JP2017187014A - Temperature sensitive type valve mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-cost temperature sensitive type valve mechanism capable of having thermal performance confirmed.SOLUTION: A pump housing 14 is provided with a main oil path 15, and a return oil path 16 is provided substantially in parallel with the main oil path 15. In addition, a valve insertion hole 17 whose tip almost reaches the return oil path 16 is provided to the pump housing 14 across the main oil path 15. The valve insertion hole 17 has a hole opening provided with a female screw 18, and a through hole 19 extending to outside the pump housing 14 is provided nearby the tip. A temperature sensitive type valve mechanism 20 can be inserted into the valve insertion hole 17 at any time.EFFECT: The temperature sensitive type valve mechanism needs to be carried in a liquid tank or thermostatic chamber together with the pump housing before, the present invention eliminates the need, and the temperature sensitive type valve mechanism which is compact and lightweight is only carried in the liquid tank or thermostatic chamber. Consequently, there is provided the low-cost temperature sensitive type valve mechanism that can have thermal performance confirmed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism that is attached to a structure (such as a pump housing or a cylinder block) having an oil passage and releases the lubricating oil out of the oil passage according to the temperature of the lubricating oil flowing through the oil passage.

  A temperature-sensitive valve is known that is attached to a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine and allows the lubricating oil to escape to the outside of the oil passage according to the temperature of the lubricating oil flowing through the oil passage (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (FIG. 7)).

  As shown in FIG. 7 of Patent Document 1, the cylinder block (13) (the numbers in parentheses indicate the symbols described in Patent Document 1. The same applies hereinafter), the lubricating oil supply passage (6b), the bypass passage. A hole (51), a through hole (61) and a temperature sensitive valve (12) are provided.

  The bypass through hole (51) is blocked by the upper surface of the temperature sensitive valve (12). When the oil temperature is lowered, the temperature sensing valve (12) contracts and the upper surface of the temperature sensing valve (12) is separated from the bypass hole (51). Then, the lubricating oil in the supply passage (6b) passes through the side of the temperature sensing valve (12) and is discharged from the through hole (61). By relieving the lubricating oil at a low temperature, the load on the engine can be reduced, and the fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine can be reduced.

In general, the valve mechanism includes a valve and a valve box that houses the valve. In Patent Document 1, the cylinder block (13) corresponds to a valve box, and the temperature sensitive valve (12) corresponds to a valve. The interval between the bypass hole (51) and the temperature sensitive valve (12) corresponds to the valve opening.
In order to confirm the thermal performance of the valve mechanism, it is necessary to investigate the correlation between the temperature of the lubricating oil and the valve opening.

In the configuration of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to check the thermal performance of the valve mechanism by immersing the cylinder block (13) together with the temperature sensitive valve (12) in a liquid bath or putting it in a thermostatic bath.
Although the temperature-sensitive valve (12) is a small part, the cylinder block (13) is a medium- or large-sized part, so that the cost for confirming the performance of the valve mechanism increases.

  While cost reduction of structures, such as a cylinder block, is required, the technique which can reduce the performance confirmation cost of a temperature sensing valve (12) is calculated | required.

JP-A-8-93430

  An object of the present invention is to provide a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism that can confirm thermal performance at low cost.

The invention according to claim 1 is a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism that is attached to a structure having an oil passage and releases the lubricating oil to the outside of the oil passage according to the temperature of the lubricating oil flowing through the oil passage.
A fixed portion fixed to the structure, a thermo element that is supported or abutted on the fixed portion and arranged in the oil passage, a valve fixed to the other of the thermo element, and a valve surrounding the valve A box, and a connecting portion that extends from the fixed portion and surrounds the thermo-element and supports the valve box and has a passage through-hole through which the lubricating oil passes so that the lubricating oil hits the thermo-element, A discharge port that is opened and closed by the valve is provided in the valve box, and the lubricating oil is allowed to escape from the discharge port to the outside of the oil passage.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 2, the valve box is integrally formed by the connection part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 3, a connection part and a valve box are separate bodies, and the valve box is fastened by the connection part via the crimping part or the screw part, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the connecting portion is fastened to the fixing portion via a caulking portion or a screw portion.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the connecting portion is fastened to the fixing portion via the caulking portion, and the caulking portion is fastened by caulking over the entire circumference.

