Variable valve mechanism

A variable valve mechanism comprising:

• a low-speed cam and a high-speed cam that are arranged in parallel;
• a low-speed rocker arm that is driven by the low-speed cam and a high-speed rocker arm that is driven by the high-speed cam, the two rocker arms being arranged in parallel;
• and
• a switching mechanism;
• wherein a cam profile of the high-speed cam is set such that it does not exceed a cam profile of the low-speed cam,
• wherein during low-speed operation, the switching mechanism links the low-speed rocker arm and the high-speed rocker arm such that the low-speed cam causes the high-speed rocker arm to rock together with the low-speed rocker arm and to open and close a valve, and during high-speed operation, the switching mechanism de-links the low-speed rocker arm and the high-speed rocker arm such that the low-speed cam causes the low-speed rocker arm to rock idly and the high-speed cam causes the high-speed rocker arm to rock independently and to open and close the valve, and
• wherein the cam profile of the low-speed cam is set such that the valve closes later than it does with the cam profile of the high-speed cam.