Camshaft assembly and method
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorAnthony J. Madaffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camshaft for an internal combustion engine or the like is formed of an expandable steel tube and individual preferably hardenable cam and journal elements fixed together by a mechanical expansion of the tube by a mandrel or other device. Material selection and processes for low cost manufacture are disclosed.
Claims12
A method of manufacturing a camshaft assembly for internal combustion engines and the like, said method including the steps of:
- providing a plurality of cam and journal elements formed to final dimensions except for finish grinding, said elements each including an axial opening,
- securing said elements in predetermined fixed orientation and spacing with said openings aligned on a common axis,
- inserting a hollow tube into said elements in close fitting relation with said openings,
- expanding the hollow tube into mechanical interference engagement with all the element openings to secure the elements permanently onto the tube in said predetermined orientation while forming within the tube a uniform smooth sided interior cross-sectional configuration, by forcing through the tube an element sufficiently larger than the tube inner diameter to outwardly deform the tube wall in the required degree and
- finish grinding the outer surfaces of the cam and journal elements.
A method of manufacturing a camshaft assembly for internal combustion engines and the like, said method including the steps of:
- providing a plurality of cam and journal elements, said elements each including an axial opening,
- securing said elements in predetermined fixed orientation and spacing with said openings aligned on a common axis,
- inserting a hollow tube into said elements, in close fitting relation with said openings, and
- expanding the hollow tube into mechanical interference engagement with all the element openings to secure the elements permanently onto the tube in said predetermined orientation while forming within the tube a uniform smooth sided interior cross-sectional configuration by forcing through the tube an element sufficiently larger than the tube inner diameter to outwardly deform the tube wall in the required degree.
A camshaft assembly for internal combustion engines and the like, said assembly comprising a plurality of cam and journal elements each including an axial opening and secured in predetermined fixed orientation and spacing, with said openings aligned, on a hollow tube mechanically expanded into interference engagement with all the element openings while forming within the tube a uniform smooth sided interior cross-sectional configuration and having portions of the tube exterior between the elements expanded diametrically beyond the element openings to secure the elements permanently onto the tube in said predetermined orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.