# US 2014/0190435 A1 · Oil passage design for a phaser or dual phaser

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- Number: US 2014/0190435 A1
- Document ID: US20140190435A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/237,950
- Filed: 2012-08-23
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-30
- Assignees: BorgWarner Inc.
- Inventors: Mark Wigsten; Michael W Marsh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190435A1

## CPC

- F01L 1/344: changing the angular relationship between crankshaft and camshaft, e.g. using helicoidal gear
- F01L 1/3442: {using hydraulic chambers with variable volume to transmit the rotating force}
- F01L 2001/0473: {Composite camshafts, e.g. with cams or cam sleeve being able to move relative to the inner camshaft or a cam adjusting rod}
- F01L 2001/34493: {Dual independent phasing system [DIPS]}
- Y10T 29/49293: Camshaft making
- F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A variable cam timing phaser (10) includes a fluid transfer assembly with at least one of a fluid transfer sleeve (72) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d), and a fluid transfer plate (60) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d). Each passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) extends in fluid communication with a corresponding circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portion (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) for selective communication with first and second vane type hydraulic couplings (40, 50) depending on an angular orientation of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) during rotation. Each passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) extending from a corresponding centrally located port (64a, 64b, 64c, 64d) in fluid communication with a radially extending passage portion (66a, 66b, 66c, 66d) and with an arcuately extending passage portion (68a, 68b, 68c, 68d).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pressurized fluid distribution system for a variable cam timing phaser (10) for an internal combustion engine having at least one camshaft (12) comprising:
a stator (14) having an axis of rotation;
at least one rotor (20, 30) rotatable relative to the axis of rotation of the stator (14) independently of the stator (14);
at least one vane-type hydraulic coupling (40, 50) including a combination of a vane (22, 32) and cavity (20a, 30a) associated with the at least one rotor (20, 30) to define first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c), wherein the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c), when selectively communicating with a source of pressurized fluid, facilitate angular phase orientation of the at least one rotor (20, 30) independently with respect to the stator (14); and
a fluid transfer assembly including at least one of:
a fluid transfer sleeve (72) connected to the at least one camshaft (12) for rotation therewith and having a plurality of fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d), each passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) extending from a corresponding fluid port (76a, 76b, 76c, 76d) in fluid communication with a corresponding circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portion (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) for selective fluid communication with one of the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c) depending on an angular orientation of the fluid transfer sleeve during rotation; and
a fluid transfer plate (60) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d), each passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) extending from a corresponding centrally located port (64a, 64b, 64c, 64d) in fluid communication with a radially extending passage portion (66a, 66b, 66c, 66d) in fluid communication with an arcuately extending passage portion (68a, 68b, 68c, 68d), at least one pressurized fluid passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) on each side (60a, 60b) of the fluid transfer plate (60) for communication with a corresponding one of the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pressurized fluid distribution system of claim 1 further comprising:
a sprocket ring (52) having fluid passages (52a, 52b, 52c, 52d) formed therethrough allowing fluid communication between the plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) and the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pressurized fluid distribution system of claim 1 further comprising:
a fluid passage cylinder (84) assembled to the fluid transfer sleeve (72) sealing at least a portion of the plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) formed on an exterior peripheral surface (72e) of the fluid transfer sleeve (72).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pressurized fluid distribution system of claim 1 further comprising:
a cam bearing (80) engageable with the fluid transfer sleeve (72), the cam bearing (80) having a plurality of annular fluid passages (82a, 82b, 82c, 82d) spaced longitudinally from one another, each annular fluid passage (82a, 82b, 82c, 82d) in fluid communication with at least one corresponding fluid passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) of the fluid transfer sleeve (72).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The pressurized fluid distribution system of claim 1 further comprising:
a sprocket ring (52) interposed between the fluid transfer plate (60) and the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c), the sprocket ring (52) having fluid passages (52a, 52b, 52c, 52d) formed therethrough allowing fluid communication between the plurality of pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) of the fluid transfer plate (60) and the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pressurized fluid distribution system of claim 1 further comprising:
an end plate (70) assembled to the fluid transfer plate (60) sealing at least some of the pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) on one side (60a, 60b) of the fluid transfer plate (60).

