Support tube of a camshaft with varying wall thickness

Abstract

A support tube for a camshaft may include at least one setting region for setting at least one component and a free region adjoining the setting region. The support tube may further include a tube wall that has a varying thickness. In the setting region, the tube wall may exhibit a wall thickness that is greater than the wall thickness of the tube wall in the free region. Furthermore, a method for producing such a support tube may involve forming a profiled strip material with varying wall thickness into the support tube. In some cases the tube wall of the support tube may be hydroformed.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A support tube for a camshaft comprising:
 a first setting region for setting a first component;   a second setting region for setting a second component, wherein the first and second setting regions have mutually different outer surfaces;   a free region adjoining the first and second setting regions; and   a tube wall that has a varying thickness, wherein thickened portions of the tube wall in the first and second setting regions have a greater thickness than a thickness of the tube wall in the free region, wherein the thickened portions of the tube wall in the first and second setting regions extend into an interior of the support tube such that an outer circumferential surface of the support tube is unvarying in that transitions or offsets between the free region and the setting regions are avoided.   
     
     
         12 . The support tube of  claim 11  wherein the thickened portions of the tube wall in the first and second setting regions are 110% to 190% as thick as the thickness of the tube wall in the free region. 
     
     
         13 . The support tube of  claim 11  wherein the thickened portions of the tube wall in the first and second setting regions are twice as thick as the thickness of the tube wall in the free region. 
     
     
         14 . The support tube of  claim 11  wherein the tube wall is hydroformed. 
     
     
         15 . The support tube of  claim 11  comprising the first component set on the first setting region, wherein the first component is at least one of
 a cam, 
 a cam segment comprising at least two cams with mutually different cam tracks, 
 a bearing ring, 
 a sliding element having at least one guide track, or 
 a support sleeve for receiving a cam of a cam segment or of a sliding element. 
 
     
     
         16 . The support tube of  claim 11  wherein at least in the first setting region a material of the tube wall has on the outer circumferential surface at least one of a raised formation, a protrusion, or a toothing. 
     
     
         17 . The support tube of  claim 16  wherein the toothing is a longitudinal toothing. 
     
     
         18 . The support tube of  claim 16  wherein the raised formation is a rolled formation. 
     
     
         19 . A method for producing the support tube of  claim 11 , the method comprising forming a profiled strip material that has a varying wall thickness into the support tube of  claim 11 . 
     
     
         20 . A support tube for a camshaft comprising:
 a first setting region for setting a first component;   a second setting region for setting a second component;   a free region adjoining the first setting region; and   a tube wall, wherein thickened portions of the tube wall in the first and second setting regions have greater thicknesses than a thickness of the tube wall in the free region, wherein the thickened portion of the tube wall in the first setting region extends into an interior of the support tube such that an outer diameter of the tube wall in the first setting region is the same as an outer diameter of the tube wall in the free region.   
     
     
         21 . The support tube of  claim 20  wherein the first and second setting regions have mutually different outer surfaces. 
     
     
         22 . The support tube of  claim 20  wherein an outer circumferential surface of the support tube is free of any transition between the first setting region and the free region. 
     
     
         23 . The support tube of  claim 20  wherein an outer circumferential surface of the support tube is free of any offset between the first setting region and the free region. 
     
     
         24 . The support tube of  claim 20  wherein the thickened portion of the tube wall in the first setting region is 110% to 190% as thick as the thickness of the tube wall in the free region. 
     
     
         25 . The support tube of  claim 20  wherein the tube wall is hydroformed. 
     
     
         26 . The support tube of  claim 20  comprising the first component set on the first setting region, wherein the first component is at least one of
 a cam segment with at least two different cam tracks, or 
 a sliding element having at least one guide track. 
 
     
     
         27 . The support tube of  claim 20  wherein at least in the first setting region a material of the tube wall has on the outer circumferential surface at least one of a rolled formation or a longitudinal toothing.