The present invention relates to a camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, a truck or another type of commercial vehicle, including a stator and including a rotor, which is accommodated within the stator and is rotatably supported relative thereto. The rotor includes at least one rotor vane, which extends in the radial direction to an inner wall of the stator and forms a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber between the stator and the rotor, a (connecting) gap remaining between an end face of the rotor vane and the inner wall of the stator, which fluidically connects the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber to each other.
The operating principle of a camshaft adjuster of this type is based on the fact that the stator is usually connected to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine with the aid of an endless traction element, such as a camshaft drive chain or a toothed drive belt. The rotor is usually rotatably fixedly connected to the camshaft and may be rotated by its rotatable bearing within the stator with respect thereto within a predetermined angle range for the purpose of thereby changing the timing of the internal combustion engine during its operation. The rotor is rotated with respect to the stator due to a possibly alternating application of pressure to the first and/or the second hydraulic chamber(s) with the aid of a hydraulic fluid, which may be supplied or removed for this purpose, for example via activatable hydraulic valves. As a result of the pressure application, the rotor may be rotated relative to the stator.
For reasons of design or function, however, a (connecting) gap remains upon the accommodation of the rotor within the stator, which fluidically connects the first and the second hydraulic chambers to each other. This (connecting) gap may be unintentionally changed in size, for example due to a hardened (outer) toothing of the stator, since the occurring quench distortion brings about an out-of-round stator or an out-of-round inner wall of the stator. Unless this (connecting) gap is sealed, however, this results in rather undesirable leaks or an undesirable short of the first and the second hydraulic chambers. A corresponding seal may be comparatively favorably achieved with the aid of a sealing element.
Camshaft adjusters for an internal combustion engine are known in various specific embodiments from the prior art, which share the fact that they try to achieve a preferably effective seal of the (connecting) gap remaining between an end face of the rotor vane and the inner wall of the stator.
For example, a device for changing the valve timing of gas exchange valves in an internal combustion engine, in particular a hydraulic camshaft adjusting device of a rotary piston design, is described in DE 199 36 921 A1. This device includes a drive wheel, designed as an outer rotor, which is in drive connection with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and which has a cavity formed by a hollow cylindrical circumferential wall and two side walls. At least one hydraulic working chamber is formed in the cavity of the drive wheel by two boundary walls extending from the inside of the circumferential wall and oriented toward the longitudinal central axis of the drive wheel. The device also includes an impeller, designed as an inner rotor, which is rotatably fixedly connected to a camshaft of the internal combustion engine and which is inserted into the cavity of the drive wheel. The impeller has at least one vane on the circumference of its wheel hub, situated in an axial retaining groove, which extends radially into a working chamber of the drive wheel and divides the latter into two oppositely acting hydraulic pressure chambers. Each vane of the impeller is pressed against the inside of the circumferential wall of the drive wheel by its upper end face due to the force of a spring element situated in the axial retaining groove on its lower end face. The pressure chambers effectuate a swivel movement or fixing of the impeller with respect to the drive wheel and thus of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft upon optional or simultaneous application of pressure with the aid of a hydraulic pressure medium.
To avoid a radial displacement of the vanes against the force of their spring elements as a result of a pressure buildup in the connecting gap between the upper end face of each vane of the impeller and the inside of the circumferential wall of the drive wheel, each vane of the impeller may be radially pressed against the inside of the circumferential wall of the drive wheel by its upper end face, due to the pressure force of the hydraulic pressure medium, which may be introduced in a targeted manner on its lower end face, in addition to the force of its spring element, when pressure is applied to one or both pressure chamber(s) of each hydraulic working chamber.
A similar camshaft adjuster is apparent from DE 199 32 299 A1. A device is described therein for the rotation angle adjustment of a camshaft with respect to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, in particular a vane cell adjuster. This device includes an outer rotor driven by the crankshaft and an inner rotor situated coaxially thereto, which is rotatably fixedly connected to the camshaft and has a shared rotation axis with the outer rotor. At least one hydraulic working chamber is provided within the outer rotor, which is divided into a first and a second pressure chamber by a pivoting vane of the inner rotor. The pressure chambers are in flow connection to two annular spaces and are alternately or simultaneously supplied with pressure oil therefrom. The inner rotor has vane receiving grooves for the pivoting vanes, a clearance for vane pressure springs being provided between a groove base of the vane receiving grooves and an underside of the pivoting vanes.
To ensure a preferably tight contact of the pivoting vane on the inner circumference of the outer rotor, pressure oil is applied to the undersides of the pivoting vanes while the internal combustion engine is in operation.