  The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the connecting portion is fastened to the fixing portion via a circlip.

  The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the groove width of the clip storing groove for storing the circlip is set to be larger than the thickness of the circlip, and the circlip has a spring washer shape.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 8, the connection part is provided with the several through-hole provided along the clip accommodation groove | channel.

  The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the structure, the valve box and the connecting portion are made of an aluminum alloy.

  In the invention according to claim 10, the structure is a cylinder block of the engine, and the cylinder block has a cylinder block wall or a plate attached to the cylinder block at the outlet of the discharge port, and is discharged from the discharge port. A temperature-sensitive valve mechanism is arranged in the cylinder block so that the lubricating oil hits the wall or plate and then flows down to the oil reservoir.

In the invention according to claim 1, the valve and the valve box are attached to the fixed portion. Therefore, the valve characteristics such as the valve opening degree can be confirmed only by the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism including the fixed portion, the valve, and the valve box. That is, it is not necessary to carry a structure such as a cylinder block into a liquid tank or a thermostatic bath as in the conventional case. In the present invention, only a small and lightweight temperature-sensitive valve mechanism needs to be carried into a liquid tank or a thermostatic tank.
As a result, the present invention provides a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism that can confirm thermal performance at low cost.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 2, the valve box is integrally formed in the connection part. Since the number of parts is reduced, the number of assembly steps can be reduced.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 3, a connection part and a valve box are separate bodies, and a valve box is fastened by a connection part via a crimping part or a screw part. After confirming the mutual position of the discharge port and the valve, it can be fastened while adjusting the dimensions. Production errors that inevitably exist in parts can be absorbed. More accurate hydraulic characteristics can be obtained.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 4, the connection part is fastened by the fixing | fixed part via the caulking part or the screw part. As in the third aspect, after confirming the mutual position of the discharge port and the valve, it can be fastened while adjusting the dimensions. Production errors that inevitably exist in parts can be absorbed. More accurate hydraulic characteristics can be obtained.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 5, a connection part is fastened by the fixing | fixed part via a caulking part, and this caulking part is fastened by the caulking over a perimeter. When the deformation is fastened by caulking over the entire circumference, it is possible to suppress the collapse and misalignment, and to obtain smooth sliding of the valve 25 and highly accurate hydraulic control.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 6, the connection part is fastened by the fixing | fixed part via the circlip. The circlip is stored in the clip storage groove, and the circlip can move in the clip storage groove. The connecting part can move slightly with respect to the fixing part in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fixing part.
Both the fixed portion and the connecting portion are attached to the structure, but the center of the hole for attaching the connecting portion may be shifted or inclined with respect to the center of the hole for attaching the fixing portion. Deviations and inclinations occur due to production errors during machining, temperature differences during use, and secular changes after long-term use.
The shift and inclination are absorbed by the circlip relatively moving in the clip storage groove. As a result, the sensitive valve mechanism can be easily attached and the temperature sensitive valve mechanism can be used for a long period of time.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 7, the groove width of the clip accommodation groove | channel which accommodates a circlip is set larger than the thickness of a circlip, and the circlip is made into the spring washer shape. The circlip or the clip storage groove can be slightly moved in the longitudinal axis direction of the fixing portion because the circlip is fitted in the clip storage groove. In the present invention, since the circlip has a spring washer shape, the movement of the fixing portion in the longitudinal axis direction can be suppressed by the spring action.

  In the invention which concerns on Claim 8, the connection part is equipped with the several through-hole provided along the clip accommodation groove | channel. After fastening the connecting part to the fixed part, the state of the circlip can be confirmed through the through hole. When a defect is recognized, the diameter of the circlip can be reduced while passing the jig through the through hole. In this state, the connecting portion can be removed from the fixing portion and fastened again.

In the invention which concerns on Claim 9, a structure, a valve box, and a connection part consist of aluminum alloys. Since the thermal expansion coefficients are approximated, the clearance between the structure and the valve box, and between the structure and the connecting portion can be minimized, so that oil leakage from the clearance is minimized.
Therefore, a large amount of oil does not leak even if a sealing material is not disposed on the outer peripheral side of the valve box or the connecting portion, and more accurate control can be performed because there is little oil leakage.

