WO2023024120A1

WO2023024120A1 - Camshaft phase regulator

Info

Publication number: WO2023024120A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/115163
Authority: WO
Inventors: 何艳桦
Original assignee: 舍弗勒技术股份两合公司
Priority date: 2021-08-27
Filing date: 2021-08-27
Publication date: 2023-03-02
Also published as: CN117795179A

Abstract

A camshaft phase regulator (10), which is used for connecting to a camshaft to adjust a rotational phase of the camshaft. The camshaft phase regulator (10) comprises a stator (1), a rotor (2), and a central valve (3), wherein the rotor (2) is coaxially sleeved within the stator (1) and is capable of rotating relative to the stator (1), and the central valve (3) is mounted at the rotor (2) so as to control the rotation of the rotor (2) relative to the stator (1). The camshaft phase regulator (10) further comprises an adapter (4), wherein the adapter (4) is located between a camshaft and the rotor (2), and allows a pressure fluid from the camshaft to flow into the rotor (2) via the adapter; and the adapter (4) is in anti-torque connection with the rotor (2). The camshaft phase regulator (10) has a simple structure and is easily assembled.

Description

camshaft phase adjuster

technical field

This application relates to the technical field of Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT for short), in particular to a camshaft phase adjuster.

Background technique

It is known that, according to the current operating conditions of the internal combustion engine, the timing of the gas exchange valves can be influenced by changing the phase between the crankshaft and the camshaft, thereby achieving beneficial effects such as reduced fuel consumption and the generation of harmful substances . This device that can adjust the phase between the crankshaft and the camshaft is called a camshaft phase adjuster.

The existing camshaft phase adjuster is connected to the camshaft and generally includes a stator, a rotor, a central valve and a one-way valve. The rotor is coaxially sleeved in the stator and can rotate relative to the stator. The central valve is installed on the rotor to control Rotation of the rotor relative to the stator, a one-way valve is arranged between the camshaft and the central valve to control pressure fluid entering the central valve, and the one-way valve is connected to the central valve through a hook. However, this assembly method will limit the size of the one-way valve, which will affect the flow rate of the pressurized fluid flowing into the central valve through the one-way valve.

