Camshaft Assembly Aid for Simultaneous Rotational Position Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing assembly aids for fixing the rotational position of rotatably mounted shafts, such as camshafts, are inefficient as they require individual fixing and additional holes in components, making it difficult to verify securement and leading to potential errors during assembly or disassembly.
Innovation Solution
An assembly aid with two parallel mandrels connected by a bridge, each mandrel having an eccentric positioning element that engages with a positioning groove on the camshaft, allowing for simultaneous securement of multiple shafts without additional holes in other components, enabling pre-orientation and secure transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual locking devices are used for each shaft, then each shaft can be secured, but additional holes are required in the cover or crankcase and assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple locking devices are merged into a single integrated assembly aid that can simultaneously secure multiple shafts. The assembly aid includes multiple mandrels with positioning elements that can engage with multiple camshafts at once, eliminating the need for separate locking devices and additional holes in the cover or crankcase.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly aid is designed as a universal tool that can secure multiple different shafts simultaneously. It features multiple mandrels that can be inserted into receiving bores of different camshafts, providing a multi-functional solution that replaces multiple individual locking devices.
2Reliability
If individual locking devices are used, then each shaft can be secured, but verification of securement is difficult and errors may occur during assembly or disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly aid provides visual feedback through color-coded indicators that show whether each shaft is properly secured. Different colors indicate different securement states, making it easy to verify that all shafts are correctly positioned and locked without requiring complex verification procedures.
3Reliability
If additional holes are made in the cover or crankcase, then shafts can be secured, but precise machining is required and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is extracted from the cover or crankcase structure and transferred to a separate, removable assembly aid. This eliminates the need to create additional holes in the cover or crankcase, thereby avoiding the precise machining requirements and manufacturing complexity that would be required.
4Reliability
If shafts are secured individually, then each shaft can be locked, but assembly time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple shaft securing operations are merged into a single simultaneous action. The assembly aid allows all shafts to be secured at once through one insertion motion, eliminating the need to secure each shaft sequentially and dramatically reducing assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly aid is pre-configured with multiple mandrels positioned to engage with multiple shafts simultaneously. This preliminary preparation allows the assembler to secure all shafts in a single operation without needing to perform multiple separate securing actions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1b~1c
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly aid for fixing the rotational position of rotatably mounted shafts. The invention is characterized in that the assembly aid has at least two parallel mandrels (6) which are connected to one another by a bridge (5), wherein a positioning element (8) which is arranged at least partially eccentrically relative to the respective mandrel (6) is associated with each mandrel (6).