Title of Invention

LAMINATE CAM

Abstract

"LAMINATE CAM" A laminate cam in which two laminate cams 10, 11 assembled by laminating two plate cam members 14 having a same shape, made of metal and having an arc-cam-shaped outline, comprising: a shaft thorough hole 15 into which a cam shaft 12 is inserted by pressure; and am extending portion 16 which extends outwardly in one direction from said shaft through-hole 15, by aligning the shaft through-holes 15 are positioned by deviating the phase by a predetermined angle, and a cam assembly C is formed by assembling the laminate cams 10,11 to the cam shaft 12, characterized in that said plate members 14 are integrally formed by providing a convex portion 16a at a position onto one of plate surfaces in the extending portion 16 and providing a concave portion 16b onto the other plate surface at a position corresponding to the black side of said convex portion 16a in the extending portion 16, and said plate cam members 14 are mutually overlaid by fitting the concave portions 16b and the convex portions 16a, respectively, thereby integrating said plate cam members 14. [Figure 2]

Full Text

THE PATENTS ACT 1970 [39 OF 1970] & THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10] "LAMINATE CAM" HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, a corporation of Japan, of 1-1, Minamiaoyama 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8556, Japan and H-one Co., Ltd., of 11-5 Sakuragicho 1-chome, Ohmiya-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama, Japan The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed: 8 JAN 2007 shaft into the shaft through-holes by pressure. [Prior art] Hitherto, a cam made of metal which is used in, for example, an internal combustion engine for a motorcycle is generally constructed in a manner such that, for example, a cam thickness is relatively thick and the cam is manufactured by machine work. In care of manufacturing a cam made of metal by plastic work, for example, as shown in Fig. 5, it is known that a laminate cam A obtained by laying a plurality of thin plate cam members a, and integrating them is used. In case of assembling such a laminate carA, the plate cam members a which were punched, respectively, are laid by aligning, a shaft through-hole of each cam and positioned and held as one unified cam. A cam shaft B is inserted into a shaft through-hole 1 which is common to the unified cam by pressure so as to penetrate it. [Regarding Difference from laminated Cams Described in Cited References 1 (Rl: US 4719862) and 2 (R2: US 4630498)] (1) Characteristic constitution of the present invention 1. Firstly, the feature of the present invention (Claim 1) lies in that the laminate cam is constituted, in which two thick plate cam members 14 made of metal are mutually overlaid by fitting the concave portions and the convex portions, respectively, thereby integrating the plate cam members. 2. Secondly, the feature of the present invention lies in that the pair of double laminate cams 10, 11 are positioned by deviating the phase by the predetermined angle, and the cam assembly C is formed by assembling the laminate cams to the cam shaft 12. 3. Based on the laminate cam, the feature of the present invention lies in that the plate cam members 14,14 are integrally formed by providing the convex portion 16a onto one of plate surfaces and providing the concave 3 portion 16b onto the other plate surface at the position corresponding to the back side of the convex portion. (2) Characteristic effect of action of the present invention Therefore, the present invention exhibits the following specific effect of action which is not contained in the references Rl, R2 based on the above constitutional features. 1. The laminate cam of the present invention is formed by overlaying the two thick plate cam members 14 mutually, thereby integrating the plate cam members. Since the laminate cam has a structure in which the other cam plate is not sandwiched between the plate cam members, the convex and concave portion of the mutual plate cam members J 4, J 4 can be directly positioned by a jig or the like. Thereby, the angle alignment of the plate cam members 14, 14 to the cam shaft 12 can be highly accurately performed without deviation. As a result, at the time of forming the cam assembly C, that is, at the time of assembling the pair of laminate cams 10, 11 to the cam shaft 12 so as to deviate the laminate cams 10, 11 by the predetermined angle, the phase accuracy can be remarkably improved. On the other hand, the laminate cams of the references Rl, R2 have a structure in which multiple sheets of thin plate cams 11 are laminated without mutually integrating the plate cams 11 by positioning the plate cams 11 using a positioning through-hole 30 as a standard and laminating the plate cams merely. Thereby, the angle alignment of each plate cam 11 to the cam shaft 3 is not accurately performed, and the phase deviation is comparatively and easily generated. It becomes difficult to hold the accuracy in shape of the outer periphery of the cam by the cause of the phase deviation. It is necessary to improve the flatness of the plate surface laminated mutually by the lamination of multiple sheets of plate cams 11. Therefore, in the laminate cams of the cited references Rl, R2, so as to maintain the flatness of the cam external surface and laminated face of the plate cam 11, a troublesome finish processing is required, and thereby the 4 cost increase is caused. As a result, it is difficult to apply the laminate cams to the cam assembly for a small internal-combustion engine provided with the cam shaft. In this respect, a large difference exists between the present invention and the cited references Rl, R2. 