JP2001329814A - Spring retainer for internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To heighten rigidity of a spring retainer formed of sheet metal and reduce the weight. SOLUTION: A spring bracket flange 3 is connected to the lower end of a cylindrical part 2, both members are integrally formed by sheet metal, an abutting part of a valve spring 6 in the spring bracket flange 3 is bent upward, and a ring-shaped guide part 3a is formed on the bent part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spring retainer used for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a spring retainer made of sheet metal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A valve retainer for an internal combustion engine uses a spring retainer which is fixed to an upper end portion of an engine valve via a pair of cotters and supports an upper end of a valve spring.

[0003] This spring retainer is generally formed by forging a steel material, and is formed to be thick as a whole, so that it is heavy and obstructs in reducing the inertial mass of the valve train. Has become.

A conventional spring retainer which addresses such a problem is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 62-185807.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-185808 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 62-185808 disclose spring retainers made of sheet metal to reduce the weight.

[0005]

The tapered cylindrical portion of the spring retainer, into which the cotter is fitted, receives a large pressing force to expand the diameter of the cylindrical portion.
Since a large upward reaction force of the valve spring repeatedly acts on the spring receiving flange, a high rigidity is required particularly for a spring retainer mounted on an automobile engine operated at high speed and under high load.

In the case of a structure in which the spring receiving flange is simply formed integrally with the upper end of the cylindrical portion, as in the above-described conventional sheet metal spring retainer, high rigidity cannot be obtained, and the lower end of the cylindrical portion has a cotter. Therefore, there is a risk that the diameter of the spring receiving member will be reduced and the spring receiving flange will be deformed upward.

In order to increase the rigidity of the above-mentioned conventional structure, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the material. However, in such a case, the weight is reduced.

Further, as in the case of the above-mentioned conventional spring retainer, a plurality of circumferential portions of the spring receiving flange are cut away and bent downward, and this bent piece is used as a guide for positioning the valve spring. Not only does the rigidity of the spring receiving flange further decrease, but also due to the notch effect, stress concentrates on the cut corner, which may cause cracks and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has high rigidity in spite of being formed to have a substantially uniform thickness as a whole, so that the weight can be reduced as much as possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a spring retainer for an internal combustion engine according to the above.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problem is solved as follows. (1) A spring retainer for an internal combustion engine including a cylindrical portion having a tapered hole at the center in which a pair of cotters can be fitted, and a spring receiving flange connected to the cylindrical portion and supporting an upper end of a valve spring. The spring receiving flange is integrally connected to a lower end of the cylindrical portion.

(2) In the above item (1), the cylindrical portion and the spring receiving flange are integrally formed by sheet metal.

(3) In the above item (1) or (2), the abutting portion of the valve spring at the spring receiving flange is bent upward and horizontally, so that the bent step portion is directed to the side of the valve spring. To form an annular guide for restricting the movement of the guide.

(4) In the above item (1) or (2), at least a plurality of circumferential portions at the intermediate portion of the spring receiving flange are bent downward to restrict the lateral movement of the valve spring. To form a ridge guide.

(5) In any one of the above items (1) to (4), a downward annular guide piece is integrally connected to the outer peripheral edge of the spring receiving flange.

(6) In any one of the above items (1) to (5), the lower end of the cotter to be fitted into the cylindrical portion is located substantially at the same position as the upper surface on the base side of the spring receiving flange.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front elevational view in the center in a state of being assembled to a valve operating mechanism.

In both figures, a spring retainer (1)
Consists of a tapered cylindrical portion (2) that expands upward and a spring receiving flange (3) that is continuously provided outward at the lower end of the cylindrical portion (2). It is integrally formed by sheet metal processing, that is, pressing, deep drawing, spatula drawing, or the like.

An annular guide portion (3) is provided at an intermediate portion of the spring receiving flange (3) so that an outer peripheral portion to which a valve spring (6) to be described later comes in contact with and slightly rises while maintaining a horizontal state.
a) is formed.

The spring retainer (1) has a cylindrical portion (2).
The inward bead (4a) of the pair of cotters (4) (4) fitted in the tapered hole (2a) in the inside is fitted into the annular groove (5a) at the shaft end of the engine valve (5). As a result, it is fixed substantially integrally therewith.

When the cotter (4) is fitted,
The lower end is located at the same position as the upper surface on the base side of the spring receiving flange (3) or slightly lower than that. In this case, when a large pressing force is applied to the cotter (4), a part of the downward pulling force acting on the cotter (4) is received by the spring receiving flange (3), so that the cylindrical portion ( Only 2) is prevented from expanding.

The guide portion (3) in the spring receiving flange (3)
The upper end of the valve spring (6) is pressed against the lower surface outside of (a), whereby the spring retainer (1) and the engine valve (5) are constantly urged upward.