Contents of the invention

The purpose of the present application is to provide a camshaft phase adjuster with simple structure, easy assembly and improved response speed of the check valve.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a camshaft phase adjuster. The camshaft phase adjuster is connected to the camshaft to adjust the rotation phase of the camshaft. The camshaft phase adjuster includes a stator, a rotor and a central valve. The rotor is coaxially sleeved in the stator and can rotate relative to the stator. The central valve is installed to control the rotation of the rotor relative to the stator, wherein the camshaft phase adjuster also includes an adapter, the adapter is located between the camshaft and the rotor, and allows the pressure fluid from the camshaft to flow into the rotor through it, and the adapter is resistant to the rotor twist connection. The provision of an adapter between the camshaft and the rotor makes it possible to adjust the necessary axial position between the camshaft phaser and the camshaft in a relatively simple manner. In addition, the cam phaser can be adapted to different camshafts by changing the adapter. In this way, the necessary development and assembly steps for providing the camshaft with the cam phaser can be eliminated, whereby the manufacturing cost of the camshaft phaser can be simplified.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the adapter is in the shape of a disc and is fixedly connected to the rotor via bolts or welding, and the center of the disc is provided with a cylindrical groove facing the rotor and a cylindrical boss facing the camshaft. Such a structure of the adapter can simplify the assembly and positioning between the rotor and the camshaft, thus reducing the assembly cost of the camshaft phase adjuster.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an oil inlet passage is formed in the rotor, and the adapter includes a plurality of oil passage holes corresponding to the oil inlet passage, and the plurality of oil passage holes are distributed on the adapter at intervals in the circumferential direction, and allow pressure fluid to flow through Among them, the oil inlet passage to the rotor is used. Therefore, when assembling, it is only necessary to align the oil inlet channel of the rotor and the oil passage hole of the adapter to realize the assembly positioning between the adapter and the rotor, so this adapter is convenient for the installation of the whole system, and requires less precision , thereby reducing the assembly cost of the camshaft phase adjuster.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the adapter further includes a one-way valve, and the one-way valve is movably installed between the adapter and the rotor to allow pressure fluid flowing through the plurality of oil holes to flow into the rotor. Therefore, the setting of the one-way valve can make the pressure fluid from the camshaft flow into the camshaft phase adjuster through the oil hole of the adapter under predetermined conditions, and can also prevent the pressure fluid from the camshaft phase adjuster from flowing back into the camshaft.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one-way valve includes a plurality of valve core parts that are adapted in shape and corresponding in position to the multiple oil holes of the adapter, and a body connected to the multiple valve core parts, and the multiple valve core parts are distributed on the body around. Therefore, when the pressure upstream of the check valve is higher than the pressure downstream of the check valve, the spool portion of the check valve is opened one way to allow pressure fluid to flow from the camshaft through the check valve into the rotor. When the pressure upstream of the check valve is less than or equal to the pressure downstream of the one-way valve, the spool of the one-way valve is at the oil hole and blocks the oil hole to prevent the pressure fluid from flowing from the camshaft to the rotor through the one-way valve , and also prevents pressure fluid from flowing from the rotor to the camshaft via the check valve. In addition, since there are multiple spool parts of the one-way valve, and the multiple spool parts are arranged corresponding to the multiple oil holes of the adapter, the total opening area of the one-way valve can be increased, thereby enabling Increase the flow rate of the one-way valve, thereby improving the response speed of the one-way valve.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one-way valve is accommodated in a cavity formed between the rotor and the adapter, the axial dimension of the cavity being larger than the thickness of the one-way valve. Utilizing the design that the axial dimension of the cavity is greater than the thickness of the one-way valve, the spool portion of the one-way valve is arranged between the rotor and the adapter in an axially movable manner.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the cavity is formed by a first recess on the adapter and a second recess on the rotor, a plurality of oil holes are provided in the first recess, and an inlet of the oil inlet channel is provided in the second recess.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first recess has substantially the same depth as the thickness of the body and a contour matching the shape of the one-way valve; the second recess is only formed corresponding to the position of the valve core, and is sequentially formed along the direction away from the adapter It includes a platform portion and a tapered portion that tapers away from the adapter. The arrangement of the tapered portion significantly improves the hydrodynamic performance of the pressure fluid entering from the oil passage hole of the adapter.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the adapter further comprises a filter arranged between the one-way valve and the camshaft and upstream of the one-way valve in the flow direction of the pressurized fluid. Preferably, the filter is mounted on the side of the adapter remote from the rotor. Of course, the filter can be installed on the side of the adapter close to the rotor, as long as the filter can filter the pressure fluid flowing into the rotor. Installing a filter upstream of the check valve can remove impurities mixed in the pressure fluid before the pressure fluid flows into the camshaft phase adjuster, thereby ensuring the quality of the pressure fluid entering the camshaft phase adjuster, thereby improving the camshaft phase Regulator life.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the filter includes a plurality of filter mesh parts that are adapted in shape and corresponding to the positions of the plurality of oil holes of the adapter. Since the screen portion is only provided for the oil hole of the adapter, the manufacturing cost of the filter can be reduced.

Description of drawings

The features, advantages, and technical effects of the exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described below by referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a camshaft phase adjuster according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a camshaft phase adjuster according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an adapter according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic side view of a camshaft phase adjuster not connected to a camshaft according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed ways

The implementation manner of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings and embodiments. The detailed description and drawings of the following embodiments are used to illustrate the principles of the application, but not to limit the scope of the application, that is, the application is not limited to the described embodiments.

In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is more than two; the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "inside", "outside" and so on are only for the convenience of describing the application and simplified descriptions, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

The orientation words appearing in the following description are the directions shown in the figure, and do not limit the specific structure of the application. In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "connection" should be interpreted in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection or a flexible connection. Disassembled connection, or integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediary. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific situations.

