US 11,994,220 B1Granted

Wear surface sleeve press fit onto a shaft in a high temperature air valve application

AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.

InventorsRodney Allen Lawrence, Eric Ferguson, Brandyn Stack

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Abstract

Air valves, such as wastegates, utilize a shaft that rotates within a bushing system. Conventional deposition processes limit the thickness of the wear material between the shaft and bushing system. Accordingly, embodiments disclosed herein utilize one or more coating sleeves that are press-fit onto the shaft. This enables a thicker layer of wear material to be applied to the shaft, thereby improving the longevity and durability of the air valve, while also simplifying the manufacturing process. Embodiments may also utilize one or more anti-rotation features, such as a dowel or axial protrusion, and/or may utilize snap ring(s) to prevent axial sliding of the coating sleeve(s).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for an air valve, the system comprising:

a shaft comprising a middle portion, a first end portion, and a second end portion, the first end portion extending from a first end of the middle portion along a longitudinal axis of the shaft, the first end portion comprising a first recess extending radially through an outer surface of the shaft towards the longitudinal axis, and second end portion extending from a second end of the middle portion along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second end is opposite the first end;
a first coating sleeve press-fit around the first end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis, the first coating sleeve comprises a second recess that extends radially through an inner surface of the coating sleeve away from the longitudinal axis and is aligned with the first recess;
a second coating sleeve press-fit around the second end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis;
and
a dowel disposed within the aligned first and second recesses while the inner surface of the at least one coating sleeve is flush with the outer surface of the shaft;
wherein both the first coating sleeve and the second coating sleeve comprise a cobalt-based alloy.

3 more elements

An air valve comprising:

a housing defining a flow path through the air valve;
a shaft comprising
a middle portion,
a first end portion extending from a first end of the middle portion along a longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the longitudinal axis of the shaft is perpendicular to the flow path and the first end portion includes a first end portion recess extending radially through an outer surface of the first end portion towards the longitudinal axis,
a second end portion extending from a second end of the middle portion along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second end is opposite the first end and the second end portion includes a second end portion recess extending radially through an outer surface of the first end portion towards the longitudinal axis,
a first coating sleeve press-fit around the first end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis, wherein the first coating sleeve comprises a cobalt-based alloy and is greater than or equal to 1 millimeter in thickness, the first coating sleeve further comprising a first coating sleeve recess that extends radially through an inner surface of the first coating sleeve away from the longitudinal axis and is aligned with the first end portion recess,
a second coating sleeve press-fit around the second end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis, wherein the second coating sleeve comprises a cobalt-based alloy and is greater than or equal to 1 millimeter in thickness, the second coating sleeve further comprising a second coating sleeve recess that extends radially through an inner surface of the second coating sleeve away from the longitudinal axis and is aligned with the second end portion recess,
a first dowel within the aligned first end portion recess and the first coating sleeve recess,
a second dowel within the aligned second end portion recess and the second coating sleeve recess,
and
a butterfly affixed to the middle portion;
a first bushing on a first side of the flow path and holding the first end portion of the shaft;
and
a second bushing on a second side of the flow path, opposite the first side of the flow path, and holding the second end portion of the shaft;
wherein the shaft is configured to rotate within at least a range of degrees around the longitudinal axis.

12 more elements

An air valve comprising:

a housing defining a flow path through the air valve;
a shaft comprising
a middle portion,
a first end portion extending from a first end of the middle portion along a longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the longitudinal axis of the shaft is perpendicular to the flow path,
a second end portion extending from a second end of the middle portion along the longitudinal axis, wherein the second end is opposite the first end,
a first coating sleeve press-fit around the first end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis, wherein the first coating sleeve comprises a cobalt-based alloy and is greater than or equal to 1 millimeter in thickness,
a second coating sleeve press-fit around the second end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis, wherein the second coating sleeve comprises a cobalt-based alloy and is greater than or equal to 1 millimeter in thickness,
a first slot and a first protrusion disposed in the first slot, the first slot and the first protrusion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, one of the first slot and the first protrusion being disposed on the middle portion of the shaft, and another of the first slot and the first protrusion being disposed on the first coating sleeve,
a second slot and a second protrusion disposed in the second slot, the second slot and the second protrusion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, one of the second slot and the second protrusion being disposed on the middle portion of the shaft, and another of the second slot and the second protrusion being disposed on the second coating sleeve,
and
a butterfly affixed to the middle portion;
a first bushing on a first side of the flow path and holding the first end portion of the shaft;
and
a second bushing on a second side of the flow path, opposite the first side of the flow path, and holding the second end portion of the shaft;
wherein the shaft is configured to rotate within at least a range of degrees around the longitudinal axis.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/984,813Filed 10 Nov 2022
Published: US 2024/0159317 A116 May 2024
Granted: 28 May 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B23P 11/00
Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise
F16K 1/224
With axis of rotation crossing the valve member, e.g. butterfly valves: details of bearings for the axis of rotation
B23P 15/001
Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass: valves or valve housings
B23P 19/02
Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some…

Family

US 2024/0159317 A1Published application
US 11,994,220 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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