Method for manufacturing a crankshaft

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a crankshaft for motor vehicles with passages being provided in the crankshaft for receiving lubricant. Prior to the casting process, place holders, which may include formed parts having cavities alone and/or together with a core, are inserted into the mold to form passages for receiving lubricant.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a crankshaft for motor vehicles comprising: 
 inserting a place holder and a lost core into a mold, a position of the place holder being fixed by the lost core;    casting the crankshaft after the inserting step so that the place holder provides a passage in the crankshaft for receiving a lubricant.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the place holder includes a formed part having a cavity.  
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein the place holder includes one of a straight part and a shaped part.  
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising inserting a second place holder into the mold, a position of the second place holder being fixed by the lost core.  
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4  wherein a cross-section of the place holder is different from a cross-section of the second place holder.  
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the place holder includes a material having a higher melting point than a casting material of the crankshaft.  
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising destroying and removing the place holder from the crankshaft after the casting.  
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 7  wherein the removing includes washing the place holder out of the crankshaft.  
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the inserting of the place holder is performed so that the passage is located in a region of a separation plane of the mold.  
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 2  wherein the lost core forms a second passage in the crankshaft after casting at a separation plane of the mold.  
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10  further comprising integrating the formed part with the core before the casting and wherein the formed part remains in the crankshaft after the casting and at least partially fuses with a casting material of the crankshaft.  
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising supporting the place holder using a jacket having a larger diameter than a diameter of the place holder.  
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising supporting the place holder using a stiffening element, the stiffening element remaining in the crankshaft after the casting.  
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the inserting the place holder is performed so that the place holder does not penetrate an outer contour of the crankshaft.  
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 2  further comprising sealing the cavity before performing the casting.  
     
     
         16 . A device for integrally casting into a crankshaft, the device comprising: 
 a lost core;    a place holder for forming a lubricant passage in the crankshaft, the place holder fixedly connected to the lost core so as to be located according to a desired position of the lubricant passage in the crankshaft.    
     
     
         17 . The device as recited in  claim 16  wherein the place holder includes a formed part having a cavity.