  In the invention according to claim 10, the structure is a cylinder block of the engine, and the cylinder block has a cylinder block wall or a plate attached to the cylinder block at the outlet of the discharge port, and is discharged from the discharge port. A temperature-sensitive valve mechanism is arranged in the cylinder block so that the lubricating oil hits the wall or plate and then flows down to the oil reservoir.

  If the lubricating oil discharged from the discharge port falls directly into the oil reservoir, the splash rises and this splash entrains the air. As a result, undesirable bubbles increase in the lubricating oil.

  In this regard, in the present invention, the lubricating oil discharged from the discharge port is once applied to the wall or plate. And since lubricating oil flows down along a wall or a plate, it becomes difficult for a splash to go up and it becomes small to the extent that the entrainment of air is accept | permitted.

It is a figure which shows the correlation of the temperature sensitive type valve mechanism which concerns on this invention, and an oil pump. It is an exploded view of the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to the present invention. It is a figure of the oil pump provided with the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of a thermo element. It is an exploded view of the temperature sensitive valve mechanism which concerns on the example of a change. It is a figure explaining the assembly procedure of a temperature sensitive valve mechanism. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the temperature-sensitive type valve mechanism which concerns on the further example of a change. It is a figure which shows the correlation of the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism which concerns on this invention, and a cylinder block. It is an exploded view of a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism employing a circlip. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of FIG. 9 was expanded. It is an attachment figure of a spring washer-shaped circlip. It is a figure explaining the relationship between a circlip and a pump housing. It is an attachment figure of a plain washer-shaped circlip. It is a principal part exploded view of the temperature-sensitive mechanism which employ | adopted the spring pin. It is a principal part assembly drawing of the temperature-sensitive mechanism which employ | adopted the spring pin. It is a figure explaining the example of a change of a connection part.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are viewed in the direction of the reference numerals.

An example in which the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism 20 of the present invention is detachably attached to the oil pump 11 as the structure 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the oil pump 11 as the structure 10 includes an inner gear 12, an outer gear 13, and a pump housing 14 that houses these gears 12 and 13. When the inner gear 12 is rotated by a part of the engine power, the outer gear 13 is rotated. During this rotation, the volume of the gap G between the gears 12 and 13 changes, and this change causes the lubricating oil to be sucked in as shown by the arrow (1), pressurized, and discharged as shown by the arrow (2).

The pump housing 14 is provided with a main oil passage 15 as an oil passage, and a return oil passage 16 is provided substantially parallel to the main oil passage 15. When the main passage 15 is at a high hydraulic pressure, the lubricating oil is returned to the return oil passage 16 by a general relief valve (not shown). In addition, the pump housing 14 is provided with a valve insertion hole 17 that crosses the main oil passage 15 and has a tip that reaches the vicinity of the return oil passage 16. The valve insertion hole 17 is provided with a female screw 18 at the hole opening, and a through hole 19 that communicates with the outside of the pump housing 14 in the vicinity of the tip.
Therefore, the temperature sensitive valve mechanism 20 can be inserted into the valve insertion hole 17 at any time.

The configuration of the temperature sensitive valve mechanism 20 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism 20 includes a hooked plug 22 as a fixing portion 21, a thermo element 24 on which one (in this example, a piston 23) is supported by the hooked plug 22, It consists of a valve 25 fixed to the other of the thermoelement 24, a valve box 26 that surrounds the valve 25, and a connecting portion 27 that extends from the hooked plug 22 and supports the valve box 26.

  The hooked plug 22 includes a hook 31 at the top, a hexagonal hole 32, and a male screw 33 at the middle. In addition, at the lower part of the hooked plug 22, a central recess 34 that houses one end of the piston 23 is provided at the center, and an annular groove 35 into which the upper part of the connecting part 27 is inserted is provided. A caulking tube portion 36 is provided. By inserting and turning the hexagon wrench into the hexagon hole 32, the hooked plug 22 is rotated. Note that the hexagonal hole 32 may be omitted, and the collar 31 may be polygonal.

  The thermo element 24 has an internal structure, which will be described later with reference to FIG. In addition, a second cylindrical portion 39 surrounding the small diameter extension 38 extending from the valve 25 is provided in the lower portion of the thermo element 24.

