Segmented camshaft assembly for an internal combustion engine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorWilliam F. Matthews
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine includes a housing with a plurality of bearing supports. Each bearing support has a substantially circular interior bearing surface. A segmented camshaft assembly includes at least two camshafts axially adjacent to each other to define at least one adjacent pair of camshafts. Each camshaft is rotatably carried by the housing and includes a plurality of cam lobes. The camshaft assembly also includes at least one connector assembly, with each connector assembly connecting an adjacent pair of camshafts together. Each connector assembly has an exterior bearing surface disposed within and rotatably carried by a corresponding interior bearing surface in the housing.
Claims15
An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a housing including a plurality of bearing supports, each said bearing support having a substantially cylindrical interior bearing surface;
- and
- a segmented camshaft assembly including at least two camshafts axially adjacent to each other to define at least one adjacent pair of said camshafts, each said camshaft being rotatably carried by said housing and including a plurality of cam lobes, said camshaft assembly including at least one connector assembly, each said connector assembly connecting an adjacent said pair of camshafts together, each said connector assembly having an exterior bearing surface disposed within and rotatably carried by a corresponding said interior bearing surface in said housing, each said connector assembly including a first flange on one of said adjacent pair of camshafts and a second flange on an other of said adjacent pair of camshafts, said first flange including an axially extending recess and said second flange being disposed in said recess.
An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a housing including a plurality of bearing supports, each said bearing support having an interior bearing surface;
- and
- a segmented camshaft assembly including at least two camshafts axially adjacent to each other to define at least one adjacent pair of said camshafts, each said camshaft being rotatably carried by said housing and including a plurality of cam lobes, said camshaft assembly including at least one connector assembly, each said connector assembly connecting an adjacent said pair of camshafts together, each said connector assembly including a first flange on one of said adjacent pair of camshafts and a second flange on an other of said adjacent pair of camshafts, said first flange including an axially extending recess and said second flange disposed in said recess, said first flange having an exterior bearing surface disposed within and rotatably carried by a corresponding said interior bearing surface in said housing.
A segmented camshaft assembly for use in an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including a housing having a bearing support with an interior bearing surface, said segmented camshaft assembly comprising:
- a first camshaft segment including a plurality of cam lobes, said first camshaft segment including a first flange with an axially extending recess, said first flange having an exterior bearing surface configured to be disposed within and rotatably carried by the interior bearing surface in the housing;
- and
- a second camshaft segment including a plurality of cam lobes, said second camshaft segment including a second flange coupled with said first flange and disposed within said recess.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.