Camshaft adjuster for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles

• US 20040226526A1
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydraulik-Ring GmbH
• Original Assignee: Hydraulik-Ring GmbH
• Inventors: Knecht, Andreas, Palesch, Edwin, Sluka, Gerold
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/90.17
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/3442 using hydraulic chambers with variable volume to transmit the rotating force
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34426 Oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34433 Location oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34436 Features or method for avoiding malfunction due to foreign matters in oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/3444 Oil filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34483 Phaser return springs
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2250/02 the camshaft being driven by chains
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2250/04 the camshaft being driven by belts
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2250/06 the camshaft being driven by gear wheels

Abstract

A camshaft adjuster for motor vehicles has a stator and a rotor rotatable relative thereto between which pressure chambers are provided. Pressure medium is supplied in a controlled way via a valve to the pressure chambers in order to rotate the rotor relative to the stator. Mounting of the valve in the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle is often difficult when mounting conditions are tight, sometimes even impossible. In order for the camshaft adjuster to be usable even in tight spatial conditions, the valve is arranged on the side facing away from the camshaft connection. The valve can therefore be arranged stationarily axially outside of the engine of the motor vehicle. The camshaft adjuster requires thus only little mounting space.

Claims

1. through 33. (cancelled)

34. A camshaft adjuster for a camshaft of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, the camshaft adjuster comprising:

a stator;

a rotor rotatable relative to the stator;

wherein between the stator and the rotor pressure chambers are defined;

at least one valve;

lines connecting the at least one valve to the pressure chambers;

wherein the at least one valve is configured to supply a pressure medium to the pressure chambers, respectively;

wherein the at least one valve is arranged on a side of the camshaft adjuster facing away from a connection to the camshaft.

35. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve is arranged at least partially within the camshaft adjuster.

36. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve comprises a valve housing and wherein the rotor is mounted rotatably on the valve housing.

37. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the rotor has a central receptacle for the at least one valve.

38. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 37, wherein the at least one valve has a projecting part that project away from the central receptacle of the rotor.

39. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 38, wherein the at least one valve is stationarily secured by the projecting part.

40. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve is positioned coaxially to the camshaft connection.

41. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve has a valve housing provided with a radially outwardly oriented flange.

42. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 41, further comprising a lid covering the at least one valve.

43. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 42, wherein the lid is fastened to the flange of the valve housing.

44. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 43, further comprising a covering cap engaging at least partially across the camshaft adjuster, wherein the flange of the valve housing is fastened on the covering cap.

45. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve acts as a bearing of the camshaft adjuster.

46. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, further comprising a filter arranged upstream of the at least one valve.

47. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 46, further comprising a check valve, sealing relative to a pressure connector of the at least one valve, is arranged upstream of the at least one valve.

48. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 47, wherein the check valve is arranged upstream of the filter.

49. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 48, wherein the filter and the check valve are combined to a modular unit.

50. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 49, wherein the at least one valve has a valve housing and wherein the modular unit is inserted into the valve housing.

51. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 49, wherein the modular unit has a housing screwed into the valve housing.

52. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 49, comprising a screw fastening the rotor to a camshaft, wherein the modular unit projects into the screw.

53. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 52, wherein the screw has an axial bore for supplying the pressure medium.

54. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 52, wherein the screw is screwed into the camshaft.

55. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the pressure medium is supplied via the camshaft.

56. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the pressure medium is supplied radially to the at least one valve outside of the camshaft.

57. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve has a valve bushing inserted into a valve housing of the at least one valve.

58. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 57, wherein the valve housing has an end face with a recess and the valve bushing has a radially outwardly oriented flange, wherein the radially outwardly oriented flange is positioned within the recess of the valve housing.

59. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 58, further comprising a lid covering the at least one valve and fastened on the valve housing, wherein the radially outwardly oriented flange is secured by the lid.

60. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve has a valve housing provided with has at least one axial bore connectable to a working connector of the at least one valve.

61. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 34, wherein the at least one valve has a valve housing provided with at least one axial tank bore connectable to a tank connector of the at least one valve.

62. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 61, wherein the at least one valve has a hollow piston and wherein the axial tank bore communicates with an interior of the hollow piston.

63. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 62, further comprising at least one check valve arranged between the axial tank bore and the interior of the hollow piston and sealing relative to the tank bore.

64. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 63, wherein the at least one valve comprises a valve bushing and wherein the at least one check valve is arranged in the valve bushing.

65. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 63, wherein the valve bushing has at least one radial bore, wherein the at least one check valve comprises an annular band resting with elastic prestress against an inner wall of the valve bushing in an area of at least one radial bore.

66. The camshaft adjuster according to claim 65, wherein the interior of the hollow piston communicates with a pressure connector of the at least one valve.