Bearing assembly with pin having composite circular outer profile

• US 20070047856A1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Industries Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cummins Industries Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fridman, Vladimir, Piraner, Ilya, Musolff, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,431,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/58
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/181 Centre pivot rocking arms
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2305/02 Mounting of rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/18 Camshafts in general F01L
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 3/28 Adjustable cranks or eccentrics

Abstract

A bearing assembly includes a roller bearing having a bore, and a pin positioned within the bore. The pin has a composite outer profile defined by a first substantially circular segment with a first axis of rotation, and a second substantially circular segment with a second axis of rotation of a different radius. The second axis of rotation is offset from the first axis of rotation.

Claims

1. A bearing assembly, comprising:

a roller bearing including a bore; and

a pin positioned within said bore, said pin having a composite outer profile defined by a first substantially circular segment with a first axis of rotation, and a second substantially circular segment with a second axis of rotation, said second axis of rotation being offset from said first axis of rotation.

2. The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein said first substantially circular segment has a first diameter and said second substantially circular segment has a second diameter, said first diameter being different from said second diameter.

3. The bearing assembly of claim 2, wherein said first diameter is smaller than said second diameter.

4. The bearing assembly of claim 3, wherein said second diameter corresponds to an inside diameter of said bore.

5. The bearing assembly of claim 4, wherein said second diameter is approximately the same as said inside diameter of said bore.

6. The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein said first substantially circular segment has a first diameter and said second substantially circular segment has a second diameter, said first diameter being approximately the same as said second diameter.

7. The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein said second axis of rotation is substantially parallel to said first axis of rotation.

8. The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein said first substantially circular segment and said second substantially circular segment overlap along a pair of intersection lines.

9. The bearing assembly of claim 8, wherein said first axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation define a plane, said pair of intersection lines being offset from said plane through an angular arc not exceeding ±

60°

.

10. The bearing assembly of claim 9, wherein said pair of intersection lines are offset from said plane through an angular arc between approximately 40°

to 60°

.

11. The bearing assembly of claim 9, wherein said angular arc is measured from said first axis of rotation.

12. The bearing assembly of claim 8, wherein said pair of intersection lines are smoothened.

13. The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein said first substantially circular segment and said second substantially circular segment overlap along a pair of intersection lines, said second substantially circular segment defining a conformal surface which conforms to an inside diameter of said bore.

14. The bearing assembly of claim 13, wherein said first substantially circular segment defines a non-conformal surface with respect to said inside diameter of said bore.

15. The bearing assembly of claim 14, wherein said first substantially circular segment has a diameter which is smaller than said inside diameter of said bore.

16. A cam arrangement, comprising;

a cam lobe; and

a cam follower including a roller bearing assembly biased against said cam lobe, said roller bearing assembly including a roller bearing with a bore, and a pin positioned within said bore, said pin having a composite outer profile defined by a first substantially circular segment with a first axis of rotation, and a second substantially circular segment with a second axis of rotation, said second axis of rotation being offset from said first axis of rotation.

17. The cam arrangement of claim 16, wherein said cam lobe comprises a cam lobe on a camshaft of an internal combustion engine.

18. The cam arrangement of claim 16, wherein said first substantially circular segment has a first diameter and said second substantially circular segment has a second diameter, said first diameter being different from said second diameter.

19. The cam arrangement of claim 18, wherein said first diameter is smaller than said second diameter.

20. The cam arrangement of claim 18, wherein said second diameter corresponds to an inside diameter of said bore.

21. The cam arrangement of claim 20, wherein said second diameter is approximately the same as said inside diameter of said bore.

22. The cam arrangement of claim 16, wherein said first substantially circular segment has a first diameter and said second substantially circular segment has a second diameter, said first diameter being approximately the same as said second diameter.

23. The cam arrangement of claim 16, wherein said second axis of rotation is substantially parallel to said first axis of rotation.

24. The cam arrangement of claim 16, wherein said first substantially circular segment and said second substantially circular segment overlap along a pair of intersection lines.

25. The cam arrangement of claim 24, wherein said first axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation define a plane, said pair of intersection lines being offset from said plane through an angular arc not exceeding ±

60°

.

26. The cam arrangement of claim 25, wherein said pair of intersection lines are offset from said plane through an angular arc between approximately 40°

to 60°

.

27. The cam arrangement of claim 25, wherein said angular arc is measured from said first axis of rotation.

28. The cam arrangement of claim 24, wherein said pair of intersection lines are smoothened.

29. The cam arrangement of claim 16, wherein said first substantially circular segment and said second substantially circular segment overlap along a pair of intersection lines, said second substantially circular segment defining a conformal surface which conforms to an inside diameter of said bore.

30. The cam arrangement of claim 29, wherein said first substantially circular segment defines a less-conformal surface with respect to said inside diameter of said bore.

31. The cam arrangement of claim 30, wherein said first substantially circular segment has a diameter which is smaller than said inside diameter of said bore.

32. A method of manufacturing a bearing assembly, comprising the steps of:

providing a pin for rotatably carrying a roller bearing, said pin having a first diameter and a first axis of rotation;

defining a second axis of rotation substantially parallel to and offset from said first axis of rotation; and

forming said pin to define a composite outer profile defined by a first substantially circular segment corresponding to said first diameter, and a second substantially circular segment corresponding to a second diameter centered about said second axis of rotation.

33. The method of manufacturing a bearing assembly of claim 32, including the step of positioning said pin within a bore of the roller bearing, said second diameter corresponding to an inside diameter of said bore.

34. The method of manufacturing a bearing assembly of claim 33, wherein said second diameter is approximately the same as said inside diameter of said bore.

35. The method of manufacturing a bearing assembly of claim 32, wherein said forming step comprises one of machining, forging and stamping.

36. The method of manufacturing a bearing assembly of claim 32, wherein said second diameter is larger than said first diameter.

37. The method of manufacturing a bearing assembly of claim 32, wherein said second diameter is approximately the same as said first diameter.