Electrically-actuated VCT lock

Abstract

An electrically-actuated camshaft phaser including an electrically-actuated lock that includes a planetary gear assembly having a camshaft ring gear configured to be connected to a camshaft, a sprocket ring gear configured to receive rotational input from a crankshaft, and one or more planet gears engaging the camshaft ring gear and the sprocket ring gear, wherein the planetary gear assembly changes the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft; an electric motor, coupled to the planetary gear assembly, and a solenoid, wherein the electric motor controls the relative angular position of the crankshaft relative to the camshaft and the solenoid selectively moves a mechanical connection into locking engagement thereby preventing relative movement between the camshaft relative to the crankshaft.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.