Valve actuation device for actuating at least two gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine, method for operating such a valve actuation device and internal combustion engine

A valve actuation device (1) for actuating a first gas exchange valve (2) and a second gas exchange valve (3) of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a tilting lever (6) which is pivotable around a pivoting axis (9) between a first starting position and a first actuation position;
• a valve bridge (10) that is movable between a second starting position and a second actuation position, wherein via the valve bridge (10) both the first gas exchange valve (2) and the second gas exchange valve (3) are actuatable by moving the valve bridge (10) out of the second starting position into the second actuation position;
• and
• a coupling device (11) which is switchable between a locking state, in which the valve bridge (10) is movable out of the second starting position into the second actuation position via the coupling device (11) by the tilting lever (6) by moving the tilting lever (6) out of the first starting position into the first actuation position, and an unlocking state, in which, despite a movement of the tilting lever (6) out of the first starting position into the first actuation position, there is no movement of the valve bridge (10) out of the second starting position into the second actuation position that can be caused by the tilting lever (6) via the coupling device (11);
• wherein the coupling device (11) is held on the tilting lever (6) such that the coupling device (11) is pivotable around the pivoting axis (9) with the tilting lever (6);
• wherein the coupling device (11) has a switching element (12) that is movable in a movement direction (13) in relation to the tilting lever (6) and that is movable in the movement direction (13) in relation to the tilting lever (6) between a locking position causing the locking state and an unlocking position causing the unlocking state;
• and
• an actuation element (38), wherein the tilting lever (6) and, with the tilting lever (6), the coupling device (11) and the switching element (12) are pivotable around the pivoting axis (9) in relation to the actuation element (38) and wherein the switching element (12) is movable by the actuation element (38) out of the locking position into the unlocking position by pivoting the tilting lever (6) and the switching element (12) out of the first actuation position into the first starting position.