  The valve 25 includes a valve cylinder portion 41, a lid portion 42 that closes the upper end of the valve cylinder portion 41, and a small-diameter extension portion 38 that extends upward from the lid portion 42 and has a smaller diameter than the valve cylinder portion 41. The lid portion 42 is provided with a plurality of through holes 43 that penetrate vertically. The small-diameter extension 38 is hollow so that air can escape and easily fit into the second cylinder 39.

  In this example, the valve box 26 and the connecting portion 27 are integrated. Since the number of parts is small, the assembly man-hour is reduced. However, as will be described later, the valve box 26 and the connecting portion 27 may be separate parts.

The connecting portion 27 is a cylindrical body having a pair of flow path through holes 44 and 44 for allowing the lubricating oil to pass therethrough. A spring receiving portion 45 for receiving the return spring 37 is provided at the lower portion.
The valve box 26 is a cylindrical body that accommodates the valve 25 so as to be movable in the axial direction. The valve box 26 has an annular groove 46 and a discharge port 47 at an intermediate position in the height direction, and a groove 49 that houses a seal material 48 at a lower portion.
The valve box 26 is formed thin so that the outer diameter of the periphery of the part where the discharge port 47 is formed is smaller than the other part over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. As a result, oil can be discharged without stagnation regardless of the phase of the discharge port 47.

The hole width of the flow path through hole 44 is preferably larger than the outer diameter of the thermo element 24. This is because the flow path resistance is reduced. Further, if the flow path through hole 44 is arranged in a phase facing the main flow path 15, the flow path resistance can be reduced. In addition to a pair, the flow-through hole 44 may be three or more.
The valve box 26 and the connecting portion 27 are manufactured by casting, forging, total cutting (cutting out), or a combination of these processes. However, since the discharge port 47 is required to have a precise opening area, cutting is desirable. .

  As shown in FIG. 3, the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism 20 is attached to the pump housing 14 by screwing the male screw 33 into the female screw 18. Then, the thermo element 24 can be seen from the main flow path 15 through the flow path through hole 44. Since the lubricating oil flows through the flow passage through holes 44, 44, the lubricating oil flowing through the main oil passage 15 always contacts the thermo element 24.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the thermo element 24 includes a piston 23, an elastic film 51 surrounding the piston 23, a case 52 surrounding the elastic film 51, and between the case 52 and the elastic film 51. It consists of thermo wax 53 to be enclosed. When the temperature of the lubricating oil is low, the thermowax 53 is contracted, and the valve 25 is not hung (not overlapping) on the discharge port 47 on the valve box 26 side. As a result, the lubricating oil flows as shown by arrow (3). That is, the lubricating oil flows in the order of the through holes 43 and 43, the discharge port 47, and the through hole 19 of the pump housing 14, and is discharged to an oil reservoir 67 to be described later.

When the temperature of the lubricating oil rises, the thermo wax 53 expands and the volume increases.
Then, as shown in FIG.4 (b), the protrusion length of piston 23 increases. Since the piston 23 is stopped by the hooked plug 22, the case 52 and the valve 25 move to the discharge port 47 side. As a result, for example, about half of the opening area of the discharge port 47 is closed by the valve 25.
When the temperature of the lubricating oil further rises, the thermowax 53 further expands and the volume further increases. As a result, the discharge port 47 is completely closed by the valve 25.
When the temperature of the lubricating oil decreases, the thermowax 53 contracts and returns to the position of FIG. 4A from FIG. 4B due to the return action of the return spring 37.

The discharge port 47 and the through hole 19 are important elements in flowing lubricating oil.
As described above, the discharge port 47 is preferably a cutting hole formed by cutting. On the other hand, the through hole 19 may be a cast hole in addition to the cutting hole.

The cast hole will be described in detail.
When the pump housing 14 is a cast product, the through hole 19 can be a cast hole. The core is set in the mold, and the molten metal is poured into the mold in this state. In the case of the die casting method, the core is drawn from the casting, and in the case of the sand casting method, the core is broken and removed. In any case, since the cored hole can be formed at the same time as the casting, the cutting process is unnecessary, and the cost can be reduced.

