Valve Lifter Guide With Integrated Tab Fastening

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional valve lifter guides in internal combustion engines require bolts, clips, or other fastening components for securement, increasing production time and costs.

Innovation Solution

A valve lifter guide with an elongated socket and a non-parallel tab projection that is received in an engine block opening, allowing the guide to be captured between the engine block and cylinder head, eliminating the need for separate fastening components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional fastening components (bolts, clips, retainers) are used to secure the valve lifter guide, then the guide is firmly fixed in position, but production time increases and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing reliabilityVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the valve lifter guide body and the fastening function into a single integrated component. The guide body itself includes a tab with a projection that engages with a bore in the engine block, eliminating the need for separate fastening components like bolts, clips, or retainers. This merging of functions reduces the number of parts and assembly steps, directly addressing the productivity issue while maintaining reliable fixation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The valve lifter guide is designed to be self-fastening through its own structural features. The tab with the projection on the guide body automatically engages with the corresponding bore in the engine block during assembly, allowing the guide to secure itself without requiring external fastening components or additional fastening operations. This self-service approach eliminates the time-consuming process of installing separate fasteners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If conventional fastening components are used to secure the valve lifter guide, then the guide is firmly fixed in position, but manufacturing expense increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the valve lifter guide body and the fastening function into a single integrated component. The guide body itself includes a tab with a projection that engages with a bore in the engine block, eliminating the need for separate fastening components like bolts, clips, or retainers. This merging of functions reduces the number of parts and assembly steps, directly addressing the productivity issue while maintaining reliable fixation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The valve lifter guide is designed to be self-fastening through its own structural features. The tab with the projection on the guide body automatically engages with the corresponding bore in the engine block during assembly, allowing the guide to secure itself without requiring external fastening components or additional fastening operations. This self-service approach eliminates the time-consuming process of installing separate fasteners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the valve lifter guide is designed without separate fastening components, then production time and costs are reduced, but the complexity of the guide structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction timeVSAvoidguide structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The valve lifter guide is segmented into functional zones: the main guide body with the socket for receiving the valve lifter, and the tab with projection for fastening. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design relatively simple. The tab is a distinct feature that can be molded or formed separately, making the integration manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by giving specific structural characteristics to different parts of the guide. The main body has a cylindrical socket shape optimized for guiding the valve lifter, while the tab has a projection specifically shaped to engage with the bore in the engine block. This localized optimization allows the guide to achieve both guiding and fastening functions without requiring complex overall architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8171906B2Valve lifter guide and method of using same

Publication Date: 2012.05.08 APQ DEV

AI summary

A valve lifter guide mountable in the engine block of an internal combustion engine, the valve lifter guide comprising at least one elongated socket defining a longitudinal axis, the at least one socket dimensioned to receive a valve lifter therein, and at least one tab projecting away from the valve lifter guide along an axis which is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one socket. The at least one tab includes a projection thereon which is dimensioned to be received in an opening provided in the engine block. The tab further defines a surface, oriented in a plane generally perpendicular to the orientation of the projection, which is capturable between the engine block and cylinder head.