EP0363225A2 — Valve spring retainer for valve operating mechani…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 85 words

A valve spring retainer for a valve operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a matrix formed from an aluminum alloy powder; and a hard grain dispersed in said matrix; said hard grain being at least one selected from grains of Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, ZrO₂, SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and metal Si; the amount of hard grain added being in the range from 0.5% to 20% by weight; and the area rate of said hard grain being in the range of from 1% to 6%.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 85 words

A valve spring retainer for a valve operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a matrix formed from an aluminum alloy powder; and a hard grain dispersed in said matrix; said hard grain being at least one selected from grains of Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, ZrO₂, SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and metal Si; the amount of hard grain added being in the range from 0.5% to 20% by weight; and the area rate of said hard grain being in the range of from 1% to 6%.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 22 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said matrix is formed from a quenched and solidified aluminum alloy powder.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 70 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising a matrix consisting of 12.0% by weight ≦ Si ≦ 28.0% by weight; 0.8% by weight ≦ Cu ≦ 5.0% by weight; 0.3% by weight ≦ Mg ≦ 3.5% by weight; 2.0% by weight ≦ Fe ≦ 10.0% by weight; 0.5% by weight ≦ Mn ≦ 2.9% by weight; and the balance of aluminum including unavoidable impurities.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 83 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 700 ≦ Hv < 1,000, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D -1) in said range of hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 200 K ≦ 600 is satisfied.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 86 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 1,000 ≦ Hv < 1,500, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L) the condition 80 < K ≦ 200 is satisfied.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 86 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 1,500 ≦ HV < 2,000, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 35 < K ≦ 80 is satisfied.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 86 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 2,000 ≦ Hv ≦ 3,000, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 13 ≦ K ≦ 35 is satisfied.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 109 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said retainer includes a flange portion at one end of an annular base portion and having a larger diameter than that of the base portion, with an annular end face of said flange portion serving as an outer seat surface for carrying an outer valve spring and with an annular face end of said base portion serving as an inner seat surface for carrying an inner valve spring, the flow pattern of the fiber structure of a material in a surface layer region having said outer seat surface being substantially parallel to said outer seat surface.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 49 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ratio a/b of the area rate a of said hard grain on said outer seat surface to the area rate b of said hard grain on said inner seat surface is such that 1.05 ≦ a/b ≦ 1.50.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 51 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the flow pattern of the fiber structure of the material in said surface layer region is continuous with the axial flow pattern of the fiber structure of the material in the surface layer region of the base portion.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 159 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein said base portion has an annular projection provided thereon and projecting from an inner peripheral edge of said inner seat surface, and wherein if the axial length between an outer end face of said flange portion and an outer end face of said projection is represented by L1, and the axial length between the outer end face of said flange portion and said inner seat surface is represented by L2, then L2 > 1/2 L2, and if the axial length between said outer seat surface and said inner seat surface is represented by L3, the axial length between the outer end face of said flange portion and said outer seat surface is represented by L4, and the axial length between the outer end face of said projection and said inner seat surface is represented by L5, then L3 > L4 and L3 > L5.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 40 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein outer peripheral surfaces of both said base portions and said projection are formed into tapered surfaces convergent toward the outer end face of said projection.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 43 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in claim 12 wherein the entire periphery of an opening at the outer face end of said projection in a valve stem mounting hole made through said flange portion, said base portion and said projection is rounded.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 43 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is formed from a quenched and solidified aluminum alloy containing 0.2% to 4% by weight of at least one hydride forming constituent selected from Ti, Zr, Co, Pd and Ni.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 79 words

A valve spring retainer as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is formed from a quenched and solidified aluminum alloy containing 12.0% to 28.0% by weight of Si; 0.8% to 5.0% by weight of Cu; 0.3% to 3.5% by weight of Mg; 2.0% to 10.0% by weight of Fe; 0.5% to 2.9% by weight of Mn; and 0.2% to 4% by weight of at least one hydride forming constituent selected from Ti, Zr, Co, Pd and Ni.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 83 words

A high strength aluminum alloy for a mechanical structural member, said alloy comprising a matrix formed from an aluminum alloy powder; and a hard grain dispersed in said matrix; said hard grain being at least one selected from grains of Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, ZrO₂, SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and metal Si; the amount of hard grain added being in a range from 0.5% to 20% by weight; and the area rate of said hard grain being in a range of from 1% to 6%.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 83 words

A high strength aluminum alloy for a mechanical structural member, said alloy comprising a matrix formed from an aluminum alloy powder; and a hard grain dispersed in said matrix; said hard grain being at least one selected from grains of Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, ZrO₂, SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and metal Si; the amount of hard grain added being in a range from 0.5% to 20% by weight; and the area rate of said hard grain being in a range of from 1% to 6%.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in claim 16 wherein said matrix is formed from a quenched and solidified aluminum alloy powder.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 74 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in claim 16 or 17, comprising a matrix formed from an aluminum alloy consisting of 12.0% by weight ≦ Si ≦ 28.0% by weight; 0.8% by weight ≦ Cu ≦ 5.0% by weight; 0.3% by weight ≦ Mg ≦ 3.5% by weight; 2.0% by weight ≦ Fe ≦ 10.0% by weight; 0.5% by weight ≦ Mn ≦ 2.9% by weight; the balance of aluminum including unavoidable impurities.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 89 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 700 ≦ Hv < 1,000, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of the hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 200 < K ≦ 600 is satisfied.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 88 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 1,000 ≦ Hv < 1,500, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of the hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 80 K ≦ 200 is satisfied.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 89 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the average particle size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 1,500 ≦ Hv < 2,000, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of the hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 35 < K ≦ ≦80 is satisfied.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 89 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the average particle to size D of said hard grain is such that 3 µm ≦ D ≦ 30 µm; the hardness Hv of said hard grain is such that 2,000 ≦ Hv ≦ 3,000, and when K = (L + 0.5) (D - 1) in said range of hardness Hv (wherein the % by weight of hard grain added is represented by L), the condition 13 ≦ K ≦ 35 is satisfied.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 36 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 22, comprising 0.2% to 4% by weight of at least one hydride forming constituent selected from Ti, Zr, Co, Pd and Ni.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 72 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 23, comprising: 12.0% to 28.0% by weight of Si; 0.8% to 5.0% by weight of Cu; 0.3% to 3.5% by weight of Mg; 2.0% to 10.0% by weight of Fe; 0.5% to 2.9% by weight of Mn; and 0.2% to 4% by weight of at least one hydride forming constituent selected from Ti, Zr, Co, Pd and Ni.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 145 words

A high strength aluminum alloy as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 24, comprising: a matrix formed from a quenched and solidified aluminum alloy containing 12.0% to 28.0% by weight of Si; 0.8% to 5.0% by weight of Cu; 0.3% to 3.5% by weight of Mg; 2.0% to 10.0% by weight of Fe; 0.5% to 2.9% by weight of Mn; and 0.2% to 4% by weight of at least one hydride forming constituent selected from Ti, Zr, Co, Pd and Ni, and a hard grain dispersed in said matrix; said hard grain being at least one selected from grains of Al₂O₃, SiC, Si₃N₄, ZrO₂, SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃-SiO₂ and metal Si; the amount of hard grain added being in a range of from 0.5% to 20% by weight; the area rate of said hard grain being in a range of from 1% to 6%.

Valve spring retainer for valve operating mechanism for internal combustion engine

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