Sheet-Metal Mounting Support for Precise Engine Component Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting supports for internal combustion engine components, particularly camshaft drives, are difficult to handle and access, especially in confined spaces, leading to potential incorrect assembly and angular offset issues.
Innovation Solution
A mounting support made from flat sheet metal with bent tabs forming holding sections, allowing components to be pre-assembled and aligned outside the engine, then inserted and fixed without needing to remove the support, ensuring correct angular positioning and translational/rotational mounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a mounting bracket is used to pre-assemble gear elements outside the engine, then assembly precision and alignment are improved, but the device complexity and handling difficulty increase due to the need to remove and reposition the bracket
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is segmented into a flat sheet metal base with separate bent tabs that form holding sections. Each tab can be independently bent to create holding sections that release components during insertion, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket allows pre-assembly of components in the correct angular position and alignment outside the engine before insertion. The holding sections maintain precise alignment during transport and insertion, then automatically release components into their final positions within the engine.
2Ease of operation
If the mounting bracket is removed after component installation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential incorrect assembly and angular offset
Solution Approach 1:
All components are pre-assembled on the mounting bracket in their correct relative positions and angular orientations before insertion into the engine. This preliminary assembly ensures proper alignment is achieved, eliminating the risk of incorrect installation during final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket serves as an intermediary device that maintains precise spatial relationships between components during assembly. It acts as a temporary fixture that ensures correct positioning, then is removed after components are securely installed in their proper positions.
3Reliability
If spring-loaded holders are used to encompass gear shafts, then holding reliability is improved, but weight and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The holding function is segmented into simple bent tabs rather than complex spring-loaded holders. The tabs are formed from the sheet metal itself through bending, creating lightweight holding sections that are sufficient for the assembly task without adding unnecessary weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding mechanism changes from a three-dimensional spring-loaded structure to a two-dimensional bent tab configuration. This parameter change in structural dimensionality reduces material usage and weight while maintaining the essential holding function during assembly and insertion.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed is a mounting support (10) for movable components (11, 12, 17), wherein the components (11, 12, 17) are held in a mounting position (M) outside the internal combustion engine 20 at least by holding sections (1, 2, 7) on the mounting support (10), in which mounting position the components (11, 12, 17) are oriented corresponding to component receptacles (21, 22, 23) on the internal combustion engine (20), wherein the components (11, 12, 17) can be brought into a ready-for-operation position (B) in which the components (11, 12, 17) no longer touch the holding sections (1, 2, 7) and are supported on the component receptacles (21, 22, 27) in a translational or rotational manner at least relative to the internal combustion engine, characterised in that a mounting support (10) is formed from a flat metal sheet having an end face (6) and a rear face (8) and wherein the holding sections (1, 2, 7) are formed from tabs (3, 3') bent over to the end face (6) and to the rear face (8).