Single actuator shifting cam system
AssigneeFca US LLC
InventorNeil A Murphy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camshaft assembly for a vehicle valvetrain having first and second engine valves includes a camshaft, and a first camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of first cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the first engine valve. A second camshaft cartridge is axially displaceable along the camshaft and includes a plurality of second cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the second engine valve. An actuator is configured to axially displace the first camshaft cartridge along the camshaft. A coupling is between the first camshaft cartridge and the second camshaft cartridge. Axial displacement of the first camshaft cartridge selectively imparts movement to the second camshaft cartridge for axial displacement of the second camshaft cartridge.
Claims18
A camshaft assembly for a vehicle valvetrain having first and second engine valves, the camshaft assembly comprising:
- a camshaft;
- a first camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of first cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the first engine valve;
- a second camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of second cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the second engine valve;
- a single actuator configured to axially displace the first camshaft cartridge along the camshaft;
- and
- a coupling between the first camshaft cartridge and the second camshaft cartridge, wherein axial displacement of the first camshaft cartridge selectively imparts movement to the second camshaft cartridge via the coupling for axial displacement of the second camshaft cartridge such that only the single actuator is needed to axially shift the first and second camshaft cartridges without having to directly engage the second camshaft cartridge,
- wherein the first camshaft cartridge is axially displaceable relative to the second camshaft cartridge.
A camshaft assembly for a vehicle valvetrain having first and second engine valves, the camshaft assembly comprising:
- a camshaft;
- a first camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of first cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the first engine valve,
- a second camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of second cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the second engine valve;
- a single actuator configured to axially displace the first camshaft cartridge along the camshaft;
- and
- a coupling between the first camshaft cartridge and the second camshaft cartridge, wherein axial displacement of the first camshaft cartridge selectively imparts movement to the second camshaft cartridge via the coupling for axial displacement of the second camshaft cartridge such that only the single actuator is needed to axially shift the first and second camshaft cartridges without having to directly engage the second camshaft cartridge,
- wherein the first and second camshaft cartridges are rotationally fixed to the camshaft,
- wherein the first camshaft cartridge includes a first hook portion, and the second camshaft cartridge includes a second hook portion,
- wherein the first hook portion and second hook portion form the coupling, and
- wherein axial displacement of the first camshaft cartridge causes the first hook portion to selectively push and selectively pull the second camshaft cartridge to impart movement to the second camshaft cartridge.
A vehicle valvetrain comprising:
- a first engine valve;
- a second engine valve;
- a rotatable camshaft extending along a longitudinal axis;
- a first camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of first cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the first engine valve;
- a second camshaft cartridge separate and distinct from the first camshaft cartridge and axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of second cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the second engine valve;
- a single actuator configured to axially displace the first camshaft cartridge along the camshaft;
- and
- a coupling between the first camshaft cartridge and the second camshaft cartridge, wherein axial displacement of the first camshaft cartridge by the single actuator selectively imparts movement to the second camshaft cartridge via the coupling for axial displacement of the second camshaft cartridge such that only the single actuator is needed to axially shift the first and second camshaft cartridges without having to directly engage the second camshaft cartridge with the single actuator,
- wherein a first end of the first camshaft cartridge is configured to engage a first end of the second camshaft cartridge to form the coupling, and
- wherein the first camshaft cartridge first end includes a first axially extending portion and an inwardly extending first finger portion, and the second camshaft cartridge first end includes a second axially extending portion and an inwardly extending second finger portion, which is configured to selectively engage the first finger portion to establish the coupling therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.