In order to better understand the present application, the following describes the embodiment of the present application with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the camshaft phase adjuster 10 is connected to the camshaft to adjust the rotational phase of the camshaft, thereby controlling the early/retarded opening and closing of the valves. For example, a camshaft is connected to one side of the camshaft phaser 10, not shown in the figure. A camshaft phaser 10 includes a stator 1 , a rotor 2 , a central valve 3 and an adapter 4 . The rotor 2 is coaxially sleeved in the stator 1 and can rotate relative to the stator 1 driven by the central valve 3 . The stator 1 and the rotor 2 may jointly form a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber. The first hydraulic chambers and the second hydraulic chambers are alternately distributed along the outer circumference of the rotor 2, and there is no fluid communication between the first hydraulic chambers and the second hydraulic chambers. Therefore, the rotation of the rotor 2 relative to the stator 1 can be controlled by selectively injecting pressure fluid into the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotor 2 has an inner cavity 21 and an oil inlet passage P in fluid communication with the inner cavity 21 . The inner cavity 21 is generally arranged at the radial center position of the rotor 2 and extends in the axial direction of the rotor 2 . The inner cavity 21 is substantially cylindrical. The center valve 3 is installed in the internal cavity 21 of the rotor 2 in a manner capable of moving in the axial direction of the rotor 2 .

The oil inlet passage P generally extends along the axial direction of the rotor 2 . The oil inlet passage P may have a cross-sectional shape such as a circle, an ellipse, a semicircle, or a rectangle. The inlet of the oil inlet passage P is arranged on the side where the rotor 2 is connected with the camshaft 1 and can allow the pressure fluid from the camshaft 1 to enter, while the outlet of the oil inlet passage P is exposed to the internal cavity 21 of the rotor 2 . Therefore, pressure fluid from the camshaft 1 can flow into the internal cavity 21 of the rotor 2 via the oil inlet passage P of the rotor 2 . The number of oil inlet passages P may be multiple, and the plurality of oil inlet passages P are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the rotor 2 . Preferably, a plurality of oil inlet passages P are evenly arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotor 2 .

The adapter 4 is disposed between the camshaft and the rotor 2 and allows pressurized fluid from the camshaft to flow into the rotor 2 therethrough. The adapter 4 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotor 2 . In this embodiment, the adapter 4 has four mounting holes 41 , and the adapter 4 can be fixedly connected to the rotor 2 by inserting bolts into the four mounting holes 41 . In addition, the adapter 4 and the rotor 2 can also be connected by other means, such as welding, as long as the direct torsion-resistant connection between the adapter 4 and the rotor 2 is ensured.

The adapter 4 is generally disc-shaped and includes an oil hole 42 axially penetrating through the adapter 4 itself, the oil hole 42 is arranged to correspond to and communicate with the oil inlet passage P of the rotor 2 . Therefore, the pressure fluid from the camshaft can flow into the oil inlet passage P of the rotor 2 through the oil passage hole 42 of the adapter 4 and further flow into the internal cavity 21 of the rotor 2 . In this embodiment, the number of the oil passage holes 42 is four, and the four oil passage holes 42 are arrayed at regular intervals along the circumferential direction of the adapter 4 . However, other numbers of oil passage holes 42 may also be provided, which is not limited in the present invention. The adapter 4 is provided at the disc-shaped center with a cylindrical boss 43 facing the camshaft and a cylindrical recess 44 facing the rotor 2 , wherein the cylindrical recess 44 can serve as a seat for the central valve 3 .

Thus, when the pressure fluid from the camshaft enters the internal cavity 21 of the rotor 2 through the oil passage 42 of the adapter 4 and the oil inlet passage P of the rotor 2, the camshaft phase adjuster 10 according to the present invention can use Depending on the position of the central valve 3 in the inner cavity 21 , the oil inlet passage P is selectively fluidly communicated with the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber, thereby regulating and controlling the rotation of the rotor 2 relative to the stator 1 . Specifically, when the oil inlet passage P is in fluid communication with the first hydraulic chamber, pressurized fluid will be injected into the first hydraulic chamber, thereby forcing the rotor 2 to rotate toward the direction of squeezing the second hydraulic chamber. When the oil inlet passage P is in fluid communication with the second hydraulic chamber, pressure fluid will be injected into the second hydraulic chamber, thereby forcing the rotor 2 to rotate toward the direction of squeezing the first hydraulic chamber. Alternatively, the oil inlet passage P may neither be in fluid communication with the first hydraulic chamber nor with the second hydraulic chamber, so that the positions of the rotor 2 and the stator 1 can be kept unchanged.

