Claims
- 1. A high strength, lightweight camshaft for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a camshaft body having an axially oriented hollow interior having a predetermined diameter and extending a predetermined length from between a pair of spaced points, respectively, adjacent the ends of said camshaft body;
- plural camshaft journal bearings spaced apart on said camshaft body, a least one of said camshaft journal bearings having a lubricant transfer path formed therein for receiving lubricant from an external supply and for transferring lubricant into said hollow interior;
- an axial passage extending from an end of said camshaft body through one of and to at least a second of said camshaft journal bearings, to connect with said hollow interior to allow fluid communication between said axial passage and said hollow interior, said axial passage having a diameter less than said predetermined diameter of said hollow interior so as to increase the rigidity of the camshaft body adjacent said axial passage; and
- a fluid delivery means formed in a wall of said camshaft body and in said lubricant transfer path to provide fluid communication between said hollow interior and at least one of said camshaft journal bearings;
- wherein the predetermined diameter of said hollow interior is between 24 percent and 59 percent of the diameter of said camshaft body.
- 2. The camshaft of claim 1, wherein said fluid delivery means includes radial holes formed in the wall of said camshaft body to allow fluid communication with an opening in at least one of said camshaft journal bearings.
- 3. The camshaft of claim 2, wherein said radial holes are angularly arranged about the circumference of said camshaft body.
- 4. The camshaft of claim 1, further comprising a capscrew which secures to an end of said camshaft body for preventing the leakage of lubricant therefrom.
- 5. The camshaft of claim 4, further comprising a plug which is mounted on an end opposite said cap for preventing the leakage of lubricant therefrom.
- 6. The camshaft of claim 1, wherein said camshaft body is tapered at one end.
- 7. The camshaft of claim 1, wherein the diameter of said hollow interior is 47 percent of the diameter of said camshaft body.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 08/806,207 filed Feb. 26, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,841.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
52-152928 |
May 1951 |
JPX |
58-25509 |
Feb 1983 |
JPX |
61-39409 |
Mar 1986 |
JPX |
4-49607 |
Apr 1992 |
JPX |
8-121119 |
May 1996 |
JPX |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
806207 |
Feb 1997 |
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