However, the core may move slightly due to the pressure of the molten metal. As a result, the center of the core hole is offset slightly from the center of the through hole 16.
Therefore, when the through hole 19 is a cast hole, the following measures are taken.
The hole diameter of the discharge port 47 is d1, and the hole diameter of the cast hole (through hole 19) is d2. The hole diameter of the through hole 19 is increased so that the hole diameter d1 <the hole diameter d2. The offset amount is allowed up to (d2-d1) / 2. When the offset is assumed to be large, it can be dealt with by setting the hole diameter d2 of the through hole 19 large.
When the through hole 19 is a cutting hole, the hole diameter d2 can be made closer to the hole diameter d1 in the range of d1 <d2, and the diameter of the through hole 19 can be reduced.

Next, a modification example will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting portion 27 and the valve box 26 can be separate parts. Since others are the same as FIG. 2, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted using a code | symbol.
For example, a female screw 54 is provided on the upper portion of the valve box 26, and a male screw 55 is provided on the connecting portion 27. By screwing the male screw 55 into the female screw 54, the fastening is completed by the screw portion 56. It should be noted that a male screw 55 may be provided in the valve box 26 and a female screw 54 may be provided in the connecting portion 27.
By rotating each other, the axial position of the discharge port 47 of the valve box 26 can be accurately adjusted.

Next, the assembly procedure of the temperature sensitive valve mechanism 20 according to the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the thermo element 24 is brought into contact with the hooked plug 22 in a predetermined procedure. And the small diameter extension part 38 by the side of the valve | bulb 25 is fitted to the 2nd cylinder part 39 by the side of the thermoelement 24. FIG. The fitting length is adjusted and fixed so that the distance H1 between the lower surface of the flange 31 and the lower end (tip) of the bulb 25 is a predetermined distance. Preferably, the fixing length can be easily adjusted by press-fitting.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the connecting portion 27 is fitted into the first caulking tube portion 36 on the side of the flanged plug 22. Preferably, a positioning jig 57 is fitted into the discharge port 47. Alternatively, a positioning jig (not shown) may be inserted into the valve box 26 from below in the drawing so that the same axial position as the positioning jig 57 is obtained.

Then, in a state where the first caulking cylinder portion 36 is not caulked, the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism 20 is placed in, for example, 80 ° C. oil. It may be put in water, but it is put in oil for rust prevention and lubrication at the initial operation.
Then, the valve 25 approaches the positioning jig 57 as shown in FIG. After a predetermined time has elapsed (after the thermowax 53 or the like has reached 80 ° C.), the axial position of the connecting portion 27 is adjusted so that the valve 25 and the positioning jig 57 come into contact with each other. Variations in hydraulic characteristics can be reduced because the position is adjusted at the normal temperature (high frequency) of the lubricating oil.

  After the adjustment, the distance H2 between the lower surface of the flange 31 and the hole center of the discharge port 47 became a predetermined length. In this state, caulking forces F and F are applied to reduce the diameter of the first caulking tube portion 36. At this time, if the deformation due to the caulking force F is caulked over the entire circumference, the fall due to the caulking and the misalignment can be suppressed, so that smooth sliding of the valve 25 and highly accurate hydraulic control can be performed. Due to this diameter reduction, the first caulking tube portion 36 is caulked and connected to the upper portion of the connecting portion 27. Thus, a first caulking portion 59 composed of the first caulking cylinder portion 36 and the upper portion of the connecting portion 27 is formed.

Next, the example of a change of the fixing | fixed part 21 is demonstrated.
The fixing portion 21 may be a wrinkle-free plug 61 as shown in FIG.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, the fixing portion 21 may be composed of a polygonal column 62 and a collar 31. Since the polygonal column 62 is poor in airtightness, an O-ring 63 is disposed under the collar 31. In addition, the holding plate 64 and the bolts 65 and 65 prevent the fixing portion 21 from being lifted. If it is the structure of FIG.7 (b), it is not necessary to provide an internal thread in the structure 10. FIG.
Therefore, the shape and form of the fixing portion 21 can be variously changed.

Next, an example in which the structure 10 is the cylinder block 66 will be described.
FIG. 8A shows a comparative example. In an ordinary engine, since an oil pan is attached under the cylinder block 66, an oil sump 67 is always formed. In the comparative example, the lubricating oil 68 discharged from the discharge port 47 falls directly into the oil reservoir 67. The larger the height difference h1 between the oil level and the discharge port 47, the larger the splashes 69, 69 rise. Splashes 69 and 69 entrain the surrounding air. As a result, bubbles in the lubricating oil 68 increase. Bubbles are not preferred because they adversely affect lubrication on the lubrication surface.

