This application claims priority to German patent application DE 10 2007 063 257.8 filed Dec. 31, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a bearing device for supporting a camshaft in a cylinder head. The invention relates further to an internal combustion engine equipped with such a bearing device.
In today's internal combustion engines, a cylinder head cover covering the cylinder head is typically connected securely and tight with the cylinder head by means of a plurality of screws. The screwing of the cylinder head cover is carried out here in a separate assembly step which is associated with significant assembly cost. Moreover, for fixing of the cylinder head cover on the cylinder head, a plurality of fastening elements are required, for example the above mentioned screws, which cause an increased component variety and hence higher storage and logistic cost.
The present invention is concerned with the problem to fix a cylinder head cover in a particular simple and assembly-friendly manner on a cylinder head.
This problem is solved according to the advantageous embodiments disclosed throughout the specification. Advantageous embodiments are subject matter of the dependent sub-claims.
The invention is based on the general idea to provide, on a bearing device for supporting a camshaft in a cylinder head, a locking contour which is formed such that it simply locks in place with a counter-locking contour formed at the cylinder head cover when placing a cylinder head cover onto the cylinder head, and thereby clamps the cylinder head cover reliably and tight against the cylinder head. By means of the interlocking of the cylinder head cover with the bearing device supporting the camshaft, the previously necessary fasteners, for example the screws, can be eliminated, whereby the component variety and also the associated storage and logistic cost can be reduced. Furthermore, the connection according to the invention of the cylinder head cover with the cylinder head has the big advantage that for assembly on the cylinder head it is only necessary to simply push the cylinder head cover onto the same or the bearing device, respectively. A separate insertion and subsequent tightening of the mounting screws hence is not required, whereby the assembly process is considerably simplified and thereby can be performed more cost effectively. A disassembly of the cylinder head cover, which typically is made of plastic, can be carried out, for example, by a pressure load on the same at predefined positions, whereby the interlocking between the cylinder head cover and the bearing device is released, and the cylinder head cover can easily be removed.
In an advantageous further development of the solution according to the invention, the bearing device comprises at least two bearing blocks which are connected to each other in an aligned position via a U-shaped connection element, whereby the U-shaped connection element is connected with or rests against, respectively, at least three sides of each bearing block. The connection element can be welded here to the individual bearing blocks, and, together with a camshaft, form a prefabricatable module. Such a U-shaped connection element, if it is formed from a sheet metal, can be easily manufactured in the form of a sheet metal moulding part, whereby the locking contours for fixing the cylinder head cover also can be easily shaped at the same time. A separate production step for manufacturing of the locking contours is hence not required.
Preferably, the at least one locking contour is formed as a locking nose and the at least one counter-locking contour formed at the cylinder head cover is formed as a rib engaging behind the locking nose. Such a rib stiffens at the same time the cylinder head cover, whereby the rib is preferably formed at a rim having a sealing area of the cylinder head cover. In addition, such a rib provides the advantage to better transfer the holding-down force applied by the bearing device-side locking contour into the cylinder head cover, and thereby to better seal the same against the cylinder head. It is also an advantage that a rib formed in such manner allows wider manufacturing tolerances with respect to the locking contour on the bearing device because the same does not have to interact with a counter-locking contour which is restricted to a certain region, but is able to compensate even for wider tolerances without problems.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the at least one locking contour is arranged at an end region facing towards the cylinder head of the bearing block or the U-shaped connection element. This provides the big advantage that the holding-down force transferred via the locking contour into the cylinder head cover preferably can be transferred directly into the rim area of the cylinder head cover, whereby the seal typically arranged in this rim area for sealing the cylinder head against the cylinder head cover can be brought to a better contact with the cylinder head cover or the cylinder head, respectively, and thereby a particularly reliable sealing between the two components can be ensured.
Further important features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the sub-claims, the drawings, and the associated description of the figures by means of the drawings.
It is to be understood that the above mentioned features, and the following features still to be described, are not only usable in the respective mentioned combination but also in other combinations, or on its, own without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference numbers are related to identical, or similar, or functionally identical components.
In the figures
a and b show schematically a bearing device comprising a U-shaped connection element by means of which the cylinder head cover is clamped against the cylinder head,
a shows schematically an illustration as in the
b shows schematically a U-shaped connection element comprising locking noses formed at the side.
According to
Between the cylinder head cover 4 and the cylinder head 7, a sealing element 8 is arranged, which, for example, can be formed as circumferential sealing ring, and seals a camshaft space 9 against an outer environment. For an easier positioning, the sealing element 8 can be placed into a cylinder head cover-side groove 10, as illustrated in
As is further apparent from
According to
By means of the bearing device 1 according to the invention, a holding-down force, which is applied to the cylinder head cover 4, is produced, which is so high that the cylinder head cover 4 can be clamped tight and reliable against the cylinder head 7. For this, the locking contour 3 can be formed in a completely different manner. According to
As is further apparent from
If the locking contour 3, as illustrated in
By means of the bearing device 1 according to the invention, thus a particularly inexpensive and simple assembly of the cylinder head cover 4 at the cylinder head 7 can be achieved, wherein in addition, due to the mounting screws which are not necessary anymore, the part variety and hence the storage and logistic cost can be reduced. To unscrew the cylinder head cover 4 from the cylinder head 7, for example, a tool can be used which is inserted from outside into the groove 10 of the cylinder head cover 4, by means of which a bend-up movement can be applied to the cylinder head cover 4, thereby releasing the interlock between the locking contour 3 and the counter-locking contour 5. Thus, also unscrewing of the cylinder head cover 4 from the cylinder head 7 can be configured considerably simpler compared to conventional screwing solutions.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2007 063 257 | Dec 2007 | DE | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20090169142 A1 | Jul 2009 | US |