Combination Rail for Chain Drive Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chain drives in internal combustion engines face challenges in flexibility and cost efficiency, with complex designs and multiple components leading to increased production costs and assembly complexity.
Innovation Solution
A chain drive design featuring a common base body for both the tensioning rail and slide rail, with the slide rail's arcuate section having a curvature axis closer to the pivot axis than the tensioning rail's, allowing for reduced pivoting movement and minimal influence on the guideway, thereby simplifying the design and reducing components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate guide rail and tensioning rail are used, then chain guidance and tensioning functions are fulfilled, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the guide rail and tensioning rail into a single integrated base body with two distinct sliding sections. The first sliding section guides the chain while the second sliding section tensions the chain, eliminating the need for separate components while maintaining both functions independently through differentiated geometric designs
2Adaptability or versatility
If guide rail is made pivotable to compensate chain wear, then chain tensioning flexibility improves, but guide path stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different sliding sections of the same base body. The first sliding section has a curvature radius that maintains stable guide path geometry, while the second sliding section has different geometric properties that enable wear compensation through pivoting, allowing each section to optimize its local function
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate components are used, then individual component optimization is possible, but assembly complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single base body that can be manufactured as one integrated component, reducing assembly steps and production complexity while maintaining the ability to optimize each sliding section's geometry for its specific function through localized design variations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances flexibility, reduces production costs, and simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for additional fasteners and components, while maintaining effective chain tensioning and guidance, even under conditions of wear and tear.
Implementation Method 1
the arcuate section of a sliding surface of the guide rail that comes into contact with the drive chain during operation has an axis of curvature or axes of curvature, and the distance of the axis of curvature or the average distance of the axes of curvature attributable to the guide rail to the pivot axis of the base body is smaller than the distance of the axis of curvature or the average distance of the axes of curvature that are assigned to the clamping rail
Implementation Method 2
a pivotally mounted tensioning rail pressed against one of the strands of the drive chain, and a guide rail abutting another of the strands of the drive chain, wherein the guide rail and the tensioning rail have a common base body pivotably arranged about a common pivot axis
Implementation Method 3
the arcuate section of a sliding surface of the guide rail that comes into contact with the drive chain during operation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a chain drive for an internal combustion engine having a drive chain wheel, at least one driven chain wheel, a drive chain coupling the chain wheels, a pivotally mounted tensioning rail which is pressed against one of the strands of the drive chain, and a sliding rail which abuts another of the strands of the drive chain, wherein the tensioning rail and the sliding rail have a common base body which is mounted such that it can pivot about a common pivot axis, and the arcuate portion of a sliding surface of the sliding rail which comes into contact with the drive chain during operation has an axis of curvature or axes of curvature, and the arcuate portion of a sliding surface of the tensioning rail which comes into contact with the drive chain during operation has an axis of curvature or axes of curvature, and the distance of the axis of curvature which is associated with the sliding rail or the average distance of the axes of curvature which are associated with the sliding rail to the pivot axis of the base body is smaller than the distance of the axis of curvature which is associated with the tensioning rail or the average distance of the axes of curvature which are associated with the tensioning rail to the pivot axis of the base body, wherein the distance of the axis of curvature which is associated with the sliding rail or the average distance of the axes of curvature which are associated with the sliding rail to the pivot axis of the base body is smaller than 6 times, preferably smaller than 4.5 times, the chain pitch of the drive chain. The invention also relates to a combination rail which is appropriate for use with this chain drive.