  FIG. 8B shows an embodiment, and a wall 71 is provided on the cylinder block 66 at a position facing (opposing) the discharge port 47. If it is difficult to provide the wall 71, the plate 72 is attached to the cylinder block 66. Since the kinetic energy of the lubricating oil 68 is reduced by decreasing the height difference h2 and hitting the wall 71 or the plate 72, the splash hardly rises from the oil reservoir 67. Therefore, it is possible to prevent bubbles from being mixed into the lubricating oil 68.

  The structure 10 may be of any type as long as it has an oil path such as a speed reducer in addition to an oil pump and a cylinder block.

In the embodiment described above, as described with reference to FIG. 6C, the connecting portions 27 are connected to the fixed portion 21 by applying the caulking forces F and F and reducing the diameter of the first caulking tube portion 36. Concluded.
This fastening structure can be implemented with a circlip or a spring pin instead of caulking. Specific examples thereof will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a clip storage groove 74 is provided at the distal end portion (lower end portion in the figure) of the fixing portion 21. Further, a clip storage groove 75 is provided at the upper end of the connecting portion 27 shown in the lower part. A circlip 76 is interposed between the fixing portion 21 and the connecting portion 27. Since the other components are the same as those in FIG. 5 (or FIG. 2), the reference numerals in FIG. 5 (or FIG. 2) are used and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The circlip 76 is officially named JIS-B2804 “C-shaped retaining ring”, but is also a part called a snap ring or a retailing ring. In the present invention, the widely used name “Circlip” is used.

FIG. 10B is a supplementary explanatory diagram of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 10B, the circlip 76 has a spring washer shape. When the thickness of the circlip 76 (corresponding to the spring contact length, the thickness of the wire) is t1, the spring free length is t2, and the groove width of the clip storage groove 74 is t3, the relationship is set to t1 <t3 and t1 <t2. Has been.

  Specifically, the groove width t3 is preferably 1.05 to 1.4 times the circlip thickness t1, and the spring free length t2 is greater than the thickness (spring contact length) t1, although it varies depending on the manufacturing method. .

  As shown in FIG. 10A, the fixed portion 21 is formed with a pointed male taper portion 77 on the tip side from the clip housing groove 74. Then, the circlip 76 is pushed in along the male taper portion 77 as shown by an arrow (4). The diameter of the circlip 76 is expanded by the male tapered portion 77. When pushed further, the circlip 76 fits into the clip housing groove 74.

  The connecting portion 27 is formed with a female taper portion 78 that is widened toward the tip side from the clip housing groove 75. As shown by the arrow (5), when the fixing portion 21 is to be inserted into the connecting portion 27, the circlip 76 is reduced in diameter by the female tapered portion 78. When inserted further, the circlip fits into the clip storage groove 75.

As shown in FIG. 11, the circlip 76 is fitted in the clip storage groove 74 on the fixed portion 21 side and the clip storage groove 75 on the connection portion 27 side, whereby the connection portion 27 is fastened to the fixed portion 21.
A slight gap t4 is secured between the fixed portion 21 and the connecting portion 27.
The circlip 76 is elastically deformed in the radial direction. There is a gap between the circlip 76 and the clip storage groove 74. As a result, the connecting portion 27 is allowed to move slightly relative to the fixing portion 21 in the direction perpendicular to the axis with respect to the longitudinal axis 79 of the fixing portion 21.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the pump housing 14 is provided with a hole 81 for attaching (screwing) the fixing portion 21 and a hole 82 for attaching (inserting) the connecting portion 27. Since the hole 81 and the hole 82 are separated by the main oil passage 15, the center 81a of the hole 81 and the center 82a of the hole 82 are slightly shifted from each other by δ1.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 12B, the center 82a of the hole 82 may be slightly inclined with respect to the center 81a of the hole 81 by δ2.
The deviation or inclination occurs due to a manufacturing error during machining, a temperature difference during use of the structure 10, a secular change after long-term use, or the like.

