Oldham Coupling Thrust Structure for Planetary Rotor Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve timing adjustment devices face challenges in fully stabilizing the orientation of the planetary rotor, leading to limited reduction in friction and increased complexity, which affects the transmission efficiency of the Oldham coupling.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a thrust section that limits tilting of the planetary rotor relative to the driven Oldham flange, ensuring a relationship of θ2>θ1, where θ1 is the maximum tilt amount within the Oldham coupling, allowing for clearance and reducing friction without the need for an urging member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If an urging member is used to stabilize the planetary rotor orientation, then the stability of the planetary rotor is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the urging member from the system by redesigning the Oldham coupling structure. The thrust section is integrated directly into the Oldham coupling, allowing the planetary rotor to be stabilized without requiring a separate urging member, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining orientation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thrust section is merged with the Oldham coupling structure, combining the torque transmission function and the thrust limitation function into a single integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate urging members and reduces the overall structural complexity of the valve timing adjustment device.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the planetary rotor is tightly constrained to reduce tilting, then the orientation stability is improved, but the friction increases and transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a localized thrust section with specific geometric features that provide controlled resistance to planetary rotor tilting. The thrust section is positioned and dimensioned to provide just enough constraint to stabilize orientation while maintaining clearance to minimize friction, rather than applying uniform tight constraint throughout the coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The thrust section provides partial constraint action rather than complete rigid constraint. By limiting tilting to within the clearance angle θ2 rather than eliminating it entirely, the design achieves sufficient orientation stability while maintaining the clearance necessary to reduce friction and improve transmission efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the clearance in the Oldham coupling is reduced to minimize planetary rotor tilting, then the orientation stability is improved, but the friction increases and transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the clearance parameters by establishing a specific relationship between θ1 (maximum tilt amount within coupling) and θ2 (maximum tilt amount in clearance), where θ2 > θ1. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient clearance to maintain low friction and high transmission efficiency while providing enough constraint to stabilize the planetary rotor orientation.
Data Source
AI summary
An Oldham coupling includes: a driven Oldham flange that is formed at a drive-side rotor; a drive Oldham flange that is formed at a planetary rotor; and an Oldham intermediate that is configured to synchronize rotation of the driven Oldham flange and rotation of the drive Oldham flange. A thrust section is formed at a rotor plate portion which is a portion other than the Oldham coupling. The thrust section is configured to limit tilting of the planetary rotor relative to the driven Oldham flange when the thrust section contacts the planetary rotor in an axial direction. There is satisfied a relationship of θ2>θ1 where: θ1 is a maximum tilt amount of the planetary rotor relative to the driven Oldham flange; and θ2 is a maximum tilt amount of the planetary rotor in a clearance formed at the Oldham coupling.