Electromechanical valve actuator with air piston to aid in soft landing
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsWoong-chul Yang, Mohammad Haghgooie, James Thomas Kovach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electromagnetic actuator 10 for opening and closing a cylinder valve 14. The actuator includes an opening coil 20, a closing coil 22, a magnetic armature 26 which is disposed between coils 20, 22 and which is fixedly attached to the stem or shaft portion 28 of valve 14, a pair of conventional valve springs 30, 32, and a pair of pneumatic dampers or air cushioning assemblies 34, 36. Pneumatic dampers 34, 36 are effective to selectively decelerate the moving components of the actuator as they approach their respective seats during valve opening and valve closing events, thereby substantially reducing noise and vibration harshness (“NVH”).
Claims20
1) An electromagnetic actuator for use in opening and closing a cylinder valve having a shaft, said actuator comprising:
- a closing coil;
- an opening coil;
- an armature which is coupled to said shaft of said valve and which is disposed between said closing coil and said opening coil;
- a housing which is coupled to said closing coil;
- and
- a pneumatic damper which is contained within said housing and which is effective to decelerate said valve during a valve closing event.
12) An electromechanical actuator for use in opening and closing a cylinder valve having a shaft portion, said actuator comprising:
- a closing coil;
- an opening coil;
- an armature which is coupled to said shaft portion and which is disposed between said closing coil and said opening coil;
- a housing which is disposed above said closing coil;
- a cylindrical bore which is formed within said housing;
- a valve opening spring which is disposed around said bore and which provides an opening assist force to said valve;
- a valve closing spring which is disposed below said opening coil and which provides a closing assist force to said valve;
- and
- a piston which is attached to a first end of said shaft portion, which is slidably disposed within said bore and which is effective to decelerate said valve during a valve closing event.
17) A method for reducing noise and vibration harshness in a electromechanical valve actuator of the type which selectively opens and closes a cylinder valve having a shaft, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing having an internal bore;
- providing a piston;
- attaching said piston to said shaft of said valve;
- and
- causing the piston to be slidably disposed within said internal bore, effective to provide a deceleration force to said valve during a valve closing event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.