초록 ▼

Engine compression release brakes include some degree of lash between the brake actuation portion and the engine exhaust valve portion. The disclosed apparatus and method provides an integral lash adjuster that includes an adjusting screw that is threadably received by a slidable plunger. Rotation o

Engine compression release brakes include some degree of lash between the brake actuation portion and the engine exhaust valve portion. The disclosed apparatus and method provides an integral lash adjuster that includes an adjusting screw that is threadably received by a slidable plunger. Rotation of the adjusting screw causes the plunger to slide relative to a plunger cavity and responsively modify the amount of lash.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An integral lash adjustor for an engine brake, comprising:a plunger assembly; said plunger assembly defining a plunger cavity and having a plunger assembly opening in a top portion, and a horizontal plunger assembly opening communicating with said plunger cavity and an outer surface of said plung

1. An integral lash adjustor for an engine brake, comprising:a plunger assembly; said plunger assembly defining a plunger cavity and having a plunger assembly opening in a top portion, and a horizontal plunger assembly opening communicating with said plunger cavity and an outer surface of said plunger assembly; a plunger having a neck and a lower end, said plunger slidably received within said plunger cavity and extending through said plunger assembly opening, said plunger having a horizontal passage therein; an adjusting screw threadably received within said plunger; a jam nut threadably received on said adjusting screw, said jam nut in abutment with said neck of said plunger; and a spring in communication with said lower end of said plunger for biasing said plunger away from said top surface of said engine brake stand. 2. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, including:a plunger body dowel pin in said horizontal plunger assembly opening for selectively engaging said adjusting screw through said horizontal passage of said plunger to prevent said adjusting screw and said plunger from rotating. 3. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, wherein said adjusting screw is slidably received within said plunger neck and threadably received within said lower end of said plunger.4. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, wherein said lower end of said plunger has threads for securing to said adjusting screw, and said neck is smooth for slidably receiving said adjusting screw.5. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, wherein said plunger body is centered about a longitudinal axis and wherein said plunger assembly top portion opening is centered about said longitudinal axis.6. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, wherein said base portion of said plunger body is relatively wide and said neck portion is relatively narrow.7. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, wherein said plunger defines a relatively narrower neck chamber within said neck portion that is in communication with a relatively wider base chamber within said base portion.8. The integral lash adjustor of claim 7, wherein said adjusting screw includes a top surface, a first stem portion, a tapered stem portion, and a third stem portion terminating at a lower end of said adjusting screw.9. The integral lash adjustor of claim 8, wherein said first stem portion is slidably received within said neck chamber of said plunger and said third stem portion is threadedly received within said base chamber of said plunger.10. The integral lash adjustor of claim 1, including a valve bridge received in said engine brake cavity, said valve bridge having a valve bridge pin which upon a predetermined force acts upon a valve stem.11. The integral lash adjustor of claim 10, wherein said adjusting screw is adjusted at an adjusting screw top side to form a lash between said lower end of said third stem portion and said valve bridge pin.12. The integral lash adjustor of claim 11, wherein said valve bridge is tapered from a first diameter to a second diameter.13. An integral lash adjustor according to claim 1, including:an engine brake stand having a top surface and defining an engine brake cavity, said engine brake stand having an opening that communicates with said top surface and with said engine brake cavity, wherein said plunger assembly is on said top surface of said engine brake stand and wherein said spring is in communication with said top surface of said engine brake stand. 14. An integral lash adjustor according to claim 13, including:a fluid passage on said plunger body in communication with said plunger cavity for delivering hydraulic fluid to and for removing hydraulic fluid from said plunger cavity; and a hydraulic actuator for selectively forcing hydraulic fluid through said fluid passage into said plunger cavity for forcing said plunger and said adjusting screw downwards to activate said engine brake. 15. The integral lash adjustor of claim 14, wherein said hydraulic actuator is electronically controlled.16. The integral lash adjustor of claim 15, wherein said electronically controlled hydraulic actuator includes:a solenoid for actuating a valve; an electronic connector for connecting said solenoid and said engine brake stand; a valve connected to said solenoid for regulating hydraulic fluid, said valve having a drain hole to receive fluid from said plunger cavity; an adapter for mechanically connecting the hydraulic actuator to said engine brake stand via an engine brake inlet port on said engine brake stand and an engine brake outlet port on said engine brake stand; and wherein said hydraulic actuator upon actuation feeds a predetermined amount of fluid into said engine brake inlet port through said fluid passage and into said plunger cavity, and receives return flow from said plunger cavity via said fluid passage through said engine brake outlet port and into said drain hole. 17. The integral lash adjustor of claim 16, wherein said valve is a two-stage valve.18. The integral lash adjustor of claim 13, wherein said engine brake stand opening has an internal rim that defines a spring socket, and wherein said spring is in communication with said spring socket.19. The integral lash adjustor of claim 13, wherein said plunger body has dowel pin receptacles formed in a bottom surface for receiving at least one dowel pin which positively locates said plunger body on said upper surface of said engine brake stand.20. An integral lash adjustor, comprising:a plunger assembly having a plunger body; said plunger assembly defining a plunger cavity and having a plunger assembly opening in a top portion; a plunger having a neck and a lower end, said plunger threadably received within said plunger cavity and extending through said plunger assembly opening, said plunger having an annular chamber extending therethrough; a lash screw threadably received within said lower end of said plunger and having a lash screw opening and a lower end; and an adjusting screw extending through said neck of said plunger and through said lash screw opening. 21. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, wherein said adjusting screw is slidably received within said plunger neck and threadably received within said lash screw.22. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, wherein said lower end of said plunger has threads for securing to said lash screw, and said neck is smooth for slidably receiving said adjusting screw.23. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, wherein said plunger body is centered about a longitudinal axis and wherein said plunger assembly top portion opening is centered about said longitudinal axis.24. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, wherein said base portion of said plunger body is relatively wide and said neck portion is relatively narrow.25. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, wherein said plunger defines a relatively narrower neck chamber within said neck portion that is in communication with a relatively wider base chamber within said base portion.26. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, wherein said adjusting screw includes a top surface adapted to be mechanically adjusted, a first stem portion, and a lower end adapted to secure to said lash screw.27. The integral lash adjustor of claim 26, wherein said first stem portion is slidably received within said neck chamber of said plunger and said lower end of said adjusting screw is threadedly received within said lash screw.28. The integral lash adjustor of claim 20, including:an engine brake stand having a top surface and defining an engine brake cavity, said engine brake stand having an opening that communicates with said top surface and with said engine brake cavity, wherein said plunger assembly is on said top surface of said engine brake stand, wherein said opening is adapted to receive said lower end of said lash screw. 29. The integral lash adjustor of claim 28, wherein said plunger body has dowel pin receptacles formed in a bottom surface for receiving at least one dowel pin which positively locates said plunger body on said top surface of said engine brake stand.30. The integral lash adjustor of claim 28, including:a spring in communication with said lower end of said plunger for biasing said plunger away from said top surface of said engine brake stand. 31. The integral lash adjustor of claim 30, wherein said engine brake stand opening has an internal rim that defines a spring socket, and wherein said spring is in communication with said spring socket.32. The integral lash adjustor of claim 30, wherein a circumference of said lower end of said adjusting screw has at least two opposing flat surfaces.33. The integral lash adjustor of claim 32, wherein said engine brake stand opening includes a slot adapted to receive said at least two opposing flat surfaces of said adjusting screw and allow partial rotation of said adjusting screw.34. The integral lash adjustor of claim 30, including:a fluid passage on said plunger body in communication with said plunger cavity for delivering hydraulic fluid to and for removing hydraulic fluid from said plunger cavity; and a hydraulic actuator for selectively forcing hydraulic fluid through said fluid passage into said plunger cavity for forcing said plunger and said lash screw downwards to activate said engine brake. 35. The integral lash adjustor of claim 34, wherein said hydraulic actuator is electronically controlled.36. The integral lash adjustor of claim 35, wherein said electronically controlled hydraulic actuator includes:a solenoid for actuating a valve; an electronic connector for connecting said solenoid and said engine brake stand; a valve connected to said solenoid for regulating hydraulic fluid, said valve having a drain hole to receive fluid from said plunger cavity; an adapter for mechanically connecting the hydraulic actuator to said engine brake stand via an engine brake inlet port on said engine brake stand and an engine brake outlet port on said engine brake stand; and wherein said hydraulic actuator upon actuation feeds a predetermined amount of fluid into said engine brake inlet port through said fluid passage and into said plunger cavity, and receives return flow from said plunger cavity via said fluid passage through said engine brake outlet port and into said drain hole. 37. The integral lash adjustor of claim 36, wherein said valve is a two-stage valve.38. The integral lash adjustor of claim 34, including:a valve bridge received in said engine brake cavity, said valve bridge having a valve bridge pin which upon a predetermined force acts upon a valve stem. 39. The integral lash adjustor of claim 38, wherein said adjusting screw is adjusted at an adjusting screw top side to form a lash between said lower end of said lash screw and said valve bridge pin.40. The integral lash adjustor of claim 39, wherein said valve bridge is tapered from a first diameter to a second diameter.41. A method for adjusting a lash in an engine brake, comprising the steps of:loosening a jam nut on an upper surface of a plunger assembly secured to an upper surface of an engine brake stand wherein said jam nut surrounds and fixes an adjusting screw to a plunger; preventing rotation of said plunger; turning said adjusting screw in a first direction until a lower end of said adjusting screw contacts a valve bridge pin; turning said adjusting screw in a second direction a predetermined number of turns to form a lash between the lower end of said adjusting screw and the valve bridge pin; tightening the jam nut to secure said adjusting screw in a position relative to said plunger to maintain the lash. 42. The method for adjusting a lash in an engine brake of claim 41, wherein said preventing rotation of said plunger step includes the step of:inserting a dowel pin into a horizontal opening in a side of a plunger body and into a mating passage in a plunger to prevent rotation of the plunger. 43. A method for adjusting a lash in an engine brake, comprising the steps of:loosening an adjusting screw extending through a neck of a plunger having a lash screw extending therethrough, said adjusting screw being received within said lash screw, said plunger surrounding said adjusting screw and said lash screw; turning said plunger in a first direction a predetermined number of turns to bring said lash screw into contact with a valve bridge pin in an engine brake stand; turning said plunger in a second direction a predetermined number of turns to form a lash between a lower end of said lash screw and said valve bridge pin; mechanically holding said plunger; and fixing said lash by tightening said adjusting screw.