Abstract:
A method of manipulating a bearing cap for a machine, the method comprising: attaching an intermediate member to the bearing cap, the intermediate member having one or more handling formations; and using the handling formations of the intermediate member to manipulate the bearing cap.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to Great Britain Patent Application No. 1601002.7, filed on Jan. 19, 2016. The entire contents of the above-referenced application are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
         [0002]    This disclosure relates to a method of manipulating a bearing cap for a machine, and in particular, but not exclusively, relates to manipulating the bearing cap using a bearing clip which is configured to retain the bearing in position. 
       INTRODUCTION 
       [0003]    A balancer shaft for an engine is typically located within the engine casing, for example the balancer shaft may be assembled onto a ladder frame casing of the engine. The balancer shaft can be mounted on balancer shaft bearings, which can each be secured in place on the ladder frame using a bearing cap, for example a ladder frame cap. 
         [0004]    On a modern production line, the bearing cap is typically installed using an automated process, and as such it is desirable for the bearing cap to have gripping features that allow for the automated handling of the bearing cap during assembly of the engine. The gripping features may also be useful when removing the bearing cap, for example during tear-back and/or rework of the engine. 
         [0005]    It is known to provide a flange on the bearing cap and/or a cut-out into the bearing cap for use as the gripping feature. If the bearing cap is a cast part, the tool parting line must allow for the gripping feature to be included in the bearing cap. If it is not possible to cast the gripping features, they can be machined into the bearing cap, which adds additional cost and time to the manufacturing process. 
         [0006]    One problem is that there is usually a lack of packaging space around the bearing cap when installed into the engine casing, which makes it difficult to include additional flanges as these can increase the overall size of the bearing cap. Another problem is that the gripping feature must have a sufficient size to allow an automated tool to grip the part, and thus it is difficult to include a large enough cut-out into the bearing cap owing to the required configuration of the bearing cap. A further problem is that other engine components, such as an oil pump, may be assembled close to and around the bearing cap, which can block access to the bearing cap&#39;s gripping features in an assembled configuration. 
       STATEMENTS OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method of manipulating a bearing cap for a machine, for example an engine, the method comprising: attaching a bearing clip to the bearing cap, the bearing clip being configured to retain a bearing within an opening of the bearing cap and having one or more handling formations; and using the handling formations of the bearing clip to manipulate the bearing cap. The bearing cap may be any appropriate type of bearing cap, for example a balancer shaft bearing cap, a cam shaft bearing cap, or a crankshaft bearing cap, amongst others. 
         [0008]    The method may comprise installing the bearing cap onto the machine, for example onto a machine casing, using an intermediate member comprising a bearing clip, the bearing clip being configured to retain a bearing within an opening of the bearing cap and having one or more handling formations. For example, the method may comprise assembling the bearing cap onto the machine using the intermediate member. The method may comprise removing the bearing cap from the machine using the intermediate member. For example, the method may comprise disassembling the bearing cap from the machine using the intermediate member. The method may comprise removing the intermediate member from the bearing cap once the bearing cap is installed onto the machine. The method may comprise reattaching the intermediate member to the bearing cap, for example after removing the intermediate member. The intermediate member may be used to install the bearing cap, and may be subsequently removed from the bearing cap, such that the intermediate member does not form part of the machine when fully assembled. Upon disassembly of the machine, for example during tear-back and/or maintenance, the intermediate member may be reattached to the bearing cap so that it can be used to remove the bearing cap from the machine. The intermediate member may be left attached to the bearing cap, such that the intermediate member forms part of the machine when fully assembled. 
         [0009]    The method may comprise locating the bearing cap relative to the machine using the intermediate member. For example, the intermediate member may comprise one or more locating features configured to engage a portion of the machine casing to locate the bearing cap relative to the machine casing and/or any other appropriate component of the machine. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a bearing cap assembly for a machine, for example an engine, the bearing cap assembly comprising: a bearing cap configured to be assembled to the machine; and a bearing clip configured to attach to the bearing cap, the bearing clip being configured to retain a bearing within an opening of the bearing cap and comprising one or more handling formations configured to be used to manipulate the bearing cap when an intermediate member is attached to the bearing cap. The bearing cap may be configured to secure a bearing against a portion of machine casing. For example, the bearing cap may be a balancer shaft bearing cap configured to secure a balancer shaft bearing against a ladder frame casing of the engine. 