2. Secondly, (i) when the convex and concave portions are not formed in a blank made of metal for a cam temporality, the plate cam is thick and has an outer peripheral shape usually having a cam crest outward from the shaft through-hole in one direction. For example, when punch press-molding is performed, the deviation of thickness is generated toward the tip position direction in the cam crest. When the plate cam is sheared in the deviated state, a fracture surface is generated at a cam surface. However, when the convex portion 16a is provided onto one of plate surface of the plate surfaces of the plate cam member 14 and the concave portion 16b is provided onto the other plate surface at a position corresponding to the back side of said convex portion as in the present invention, the thickness is also deviated in the direction of the plate thickness having the convex portion of the back side from the concave portion, thereby preventing the deviation of the thickness to the tip position direction. As a result, even when the plate cam is thick, the generation of the fracture surface on the cut end punched as described above is certainly suppressed by the cause of the deviation of the thickness. Thereby, the dimensional accuracy can be maintained on the outer periphery of the cam while the cam is thickened. ii) On the other hand, in the plate cams 11 of the references Rl, R2, the effect for preventing the deviation of the thickness on the outer periphery of the cam at the time of the press molding can be hardly acquired in as the present invention only by providing the positioning through hole 30. In addition, since each plate cam itself of the laminate cams of the references Rl, R2 is thin, the degree of the floor of the thickness becomes small at the time of punching such as pressing, and the technical consideration for providing the convex and concave portions is hardly required so as to exhibit a function for preventing the deviation of the thickness as in the present invention. In this respect, a large difference also exists between the present invention and the references Rl, R2. 5 As described above, the present invention has the specific constitution and effect of action which are not contained in the ones described in the references Rl, R2. Thereby, even if a person skilled in the art takes the cited references Rl, R2 into consideration, the person skilled in the art cannot arrive at the present invention easily. [Regarding difference from laminted cam described in cited reference 3 (R3: DE 19717660A)] i) In the cam of the cited reference R3, it is not until multiple sheets of thin cam constituent plates are superimposed and connected that a cam piece having a predetermined thickness is formed. On the other hand, the laminate cam of the present invention is different from that of the reference R3 in that two double laminate cams are positioned by deviating the phase by the predetermined angle, and the cam assembly is formed by assembling the laminate cams to the cam shaft. ii) The laminate cam of the reference R3 sets the number of convex/concave fitting places to three so as to enhance the connecting strength and positioning holding degree of a number of cam constituent plates, and requires the convex and concave portions at three places. On the other hand, the laminate cam of the present invention is different from that of the cited reference R3 in that the number of the set places is limited to one from a viewpoint of the prevention of the deviation of the thickness and the constitution is sufficient. iii) In the cam of the cited reference R3, referring to the set positions of the convex and concave portions, the set positions are separately arranged in a triangular shape without arranging adjacently each other so as to enhance the connecting strength and the positioning accuracy. Therefore, after all, the cam of the cited reference R3 requires the strict accuracy of the shape, dimension and arranging position between three concave portions and convex portions respectively so as to prevent the displacement between 6 the cam constituent plates. On the other hand, the present invention limits the number of the set places of the convex and concave portions to one so that the deviation of the thickness is effectively prevented at the time of punching processing, and the limitation is sufficient. Thereby, in that there is no problem in that the strict accuracy of the shape, dimension and locating position is unnecessarily required between a plurality of convex and concave portions as in the laminate cam of the cited reference R3, the laminate cam of the present invention is different from that of the cited reference R3. As described above, the present invention has the specific constitution and effect of action which are not contained in the invention described in the cited reference R3. Thereby, even if a person skilled in the art takes the reference R3 into consideration the person skilled in the art cannot arrive at the present invention easily. [Problem to be solved by the Invention] However, hitherto, when the plate cam members a are laminated and integrated as a laminate cam A, a positional deviation of the shaft through-holes 1 as inner peripheries and cam surfaces 2 as outer peripheries is likely to occur. If the cam shaft B is inserted by pressure in a state where the shaft through-holes or the cam surfaces 7 are not aligned, assembly precision of the laminate cam A to the cam shaft B deteriorates. Thus, "when the cams operate, abutting states of the cam surfaces 2 to a follower such as a valve or the like become uneven or contact $ positions are deviated. It is difficult to improve durability of the cam. fffOtrS*'] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to solve the conventional problem as mentioned above and if prevent the occurrence of a positional deviation of plate cam members upon assembly of a laminate cam, thereby improving assembly precision of the laminate cam to a cam shaft. 