F16B4/006

  Shrinkage connections, e.g. assembled with the parts being at different temperature · CPC title

• F01L2303/01

  Tools for producing, mounting or adjusting, e.g. some part of the distribution · CPC title

• F01L2001/0476

  Camshaft bearings · CPC title

• F01L1/053

  overhead type · CPC title

• B23P2700/02

  Camshafts · CPC title