Finger lever

Abstract

The invention proposes a finger lever ( 1 ) for actuating a gas exchange valve ( 4 ) of an internal combustion engine, said finger lever ( 1 ) being composed of side walls ( 11 ), a valve contacting element ( 12 ), a roller axle ( 8 )/roller ( 9 ) and a joint socket element ( 13 ). According to the invention, the side walls comprise through-openings ( 15, 16 ) that are aligned to each other in pairs and in which each of the valve contacting element and the joint socket element are retained after the manner of a pin and bore connection by respective axle ends or axle stubs ( 18, 19 ) pointing in a transverse direction of the side walls.

1 . A finger lever ( 1 ) for actuating a gas exchange valve ( 4 ) of an internal combustion engine, said finger lever ( 1 ) comprising a first lever end ( 2 ) on which a valve contacting surface ( 3 ) for the gas exchange valve ( 4 ) extends, and further comprising a lever center ( 7 ) in which a roller axle ( 8 ) and a roller ( 9 ) mounted on said roller axle ( 8 ) for contact of a cam ( 10 ) extends, and comprising still further a second lever end ( 5 ) on which a joint socket ( 14 ) for a pivotal mounting of said finger lever ( 1 ) on a stationary joint head arranged in the internal combustion engine extends, said finger lever ( 1 ) comprising two side walls ( 11 ) which extend spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the finger lever ( 1 ) and are made as separate parts while being connected to each other, on the first lever end ( 2 ), through a valve contacting element ( 12 ) retained on the side walls ( 11 ), at the lever center ( 7 ), through the roller axle ( 8 ) retained in aligned through-openings ( 17 ) of the side walls ( 11 ) and, on the second lever end ( 5 ), through a joint socket element ( 13 ) retained on the side walls ( 11 ), characterized in that the side walls ( 11 ) on the first lever end ( 2 ) and on the second lever end ( 5 ) comprise through-openings ( 15 ,  16 ) aligned to each other in pairs, in which through-openings ( 15 ,  16 ) each of the valve contacting element ( 12 ) and the joint socket element ( 13 ) is retained after the manner of a pin and bore connection by respective axle ends or axle stubs ( 18 ,  19 ) pointing in a transverse direction of the side walls ( 11 ). 
     
     
         2 . A finger lever ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the side walls ( 11 ) are made as punched parts out of a sheet metal material and the valve contacting element ( 12 ) and the joint socket element ( 13 ) are made as sintered or metal injection molded parts. 
     
     
         3 . A finger lever ( 1   a ,  1   b ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the axle studs ( 18 ,  19 ) are configured in one piece with the valve contacting element ( 12   a ) and/or with the joint socket element ( 13   a ,  13   b ). 
     
     
         4 . A finger lever ( 1   a ,  1   b ,  1   c ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the valve contacting element ( 12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c ) is retained secure against rotation on the side walls ( 11   a ,  11   b ,  11   c ) in transverse direction of the finger lever ( 1   a ,  1   b ,  1   c ). 
     
     
         5 . A finger lever ( 1   a ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the through-openings ( 15   a ,  16   a ) on one or both of the lever ends ( 2 ,  5 ) are circular in shape, and that the axle ends or axle studs ( 18   a ,  19   a ) are cylindrical in shape, the valve contacting element ( 12   a ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   a ) being retained secure against rotation by force locking through riveting of the axle ends or axle studs ( 18   a ,  19   a ) in the through-openings ( 15   a ,  16   a ). 
     
     
         6 . A finger lever ( 1   b ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the through-openings ( 15   b ,  16   b ) on one or on both lever ends ( 2 ,  5 ) are non-circular in shape and that the axle ends ( 18   b ) or axle studs ( 19   b ) have a cross-sectional shape complementary to the through-openings ( 15   b ,  16   b ) so that the valve contacting element ( 12   b ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   b ) are retained secure against rotation by positive engagement in the through-openings ( 15   b ,  16   b ). 
     
     
         7 . A finger lever ( 1   b ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the through-openings ( 15   b ,  16   b ) and the axle ends ( 18   b ) or axle studs ( 19   b ) are oval in shape. 
     
     
         8 . A finger lever ( 1   c ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the through-openings ( 15   c ,  16   c ) on one or on both lever ends ( 2 ,  5 ) are circular in shape and that the axle ends ( 18   c ,  19   c ) or axle studs are cylindrical in shape, the valve contacting element ( 12   c ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   c ) comprise projections ( 20   c ,  21   c ) that extend in transverse direction of the side walls ( 11   c ) and engage into complementary recesses ( 22 ,  23 ) of the side walls ( 11   c ) so that the valve contacting element ( 12   c ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   c ) are retained secure against rotation by positive engagement in the through-openings ( 15   c ,  16   c ). 
     
     
         9 . A finger lever ( 1   c  to  1   l ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the valve contacting element ( 12   c  to  12   l ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   c  to  13   l ) comprises a cross-bore ( 24 ,  25 ) through which an axle ( 26 ,  27 ) is inserted through whose axle ends ( 18   c ,  9   c ) the valve contacting element ( 12   c  to  12   l ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   c  to  13   l ) is retained in the through-openings ( 15 ,  16 ). 
     
     
         10 . A finger lever ( 1   d  to  1   l ) according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the valve contacting element ( 12   d  to  12   l ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   d  to  13   l ) is retained on the side walls ( 11   d  to  11   l ) for rotation in transverse direction of the finger lever ( 1   d  to  1   l ). 
     
     
         11 . A finger lever ( 1   e  to  1   l ) according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the valve contacting element ( 12   e  to  12   l ) and/or the joint socket element ( 13   e  to  13   l ) comprises projections ( 28 ,  29 ) that extend in transverse direction of the side walls ( 11   e  to  11   l ) and, to limit a rotation of the valve contacting element ( 12   e  to  12   l ) and/or of the joint socket element ( 13   e  to  13   l ), abut against stop surfaces ( 30 ,  31 ) of the side walls ( 11   e  to  11   l ). 
     
     
         12 . A finger lever ( 1   e ) according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the projections ( 28   e ,  29   e ) are cylindrical in shape and extend in circular arc-shaped grooves ( 32 ,  33 ) of inner sides of the side walls ( 11   e ) facing each other, said grooves ( 32 ,  33 ) serving as stop surfaces ( 30   e ,  31   e ). 
     
     
         13 . A finger lever ( 1   f  to  1   l ) according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the projections ( 28 ,  29 ) are made substantially in shape of a right parallelepiped and extend with clearance relative to opposing upper edges or lower edges of the side walls ( 11   f  to  11   l ) serving as stop surfaces ( 30 ,  31 ). 
     
     
         14 . A finger lever ( 1   f ,  1   h  to  1   l )) according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the abutting surfaces ( 34 ,  35 ) of the projections ( 28 ,  29 ) turned towards the upper edges or lower edges of the side walls ( 11   f ,  1   h  to  1   l ) have a slightly convex shape. 
     
     
         15 . A finger lever ( 1   i  to  1   l ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a connecting element ( 36 ) made of flat material is mounted on the joint socket element ( 13   i  to  12   l ) for achieving an anti-loss retention of the joint socket ( 14 ) on the joint head.