16 [Means for Solving Problem] To accomplish the above object, according to the invention disclosed in Claim 1, for example, as shown in an embodiment which will be explained hereinbelow by using the drawings, there is provided a laminate cam is assembled by laminating a plurality of plate cam members 14 having a same shape and made of metal by aligning a shaft through-hole 15 formed in each of the plate cam members and inserting a cam shaft 12 into the shaft through-holes 15 by pressure, characterized in that each of the plate cam members 14 is formed by providing a convex portion 16a onto one of plate surfaces and providing a concave portion 16b onto the other plate surface at a position corresponding 8 to the back side of the convex portion, and the plate cam members 14 are mutually overlaid by fitting the concave portions 16b and the convex portions 16a, respectively, thereby integrating the plate cam members. Upon assembly of the laminate cam 10=11, the plate cam members 14 which are mutually overlaid are restricted and positioned lest a positional deviation is caused due to the fitting of the concave and convex portions, thereby matching cam surfaces m as outer peripheries and hole surfaces n as inner peripheries, of the plate cam members without a deviation, respectively. According to the invention disclosed in Claim 2, for example, as shown in the embodiment which will be explained hereinbelow by using the drawings, there is provided a laminate cam according to Claim 1, characterized in that the plate cam member 14 is formed in an arc-cam shape having an extending portion 16 which extends from the shaft through-hole 15 outwardly in one direction by punching work, and the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a are formed on the extending portion 16. According to the invention disclosed in Claim 3, for example, as shown in the embodiment which will be explained hereinbelow by using the drawings, there is provided a laminate cam according to Claim 2, characterized in that in the case where the concave and convex portions 9 16b and 16a are seen in the direction of the cam shaft 12 and a center line S connecting a center 0 of the shaft through-hole 15 and an edge position 16c of the extending portion 16 existing at a farthest position from the center is used as a reference, the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a are formed at positions within an angle of about 10° to the right and left. According to the invention disclosed in Claim 4, for example, as shown in the embodiment which will be explained hereinbelow by using the drawings, there is provided a laminate cam according to claim 2, characterized in that in the case where the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a are seen in the direction of the cam shaft 12, the concave and convex portions are arranged'on a center line S connecting a center of the shaft through-hole 15 and an edge position 16c of the extending portion 16 existing at a farthest position from the center, that is, the concave and convex portions are formed at intermediate positions between the edge position 16c and a hole edge position 15a of the shaft through-hole 15 that is nearest to the edge position 16c. 10 Accordingly the present invention relates to a laminate cam in which two laminate cams 10, 11 assembled by laminating two plate cam members 14 having a same shape, made of metal and having an arc-cam-shaped outline, comprising: a shaft thorough hole 15 into which a cam shaft 12 is inserted by pressure; and am extending portion 16 which extends outwardly in one direction from said shaft through-hole 15, by aligning the shaft through-holes 15 are positioned by deviating the phase by a predetermined angle, and a cam assembly C is formed by assembling the laminate cams 10,11 to the cam shaft 12, characterized in that said plate members 14 are integrally formed by providing a convex portion 16a at a position onto one of plate surfaces in the extending portion 16 and providing a concave portion 16b onto the other plate surface at a position corresponding to the black side of said convex portion 16a in the extending portion 16, and said plate cam members 14 are mutually overlaid by fitting the concave portions 16b and the convex portions 16a, respectively, thereby integrating said plate cam members 14. [Brief description of accompanying Drawings] [Fig. 1] (al) Side sectional view of a laminate cam according to the invention. (a2) Front view. [Fig. 2] Perspective view of a plate cam member. [Fig. 3] Perspective view of a cam assembly having laminate cams. [Fig. 4] Front view showing a modification of forming positions of concave and convex portions of the plate cam member. [Fig. 5] Perspective view showing a conventional laminate cam assembled to a cam shaft. 