Valve timing control device for internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine valve timing control device comprising:

• a housing body configured to receive a torque transmitted from a crankshaft, and include a hollow shape, and include a plurality of shoes extending inwardly in a radial direction of the housing body;
• a vane member configured to:
• be fixed to a camshaft;
• include a plurality of vanes configured to separate a plurality of operating chambers formed between a corresponding two of the plurality of shoes, and define an advance operation chamber and a retard operation chamber;
• and
• rotate to an advance side and a retard side selectively with respect to the housing body by selective supply and drainage of hydraulic pressure to and from the advance operation chamber and the retard operation chamber;
• two enclosing plates configured to enclose corresponding axial end openings of the housing body;
• a slide hole formed in one of the vanes, and configured to extend in an axial direction of the camshaft;
• a lock member configured to travel forward and backward in the slide hole;
• and
• a lock hole formed in a side of a first one of the enclosing plates facing the operating chambers, wherein a distal end portion of the lock member is configured to engage in the lock hole;
• wherein the lock hole includes an inner periphery including a projecting portion at least one of a first end side and a second end side of the inner periphery in a circumferential direction of the vane member, wherein the projecting portion includes a distal end surface having an arc shape along a circumferential direction of the lock hole.

A process of assembling an internal combustion engine valve timing control device, the internal combustion engine valve timing control device comprising:

• a housing body configured to receive a torque transmitted from a crankshaft, and include a hollow shape, and include a plurality of shoes extending inwardly in a radial direction of the housing body;
• two enclosing plates configured to enclose corresponding axial end openings of the housing body;
• a vane rotor configured to:
• be fixed to a camshaft;
• include a plurality of vanes configured to separate a plurality of operating chambers formed between a corresponding two of the plurality of shoes, and define an advance operation chamber and a retard operation chamber;
• and
• rotate to an advance side and a retard side selectively with respect to the housing body by selective supply and drainage of hydraulic pressure to and from the advance operation chamber and the retard operation chamber;
• a slide hole formed in the vane rotor, and configured to extend in an axial direction of the camshaft;
• a lock member configured to travel forward and backward in the slide hole, and include a substantially circular cross section;
• and
• a lock hole formed in a side of a first one of the enclosing plates facing the operating chambers, wherein a distal end portion of the lock member is configured to engage in the lock hole when the vane rotor is in one of a most advanced position, a most retarded position, and an intermediate position between the most advanced position or the most retarded position;
• wherein the lock hole includes an inner peripheral surface including a projecting portion on at least one of a first end side and a second end side of the inner peripheral surface in a circumferential direction of the vane rotor, wherein the projecting portion includes a flat distal end surface;
• the process comprising:
• a first operation of fixing one of the housing body and the first enclosing plate, and holding the vane rotor and another of the housing body and the first enclosing plate together rotatably about an axis thereof;
• a second operation of inserting a jig pin into the slide hole of the vane rotor, wherein the jig pin corresponds to the lock member;
• a third operation of inserting a distal end portion of the jig pin into the lock hole by rotating the another of the housing body and the first enclosing plate, which is unfixed, with respect to the vane rotor;
• a fourth operation of bringing an outer peripheral surface of the jig pin into contact with the distal end surface of the projecting portion by rotating the vane rotor in one direction with the outer peripheral surface of the jig pin in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the slide hole;
• and
• a fifth operation of drawing the jig pin out of the lock hole and the slide hole, and thereafter inserting the lock member into the slide hole and the lock hole.