As described with reference to FIG. 11, the connecting portion 27 can move in a direction perpendicular to the axis with respect to the longitudinal axis 79 of the fixing portion 21 with respect to the fixing portion 21, and therefore, in FIGS. The deviation δ1 and inclination δ2 shown are absorbed.
Therefore, the operation of attaching the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism 20 to the pump housing 14 is facilitated, and the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism 20 can be used for a long period of time.

As shown in FIG. 11, a relatively large axial gap exists between the circlip 76 and the clip storage groove 74. This axial clearance is calculated by (t3-t1) / 2. As described in FIG. 10B, the circlip 76 has a spring washer shape. The axial movement of the connecting portion 27 relative to the fixed portion 21 in FIG. 11 is elastically limited by the spring force of the spring washer.
The circlip 76 may have a flat washer shape in addition to the spring washer shape. A specific example is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the case of a circlip 76 having a flat washer shape (but it is still a C-shaped retaining ring), the groove width t <b> 5 of the clip storing groove 74 is the thickness of the circlip 76. It is about 1.15 times t1. Since there is no spring action, the connecting member 27 can move in the axial direction with respect to the fixing member 21 although it is very slight. On the other hand, the circlip 76 is inexpensive.

Therefore, FIG. 13 may be adopted if the cost is important, and FIG. 11 may be adopted if the performance is important.
That is, the circlip 76 has been proposed in various shapes (regardless of JIS standard products or non-standard products), but any of them can be used and is not limited to the shape of the embodiment.

Next, an embodiment in which the spring pin 86 is employed will be described.
As shown in FIG. 14, a pin hole 84 may be provided in the fixing portion 21, a pin hole 85 may be provided in the connecting portion 27, and a spring pin 86 may be inserted (press-fit) between the pin holes 84 and 85.
The spring pin 86 is officially named JIS B 2808 “Grooved Spring Pin”, has one groove (slit), and has a C-shaped cross section. Due to the C-shaped cross section, the diameter is reduced when an external force is applied, and the original diameter is restored when the external force is removed. Thus, the spring pin 86 is elastically deformed.

As shown in FIG. 15, the connecting portion 27 is fastened to the fixing portion 21 via the spring pin 86.
In addition to the elastic action of the spring pin 86, since the gap t4 exists between the fixed portion 21 and the connecting portion 27, the shift or inclination of the connecting portion 27 with respect to the fixed portion 21 is allowed.

  A metal rod having a smaller diameter than the pin hole (FIG. 14, reference numeral 85) and a hammer for hitting the metal rod are prepared. In FIG. 15, one end of the spring pin 86 is hit (pressed) with the metal rod. Then, a part of the spring pin 86 protrudes from the connecting portion 27. Grasp this protruding part with nippers or pliers and pull it out. Since the extracted spring pin 86 is scratched, it is discarded. The fixed portion 21 and the connecting portion 27 are fastened with a new spring pin 86.

  Thus, the spring pin 86 is easier to attach and detach than the circlip 76. In addition, the circlip 76 is likely to be a special product, but the spring pin 86 has an advantage that it is inexpensive because it is supported by a commercially available product.

Next, a modified example of the connecting portion 27 described in FIG. 10 will be described based on FIG.
As shown in FIG. 16A, a plurality of through holes 88 are provided along the clip storage groove 75 in the connecting portion 27. The through hole 88 is a hole penetrating from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical connecting portion 27 to the inner peripheral surface. Others are the same as FIG. 10A, and the detailed description is omitted by diverting the reference numerals.

The through-hole 88 may be a square hole, a vertically long square hole, an elliptical hole, a long hole, or a perfect circular hole in addition to a horizontally long rectangular hole. Further, although it is recommended that four through holes 88 be provided at 90 ° pitch or three at 120 ° pitch, the number and pitch are not particularly limited.
The fixing portion 21 is fastened to the connecting portion 27 together with the circlip 76. The cross section taken along the line bb after the connection is shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 16 (b), the connecting portion 27 is fastened to the fixing portion 21 via a circlip 76. The state of the circlip 76 (attachment posture, etc.) can be confirmed by looking through the through hole 88. The confirmation may be confirmed by analyzing the image obtained by the CCD camera in addition to the visual confirmation by the operator.
If the circlip 76 is defective, the circlip 76 is reduced in diameter while passing the jigs 89 and 89 through the through holes 88 and 88. In this state, the fixing portion 21 is removed (separated) from the connecting portion 27.
As a result, when a defect such as inappropriate valve position at a predetermined temperature is found after assembly, the circlip 76 can be removed and reassembled.

