# US 11,994,220 B1 · Wear surface sleeve press fit onto a shaft in a high temperature air valve application > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,220 B1 - Document ID: US11994220B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/984,813 - Filed: 2022-11-10 - Published: 2024-05-16 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-10 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Inc. - Inventors: Rodney Allen Lawrence; Eric Ferguson; Brandyn Stack - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994220B1 ## CPC - B23P 11/00: Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for (connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00) - F16K 1/224: {Details of bearings for the axis of rotation} - B23P 15/001: {valves or valve housings (welding B23K; valve housings per se F16K)} - B23P 19/02: for connecting objects by press fit or for detaching same (B23P19/10 takes precedence) - F02B 37/183: {Arrangements of bypass valves or actuators therefor} - F01D 17/105: {by passing part of the fluid} - F02B 37/186: {Arrangements of actuators or linkage for bypass valves} - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) ## 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). ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first coating sleeve and a thickness of the second coating sleeve are greater than or equal to 1 millimeter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein an end of at least one of the first end portion and second end portion that is opposite the middle portion comprises a snap-ring groove, and wherein at least one of the first coating sleeve or the second coating sleeve extends axially from the middle portion up to the snap-ring groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising a snap ring configured to be secured within the snap ring groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cobalt-based alloy is a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum-silicon-based alloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises a nickel-chromium-based alloy. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An air valve comprising the system of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The air valve of claim 7, wherein the air valve is a wastegate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The air valve of claim 7, further comprising: a housing defining a flow path through the air valve; a butterfly affixed to the middle portion of the shaft; a first bushing on a first side of the flow path; and a second bushing on a second side of the flow path, opposite the first side of the flow path, wherein the first end portion of the shaft is positioned through the first bushing and the second end portion of the shaft is positioned through the second bushing, such that the middle portion of the shaft with the affixed butterfly extends across the flow path, and wherein the shaft is configured to rotate within at least a range of degrees around the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 10 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The air valve of claim 10, wherein an end of the first end portion that is opposite the middle portion comprises a first snap-ring groove, and wherein the first coating sleeve extends axially from the middle portion up to the first snap-ring groove, and wherein an end of the second end portion that is opposite the middle portion comprises a second snap-ring groove, and wherein the second coating sleeve extends axially from the middle portion up to the second snap-ring groove, and wherein the air valve further comprises a first snap ring in the first snap-ring groove, and a second snap ring in the second snap-ring groove. ### Claim 12 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, and 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; a second coating sleeve press-fit around the second end portion of the shaft and concentric with the longitudinal axis; and a slot and a protrusion disposed in the slot, the slot and the protrusion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, one of the slot and the protrusion being disposed on the middle portion of the shaft, and another of the slot and the protrusion being disposed on the first coating sleeve; wherein both the first coating sleeve and the second coating sleeve comprise a cobalt-based alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein a thickness of the first coating sleeve and a thickness of the second coating sleeve are greater than or equal to 1 millimeter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein an end of at least one of the first end portion and second end portion that is opposite the middle portion comprises a snap-ring groove, and wherein at least one of the first coating sleeve or the second coating sleeve extends axially from the middle portion up to the snap-ring groove. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a snap ring configured to be secured within the snap ring groove. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the cobalt-based alloy is a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum-silicon-based alloy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the shaft comprises a nickel-chromium-based alloy. ### Claim 18 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The air valve of claim 18, wherein an end of the first end portion that is opposite the middle portion comprises a first snap-ring groove, and wherein the first coating sleeve extends axially from the middle portion up to the first snap-ring groove, and wherein an end of the second end portion that is opposite the middle portion comprises a second snap-ring groove, and wherein the second coating sleeve extends axially from the middle portion up to the second snap-ring groove, and wherein the air valve further comprises a first snap ring in the first snap-ring groove, and a second snap ring in the second snap-ring groove. ### Claim 20 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 anti-rotation means for preventing relative rotation about the longitudinal axis between the shaft and the first coating sleeve, a second anti-rotation means for preventing relative rotation about the longitudinal axis between the shaft and 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.