         [0011]    An intermediate member, comprising the bearing clip as described above, may comprise one or more handling formations that extend away from the bearing cap when the intermediate member is attached to the bearing cap. The handling formations may be dedicated handling formations. The sole purpose of the handling formations may be to improve the ease of handling of the bearing cap. The handling formations may be configured such that the bearing cap can be manipulated, for example held, moved, positioned and/or located, relative to the machine using an automated assembly tool and/or by hand. 
         [0012]    The handling formations may extend away from the bearing cap by approximately 5 mm when the intermediate member is attached to the bearing cap. The handling formations may extend within a region bounded by at least one axial end face of the bearing cap when the intermediate member is attached to the bearing cap. The intermediate member may comprise a first projection and a second projection. The first and second projections may extend away from each other, for example in opposite directions. 
         [0013]    The intermediate member may be configured to engage a face of the bearing cap and extend over an edge of the said face. The intermediate member may be configured to extend at least partially through an opening in the bearing cap. The intermediate member may attach to the bearing cap using one or more fasteners, which may be configured to secure the bearing cap to the machine. 
         [0014]    There is provided a machine, for example an engine, comprising one or more of the above mentioned bearing cap assemblies. To avoid unnecessary duplication of effort and repetition of text in the specification, certain features are described in relation to only one or several aspects or arrangements of the disclosure. However, it is to be understood that, where it is technically possible, features described in relation to any aspect or arrangement of the disclosure may also be used with any other aspect or arrangement of the disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    For a better understanding of the present disclosure, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings. The figures are drawn to scale, although other relative dimensions may be used, if desired. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a ladder frame casing and a plurality of bearing caps according to the prior art in an assembled configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows an end view of the bearing cap according to the prior art. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows a partial cross section through the ladder frame casing and another bearing cap according to the prior art in an assembled configuration. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a ladder frame casing and a plurality of bearing cap assemblies according to the present disclosure in an assembled configuration. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an intermediate member according to the present disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a ladder frame casing and a plurality of bearing cap assemblies according to the present disclosure in an assembled configuration. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of another intermediate member according to the present disclosure. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  shows a partial cross section through the ladder frame casing and the bearing cap assembly according to the present disclosure in an assembled configuration. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  shows a plan view of the ladder frame casing and the bearing cap assembly according to the present disclosure in an assembled configuration. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a portion of an engine casing  101 , such as a ladder frame casing, in which a balancer shaft (not shown) may be installed. The balancer shaft may be rotatably mounted in one or more bearings (not shown) such that the balancer shaft may rotate with respect to the engine casing  101 . The bearings can each be held in place relative to a wall  103  of the engine casing  101  using a bearing cap  105 A according to the prior art. 
         [0026]    The bearing cap  105 A is configured to be attached to, for example removably attached to, the wall  103  of the engine casing  101  using one or more fasteners. Dowel pins, or any other appropriate means, may be used to position the bearing cap  105 A relative to the wall  103  of the engine casing  101 . In this manner, the dowel pins serve to align the bearing cap  105 A with the engine casing wall  103 , while one or more fasteners may be used to secure the bearing cap  105 A to the engine casing  101 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of one of the bearing caps  105 A shown in  FIG. 1 . The bearing cap  105 A comprises a plurality of gripping features  107  that allow for the automated handling of the bearing cap  105 A during assembly of the engine. For example, the gripping features  107  may be configured to engage with a robotic arm of an automated manufacturing station, and/or may be configured to allow a user to manually install and/or remove the bearing cap  105 A from the engine casing  101 . 