11 Fig. 3 shows a cam assembly C having laminate cams according to the invention. The cam assembly C is rotating means v.'hich is used in, for example, an internal combustion engine for a motorcycle and constructed by assembling two laminate cams 10 and 11 each having an arc-cam shape onto a cam shaft 12 while shifting phases by a predetermined angle and similarly assembling a gear 13 thereto. Also shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of the laminate cams 10 and 11 compsrises a cam assembly formed by laminating two plate cam members 14 each having a same shape and made of metal and integrating them. A shaft through-hole 15 through which the cam shaft 12 penetrates is formed in each of the plate cam members 14. Each of the plate cam members 14 is formed in a manner such that an outline having an extendi ng portion 16 which extends from the shaft through-hole 15 outwardly in one direction has a same arc-cam shape. Particularly, a convex portion 16a is formed onto one of plate surfaces of the extending portion 16 and a concave portion 16b is formed onto the other plate surface at a position corresponding to the back side of the convex portion. In case of manufacturing the plate cam member 14, although not shown, for example, a fine blanking method is used. A punch is moved downward together with a plate pressing member at an outer periphery and a thick- 13 plate-like material (blank) which is made of metal and should be worked is pressed. On the other hand, the material is received by a die and its inner peripheral backward pressing member from the opposite lower side and pressed, so that the shaft through-hole 15 is formed in the material and its outline is sheared into an arc-cam shape. At the time of the shearing work, when the material to be worked is pressurized by the punch and the backward pressing member, the cylindrical convex portion 16a is formed on one of the plate surfaces of the extending portion 1 6 in accordance with the concave of the punch, the shaft through-hole 15 is formed by punching the other plate surface by a projection of the backward pressing member, and at the same time, the concave portion 16b is formed on the hack side of the convex portion 16a by half-punching the material. Upon punching, since the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a are formed in the plate thickness direction of the extending portion 16, unevenness of the thickness in the direction of an edge position 16c of the extending portion 16 is prevented. Thus, most of the punched cut surface becomes a shear cut surface and the occurrence of the cut break surfaces is suppressed. Each of the laminate cams 10 and 11 is formed by laminating two plate cam members 14 while fitting the concave portion 16b and convex portion 16a and integratedly 14 assembling them into one unified cam. Ac this time, the plate cam members are restricted and positioned owing to the fittingof the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a, and cam surfaces m as outer peripheries and hole surfaces n as inner peripheries of the plate cam members 14 are matched without a deviation, respectively. Subsequently, the laminate cams 10 and 11 are positioned and supported by using a positioning tool (not shown) and the cam shaft 12 is inserted into the shaft through-hole 15 by pressure so as to penetrate it as shown in Fig. 3. In the example shown in the diagram, they are positioned so that phases are deviated'by a predetermined angle and assembled onto the cam shaft 1.2, and the gear 13 is similarly attached thereto, thereby assembling the cam assembly C. When the cam assembly C is used in the internal combustion engine, although not shown, a timing gear on a crank shaft which is rotated synchronously with an engine cycle is come into engagement with the gear 13, thereby-rotating the cam shaft 12. In accordance with the rotation of the cam shaft 12, each of the laminate cams 10 and 11 is rotated, thereby performing an on/off control of the exhaust valve or the intake valve. Although the concave portion 16b and convex 15 portion 16a provided on the extending portion 16 of the plate cam members 14 are cylindrical, they can also have another proper shape like a prism or the like. As shown in Fiq. I(a2), it is desirable that the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a are arranged on a center line S connecting a center 0 of the shaft- through-hole 15 and the edge position 16c of the extending portion 16 existing at: a farthest position from the center, that is, the concave and convex portions are formed at intermediate positions between the edge position 16c and a hole edge position 15a of the shaft through-hole 15 that is nearest to the edge position 16c while keeping a balance. In the case where the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a are formed on the extending portion 16, for example, as shown in Fig, 4, it is preferable to arrange them at positions within an angle of about 10° to the right and left by setting the center line $ t:o a reference. [0020) Although not shown, further, the invention can be also constructed in a manner such that the positions of the concave and convex portions 16b and 16a which are provided on the plate cam member 14 are made different every different arc-cam-shape of the laminate cam, thereby enabling them to be distinguished. Thus, at the time of the assembling work of the laminate cams, a difference of the types of the laminate cams can be easily distinguished 16 by the eyes and the occurrence of an erroneous assembly can be prevented. Although each of the laminate cams 10 and 11 is constructed by laminating two plate cam members 14, it will be obviously understood that the laminate cam can be also formed by laminating three or more plate cam members 14 by fitting the concave and convex