Mechanical system forming a cam follower or a rocker arm

Abstract

A mechanical system forming one of a cam follower or a rocker arm, the mechanical system comprising: a support element, a pin extending between two opposite ends along a first axis and supported by the support element, and a roller mounted on pin, movable in rotation relative to the pin around the first axis and adapted to roll on a cam. The support element includes a bearing body adapted to receive pin, and an additional retaining member blocking the translation of pin back and forth, along first axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mechanical system, forming a cam follower or a rocker arm, the mechanical system comprising:
 a support element defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a bearing body and a retaining member, wherein the bearing body comprises two flanges having respective bores therein, each of the two flanges comprise respective inner surfaces that face each other and delimit a gap therebetween, each of the two flanges further comprise respective outer surfaces, the retaining member being an annular member comprising an inner cylindrical surface that is in contact with each of the respective outer surfaces of the two flanges, the retaining member being a distinct component from the bearing body such that the bearing body and the retaining member are not integrally formed prior to assembly, the retaining member having first and second longitudinal ends; 
 a pin extending between two opposite ends along a first axis and supported by the bearing body, the pin being disposed in the gap between the respective inner surfaces of the two flanges, the pin having a first length with respect to the first axis that is greater than a second length of the gap between the respective inner surfaces of the two flanges such that the two opposite ends of the pin are located within the respective bores of the two flanges, respectively, wherein the bearing body is configured such that the pin can only be seated in the respective bores to engage the two flanges by translating the pin along the first axis; and 
 a roller mounted on the pin, wherein the roller is movable in rotation relative to the pin around the first axis and adapted to roll on a cam, 
 wherein each the respective bores is defined by an associated one of the two flanges such that each of the respective bores is completely encircled thereby such that each of the two flanges borders an entire perimeter of the respective bore located therethrough, the pin is only configured to be disposed in the gap by translating the pin along the first axis through one of the bores of the two flanges when the first axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and such that the pin cannot be disposed in the gap by translating the pin along the longitudinal axis when the first axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the retaining member is configured to be placed into its position of contacting the respective outer surfaces of the two flanges after the pin is disposed in the gap such that the retaining member blocks the translation of the pin back and forth, along the first axis, wherein an inner diameter of the retaining member is equal to a maximum outer diameter of the respective outer surfaces formed by the two flanges, the retaining member being configured such that when positioned over the bearing body to prevent translation of the pin a portion of the roller extends outwardly from the pin along the longitudinal axis past the first longitudinal end of the retaining member and another portion of the roller extends outwardly from the pin along the longitudinal axis past the second longitudinal end of the retaining member. 
 
     
     
       2. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the two flanges are in one piece with the bearing body. 
     
     
       3. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member has an annular shape centered on the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       4. The mechanical system according to  claim 3 , wherein the respective outer surfaces comprise curved external faces and the inner cylindrical surface of the retaining member is in contact with the curved external faces of the two flanges. 
     
     
       5. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member and the bearing body are metallic. 
     
     
       6. The mechanical system according to  claim 5 , wherein retaining member is fretted on the bearing body during assembly. 
     
     
       7. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member and the bearing body are made of steel. 
     
     
       8. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the bearing body is metallic and is not heat treated. 
     
     
       9. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is assembled with the bearing body with an adhesive. 
     
     
       10. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member has a cylindrical external guiding surface,
 wherein a diameter of the cylindrical external guiding surface of the retaining member is the same as a diameter of an external guiding surface of the support element. 
 
     
     
       11. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pin is movable in translation and in rotation relative to the bearing body, along the first axis. 
     
     
       12. The mechanical system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a positional guiding element positioned at the interface between the pin and the roller element, wherein the positional guiding element is one of a rolling bearing, a sliding bearing or a bushing.