Patent Application
20180080349
The present invention relates to a fluid diverter, and is more particularly related to an insertable fluid diverter for a fluid gallery.
Fluid galleries are utilized in a variety of applications for directing fluid to components via a central chamber. Fluid galleries are typically defined by a hollow cylindrical housing, for example a hollow shaft, including multiple ports. Fluid diverters can be inserted into the housing to divide the internal fluid chamber of the housing into multiple chambers and define passages to specific ports of the housing. One specification application is for use in connection with rocker arm shafts in internal combustion engines, where multiple internal fluid passages can be used to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to hydraulic lash adjusters as well as actuators in rocker arms used to deactivate the cam lift to certain valves during cylinder deactivation.
One type of fluid diverter requires an interference fit between the fluid diverter and the housing to secure the fluid diverter in place. An interference fit between the fluid diverter and the housing is undesirable due to the debris caused by the interference fit, which results in contamination of the fluid in the fluid gallery, which is particularly concerning in rocker arm shaft applications. Other retention features can be used to secure the fluid diverter in the housing, including radial grooves on either the housing or the fluid diverter. However, these additional retention features increase the costs of the housing or fluid diverter.
It would be desirable to provide an improved fluid diverter that does not require expensive retention features or a retention configuration that causes debris.
A fluid diverter including a cylindrical body defining passages and an extension arm including a locating feature is provided. The cylindrical body defines a first fluid passage extending from a first axial end of the cylindrical body and a second fluid passage circumferentially offset from the first fluid passage and extending from a second axial end of the cylindrical body. A seepage orifice is defined in the cylindrical body that provides a fluid communication path between the first axial end and the second axial end. The extension arm extends axially from the cylindrical body and includes a locating receptacle dimensioned to receive a fixing element to rotationally and axially fix the fluid diverter. The seepage orifice provides a throttled fluid connection between the first axial end and the second axial end.
In another embodiment, a fluid supply assembly including the aforementioned fluid diverter is provided. The assembly includes a hollow cylindrical housing defining a first port, a second port, and a first opening. The fluid diverter is positioned within the housing and divides the housing into a first chamber including the first port and a second chamber including the second port. A fixing element extends through the first opening of the housing and within the locating receptacle of the extension arm to rotationally and axially fix the fluid diverter with respect to the housing. The first fluid passage of the fluid diverter is aligned with the first port of the housing and the second fluid passage of the fluid diverter is aligned with the second port of the housing. The seepage orifice ensures a continuous flow of fluid between the chambers which helps reduce air pockets and air bubbles in the fluid.
The foregoing Summary and the following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “front,” “rear,” “upper” and “lower” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from the parts referenced in the drawings. “Axially” refers to a direction along the axis of a shaft. A reference to a list of items that are cited as “at least one of a, b, or c” (where a, b, and c represent the items being listed) means any single one of the items a, b, or c, or combinations thereof. The terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.
Referring to
An extension arm 26 extends from the cylindrical body 12 in an axial direction and includes a locating receptacle 28 dimensioned to receive a fixing element to rotationally and axially fix the fluid diverter 10 in a housing. The locating receptacle 28 comprises a circular rim 30 defining an opening 32 in a direction transverse to an axis (X) of the cylindrical body 12. The extension arm 26 is connected with the cylindrical body 12 at a first end 34, and preferably a second opposite end 36 of the extension arm 26 includes the locating receptacle 28. Preferably, the first fluid passage 14 is located diametrically opposite to the second fluid passage 18. However, the specific circumferential positions could be varied. The cylindrical body 12 defines a first outer diameter (OD1) and the seepage orifice 22 has a second diameter (D2). A ratio between the sizes of the second diameter (D2) and the first diameter (OD1) is selected based on amount of fluid required to maintain a minimum pressure in the fluid passages 14, 18. Other variables for determining this minimum pressure include the flow rate of fluid out of the system and a length of the fluid passages 14, 18. The seepage orifice 22 provides a throttled fluid passage or bleed passage.
As shown in
A fixing element 54 extends through the first opening 48 of the housing 42 and within the locating receptacle 28 of the extension arm 26 to rotationally and axially fix the fluid diverter 10 with respect to the housing 42. The first fluid passage 14 of the fluid diverter 10 is aligned with the first port 44 of the housing 42 and the second fluid passage 18 of the fluid diverter 10 is aligned with the second port 46 of the housing 42. The fixing element 54 comprises a bolt 56 and a dowel 58. As shown in
As shown in
In a second embodiment shown in
Having thus described the present invention in detail, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes, only a few of which are exemplified in the detailed description of the invention, could be made without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. It is also to be appreciated that numerous embodiments incorporating only part of the preferred embodiment are possible which do not alter, with respect to those parts, the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. The present embodiment and optional configurations are therefore to be considered in all respects as exemplary and/or illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all alternate embodiments and changes to this embodiment which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of said claims are therefore to be embraced therein.