Another camshaft adjuster is known from EP 1 339 953 B1. A device for the relative rotation angle adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine with respect to a drive wheel is described therein. This device includes an inner part which is rotatably fixedly connected to the camshaft and includes at least approximately radially running webs or vanes and a driven cell wheel, which has multiple cells distributed over the circumference and delimited by webs, which are divided into two pressure chambers by the webs or vanes of the inner part, which are angularly movably guided therein. Upon applying the hydraulic pressure to the two pressure chambers, or relieving the pressure thereof, via control lines, the camshaft is rotatable relative to the cell wheel between two end positions with the aid of the webs or vanes. Sealing elements are situated on the free end faces of the webs or vanes, which are used to seal the two pressure chambers delimited by the webs or vanes or the connecting gap on the free end faces.
To achieve a comparatively effective seal of the two separated pressure chambers with respect to each other, recesses are provided on the end face of the webs or vanes, in which sealing members are situated. These sealing members are pressed against an inner wall of the cell wheel by a hydraulic application for the purpose of sealing the pressure chambers.
Another camshaft adjuster is described in DE 10 2010 025 883 A1, whose rotor includes a number of radially outwardly extending rotor vanes. A sealing element for reducing leaks is positioned in each of the vane ends of the rotor vanes, the sealing elements each being movably supported on the rotor vanes via a radial gap, to which hydraulic medium may be applied, forming a seal in the circumferential direction.
Finally, a camshaft adjuster is apparent from EP 2 072 767 A2, which has sealing elements on its rotor vane end faces, which are continuously pressed against the inner wall or the inside of the stator by a pressurized oil.
However, camshaft adjusters are furthermore known from DE 10 2007 054 547 A1, which include a locking device, which permits a mechanical connection between the rotor and the stator in certain operating states of the internal combustion engine. The locking of the rotor and stator is also designed as a so-called central locking mechanism, in which the latter are connected to each other in the middle of the possible angle range, namely between the particular end stops of the rotor on the stator.
It has been demonstrated in practice that a type of hydraulic freewheeling should be ensured, in particular in a camshaft adjuster having a central locking mechanism. The first and second hydraulic chambers may be fluidically connected to each other, i.e., shorted, for a hydraulic freewheeling of this type. In a camshaft adjuster having a central locking mechanism, control pistons may be inserted for this purpose into the rotor vanes to control a hydraulic freewheeling. These control pistons may be activated by a pressurized hydraulic fluid and/or a pressure spring. The disadvantage is that, due to the use of the control pistons in the rotor vanes, no more installation space remains for sealing elements in or on the rotor vanes. Moreover, it is necessary for cross holes to be present in the rotor vanes to ensure the hydraulic freewheeling, for the purpose of fluidically connecting, i.e. shorting, the first and the second hydraulic chambers to each other as needed. These cross holes are machined and are therefore able to be manufactured only in a comparatively cost-intensive manner.
An object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate or at least to mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the object is to provide a camshaft adjuster, in which it is structurally possible, using preferably simple means, to combine a preferably effective sealing of the hydraulic chambers with the possibility of a short thereof.
The present invention provides a sealing element, which is radially movably guided within the rotor vane end face, and is optionally switchable back and forth between a sealing position, in which the sealing element rests against the inner wall of the stator, sealing the (connecting) gap, and a connecting position/freewheeling position, in which the first and the second hydraulic chambers are connected to each other by the (connecting) gap. The connecting position is therefore the position in which the two hydraulic chambers of a vane cell are fluidically connected to each other, i.e., a passage of hydraulic medium is permitted/allowed/facilitated between the rotor vane and the inside of the stator.
This means that the sealing element guided in the rotor vane end face is switchable in a targeted manner as needed from a location or position in which the first and the second hydraulic chambers are sealed against each other into a location or position in which the first and the second hydraulic chambers are shorted. In this way, the switchable sealing element performs a dual function. Thus, a reliable and effective sealing of the two hydraulic chambers against each other is possible during normal operation of the camshaft adjuster, in which its rotor is to be rotated with respect to the stator. However, the two hydraulic chambers may be connected to each other or shorted as needed by a targeted switching of the sealing element, so that, for example, a hydraulic freewheeling may also be implemented. It is thus possible to dispense with the use of control pistons or cross holes in the rotor vanes to implement the hydraulic freewheeling.
The sealing element may be designed, for example, as a kind of seal strip, which extends in the axial direction of the camshaft adjuster and is thus able to seal the two hydraulic chambers against each other with the aid of a theoretically linear contact on the inner wall of the stator. The sealing element may be manufactured from an elastic material, such as an elastic plastic or a rubber material.
It is thus advantageous if, for the purpose of switching into the sealing position, the sealing element is displaceable in the direction of the inner wall by a pressure force, applicable to the sealing element, of a hydraulic fluid which may be optionally supplied via a control channel. The control channel makes it structurally easily possible to switch the sealing element in a targeted manner, since a flow of the hydraulic fluid in the control channel may be controlled, for example, by an actuatable hydraulic valve. Hydraulic fluid which is needed for the camshaft adjuster in any case may furthermore be also used for the targeted switching of the sealing element.
