Abstract:
A system including a stationary housing having a recess formed therein and a thrust plate positioned within the recess in the housing. The thrust plate may have a non-circular profile for preventing rotation of the thrust plate relative to the housing, and may be secured within the recess without the use of fasteners or dowels. The thrust plate may have a body that is generally annular in shape, with one or more ears extending radially from the body.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to a thrust plate, and more specifically to a sacrificial thrust plate for positioning between a rotating surface and a stationary surface. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    An engine may include one or more rotating components enclosed within an engine housing. During operation of the engine, the rotating components may tend to contact and rub against the engine housing or other stationary components. This contact between the rotating components and the stationary components may cause excessive wear of the rotating components and/or the stationary components (e.g. engine housing) leading to reduced engine efficiency, frequent service intervals, need for replacements and increased engine downtime. Hence, a thrust plate is often provided as a sacrificial surface between the rotating component and the engine housing. The thrust plate may prevent direct contact between the rotating component and the engine housing and thereby reduce wear experienced by both due to frictional forces. 
         [0003]    In known system designs, the thrust plate is affixed to the engine housing using various retention mechanisms like bolts, screws and/or pins. In some situations, additional machining is required in order to accommodate the retention mechanisms. This is a laborious process and may add to the cost of manufacturing. Thus, there is a need for an improved thrust plate design. 
         [0004]    European Published Application Number 209,316 discloses a clutch driven plate assembly for an automotive vehicle clutch driving a transmission input shaft. The assembly includes a thrust washer between an outer hub and a spring retainer plate. The thrust washer has circumferentially spaced and axially aligned ears thereon. The spring retainer plate has openings for receiving the ears. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided. The system includes a housing having a recess formed therein. The system also includes a thrust plate positioned within the recess in the housing. The thrust plate has a non-circular profile for preventing rotation of the thrust plate relative to the housing. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the present disclosure, a thrust plate is provided. The thrust plate includes a body having a generally circular outer periphery, a first planar surface and a second planar surface spaced from and generally parallel to the first planar surface. The thrust plate also includes an ear extending from the outer periphery of the body. The ear has surfaces that are coplanar with the first and second planar surfaces of the body. 
         [0007]    In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, an engine is provided. The engine includes an engine block, a flywheel and a flywheel housing with a recess. The engine also includes a rotating component provided in spaced relation to the flywheel housing. The engine further includes a thrust plate provided in the recess. The thrust plate includes a body having a generally circular outer periphery, a first planar surface and a second planar surface. The second planar surface is spaced from and generally parallel to the first planar surface. The thrust plate also includes an ear extending from the outer periphery of the body. The ear has surfaces that are coplanar with the first and second planar surfaces of the body. 
         [0008]    Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary engine, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a housing, a thrust plate and a rotating component; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a recess provided in the housing; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the thrust plate according to the concepts of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the recess and the thrust plate; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the thrust plate positioned within the recess; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the thrust plate, the rotating component and the housing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or the like parts. Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary engine  100  is illustrated. More specifically, the engine  100  may be an internal combustion engine. The engine  100  may be powered by any one or a combination of known liquid or gaseous fuels including, but not limited to, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, petroleum gas and bio-fuels. 
         [0017]    The engine  100  may include an engine block  102  and a cylinder head (not shown). The engine block  102  may further include a plurality of cylinders  104 . Each of the plurality of cylinders  104  may be configured to receive a piston (not shown). The engine block  102  may further house other components of the engine  100  including, but not limited to, connecting rods, crankshaft, bearings and gears. The engine block  102  may also include a housing  106  for a flywheel (not shown). Additionally, the housing  106  may partially or fully enclose other rotating components including, but not limited to, gears, bearings and shafts. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exploded perspective view of the housing  106  is illustrated. The housing  106  may be provided with a pocket  202  to enclose a rotating component like a gear  204 . A bearing or a stub shaft assembly  206  may also be provided in the pocket  202  to rotatably mount the gear  204  to the housing  106  within the pocket  202 . Further, a thrust plate  208  (shown as a shaded component) may be provided between the gear  204  and the housing  106 . The thrust plate  208  may be configured to prevent the gear  204  from contacting and rubbing against the housing  106  when the gear  204  rotates during operation of the engine  100 . Accordingly, a recess  210  may be provided in the housing  106  to receive the thrust plate  208 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of the recess  210  is shown. The recess  210  has a defined depth D. The recess  210  may be sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the thrust plate  208 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of the thrust plate  208  is illustrated. The thrust plate  208  may have a body  402  with a substantially annular configuration. Further, the thrust plate  208  may have a first planar surface  404  in spaced apart arrangement from a second planar surface  406 . The first planar surface  404  may be substantially parallel to the second planar surface  406  such that the thrust plate  208  has a defined thickness T measured between the first and second planar surfaces  404 ,  406 . As shown, the thrust plate  208  has an inner radial surface  408  and an outer radial surface  410  defining an inner periphery  412  and an outer periphery  414 , respectively. 
