Rocker arm for a valve train of an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A rocker arm ( 1 a to 1 f ) for a valve train of an internal combustion engine is provided having an elongate lever body ( 2 a to 2 f ) formed out of sheet metal and including a first end section ( 3 ), a second end section ( 5 ) and a center section ( 4 ) formed by two spaced apart, parallel side walls ( 6 a to 6 f ), having aligned axle-receiving bores ( 7 ). The first end section includes a crossbar ( 11 a to 11 f ) connecting the side walls to each other and two contact surfaces ( 12 ) for a simultaneous actuation of two gas exchange valves of the internal combustion engine, and the first end section is configured substantially wider than the center section. The contact surfaces extend on the crossbar while being spaced in transverse direction from the side walls.

1 . A rocker arm for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, comprising an elongate lever body formed of sheet metal and including a first end section, a second end section and a center section formed by two spaced apart, parallel side walls having aligned axle-receiving bores, the first end section including a crossbar connecting the side walls to each other and two contact surfaces for a simultaneous actuation of two gas exchange valves of the internal combustion engine, said first end section being configured substantially wider than the center section, and the contact surfaces extend on the crossbar while being spaced in a transverse direction from the side walls. 
     
     
         2 . The rocker arm according to  claim 1 , wherein the second end section of the lever body comprises a joint socket for mounting the rocker arm on a stationary joint head arranged in the internal combustion engine, the rocker arm further comprising a roller mounted on a roller axle fixed in the axle-receiving bores. 
     
     
         3 . The rocker arm according to  claim 1 , wherein the lever body has a substantially T-shaped configuration viewed in a direction perpendicular to the contact surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The rocker arm according to  claim 3 , wherein the crossbar comprises an inner section which is connected to lower edges of the side walls facing the gas exchange valves while extending between the side walls and further comprises two outer sections which are connected to upper edges of the side walls turned away from the gas exchange valves and extend away from each other. 
     
     
         5 . The rocker arm according to  claim 4 , wherein inner ends of the outer sections are bent through 180° and connected to the upper edges of the side walls while extending parallel to the side walls and slightly spaced from or in bearing relationship to the side walls. 
     
     
         6 . The rocker arm according to  claim 5 , wherein the inner ends of the outer sections are welded to the side walls in a region of the lower edges of the side walls. 
     
     
         7 . The rocker arm according to  claim 4 , wherein outer ends of the outer sections are bent at a right angle in a direction of the gas exchange valves to engage around the gas exchange valves and serve as a transverse guide of the rocker arm relative to the gas exchange valves. 
     
     
         8 . The rocker arm according to  claim 3 , wherein the first end section, together with the side walls widening into a T-shape and the crossbar, forms a substantially H-shaped or U-shaped cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         9 . The rocker arm according to  claim 8 , wherein the U-shaped cross-sectional profile is open in a direction of the gas exchange valves to engage around the gas exchange valves and serves as a transverse guide of the rocker arm relative to the gas exchange valves.