Reduced shank external flow passage bolt with integral pilot
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorMatthew G. McGough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A specially designed bolt fastens together two parts of an engine and in particular can fasten together two components of a rocker arm assembly. The bolt is in a bore passing through the two components. The bolt has a full-diameter pilot that closely fits with the bore at a location where the components mate, and thereby locates the components relative to each other. On opposing axial sides of the pilot are reduced-diameter shank portions of the bolt, which form cylindrical gaps with the bore. The pilot has groove communicating the cylindrical gaps, whereby the gaps and grooves form an oil flow path along the bolt. A duct in each component communicates with a respective one of the cylindrical gaps, so that oil flows through one component, along the bolt and then into the other component.
Claims4
A structure wherein a fastener connects one component to another component at an interface, wherein the fastener allows fluid flow between the components while locating the components accurately with respect to each other, the structure comprising:
- a first bore defined by the one component;
- a second bore defined by the other component;
- a first duct in the one component;
- a second duct in the other component;
- a pilot of the fastener located at the interface and fitting closely with the bores;
- a threaded portion of the fastener engaging the first bore;
- a first reduced-diameter section of the fastener between the pilot and the threaded portion;
- a first radial gap defined between the first reduced-diameter section and the first bore, the first gap communicated with the first duct;
- means for closing one end of the second bore;
- a second reduced-diameter section of the fastener between the closing means and the pilot;
- a second radial gap defined between the second reduced-diameter section and the second bore, the second gap communicated with the second duct;
- and
- a generally axially oriented groove in the pilot communicating the first gap with the second gap.
A fastening structure for an internal combustion engine wherein a bolt connects one component to another component at an interface, wherein the bolt allows fluid flow between the components while locating the components accurately with respect to each other, the structure comprising:
- a first bore defined by the one component;
- a second bore defined by the other component;
- a first duct in the one component;
- a second duct in the other component;
- a generally cylindrical pilot of the bolt located at the interface and having a curved face fitting closely with the bores to locate the one component relative to the other component;
- a threaded portion of the bolt engaging the first bore;
- a first reduced-diameter section of the bolt between the pilot and the threaded portion;
- a first radial gap defined between the first reduced-diameter section and the first bore, the first gap communicated with the first duct;
- a head of the bolt at one end of the second bore;
- a second reduced-diameter section of the bolt between the head and the pilot;
- a second radial gap defined between the second reduced-diameter section and the second bore, the second gap communicated with the second duct;
- and
- a generally axially oriented groove in the curved face of the pilot communicating the first gap with the second gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.