portions. Although the example of the laminate cams which are used in the interna] combustion engine for the motorcycle has been shown above, the .1 aminate cams according to the invention can he also widely applied to many fields other than the internal combustion engine. [Effects of the Invention] According to the invention constructed as mentioned above, the following effects are obtained. According to the invent, ion disclosed in Claim 1, each of a plurality of place cam members having a same shape and made of metal is formed by providing the convex portion onto one of plate surfaces and providing the concave portion onto the other plate surface at: a position corresponding to the back side of the convex portion, those plurality of plate cam members are laminated by fitting the concave and convex portions, thereby assembling the laminate earns. 17 Therefore, the plate cam member's can be positioned and integrated without, a deviation, so that the assembly precision of the laminate cams to the cam shaft can be improved. Thus, when the cams operate, a situation such that the abutting states of the cam surfaces to the follower such as a valve or the like become uneven or the contact positions are deviated can be eliminated. Operational precision can be improved and the durability of the cam can be improved. According to the invention disclosed in Claim 2, since the concave and convex portions are provided on the extending portion of the plate cam member in the arc-cam-shape, when the material to be worked is pressed upon punching work, unevenness of the thickness in the direction of the edge position of the extending portion is blocked due to the concave an convex portions in the plate thickness direction. Thus, most of the punched cut surfaces become the shear cut surfaces. A situation such that cut break surfaces occur in both of the cam surface portion near the edge position of the extending portion and the hole surface portion near the hole edge position of the shaft through-hole is suppressed. Thus, the deterioration of bore precision of the shaft through-hole can be prevented. The deviation of the contact position with the follower is eliminated and the operational precision can be improved. 18 . According to the invention disclosed in Claim 3, the concave and convex portions are formed at the positions where the unevenness of the thickness upon punching work mainly occurs, so that unevenness of the thickness in the direction of the edge position of the extending portion is effectively blocked. Consequently, the number of cut break surfaces which are caused on the punched cut surface can be reduced. According to the invention disclosed in Claim 4, the concave and convex portions are formed at the most balanced positions on the extending portion, so' that unevenness of the thickness in the direction of the edge position of the extending portion is effectively blocked. The number of cut break surfaces which are caused on the punched cut surface can be further reduced. The bore can be finished at high precision. 19 WE CLAIM: 1. A laminate cam in which two laminate cams (10, 11) assembled by laminating two plate cam members (14) having a same shape, made of metal and having an arc-cam-shaped outline, comprising: a shaft through-hole (15) into which a cam shaft 12 is inserted by pressure; and can extending portion (16) which extends outwardly in one direction from said shaft through-hole (15), by aligning the shaft through-holes (15) are positioned by deviating the phase by a predetermined angle, and a cam assembly C is formed by assembling the laminate cams (10,11) to the cam shaft (12), characterized in that said plate members (14) are integrally formed by providing a convex portion (16a) at a position onto one of plate surfaces in the extending portion (16) and providing a concave portion (16b) onto the other plate surface at a position corresponding to the black side of said convex portion (16a) in the extending portion (16), and said plate cam members (14) are mutually overlaid by fitting the concave portions (16b) and the convex portions (16a), respectively, thereby integrating said plate cam members (14). 2. A laminate cam as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate cam member is formed in an arc-cam shape having an extending portion which extends from said shaft through-hole outwardly in one direction by punching work, and said concave and convex portions are formed on said extending portion. 3. A laminate cam as claimed in claim 2, wherein the case where said concave and convex portions are seen in a cam axial direction and a center line connecting a center of said shaft through-hole and an edge position of said extending portion existing at a farthest position from said center is used as a reference, said concave and convex portions are formed at positions within an angle of about 10° to the right and left. 21 4. A laminate cam as claimed in claim 2, wherein the case where said concave and convex portions are seen in a cam axial direction, said concave and convex portions are arranged on a center line connecting a center of said shaft through-hole and an edge position of said extending portion existing at a farthest position from said center, that is, the concave and convex portions are formed at intermediate positions between said edge position and a hole edge position and a hole edge position of said shaft through-hole that is nearest to said edge position. Dated 24th day of October, 2001, [HRISHIKESH RAY CHAUDHURY] OF REMFRY & SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANTS 22

