Bearing frame or cylinder head cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9447706-B2
Application number	US-201414261054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2014
Priority date	Apr 25, 2013
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A bearing frame or cylinder head cover of an internal combustion engine may include at least one camshaft mounted therein. The camshaft may be tunnel-mounted in at least two bearing openings arranged along a bearing channel. At least two radial bearings may be arranged on the camshaft, each of the radial bearings having an outer bearing shell. The outer bearing shells of the at least two radial bearings may include different outer diameters, each of the respective outer diameters adapted to be complementary to an inner diameter of the associated bearing opening. The inner diameters of the bearing openings may decrease in a direction of assembly of the camshaft along the bearing channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing frame or cylinder head cover of an internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one camshaft mounted therein,
the camshaft tunnel-mounted in at least two bearing openings arranged along a bearing channel,
at least two radial bearings arranged on the camshaft in respective bearing openings, each of the radial bearings having an outer bearing shell,
wherein the outer bearing shells of the at least two radial bearings include different outer diameters, each of the respective outer diameters adapted to be complementary to an inner diameter of the associated bearing opening, and
wherein the inner diameters of the bearing openings decrease in a direction of assembly of the camshaft along the bearing channel.

2. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 ,
wherein the respective bearing shells are arranged in a positive-locking and rotationally fixed manner in the associated bearing opening.

3. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 , wherein at least one bearing shell includes at least one of: a round outer contour with a relief-ground area, a round outer contour without relief-ground area and an angular outer contour.

4. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 , wherein at least one radial bearing includes at least one of a sliding bearing and an antifriction bearing.

5. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 4 ,
wherein at least one radial bearing includes the antifriction bearing comprising rolling elements running directly on the camshaft, wherein a bearing ring encloses said rolling elements.

6. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 , wherein oil supply for lubricating the radial bearing occurs via at least one of (i) the camshaft and (ii) the cylinder head cover or bearing frame.

7. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 , wherein at least one bearing shell has a stepped outer contour, and the associated bearing opening has a stepped inner contour complementary to said outer contour.

8. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 , wherein at least one bearing shell is fixed in the associated bearing opening via at least one of a bayonet lock and a circular spline connection.

9. An internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one of a bearing frame and a cylinder head cover;
at least one camshaft tunnel-mounted in at least two bearing openings arranged along a bearing channel; and
at least two radial bearings arranged on the camshaft and in the respective bearing openings, the at least two radial bearings each having an outer bearing shell;
wherein at least one bearing shell includes a stepped outer contour and the associated bearing opening includes a complimentary stepped inner contour;
wherein the outer bearing shells of the at least two radial bearings include variable outer diameters, the respective outer diameters being complimentary to an inner diameter of the associated bearing opening;
wherein the inner diameters associated with the bearing openings decrease in a direction of assembly of the camshaft along the bearing channel.

10. A method for assembling a camshaft in a bearing frame or a cylinder head cover of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
prefabricating the camshaft together with at least two radial bearings and at least one cams, the at least two radial bearings each including a bearing shell having a defined outer diameter,
positioning the camshaft into a bearing channel of the bearing frame or the cylinder head cover, the bearing channel including bearing openings having inner diameters complimentary to the associated outer diameters of the bearing shells,
arranging the at least two radial bearings into the associated bearing openings of the bearing frame or the cylinder head cover via an assembly aid,
wherein the respective bearing shells of the at least two radial bearings include variable outer diameters and the complimentary inner diameters of the associated bearing openings decrease in a direction of assembly along the bearing channel.

11. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one bearing shell includes at least one of a triangular, quadrangular and octagonal outer contour.

12. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 2 , wherein at least one bearing shell is fixed via at least one of a bayonet lock and a circular spline connection in the associated bearing opening.

13. The bearing frame or cylinder head cover according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of at least one bearing shell has a stepped outer counter and the associated bearing opening has a stepped inner contour complimentary to said outer contour.

14. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein the respective bearing shells are arranged in a positive-locking and rotationally fixed manner in the associated bearing opening.

15. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein at least one bearing shell includes at least one of: a round outer contour with a relief-ground area, a round outer contour without relief-ground area, and an angular outer contour.

16. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein at least one radial bearing includes at least one of a sliding bearing and an antifriction bearing.

17. The internal combustion engine according to claim 16 , wherein at least one radial bearing includes the antifriction bearing having rolling elements running directly on the camshaft, wherein a bearing ring encloses the rolling bearing elements.

18. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein oil supply for lubricating at least one radial bearing occurs via at least one of the camshaft and the cylinder head cover or bearing frame.

19. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein at least one bearing shell is fixed in the associated bearing opening via at least one of a bayonet lock and a circular spline connection.

20. The internal combustion engine according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one bearing shell includes at least one of a triangular, quadrangular and octagonal outer contour.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Dautel Frank
• Flender Thomas
• Heidenberger Klaus
• Menonna Antonio
• Schwellenbach Kurt
• Steichele Stefan

Classifications

• F01L2303/01

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

• F01L2810/02

  Lubrication · CPC title

• F01M9/102

  of camshaft bearings · CPC title

• F01L2301/00

  Using particular materials · CPC title

• F01L2001/0537

  Double overhead camshafts [DOHC] · CPC title