DE102011081225A1 - Guiding- or clamping rail for use in control assembly for traction drive of internal combustion engine, has supporting body, which has side facing traction unit and another side turned away from traction unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The guiding rail (1) has a supporting body (2), which has a side (3) facing the traction unit and another side (4) turned away from the traction unit. A channel (5) extends through the supporting body from the area (6) of the latter side to another area (7) spaced from the former area. The channel is formed on the opposite surfaces in a mutually opening manner. The supporting body is designed in one-piece or two-pieces. An independent claim is included for a traction drive with a continuous traction unit.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a guide or tensioning rail for a traction means, such as a chain or a belt having traction mechanism of an internal combustion engine, with a support body having a first, the traction means facing side and a second, the traction means opposite side, wherein a channel extending through the support body from a first region of the second side to a second region spaced therefrom.

Clamping or guide rails are used in internal combustion engines, in particular in timing drives. These tension or guide rails are used to tension a traction means, such as a chain or a belt. The traction means, namely a endless traction means drives, after it has been driven by a crankshaft, one or more camshafts and / or shafts of ancillaries. Such guide or tensioning rails are often produced as aluminum die-cast profiles or plastic profiles, in particular reinforced plastic profiles, for example by means of glass fibers. In some particular applications, PA 66 with or without glass fiber reinforcement has been found to be advantageous.

Recently, the internal combustion engine geometries have become more and more complicated, which is why it has become necessary to provide installation channels which are independent of the effect even through such guide or tensioning rails. These installation channels should be suitable for additional purposes, in particular for the implementation of an oil dipstick.

From the prior art, a solution is already offered for this, namely in the EP 1 561 968 B1 , There, a device for an internal combustion engine, with a clamping or guide rail for a flexible drive means, in particular for a timing chain of an internal combustion engine, and disclosed with the internal combustion engine component, wherein the clamping or guide rail a support body and one to the flexible Drive means pressable guideway comprises, the flexible drive means is in contact with the guideway, an installation channel is formed closed on its peripheral surface, the installation channel is formed with a first open end and a second open end, and the engine related component at least extends partially through the installation channel, further wherein the clamping or guide rail comprises the effective independent of the guideway installation channel, the wall of the installation channel is formed by the support body and the first open end and the second open end are arranged at opposite front ends of the clamping or guide rail.

However, it is the weight of the guide or clamping rail can be further reduced, the assembly can be facilitated, and in complicated motor geometries in particular a costly installation can be avoided and the existing space can be used efficiently.

Disclosure of the invention

This is inventively achieved in that the channel is designed to be mutually open on opposing surfaces.

In this way, the channel can be manufactured cost-effectively by means of lateral demoulding. It requires less support material, which is why the support body and thus the guide or clamping rail is easier.

This also has an effect on fuel consumption, which in turn is beneficial. Since the maintenance and operating costs for an internal combustion engine with a corresponding traction drive having a guide or tensioning rail according to the invention, are lower than in comparable internal combustion engines.

Such a guide or tensioning rail is particularly suitable for use together with an oil dipstick or oil dipstick, since no additional space for guiding this rod is more necessary.

Advantageous embodiments are claimed in the subclaims and are explained in more detail below.

Thus, it is advantageous if the support body is designed in one piece or the support body is designed in two parts, wherein the channel is located in a parting plane separating these two parts. In the one-piece design in particular the assembly costs are reduced.

The guiding function remains ensured if the channel is only partially closed by tabs of the supporting body towards a first or second side surface connecting the first side to the second side. It is advantageous if the tabs overlap.

It is also advantageous if the tabs of the first side surface are offset from the tabs of the second side surface. In this variant, the leadership function is guaranteed despite particularly low material requirements.

To be particularly advantageous, it has been found that the tabs have an extension in the longitudinal direction of the channel, which are smaller than the extent of voids between the tabs, seen in the longitudinal direction of the channel. A particularly lightweight and weight-optimized guide or clamping rail design is then the result.

A guide or tensioning rail is especially optimized for weight when the tabs and empty spaces are dimensioned such that through openings aligned orthogonally to both side surfaces are provided from the first side surface to the second side surface. The production is thereby particularly simplified, whereby an economical production can be realized.

It is also advantageous if the channel is arc-shaped and extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the guide or clamping rail.

A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the first side of the support body is designed to bear the traction means or to receive its sliding coating, wherein the sliding coating is in turn designed to bear against the traction means.

It is advantageous if the channel has a rectangular, preferably square cross-section.

The invention also relates to a traction mechanism drive with an endless traction means, such as a chain or a belt, with a guide or tensioning rail in previously described inventive design.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. In this drawing, a first embodiment is shown.