1 and 2, the adapter 4 includes a one-way valve 5, the one-way valve 5 is arranged on the side of the adapter 4 close to the rotor 2, and is floatingly (that is, in an axially movable manner) arranged on the rotor. 2 between adapter 4. Specifically, the one-way valve 5 has a body 51 and a spool portion 52 connected to the body 51, wherein the spool portion 52 is distributed around the body 51, and the shape of the spool portion 52 is compatible with the oil hole 42 of the adapter 4. Match and position corresponding. The check valve 5 is housed in a cavity A formed between the rotor 2 and the adapter 4 . The cavity A is in fluid communication with the oil passage hole 42 of the adapter 4 and is in fluid communication with the oil inlet passage P formed on the rotor 2 . The axial dimension of the cavity A is greater than the thickness of the one-way valve 5 . Thus, when the pressure in the camshaft is higher than the pressure in the central valve 3, the spool portion 52 of the check valve 5 can be pushed away from the oil hole 42 by the pressurized fluid, so that the pressurized fluid from the camshaft is The oil hole 42 flows into the cavity A through the one-way valve 5 , and then enters the rotor 2 through the oil inlet passage P.

In this embodiment, the cavity A is formed by a first recess A1 on the adapter 4 and a second recess A2 on the rotor 2 . The first recess A1 has a shape suitable for the one-way valve 5 , and the axial dimension of the first recess A1 is substantially equal to the thickness of the one-way valve 5 . The oil hole 42 of the adapter 4 is formed in the first recess A1. The second concave portion A2 has substantially the same depth as the thickness of the body 51 of the one-way valve 5 and a contour matched with the shape of the one-way valve 5, and the second concave portion A2 is only formed corresponding to the position of the valve core portion 52, and along the The direction away from the adapter 4 sequentially includes a platform portion and a tapered portion that tapers away from the adapter 4 . The inlet of the oil inlet passage P is located at this tapered portion. The arrangement of the tapered portion can significantly improve the hydrodynamic performance of the pressure fluid entering the cavity A from the oil hole 42 .

Therefore, when the pressure in the camshaft is higher than the pressure in the cavity A, the spool part 52 of the one-way valve 5 leaves the oil hole 42 under the push of the pressure fluid, so as to allow the pressure fluid to pass through the one-way valve from the camshaft. 5 flows into the cavity A and further flows into the rotor 2 through the oil inlet passage P, and when the pressure in the camshaft is less than or equal to the pressure in the cavity A, the spool part 52 of the check valve 5 is in the oil hole 42 and block the oil hole 42 to prevent the pressure fluid from flowing into the cavity A from the camshaft, and also prevent the pressure fluid from flowing from the cavity A to the camshaft. In this embodiment, the number of oil passage holes 42 is four, and correspondingly, the number of valve core parts 52 is also four, and the four valve core parts 52 are evenly spaced around the circumference of the body 51 . However, other numbers of spool parts may also be provided, which is not limited in the present invention.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the adapter 4 further includes a filter 6 arranged upstream of the one-way valve 5 in the flow direction of the pressurized fluid. Specifically, the filter 6 is arranged between the one-way valve 5 and the camshaft, and is press-fitted on the adapter 4 . Exemplarily, the filter 6 is arranged on a side of the adapter 4 away from the rotor 2 . Specifically, a groove B is formed on a side of the adapter 4 away from the rotor 2 , and the groove B has a shape adapted to the filter 6 for installing the filter 6 . The axial dimension of the groove B is substantially greater than the thickness of the filter 6 . The filter 6 is installed in the groove B of the adapter 4 .

The filter 6 has substantially the same shape as the one-way valve 5 , that is, it includes a body portion 61 and a screen portion 62 connected to the body portion 61 . The body part 61 of the filter 6 is sleeved on the cylindrical boss 43 of the adapter 4 , so that the filter 6 is installed on the adapter 4 . The filter mesh portion 62 of the filter 6 is distributed around the body portion 61, and is adapted in shape and position corresponding to the oil hole 42 of the adapter 4, so the pressure fluid from the camshaft will first pass through the filter mesh portion 62 of the filter 6 Then flow into the oil passage hole 42 of the adapter 4, so that the quality of the pressure fluid entering the camshaft phase adjuster 10 can be guaranteed. In this embodiment, the number of the oil holes 42 of the adapter 4 is four, and the number of the screen parts 62 of the filter 6 is correspondingly four, and the four screen parts 62 are evenly spaced around the body part 61. Circumferential distribution. However, other numbers of screen parts 62 may also be provided, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Therefore, when the pressure in the camshaft is higher than the pressure in the rotor 2, the pressure fluid from the camshaft will flow through the screen part 62 of the filter 6 and the oil hole 42 of the adapter 4 in sequence, and then push the valve of the one-way valve 5. The spool part 52 flows into the cavity A away from the oil hole 42, and then enters the inner cavity 21 through the oil inlet passage P, so that the relative position of the rotor 2 is controlled by means of the position of the central valve 3 in the inner cavity 21. Based on the rotation angle of the stator 1, the rotation phase of the camshaft is then adjusted.

