Crankshaft nose end design
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsSuman Bargav R, Durga Prasad Kandula, James D. Cremonesi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Vehicles, crankshaft assemblies for vehicles, and methods for connecting vehicle accessory components and crankshafts are provided. A vehicle includes an engine configured to produce a linear motion output; a crankshaft configured to convert the linear motion output to rotational motion and terminating at an end with a tapered exterior surface extending to a central surface; an annular ring having a proximal ring surface, a distal ring surface, a ring opening, and a tapered inner surface, wherein the end of the crankshaft is received in the ring opening; and a fastener fixed to the crankshaft and holding the annular ring against the tapered exterior surface.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- an engine configured to produce a linear motion output;
- a crankshaft configured to convert the linear motion output to rotational motion and terminating at an end with a tapered exterior surface extending to a central surface;
- an annular ring having a proximal ring surface, a distal ring surface, a ring opening, and a tapered inner surface, wherein the end of the crankshaft is received in the ring opening;
- a friction shim located between the tapered exterior surface and the tapered inner surface;
- and
- a fastener fixed to the crankshaft and holding the annular ring against the tapered exterior surface.
A crankshaft assembly for a vehicle, the crankshaft assembly comprising:
- a crankshaft comprising a shaft portion with a shaft end and comprising a nose portion located at the shaft end and having a distal nose surface formed with a cavity, and wherein the nose portion has a conical exterior surface increasing in diameter in a proximal direction from the distal nose surface;
- an annular ring having a proximal ring surface, a distal ring surface, a ring opening, and a conical inner surface, wherein the ring opening extends from the proximal ring surface to the distal ring surface, wherein the ring opening is defined by the conical inner surface, and wherein the conical inner surface is configured for receiving the conical exterior surface of the nose portion;
- a friction shim configured to be compressed between the conical exterior surface and the conical inner surface;
- and
- a connection element having a proximal abutment surface and an extension extending in the proximal direction from the proximal abutment surface, wherein the extension is configured to be received and secured in the cavity of the nose portion to compress the annular ring between the conical exterior surface of the nose portion and the proximal abutment surface of the connection element.
A method for connecting a vehicle accessory component to a crankshaft, the method comprising:
- locating a friction shim on a tapered exterior surface at an end of the crankshaft;
- locating an end of the crankshaft in an opening of the vehicle accessory component, wherein the tapered exterior surface extends to a central surface formed with a cavity, and wherein the vehicle accessory component has a proximal surface, a distal surface, and a tapered inner surface defining the opening;
- inserting an extension of a fastener in the cavity, wherein the fastener has an abutment surface;
- and
- tightening the fastener to contact the distal surface of the vehicle accessory component and force the vehicle accessory component toward the tapered exterior surface, wherein tightening the fastener comprises compressing the friction shim between the tapered exterior surface and the tapered inner surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.