Segmented Tappet Housing with Central Rod for Long Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing two-part tappets are not well-suited for long installation lengths in modern internal combustion engines, as they are difficult to produce economically and prone to deformation, leading to precision issues in guidance.
Innovation Solution
The tappet design features axially spaced sections connected by a central rod piece, allowing for increased length and ease of assembly, with the option of using standardized sections and variable-length rod pieces, and employing joining methods like welding or a plug connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If two-part tappet housing sections are plugged together to achieve long installation lengths, then the installation length is increased, but the housing sections are prone to deformation at the connection area which impairs guidance precision
Solution Approach 1:
The tappet housing is divided into two separate sections that are connected via a central rod piece rather than being plugged together. This segmentation allows each section to be manufactured separately with standard deep drawing or stamping processes, avoiding the deformation issues at connection areas while achieving the required long installation length through the modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
A central rod piece is introduced as an intermediary component to connect the two housing sections. This rod piece serves as a mediator that joins the sections without requiring direct plugging of the housing walls, thereby eliminating the deformation problem at the connection area while maintaining structural integrity and guidance precision.
2Length of moving object
If two-part tappet housing sections are plugged together to achieve long installation lengths, then the installation length is increased, but the production cost increases due to manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into two sections that can be manufactured using standard, cost-effective processes like deep drawing or stamping. Each section can be produced independently using existing manufacturing capabilities, avoiding the need for complex single-piece forming processes that would be required to achieve long installation lengths in a monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The central rod piece provides a localized solution for achieving long installation length, while the housing sections themselves can be manufactured using standard processes. This allows the complex function (long length) to be achieved in a specific area without requiring the entire manufacturing process to be complex.
3Manufacturing precision
If a one-piece housing is used to ensure structural integrity, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but the installation length is limited and production becomes economically unviable
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a one-piece housing that limits installation length, the housing is segmented into two sections connected by a central rod piece. This segmentation enables the construction of significantly longer tappets while maintaining the structural integrity needed for precise guidance through the rigid connection provided by the rod piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a single-dimension constraint (one-piece housing length) to a multi-dimensional assembly approach. The long installation length is achieved not by making one piece longer, but by assembling multiple sections along the axial dimension, connected by the central rod piece, thereby overcoming the length limitation of monolithic structures.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure proposes a tappet with a housing which is composed of a drive-side and an output-side section. The drive-side section, at its outer end, has a roller and the output-side section, at its outer end, has a contact area for a follower part. The separate sections are axially spaced apart from one another and are connected to one another by a central rod piece.