Engine valve actuator
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorScott A. Leman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine with a lockable valve actuator and method of controlling an engine with such an actuator are disclosed. The actuator may include an actuator cylinder with an actuator piston reciprocatingly disposed therein. The actuator piston may be moved by directing pressurized fluid into the actuator cylinder, and locked into a given position by maintaining the pressurized fluid in the actuator cylinder. The actuator may be used in conjunction with a mechanically driven actuator used to move a valve, with the fluidically driven actuator being used to maintain the valve into a desired position.
Claims26
An engine valve actuator, comprising:
- an actuator cylinder;
- an actuator piston reciprocatingly disposed in the actuator cylinder, the actuator piston including a rod associated therewith;
- a source of pressurized fluid;
- and
- a control valve connected in fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid and the actuator cylinder, the control valve having first and second positions, the first position placing the source of pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the actuator cylinder, the second position maintaining pressurized fluid in the actuator cylinder.
An engine valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve seat;
- an engine valve element adapted to move relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position;
- a mechanically driven actuator being adapted to move the valve element to the open position;
- and
- a fluidically driven actuator being adapted to hold the valve element in the open position.
An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an engine cylinder;
- an engine piston reciprocatingly movable relative to the engine cylinder;
- an engine valve element disposed in a port connected to the engine cylinder;
- a valve actuator connected to move the engine valve element;
- a source of low pressure fluid in fluid communication with the valve actuator;
- a mechanical linkage mounted proximate the engine valve element and adapted to move the engine valve element;
- and
- a control valve adapted to control flow of the pressurized fluid from the source of low pressure fluid to the valve actuator.
A method of controlling an engine having at least one valve, comprising the steps of:
- moving the valve to an open position;
- and
- holding the valve in the open position with an hydraulically locked actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.