The guide portion (3a) prevents the valve spring (6) from being largely displaced outward due to contact with the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the valve spring (6) and coming off the spring receiving flange (3). However, it also has the effect of reinforcing the spring receiving flange (3).

In the first embodiment, the cylindrical portion (2)
Since the large-diameter spring receiving flange (3) is continuously provided at the lower end of the cylindrical part (2), the rigidity of the lower end of the cylindrical part (2) is lower than that of the conventional one having the spring receiving flange at the upper end of the cylindrical part (2) Significantly increase. Therefore, even if it is made of relatively thin sheet metal, the cylindrical portion (2)
There is no danger that the lower end of the member will be enlarged by the cotter (4), and its sinking is prevented.

As a result, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the cylindrical portion (2) to increase the rigidity as in the prior art, and the weight of the spring retainer (1) can be reduced. Also, a spring receiving flange (3)
Due to the reinforcing effect of the guide portion (3a) formed in the above, its rigidity is increased as compared with the conventional flat structure of the spring receiving flange, and it is prevented from being upwardly deformed by the reaction force of the valve spring (6). You.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. As described above, a flat spring receiving flange (3) connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion (2) has a slanted outer peripheral edge. A downwardly directed annular guide piece (7) is continuously provided, and the guide piece (7) restricts the lateral movement of the valve spring (6).

When such a guide piece (7) is provided, since it has a reinforcing effect, the rigidity of the spring receiving flange (3) is increased, and it is prevented from being deformed upward.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a spring receiving flange is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical portion (2).
An annular ridge guide (8) is continuously provided by recessing the substantially central portion of (3) downward, and the upper end of the valve spring (6) is pressed against the lower surface of the outer spring receiving flange (3). Then, the movement to the side is restricted.

Also in this embodiment, the ridge guide (8)
Has a reinforcing effect, the rigidity of the spring receiving flange (3) is increased, and it is prevented from being deformed upward.

In the first and third embodiments, an annular guide piece (7) (shown by a two-dot chain line) similar to FIG. 3 is continuously provided on the outer peripheral edge of the spring receiving flange (3). You may.
This makes it possible to further increase the rigidity of the spring receiving flange (3).

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the ridge guide (8) is discontinuous. For example, two or more arc-shaped ridge guides are integrally provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. It may be formed.

[0031]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by providing the spring receiving flange at the lower end of the cylindrical portion, the rigidity of the lower end of the cylindrical portion is significantly increased, and the portion is plastically deformed so as to expand its diameter. As a result, the cotter relatively sinks, and the spring receiving surface of the spring receiving flange fluctuates upward, thereby reliably preventing the engine performance from being adversely affected and the cotter coming off relatively. Can be. Further, since the rigidity is increased, the thickness of the material can be reduced to a minimum and the length of the cylindrical portion can be shortened, so that the spring retainer can be reduced in weight.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the thin spring retainer can be easily formed by a press or the like, and the weight can be further reduced.

According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, since the annular guide portion and the ridge guide also have a reinforcing effect, the rigidity of the spring receiving flange is increased, and the rigidity of the spring receiving flange is increased by the reaction force of the valve spring. Is prevented from being deformed.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the guide piece has a reinforcing action, the rigidity of the spring receiving flange can be further increased by using the guide piece or the ridge guide together.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even if a large pressing force acts on the cotter, a part of the force is received by the spring receiving flange, so that only the cylindrical portion is deformed in the radially expanding direction. Is prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is also a front view in the center longitudinal section in a state where it is assembled to a valve operating mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional front view showing a state in which a second embodiment of the present invention is assembled to a valve operating mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a front view in central section showing a state in which a third embodiment of the present invention is assembled to a valve train.

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) Spring retainer (2) Cylindrical part (3) Spring receiving flange (3a) Guide part (4) Cotta (4a) Bead (5) Engine valve (5a) Annular groove (6) Valve spring (7) Guide piece ( 8) Ridge guide

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A spring for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a tubular portion having a tapered hole at the center in which a pair of cotters can be fitted; and a spring receiving flange connected to the tubular portion and supporting an upper end of a valve spring. A spring retainer for an internal combustion engine, wherein the spring receiving flange is integrally connected to a lower end of the cylindrical portion. 2. The spring retainer for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion and the spring receiving flange are integrally formed by sheet metal. 3. An annular guide portion for restricting the lateral movement of the valve spring is formed in the bent step by bending the contact portion of the valve spring of the spring receiving flange upward and horizontally. A spring retainer for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A ridge guide for restricting a lateral movement of a valve spring by bending at least a plurality of circumferential portions of an intermediate portion of a spring receiving flange downward. A spring retainer for an internal combustion engine as described in the above. 5. The spring retainer for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein a downward annular guide piece is integrally connected to an outer peripheral edge of the spring receiving flange. 6. The spring retainer for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the cotter fitted into the cylindrical portion is located at substantially the same position as the upper surface on the base side of the spring receiving flange. .