It can be seen from the above embodiments that the necessary axial position between the camshaft phase adjuster 10 and the camshaft can be adjusted in a relatively simple manner by setting the adapter 4 between the camshaft and the rotor 2, and this connection method is convenient for the camshaft The assembly positioning between the shaft and the rotor 2 thus simplifies the installation process of the camshaft phaser 10 . In addition, the adapter 4 can integrate the one-way valve 5 and the filter 6 together, so the structure of the whole system can be simplified for easy assembly, and the response speed of the one-way valve 5 to the pressure fluid from the camshaft can be significantly improved.

While the present application has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, various modifications may be made thereto and equivalents may be substituted for parts thereof without departing from the scope of the present application, in particular, as long as there are no structural conflicts , the technical features mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

A camshaft phase adjuster (10), which is connected to a camshaft to adjust the rotational phase of the camshaft, the camshaft phase adjuster (10) includes a stator (1), a rotor (2) and a central valve ( 3), the rotor (2) is coaxially sleeved in the stator (1) and can rotate relative to the stator (1), and the central valve (3) is installed on the rotor (2) to control rotation of said rotor (2) relative to said stator (1), wherein,

The camshaft phaser (10) also includes an adapter (4) located between the camshaft and the rotor (2) and allowing pressure fluid from the camshaft to pass through it The flow flows into the rotor (2), and the adapter (4) is connected to the rotor (2) in a torque-proof manner.
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 1, wherein,

The adapter (4) is disc-shaped and fixedly connected to the rotor (2) via bolts or by welding, and the center of the disc is provided with a cylindrical groove facing the rotor (2) and facing The cylindrical boss of the camshaft.
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 1, wherein,

An oil inlet passage (P) is formed in the rotor (2), and the adapter (4) includes a plurality of oil passage holes (42) corresponding to the oil inlet passage (P). Holes (42) are circumferentially spaced on the adapter (4) and allow the pressure fluid to flow therethrough to the oil inlet passage (P) of the rotor (2).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 3, wherein,

The adapter (4) also includes a one-way valve (5) movably mounted between the adapter (4) and the rotor (2) to allow flow through the The pressure fluid in the plurality of oil holes (42) flows into the rotor (2).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 4, wherein,

The one-way valve (5) includes a plurality of spool parts (52) that are adapted in shape and corresponding to the positions of the plurality of oil passage holes (42) of the adapter (4) and are connected to the plurality of spools. The main body (51) connected with the part (52), and the plurality of spool parts (52) are distributed around the main body (51).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 4, wherein,

The one-way valve (5) is accommodated in a cavity (A) formed between the rotor (2) and the adapter (4), and the axial dimension of the cavity (A) is larger than that of the one-way valve. to the thickness of the valve (5).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 6, wherein,

The cavity (A) is formed by a first recess (A1) on the adapter (4) and a second recess (A2) on the rotor (2), and the plurality of oil holes (42 ) is arranged in the first recess (A1), and the inlet of the oil inlet channel (P) is arranged in the second recess (A2).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 7, wherein,

The first recess (A1) has substantially the same depth as the thickness of the body (51) and a profile matching the shape of the one-way valve (5); the second recess (A2) only corresponds to the The position of the valve core part (52) is formed, and along the direction away from the adapter (4), it sequentially includes a platform part and a tapered part that tapers away from the adapter (4).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 4, wherein,

The adapter (4) also includes a filter (6), the filter (6) is arranged between the one-way valve (5) and the camshaft, and is arranged in the flow direction of the pressure fluid upstream of the one-way valve (5).
The camshaft phase adjuster (10) according to claim 9, wherein,

The filter (6) includes a plurality of filter mesh parts (62) which are adapted in shape and corresponding in position to the plurality of oil passing holes (42) of the adapter (4).