         [0020]    Additionally, the thrust plate  208  may include a radial projection in the form of an ear  416  extending from the outer periphery  414  and/or the inner periphery  412 . In certain embodiments, the ear  416  may have a substantially arcuate profile. Alternatively, in other embodiments the ear  416  may be shaped in any desired manner and suitable for the intended application. Surfaces of the ear  416  may be coplanar with the first and second planar surfaces  404 ,  406  of the thrust plate  208 . More specifically, the ear  416  is configured to create a non-circular profile of the thrust plate  208 . The non-circular profile of the thrust plate  208  may prevent rotation of the thrust plate  208  within the recess  210  provided in the housing  106 . 
         [0021]    In the illustrated embodiment, first and second ears  416  are provided diametrically opposite to each other on the outer periphery  414 . In another embodiment, the first and second ears  416  may be angularly spaced apart from one another, such that one ear  416  is positioned on the inner periphery  412  and the other ear  416  is positioned on the outer periphery  414 . It should be noted that the profile, location and number of the ears  416  provided on the thrust plate  208  may vary as per system design and requirements and may not limit scope of the disclosure. 
         [0022]    The thrust plate  208  may be made of any wear resistant material known in the art as per system design and requirements. Accordingly, the thrust plate  208  may be made of any metal or an alloy including, but not limited to, steel, bronze and the like. The material of the thrust plate  208  may be different than a material of the housing  106 . The thrust plate  208  may be formed by any known manufacturing process known to one skilled in the art including, but not limited to, casting, forging and/or any sheet metal working process. In a particular embodiment, the thrust plate  208  may be cut from a metal sheet, and may require substantially no further machining following cutting. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , perspective views of the thrust plate  208  and the recess  210  are illustrated. The profile of the recess  210  is configured to intimately engage the profile of the thrust plate  208 . More specifically, for example, when the thrust plate  208  includes the first and second ears  416 , then the recess  210  may be shaped to accommodate the thrust plate  208  with first and second depressions  502  and  504 . The first and second depressions  502 ,  504  may be sized and shaped to receive and engage the first and second ears  416 . The depth D of the recess  210  may be equal to or less than the thickness T of the thrust plate  208  so that the thrust plate  208  may fit within the recess  210  of the housing  106 . In one embodiment, a diameter of the outer periphery  414  of the thrust plate  208  may be greater than a corresponding diameter of the recess  210 , in order to create an interference fit of the thrust plate  208  within the recess  210 . The interference fit allows for the thrust plate  208  to be affixed within the housing  106  without the need of additional external retention means like bolts, screws, rivets, welds and/or pins. 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the thrust plate  208 , the rotating component  204  and the housing  106 . During assembly, the thrust plate  208  is received within the recess  210  in pocket  202 . The gear  204  is positioned in the pocket  202  adjacent to the thrust plate  208 . The gear  204  is rotatably affixed to the housing  106  by the stub shaft assembly  206 . As shown in the accompanying figures, a gap is formed between the thrust plate  208  and the rotating component, which is the gear  204 . The gap has a width W. The width W of the gap may be such that a ratio of the thickness T of the thrust plate  208  to the width W of the gap may be greater than 2:1. It should be noted that the width W of the gap allows for a clearance between the thrust plate  208  and the gear  204 . At the same time, the width W bears a relation with the thickness T of the thrust plate  208  such that the thrust plate  208  is prevented from falling out of the recess  210  provided within the housing  106 , especially during vibrations experienced due to the operation of the system. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0025]    The thrust plate of the present disclosure is intended as a sacrificial surface used between the rotating component and the housing. The thrust plate prevents friction and wear of the housing and/or the rotating component when the rotating component comes in contact and rubs against the housing during operation. Known system designs include using a dowel pin or bolt as the retention means to fasten the thrust plate against the housing, thereby retaining the thrust plate in a stationary position with respect to the housing. This requires providing bores on the thrust plate and the housing for receiving the retention means. 
         [0026]    The thrust plate  208  provided in the present disclosure has a non-circular profile which allows for the thrust plate  208  to be held in a stationary position relative to the rotating component. In other words, the non-circular profile of the thrust plate  208  prevents the rotation of the thrust plate  208  relative to the housing  106 . Also, the relation of the thickness T of the thrust plate  208  and the width W of the gap created between the thrust plate  208  and the rotating component is such that the thrust plate  208  is prevented from falling out of the housing  106  during operation of the assembly. 
         [0027]    This disclosure may find use in a variety of engine applications in which assembly space is limited. The solution provided herein is cost effective and does not require extra machining as in the case of when the dowel pin or bolt is used to secure the thrust plate  208 . 
         [0028]    While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.