Camshaft incorporating variable camshaft timing phaser rotor

Abstract

In a VCT system, the rotor of a phaser is irreversibly connected to a shaft such as a cam shaft for reducing the physical dimension of the phaser. The physical dimension includes the axial dimension and the radial dimension.

1 . In a VCT system having a phaser coupled to a shaft, which can be a driving or driven shaft, an apparatus comprising: 
 the phaser having a rotor formed as part of the shaft, wherein the shaft is an extension of the rotor, free of any region having openings for accommodating independent fastening members, thereby the axial and radial dimension of the apparatus is reduced.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the independent fastening members comprise screws.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor is irreversibly connected to one end of the shaft by pressing the rotor onto a straight hub; pressing the rotor onto a hub using a straight spline on an inside surface of the rotor and a helical spline on a corresponding surface of the shaft or vice versa; brazing the rotor onto the shaft; swaging the rotor onto the shaft; or ballizing the rotor onto the shaft where the shaft is a hollow component.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor is machined as part of the shaft.  
   
   
       5 . In a VCT system having a phaser coupled to a shaft, which can be a driving or driven shaft, an apparatus comprising: 
 a means for for forming the shaft as part of a rotor of the phaser free of any region having openings for accommodating independent fastening members, thereby the axial and radial dimension of the apparatus is reduced.    
   
   
       6 . A method for coupling part of a VCT device to a shaft, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a phaser having a rotor rotating in relation to an opposite part of the phaser, wherein the phaser is axially reduced by eliminating at least one part of the phaser; and    integrally from the shaft as part of the rotor.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the rotor is irreversibly connected to one end of the shaft by pressing the rotor onto a straight hub; pressing the rotor onto a hub using a straight spline on an inside surface of the rotor and a helical spline on a corresponding surface of the shaft or vice versa; brazing the rotor onto the shaft; swaging the rotor onto the shaft; or ballizing the rotor onto the shaft where the shaft is a hollow component.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the shaft is machined as part of the rotor.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has an outer circumference having at least one slot thereon for affixing a vane thereto.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the rotor has an outer circumference having at least one slot thereon for affixing a vane thereto.