Patent ID: 8677961
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
1. A camshaft phaser for controllably varying the phase relationship between a crankshaft and a camshaft in an internal combustion engine, said camshaft phaser comprising: a housing having a longitudinal axis; a harmonic gear drive unit disposed within said housing, said harmonic gear drive unit comprising a circular spline and an axially adjacent dynamic spline, a flexspline disposed within said circular spline and said dynamic spline, a wave generator disposed within said flexspline, and a rotational actuator connectable to said wave generator such that rotation of said wave generator causes relative rotation between said circular spline and said dynamic spline, wherein one of said circular spline and said dynamic spline is fixed to said housing in order to prevent relative rotation therebetween; a hub rotatably disposed within said housing axially adjacent to said harmonic gear drive unit and attachable to said camshaft and fixed to the other of said circular spline and said dynamic spline in order to prevent relative rotation therebetween; a lock pin slidingly disposed in a lock pin bore of said hub and also slidingly disposed in a through bore of either said circular spline or said dynamic spline for selective engagement with a lock pin seat disposed in the other of said circular spline and said dynamic spline, wherein engagement of said lock pin with said lock pin seat prevents relative rotation between said circular spline and said dynamic spline, said lock pin bore having a stepped shape with a lock pin bore first section and a lock pin bore second section adjacent to said lock pin bore first section, wherein said lock pin bore first section is smaller in diameter than said lock pin bore second section; and a lock pin housing disposed within said lock pin bore, wherein said lock pin housing includes a cylindrical hub section disposed within said lock pin bore first section, wherein said lock pin housing includes a lock pin housing flange extending radially outward from said cylindrical hub section, said lock pin housing flange being disposed within said lock pin bore second section, and wherein said lock pin is disposed within said lock pin housing with a close sliding fit.