         [0028]    In the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 , the bearing caps  105 A are the only components assembled to the engine casing  101 , and as a result access to the gripping features  107  is not impeded by any other components assembled onto the engine casing  101 .  FIG. 3  shows another example of a bearing cap  105 B according to the prior art when installed onto the engine casing  101  along with another component  109 , for example an oil pump, or any other appropriate component. In the arrangement of  FIG. 3 , the gripping features of  107  are provided in a different location on the bearing cap  105 B compared to the bearing cap  105 A. However, it is clear that even by repositioning gripping features  107 , access to the gripping features  107  may still be impeded by at least one other component  109  attached to the engine casing  101 . Furthermore, even though the size of the gripping features  107  of bearing cap  105 B have been reduced compared to the gripping features  107  of bearing cap  105 A, there still may be insufficient access around the bearing cap  105 B in an installed configuration. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows a portion of an engine casing  201  and a plurality of bearing cap assemblies  211  according to the present disclosure. In the arrangement shown in  FIG. 4 , the engine casing  201  is a ladder frame casing configured to support a balancer shaft (not shown), and the bearing cap assemblies  211  are balancer shaft bearing cap assemblies configured to secure respective balancer shaft bearings (not shown) in the ladder frame casing. It is understood, however, that the bearing cap assemblies  211  may be configured to secure any appropriate type of bearing in the engine casing  201 . For example, the bearing cap assemblies  211  may be configured to secure a crankshaft bearing, a camshaft bearing and/or any other appropriate type of bearing in the engine casing  201 . 
         [0030]    The bearing cap assembly  211  comprises a bearing cap  205  and one or more intermediate members  213 . The intermediate members  213  are attachable to the bearing cap  205 , for example the intermediate member  213  may be removably securable to the bearing cap  205  using one or more fasteners. However, in an alternative arrangement, the intermediate member  213  may be secured to the bearing cap  205  using any appropriate method, for example by virtue of a snap fitting, adhesive and/or welding, among other methods. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the intermediate member  213  comprises a plurality of handling formations, for example projections  215  or tangs, that can be used by an automated assembly station and/or during a manual operation to hold the bearing cap  205  when the intermediate member  213  is attached to the bearing cap  205 . The handling formations may, however, be of any appropriate form that allows them to be used to manipulate the bearing cap  205  when the intermediate member  213  is attached to the bearing cap  205 . For example, the handling formations may comprise one or more openings which may be configured to engage a tool and/or an operators fingers. The intermediate member  213  may be used to grip, hold, support and/or manipulate the bearing cap  205  when that intermediate member  213  is attached to the bearing cap  205 . In this manner, the bearing cap  205  need not comprise any of the gripping features  107  as shown in the examples according to the prior art. This is advantageous since it simplifies the manufacture of the bearing cap  205 , which may reduce the overall cost of the bearing cap  205 . Furthermore, as the intermediate member  213  may be removably attachable to the bearing cap  205 , a single intermediate member  213  may be used to install and/or uninstall a plurality of bearing caps  205 . 
         [0032]    The intermediate member  213  may comprise a body portion  217  from which the projections  215  extend. In the arrangement shown in  FIGS. 4 to 9 , the intermediate member  213  comprises two projections  215  that are co-planar with the body portion  217  of the intermediate member  213  and which extend away from the body portion  217  in opposite directions. However, the intermediate member  213  may comprise any appropriate number of projections  215 , each of the projections  215  extending away from the body portion  217  in any appropriate direction and/or by any appropriate amount. 
         [0033]    The body portion  217  of the intermediate member  213  is configured to be secured to the bearing cap  205 . The intermediate member  213  may be secured to the bearing cap  205  by way of engagement between the body portion  217  of the intermediate member  213  and an appropriate portion of the bearing cap  205 . For example, the intermediate member  213  may be configured to attach to the bearing cap  205  such that the projections  215  extend away from the bearing cap  205 . The projections  215  may extend away from the bearing cap  205  in any appropriate direction and by any appropriate amount such that an automated handling tool is able to grip the bearing cap assembly  211  using the intermediate member  213 . For example, when the intermediate member  213  is attached to the bearing cap  205 , the projections  215  may extend away from the bearing cap  205  by approximately 5 mm, thereby allowing sufficient access for the automated handling tool and/or the fingers of any user. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 4 , the intermediate member  213  is secured to a top face of the bearing cap  205  such that each of the projections  215  extend over respective edges of the top face. In this manner, an automated tool and/or the fingers of an operator may grip the projection  215  using opposing surfaces of the projection  215 , e.g. a top surface  227  and a bottom surface  229  of the projection  215 . However, in alternative arrangements, one or more of the projections  215  may extend over, for example project beyond, an edge of any appropriate surface of the bearing cap  205 . Additionally or alternatively, the intermediate member  213  and the bearing cap  205  may be configured such that the intermediate member  213  extends at least partially through an opening in the bearing cap  205 . In such an example, the intermediate member  213  may comprise a pin and the bearing cap may comprise an opening configured to receive the pin. 