  In addition, as shown in FIG.16 (c), the through-hole 88 may be a notch hole with which upper direction was open | released. The notched hole is easier to process than the non-notched hole, and the number of processing steps can be reduced.

  Further, it is recommended that the structure 10, the valve box 26, and the connecting portion 27 shown in FIG. 7 and the like are all made of a similar material, for example, an aluminum alloy. If all materials are similar, the thermal expansion coefficients are approximated. As a result, the clearance (gap) between the structure 10 and the valve box 26 and between the structure 10 and the connecting portion 27 can be minimized, so that oil leakage from the clearance is minimized.

In FIG. 7 and the like, the sealing material 48 is disposed between the outer peripheral side of the valve box 26 and the structure 10, but the sealing material 48 can be omitted if oil leakage can be minimized.
That is, even if the sealing material 48 is not disposed on the outer peripheral side of the valve box 26, a large amount of oil does not leak, and since there is little oil leakage, more accurate control can be performed.

  The present invention is suitable for a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism incorporated in an oil pump.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Structure, 11 ... Oil pump which is an example of structure, 15 ... Oil path (main oil path), 16 ... Oil path (return oil path), 20 ... Temperature-sensitive valve mechanism, 21 ... Fixing part, 22 A plug with a hook as an example of a fixing part, 23 ... a piston, 24 ... a thermo element, 25 ... a valve, 26 ... a valve box, 27 ... a connecting part, 44 ... a passage through hole, 47 ... a discharge port, 55 ... a male screw, 56 ... Screw part, 59 ... Caulking part (first caulking part), 61 ... Wrinkle-free plug as another example of the fixing part, 66 ... Cylinder block as another example of the structure, 68 ... Lubricating oil, 71 ... Wall, 72 ... Plate, 74, 75 ... Clip housing groove, 76 ... Circlip, 79 ... Long axis of fixed part, 88 ... Through hole, t1 ... Thickness of circlip, t3 ... Groove width of clip housing groove

Claims (10)

In a temperature-sensitive valve mechanism that is attached to a structure having an oil passage and releases the lubricating oil to the outside of the oil passage according to the temperature of the lubricating oil flowing through the oil passage.
A fixed portion fixed to the structure, a thermo element that is supported or abutted on the fixed portion and arranged in the oil passage, a valve fixed to the other of the thermo element, and a valve surrounding the valve A box, and a connecting portion that extends from the fixed portion and surrounds the thermo-element and supports the valve box and has a passage through-hole through which the lubricating oil passes so that the lubricating oil hits the thermo-element,
A temperature-sensitive valve mechanism, wherein a discharge port that is opened and closed by the valve is provided in the valve box, and the lubricating oil is allowed to escape from the discharge port to the outside of the oil passage.   The temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the valve box is integrally formed with the connecting portion.   The temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion and the valve box are separate bodies, and the valve box is fastened to the connecting portion via a caulking portion or a screw portion.   The temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connecting portion is fastened to the fixing portion via a caulking portion or a screw portion.   The said connection part is fastened by the said fixing | fixed part via a caulking part, and the said caulking part is fastened by the caulking over a perimeter, The deformation | transformation of any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. Temperature-sensitive valve mechanism.   The said connection part is fastened by the said fixing | fixed part via the circlip, The temperature sensitive valve mechanism of any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The temperature-sensitive valve according to claim 6, wherein a groove width of a clip storage groove for storing the circlip is set larger than a thickness of the circlip, and the circlip has a spring washer shape. mechanism.   8. The temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the connecting portion includes a plurality of through holes provided along the clip storage groove.   The temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the structure, the valve box, and the connecting portion are made of an aluminum alloy.   The structure is a cylinder block of an engine, and the cylinder block includes a wall of the cylinder block or a plate attached to the cylinder block at an outlet of the discharge port, and the lubricating oil discharged from the discharge port. The temperature-sensitive valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-sensitive valve mechanism is arranged in the cylinder block so as to flow down to an oil reservoir after hitting the wall or the plate.

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