Documents:

1039-mum-2001-abstract.doc

1039-mum-2001-abstract.pdf

1039-mum-2001-abstract1-jpgg.jpg

1039-mum-2001-cancelled pages(8-1-07)-.pdf

1039-mum-2001-claim.doc

1039-mum-2001-claims(granted)-(8-1-07).pdf

1039-mum-2001-claims.pdf

1039-mum-2001-correspondence(26-10-06).pdf

1039-mum-2001-correspondence(ipo)-(26-10-06).pdf

1039-mum-2001-correspondence(ipo).pdf

1039-mum-2001-correspondence.pdf

1039-mum-2001-decription(granted).doc

1039-mum-2001-description(granted).pdf

1039-mum-2001-drawing(26-12-2001)-.pdf

1039-mum-2001-drawing.pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 1(8-1-07).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 1(super seded).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 1-8-jan-2007.pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 18(7-10-05).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 18.pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 2(granted)-(8-1-07).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 2(granted).doc

1039-mum-2001-form 2(granted).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 2(title page).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 2.doc

1039-mum-2001-form 3 (24-10-01).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 3(1-2-02).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 3(11-5-06).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 3.pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 5(8-1-07).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 5.pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 6(26-10-06).pdf

1039-mum-2001-form 6.pdf

1039-mum-2001-japan patent.pdf

1039-mum-2001-petition 138.pdf

1039-mum-2001-petition under rule 138(17-5-06).pdf

1039-mum-2001-power of attorney(11-1-02).pdf

1039-mum-2001-power of authority.pdf

1039-mum-2001power of authority(12-5-06).pdf

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