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US 2006/0231052 A1Published application
Variable valve timing control apparatus of internal combustion engine
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorAtsushi Yamanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine includes a drive rotary member, a driven rotary member, and a phase-change mechanism disposed between the drive and driven rotary members. The phase-change mechanism changes a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by an operating force, and returns the relative phase to an engine start-up phase suitable for the engine start-up at the engine starting. The phase-change mechanism has a phase-change characteristic that a phase-change rate reduces near the engine start-up phase when the relative phase is returned to the engine start-up phase.
Claims25
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism capable of changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by an operating force, and configured to return the relative phase to a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable, under a specified condition where there is no application of the operating force;
- and
- the phase-change mechanism having a phase-change characteristic that, when returning the relative phase to the start-up phase, a phase-change rate reduces near the start-up phase.
2 more elements
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism capable of changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by an operating force, and configured to return the relative phase to a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable, under a specified condition where there is no application of the operating force;
- and
- the phase-change mechanism having a phase-change characteristic that, even when the operating force is applied near the start-up phase, the start-up phase is fixed to a substantially constant phase.
2 more elements
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism comprising an intermediate rotary member disposed between the drive and driven rotary members and rotatable relative to the drive rotary member, and a speed reducer reducing relative rotation of the intermediate rotary member to the drive rotary member and transmitting the reduced relative rotation to the driven rotary member, for changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members;
- the phase-change mechanism being configured to return the relative phase to a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable, under a specified condition where there is no operating-force application;
- and
- the phase-change mechanism having a phase-change characteristic that a speed-reduction ratio of the speed reducer increases near the start-up phase.
3 more elements
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism comprising an intermediate rotary member disposed between the drive and driven rotary members and rotatable relative to the drive rotary member and having a cammed portion, and a movable member slidable relative to the intermediate rotary member while being in cammed-engagement with the cammed portion of the intermediate rotary member, for changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members;
- the phase-change mechanism being configured to return the relative phase to a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable, under a specified condition where there is no operating-force application;
- and
- the cammed portion of the intermediate rotary member being formed to maintain the relative phase within a range of the start-up phase, even when a movement of the movable member occurs owing to application of the operating force, arising from a disturbance.
3 more elements
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism comprising a movable member disposed between the drive and driven rotary members for changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by moving the movable member by an operating force, and a portion defining an inflexion point at which a direction of change of the relative phase is inverted as the movable member moves and passes through the inflexion point;
- the movable member of the phase-change mechanism being adapted to move with a small displacement with respect to the operating force near a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable;
- and
- a rate of change in the relative phase near the start-up phase being set to decrease in the same direction of change of the relative phase, by virtue of the movable member moving with the small displacement near the start-up phase.
3 more elements
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism comprising a movable member disposed between the drive and driven rotary members for changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by moving the movable member by an operating force, and a portion defining an inflexion point at which a direction of change of the relative phase is inverted as the movable member moves and passes through the inflexion point;
- the movable member of the phase-change mechanism being adapted to move with a small displacement with respect to the operating force near a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable;
- and
- the direction of change of the relative phase being further inverted and additionally a rate of change in the relative phase with respect to the operating force near the start-up phase being set to decrease, by virtue of the movable member moving with the small displacement near the start-up phase.
3 more elements
A variable valve timing control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a drive rotary member adapted to be driven in synchronization with rotation of an engine crankshaft;
- a driven rotary member fixedly connected to a camshaft having a cam that actuates an engine valve;
- a phase-change mechanism comprising a movable member disposed between the drive and driven rotary members for changing a relative phase between the drive and driven rotary members by moving the movable member by an operating force, and a portion defining an inflexion point at which a direction of change of the relative phase is inverted as the movable member moves and passes through the inflexion point;
- the movable member of the phase-change mechanism being adapted to move with a small displacement with respect to the operating force near a start-up phase, at which the engine is startable;
- and
- a rate of change in the relative phase near the start-up phase being retained substantially unchanged, by virtue of the movable member moving with the small displacement near the start-up phase.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.