         [0035]    In the arrangement shown in  FIGS. 6 to 9 , the intermediate member  213  comprises a clip that is substantially U-shaped in cross section, for example a bridge clip.  FIG. 7  shows a detailed review of the intermediate member  213  shown in  FIGS. 6, 8 and 9 . The intermediate member  213  is similar to the intermediate member  213  of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , and further comprises a plurality of secondary projections  219  that extend away from the body portion  217 . Such secondary projections may be used for one or more other purposes instead or as well as holding the bearing cap  205 . For example, the secondary projections  219  may at least partially extend across an opening  221  of the bearing cap  205  when the intermediate member  213  is attached to the bearing cap  205  in order to help position a bearing (not shown) within the opening  221 . It is understood, however, that in one or more other arrangements, the projections  215  and the secondary projections  219  may have a common function. For example, in one arrangement the projections  215 ,  219  may be used to hold and/or support the bearing cap  205  in addition to locating a bearing within the opening  221  of the bearing cap  205 . 
         [0036]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show the bearing cap assembly  211  installed into an engine casing  201  along with a balancer shaft assembly  231  and an oil pump  233 . In  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the bearing cap assembly  211  comprises the intermediate member  213  of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . However, the bearing cap assembly  211  may comprise any appropriately configured intermediate member  213  according to the present disclosure. 
         [0037]    Typically, the oil pump  233  is assembled to the engine casing  201  after the bearing cap assembly  211  has been used to secure the balancer shaft assembly  231  to the engine casing  201 . In such a situation, the installation of the oil pump  233  restricts access to the bearing cap assembly  211 . In the arrangement shown, the projections  215  extend away from the bearing cap  205  within a region bounded by the axial end faces  225  of the bearing cap  205 . However, in alternative arrangements, one or more of the projections  215  may extend in any appropriate direction determined by the packaging requirements of the engine. Advantageously, in the arrangement shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the intermediate member  213  does not increase the overall axial package of the bearing cap assembly  211  when installed into the engine casing  201 , yet still allows sufficient access to the intermediate member  213  to install and/or uninstall the bearing cap  205 . Indeed, the bearing cap assembly  211  according to the present disclosure allows for the oil pump  233 , and/or any other appropriate component, to be installed into the engine casing before the bearing cap assembly  211 . Further, since the bearing cap  205  need not be provided with the integral gripping features  107  of the bearing caps  105 A,  105 B according to the prior art, the packaging requirements of the bearing cap  205  is reduced since the engine need not be configured to allow access to the gripping features  107 . As such, the oil pump  233 , and/or any other appropriate component, may be packaged closer to the bearing cap  205 , which may reduce the overall size of the engine. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 1-9  show example configurations with relative positioning of the various components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directly coupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting or directly coupled, respectively, at least in one example. Similarly, elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguous or adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one example. As an example, components laying in face-sharing contact with each other may be referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elements positioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and no other components may be referred to as such, in at least one example. As yet another example, elements shown above/below one another, at opposite sides to one another, or to the left/right of one another may be referred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in the figures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a “top” of the component and a bottommost element or point of the element may be referred to as a “bottom” of the component, in at least one example. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below, may be relative to a vertical axis of the figures and used to describe positioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such, elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above the other elements, in one example. As yet another example, shapes of the elements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having those shapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersecting one another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting one another, in at least one example. Further still, an element shown within another element or shown outside of another element may be referred as such, in one example. 
         [0039]    Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. 
         [0040]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the disclosure has been described by way of example with reference to one or more examples, it is not limited to the disclosed examples and that alternative examples could be constructed without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.