For a particularly reliable contact of the switchable sealing element on the inner wall of the stator, it is advantageous if the sealing element is pretensioned in the direction of the sealing position with the aid of a spring. The pretensioning force of the sealing element may be easily increased thereby for the normal operation of the camshaft adjuster.
According to one advantageous embodiment variant of the present invention, for the purpose of switching into the connecting position, the sealing element has at least one active surface in the vicinity of the inner wall of the stator, upon which a counter-pressure force of a pressurized hydraulic fluid from the first and/or the second hydraulic chamber(s) acts. This means that the sealing element is structurally designed in such a way that a hydraulic pressure which prevails in the first and/or the second hydraulic chamber(s) in any case is solely sufficient for switching the sealing element into the connecting position. The hydraulic fluid of the camshaft adjuster may thus also be used to switch the sealing element into the connecting position without requiring an additional actuating device.
To effectively switch the sealing element into the connecting position, it is also advantageous if the at least one active surface is dimensioned and/or geometrically shaped in such a way that the sealing element is displaceable into the connecting position by the counter-pressure force acting upon the active surface during the switching into the connecting position while the rotor is rotating. It is advantageous if this is preferably possible only when no hydraulic fluid generating pressure force is flowing to the sealing element via the control channel. If the sealing element is pretensioned in the direction of the sealing position by an optional spring, it is advantageous if the counter-pressure force is greater than the pretensioning force of the spring.
The at least one active surface situated in the vicinity of the inner wall of the stator may be formed, for example, in that the sealing element is chamfered in this location, i.e., has chamfers. Alternatively, the sealing element may have rounded edges in this location, i.e., it may have radii which then form one or multiple active surfaces. It is also possible that the entire surface has a rounded design on a side of the sealing element facing the inner wall of the stator, so that at least one active surface results. Alternatively, the at least one active surface may also be easily formed by manufacturing-induced bevels, which result during the manufacture of the sealing element. In addition, the at least one active surface may also be formed by a shoulder provided on the sealing element. Regardless of the specific design of the at least one active surface, the latter should facilitate a force application point for the counter-pressure force. The at least one active surface is advantageously dimensioned in such a way that, during the operation of the camshaft adjuster, the counter-pressure force is able to displace the sealing element against the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotor or the stator.
For a preferably effective switching of the sealing element into the sealing position, it is advantageous if the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid which may be optionally supplied via the control channel is selected or defined in such a way that the sealing element is displaceable into the sealing position against the counter-pressure force. This means that the pressure force for a switching of the sealing element into the sealing position is to be greater than the counter-pressure force acting upon the at least one active surface. This fixing or setting of the hydraulic pressure which is applicable in the control channel as needed may take place via hydraulic valves, pressure regulators or similar hydraulic auxiliary devices.
For a structurally easy radially movable guidance of the sealing element or an easy switching into the connecting position, it is advantageous if the rotor vane end face has a rotor vane groove, into which the sealing element is radially displaceable by the counter-pressure force, if the counter-pressure force is greater than the pressure force and/or a spring force.
It is also advantageous if the rotor vane groove is fluidically connected to the control channel. For example, the control channel may open into the rotor vane groove, so that the optionally applicable hydraulic fluid therein is able to displace the sealing element situated in the rotor vane groove in the direction of the sealing position.
The camshaft adjuster according to the present invention may be particularly advantageously used if the latter includes a locking device, with the aid of which the rotor and the stator are rotatably fixedly connectable to each other. For example, the locking device may be a central locking mechanism, which is actuatable or activatable in certain operating states of the internal combustion engine, for example to avoid vibrations within the camshaft adjuster.
According to one particularly advantageous specific embodiment of the present invention, the rotor is movable into a locking position when the sealing element is switched into the connecting position. In the connecting position of the sealing element, the first and the second hydraulic chambers are fluidically connected to each other, i.e., shorted, so that a hydraulic freewheeling may be implemented.
In other words, the present invention makes it possible to permit an integration of one or multiple sealing elements into a camshaft adjuster and to dispense with cost-intensive control pistons and cross holes in the rotor vanes for the fluidically connecting short between the hydraulic chambers. The sealing elements, which are shaped for example in the manner of a seal strip, perform two functions, namely a sealing of the connection between the hydraulic chambers during normal operation of the camshaft adjuster and, for example, a release of the fluidic connection between the hydraulic chambers during the activation of a central locking function, so that the hydraulic chambers are shorted with respect to each other. This means that a hydraulic freewheeling is ensured without the use of control pistons and cross holes in the rotor vanes.
The present invention is also explained in greater detail below with the aid of drawings in which different exemplary embodiments are illustrated.
The figures are only of a schematic nature and are used only for the sake of understanding the present invention. Identical elements are provided with identical reference numerals. Features of the individual exemplary embodiments are interchangeable with each other.
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Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2014 208 598.5 | May 2014 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/DE2015/200012 | 1/21/2015 | WO | 00 |