Show it:

1 a perspective view of a first guide rail according to the invention and

2 an illustration of the guide rail according to the invention 1 from a back side.

The figures are merely schematic in nature and are only for the understanding of the invention. The same elements are given the same reference numerals.

In 1 is a guide rail 1 shown. The guide rail 1 could also be designed as a tensioning rail. The guide rail 1 is to come in contact with a traction means, namely a chain or a belt, formed as part of a traction mechanism drive of an internal combustion engine.

The guide rail 1 has a support body 2 on. The supporting body 2 has a first page 3 , which faces a traction means and a second side 4 , which faces away from a traction means. A channel 5 extends through the integrally formed support body 2 , The supporting body 2 can also be designed in several parts, in particular in two parts, wherein the channel 5 in a parting plane of the supporting body 2 is located, wherein the dividing plane, the two parts of the support body 2 separates each other.

The channel 5 extends from a first area 6 to a second area 7 , The first area 6 and the second area 7 are on the second, the traction means facing away 4 of the supporting body 2 located. The first page 3 and the second page 4 are through a first side surface 8th and a second side surface 9 , which run parallel to each other, connected in parallel. The first side surface 8th is the front side surface and the second side surface 9 is the back side surface.

The channel 5 runs arcuately through the support body 2 , substantially in the direction of a longitudinal direction 10 of the supporting body 2 , The longitudinal direction is essentially by the extension of a first attachment eye 11 and a second attachment eye 12 established.

On the first side surface 8th and the second side surface 9 are equidistantly spaced tabs 13 held up, which by voids 14 are separated from each other. Longitudinal 10 seen, thus change tabs 13 and voids 14 from. While on the first side surface 8th a tab 13 is located on the second side surface 9 about the same place a white space 14 available. The voids 14 are in the longitudinal direction 10 but seen larger than the tabs 13 ,

This causes that adjacent to the respective tabs 13 Through openings 15 are orthogonal to the front side surface and the rear side surface aligned and extending through the entire support body 2 extend therethrough, thus the first side surface 8th with the second side surface 9 connect to.

The channel 5 has a square cross section.

The voids 14 Form pockets that allow lateral removal of the mold for cost reduction.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

 guide rail

2

 supporting body

3

 first page

4

 second page

5

 channel

6

 first area

7

 second area

8th

 first side surface / front side surface

9

 second side surface / rear side surface

10

 longitudinal direction

11

 first fastening eye

12

 second fastening eye

13

 flap

14

 whitespace

15

 Through opening

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 1561968 B1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Guiding or tensioning rail for a traction means, such as a chain or a belt having a traction mechanism drive of an internal combustion engine, with a supporting body ( 2 ), a first, the traction means facing side ( 3 ) and a second, the traction means opposite side ( 4 ), wherein a channel ( 5 ) through the support body ( 2 ) from a first area ( 6 ) the second page ( 4 ) to a second area ( 7 ), Characterized gekennzeich net, that the channel ( 5 ) is designed to be mutually open on opposite surfaces. Guiding or tensioning rail according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting body ( 2 ) is designed in one piece or the supporting body ( 2 ) is designed in two parts, wherein the channel ( 5 ) is located in a parting plane separating these two parts. Guide or tensioning rail according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the channel ( 5 ) of tabs ( 13 ) of the supporting body ( 2 ) only in sections to the first page ( 3 ) with the second page ( 4 ) connecting first or second side surface ( 8th or 9 ) is closed. Guide or tensioning rail according to claim 3, characterized in that the tabs ( 13 ) of the first side surface ( 8th ) relative to the tabs ( 13 ) of the second side surface ( 9 ) are offset. Guide or tensioning rail according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the tabs ( 13 ) an extension in the longitudinal direction ( 10 ) of the channel ( 5 ) that are smaller than the extent of voids ( 14 ) between the tabs ( 13 ) longitudinal ( 10 ) of the channel ( 5 ). Guide or tensioning rail according to claim 5, characterized in that the tabs ( 13 ) and voids ( 14 ) are dimensioned so that orthogonal to both side surfaces ( 8th and 9 ) aligned passage openings ( 15 ) from the first side surface ( 8th ) to the second side surface ( 9 ). Guide or tensioning rail according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the channel ( 5 ) is arcuate in shape and substantially in the longitudinal direction ( 10 ) of the guide rail ( 1 ) or the tensioning rail extends. Guide or tensioning rail according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first side ( 3 ) of the supporting body ( 2 ) is designed for the installation of the traction means or for receiving a sliding coating, wherein the sliding coating is in turn designed for the installation of a traction means. Guide or tensioning rail according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the channel ( 5 ) has a rectangular, preferably square cross-section. Traction drive with an endless traction means, such as a chain or a belt, with a guide or tensioning rail according to one of the preceding claims.

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