Geometry for increasing torque capacity of riveted vane lever

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611751-B1
Application number	US-201514858223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 18, 2015
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A number of variations may include a product comprising: a vane lever comprising a first end; a second end; a top surface; and a bottom surface; and an opening defined by an inner surface which extends through the top surface and the bottom surface of the second end, and wherein at least a portion of the inner surface comprises a non-cylindrical, multi-lobed shape.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product comprising: a vane lever comprising a first end; a second end; a top surface; and a bottom surface; and an opening which extends through the top surface and the bottom surface of the second end, wherein the opening is defined by an inner surface and at least one intervening surface between the inner surface and the top surface, wherein at least a portion of the opening comprises a non-cylindrical, multi-lobed shape; and wherein the intervening surface extends between the top surface and the inner wall at each of the lobes only.

2. The product of claim 1 wherein the intervening surface is at least one of rounded, chamfered, grooved, or a plurality of ridges.

3. The product of claim 1 further comprising a vane component, wherein the vane component comprises a vane rotatably mounted to a vane shaft, wherein the vane shaft includes a stepped portion; and wherein the stepped portion extends through the non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening of the vane lever and is attached to the vane lever.

4. The product of claim 3 wherein the stepped portion is cylindrical.

5. The product of claim 3 wherein the stepped portion is non-cylindrical.

6. The product of claim 3 wherein the vane shaft is riveted to the vane lever.

7. A vane pack assembly comprising:
an upper vane ring;
a lower vane ring;
a plurality of vane components each having a vane shaft and a vane interposed between the upper vane ring and the lower vane ring;
an adjustment ring surrounding a portion of the upper vane ring having a plurality of openings; and
a plurality of vane levers each having a non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening which extends between a top surface and a bottom surface at a second end of the vane lever, wherein the non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening is defined by an inner surface and at least one intervening surface between the inner surface and the top surface of the vane lever, wherein the non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening surrounds a portion of the vane shaft and wherein a first end of the vane lever attaches to adjustment ring; and the intervening surface extends between the inner surface and the top surface at each of the lobes only.

8. The vane pack assembly of claim 7 wherein the non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening is at least one of a diamond shape, a square shape, a triangular shape, or other polygon shape.

9. The vane pack assembly of claim 7 wherein the intervening surface is at least one of rounded, chamfered, ridged, or grooved.

10. The vane pack assembly of claim 7 wherein the intervening surface is a plurality of ridges.

11. The vane pack assembly of claim 7 where the vane shaft includes a stepped portion which is constructed and arranged to extend within the vane lever opening.

12. The vane pack assembly of claim 11 wherein the stepped portion is cylindrical.

13. The vane pack assembly of claim 11 wherein the stepped portion is non-cylindrical.

14. A method of joining a vane lever and a vane shaft of a vane pack assembly together comprising: providing a vane lever having a non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening defined by an inner surface and at least one intervening surface between a top surface of the vane lever and the inner surface, wherein the at least one intervening surface is at each of the lobes only; fitting the vane lever onto a vane shaft; and riveting the vane shaft to the vane lever.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the vane shaft further comprises a stepped portion having a non-cylindrical multi-lobed shape to match the non-cylindrical, multi-lobed opening for orienting the vane lever during assembly.

16. A product comprising: a vane lever comprising a first end; a second end; a top surface; and a bottom surface; and an opening which extends through the top surface and the bottom surface of the second end, wherein the opening is defined by an inner surface and at least one intervening surface between the inner surface and the top surface, wherein at least a portion of the opening comprises a non-cylindrical, multi-lobed shape; and wherein the opening transitions from a cylindrical shape at the bottom surface to the non-cylindrical, multi-lobed shape at the top surface.

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Zagone John
• Morgan Eli
• Williams Greg

Classifications

• F05D2240/12

  Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes · CPC title

• F05D2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F05D2220/40

  in turbochargers · CPC title

• F01D9/041

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01D17/16 Primary

  by means of nozzle vanes · CPC title