### Claim 7

A method of assembling a pressurized fluid distribution system for a variable cam timing phaser (10) for an internal combustion engine having at least one camshaft (12) comprising:
providing a stator (14) having an axis of rotation;
assembling at least one rotor (20, 30) within the stator (14) to be rotatable relative to the axis of rotation of the stator (14) independently of the stator (14) and to define at least one vane-type hydraulic coupling (40, 50) including a combination of a vane (22, 32) and cavity (20a, 30a) associated with the at least one rotor (20, 30) to define first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c), wherein the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c), when selectively communicating with a source of pressurized fluid, facilitate angular phase orientation of the at least one rotor (20, 30) independently with respect to the stator (14); and
assembling a fluid transfer assembly including at least one of:
a fluid transfer sleeve (72) with respect to the camshaft (12) for rotation therewith, the fluid transfer sleeve (72) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) for fluid communication with respect to the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c, 30b, 30c), each passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) extending in fluid communication with a corresponding circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portion (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) for selective communication with one of the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c) depending on angular orientation of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) during rotation; and
a fluid transfer plate (60) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d), each passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) extending from a corresponding centrally located port (64a, 64b, 64c, 64d) in fluid communication with a radially extending passage portion (66a, 66b, 66c, 66d) in fluid communication with an arcuately extending passage portion (68a, 68b, 68c, 68d), at least one pressurized fluid passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) on each side (60a, 60b) of the fluid transfer plate (60) for communication with a corresponding one of the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
assembling a sprocket ring (52) to the stator (14) having fluid passages (52a, 52b, 52c, 52d) formed therethrough allowing fluid communication between the plurality of fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) and the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
assembling a fluid passage cylinder (84) to the fluid transfer sleeve (72) sealing at least a portion of the circumferentially spaced, annular groove segment portions (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) of the pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) on the fluid transfer sleeve (72).

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
assembling a cam bearing (80) engageable with the fluid transfer sleeve (72), the cam bearing (80) having a plurality of annular fluid passages (82a, 82b, 82c, 82d) spaced longitudinally from one another, each annular fluid passage (82a, 82b, 82c, 82d) in fluid communication with at least one corresponding fluid passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) of the fluid transfer sleeve (72).

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
assembling a sprocket ring (52) to the stator (14) interposed between the at least one fluid transfer plate (60) and the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c), the sprocket ring (52) having fluid passages (52a, 52b, 52c, 52d) formed therethrough allowing fluid communication between the plurality of fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) of the at least one fluid transfer plate (60) and the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
assembling an end plate (70) to the at least one fluid transfer plate (60) sealing at least some of the pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) on one side (60a, 60b) of the at least one fluid transfer plate (60).

### Claim 13

In a variable cam timing phaser (10) driven by power transferred from an engine crankshaft and delivered to a concentric camshaft (12) having an inner camshaft (12a) and an outer camshaft (12b) for manipulating corresponding sets of cams, the phaser including a drive stator (14) connectible for rotation with the engine crankshaft; first and second driven rotors (20, 30) associated with the stator (14), each driven rotor (20, 30) connectible for rotation with a corresponding one of the inner and outer camshafts (12a, 12b) supporting the corresponding set of cams, wherein the drive stator (14) and the first and second driven rotors (20, 30) are mounted for rotation about a common axis, and first and second vane-type hydraulic couplings (40, 50) for coupling the corresponding first and second driven rotors (20, 30) for rotation with the drive stator (14) and to enable independent phase control of first and second driven rotors (20, 30) relative to the drive stator (14) and relative to each other, the improvement comprising at least one of:
a fluid transfer sleeve (72) mounted for rotation with the camshaft (12) and having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d), each passage (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) extending in fluid communication with a corresponding circumferentially spaced annular groove portion (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) for selective communication with the first and second vane-type hydraulic couplings (40, 50) depending on an angular orientation of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) during rotation; and
a fluid transfer plate (60) having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d), each passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) extending from a corresponding centrally located port (64a, 64b, 64c, 64d) in fluid communication with a radially extending passage portion (66a, 66b, 66c, 66d) in fluid communication with an arcuately extending passage portion (68a, 68b, 68c, 68d), at least one pressurized fluid passage (62a, 62b, 62c, 62d) on each side (60a, 60b) of the at least one fluid transfer plate (60) for communication with a corresponding one of the first and second variable volume working chambers (20b, 20c; 30b, 30c).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The improvement of claim 13, wherein a first set of circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portions (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) of the plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) are located within a first common rotational plane of the fluid transfer sleeve (72).

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The improvement of claim 14, wherein a second set of circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portions (74f, 74g, 74h, 74i) of the plurality of pressurized fluid passages (74a, 74b, 74c, 74d) are located within a second common rotational plane of the fluid transfer sleeve (72) spaced longitudinally from the first common rotational plane.