Balancer Housing Reinforcement for Idler Shaft Gear Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional balancer device for internal combustion engines experiences misalignment and vibration due to a large pulling force applied to the idler shaft via the drive chain, leading to abnormal noise and gear wear.
Innovation Solution
A balancer device with an idler shaft supported by a reinforced support part, featuring a first reinforcing part connected between the support part and the fixing portion, and a second reinforcing part to enhance rigidity, reducing misalignment between the idler gear and drive side gear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an idler shaft is used to transmit rotation force from the crankshaft to the drive side balancer shaft, then the transmission mechanism is established, but the support part deforms under large pulling force causing idler shaft inclination and gear misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by reinforcing only the specific area where the support part connects to the housing, rather than reinforcing the entire structure. The reinforcing rib is strategically positioned at the connection point between the support part and housing to locally increase rigidity and prevent deformation under pulling force, thereby maintaining gear alignment precision without unnecessarily increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the deformation problem by adding a reinforcing rib that extends in a direction perpendicular to the pulling force direction. This dimensional approach creates a three-dimensional reinforcement structure that resists deformation by distributing stresses across multiple dimensions, preventing the support part from inclining under load while maintaining the original gear alignment.
2Manufacturing precision
If the support part rigidity is increased to prevent idler shaft inclination, then gear misalignment is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by reinforcing only the specific area where the support part connects to the housing, rather than reinforcing the entire structure. The reinforcing rib is strategically positioned at the connection point between the support part and housing to locally increase rigidity and prevent deformation under pulling force, thereby maintaining gear alignment precision without unnecessarily increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing rib is integrated directly into the support part as a unified structure, merging the reinforcement function with the existing support component. This integration approach avoids adding separate, complex reinforcement mechanisms while achieving the desired rigidity increase through a streamlined, combined structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The balancer device includes: an idler shaft having an idler sprocket around which a drive chain is wound, and an idler gear integrated with the idler sprocket; and a balancer housing accommodating, thereinside, balancer shafts generating a vibratory force by the rotation force transmitted from the idler gear. The balancer housing includes: a support part which is provided on the outer part of an upper housing, and supports an end portion of the idler shaft; a boss portion which is provided at a position away from the support part; and a first reinforcing part and second reinforcing part which are disposed between the support part and the fixing portion to reinforce the lower part on the lower housing side of the support part. Consequently, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of noise and vibration between an idle gear and a drive side gear.