# US 2009/0260591 A1 · Valve timing adjusting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260591 A1 - Document ID: US20090260591A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/425,765 - Filed: 2009-04-17 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-18 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Takashi YAMAGUCHI; Osamu Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260591A1 ## CPC - F01L 1/3442: {using hydraulic chambers with variable volume to transmit the rotating force} - F01L 2001/34466: {with multiple locking devices} - F01L 2001/34483: {Phaser return springs} - F01L 2800/03: Stopping; Stalling - F01L 2800/12: Fail safe operation - F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES ## Abstract A valve timing adjusting apparatus includes a housing, a vane rotor, and a fluid path arrangement. The fluid path arrangement is provided inside the housing. The fluid path arrangement opens to air outside the housing. The fluid path arrangement is communicated with a specific fluid chamber that is one of an advance fluid chamber and a retard fluid chamber defined within the housing. A rotational phase of the vane rotor relative to the housing is changed in one of advance and retard directions when hydraulic oil is introduced into the specific fluid chamber. The valve timing adjusting apparatus controls the fluid path arrangement to be opened and closed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve timing adjusting apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a camshaft and a crankshaft, wherein the valve timing adjusting apparatus uses hydraulic oil supplied from a supply source to adjust valve timing of a valve that is opened and closed by the camshaft through torque transmission from the crankshaft the valve timing adjusting apparatus comprising: a housing that is rotatable synchronously with the crankshaft; a vane rotor that is rotatable synchronously with the camshaft, wherein: the vane rotor has a vane that defines an advance fluid chamber and a retard fluid chamber that are arranged in the housing in a circumferential direction such that a rotational phase of the vane rotor relative to the housing is changed in an advance direction or in a retard direction when hydraulic oil supplied by the supply source is introduced into a corresponding one of the advance fluid chamber and the retard fluid chamber; a fluid path arrangement that is provided inside the housing, wherein: the fluid path arrangement opens to air outside the housing; the fluid path arrangement is communicated with a specific fluid chamber that is one of the advance fluid chamber and the retard fluid chamber; and the rotational phase is changed in a predetermined one of the advance and retard directions when hydraulic oil is introduced into the specific fluid chamber; and opening-closing control means for controlling the fluid path arrangement to be opened and closed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: operation of the internal combustion engine causes the supply source to supply hydraulic oil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an urging member that urges the vane rotor in the predetermined one of the advance and retard directions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the vane rotor receives torque from the camshaft in the retard direction in average; and the predetermined one of the advance and retard directions corresponds to the advance direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the fluid path arrangement has a restrictor member that reduces an area of a passage of the fluid path arrangement, through which fluid flows. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the opening-closing control means includes: an opening-closing member that is displaceable to an opening position, at which the opening-closing member opens the fluid path arrangement, and to a closed position, at which the opening-closing member closes the fluid path arrangement; a resilient member that generates restoring force that urges the opening-closing member toward the opening position; and a driving force controller that controls driving force for driving the opening-closing member toward the closed position against the restoring force. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the driving force controller removes the driving force at a time of starting the internal combustion engine; and the driving force controller generates the driving force after the starting of the internal combustion engine has been completed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: operation of the internal combustion engine causes the supply source to supply hydraulic oil; and the driving force controller generates the driving force by applying pressure of hydraulic oil supplied from the supply source to the opening-closing member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the fluid path arrangement includes: a first fluid passage that extends through the housing to communicate interior of the housing with exterior of the housing; and a second fluid passage that is defined in the vane rotor to communicate the specific fluid chamber with the first fluid passage; the opening-closing member is received in the vane rotor; the opening-closing member opens the second fluid passage when the opening-closing member is positioned at the opening position; and the opening-closing member closes the second fluid passage when the opening-closing member is positioned at the closed position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: regulation means for regulating change of the rotational phase within a start phase region that is defined between a full advance phase and a full retard phase, wherein: when the rotational phase is within the start phase region, the internal combustion engine is allowed to start; regulation means controls the opening-closing member of the opening-closing control means to regulate the change of the rotational phase; the opening-closing member is displaceable to a regulation position, at which the opening-closing member regulates the change of the rotational phase within the start phase region; the opening-closing member opens the fluid path arrangement and causes the rotational phase to be changeable when the opening-closing member is displaced to the opening position serving as a first allowance position; and the opening-closing member closes the fluid path arrangement and causes the rotational phase to be changeable when the opening-closing member is displaced to the closed position serving as a second allowance position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: regulation means for regulating change of the rotational phase within a start phase region that is defined between a full advance phase and a full retard phase, wherein when the rotational phase is within the start phase region, the internal combustion engine is allowed to start. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The valve timing adjusting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the opening-closing member is displaceable to a regulation position, at which the opening-closing member regulates change of the rotational phase within a start phase region defined between a full advance phase and a full retard phase; when the rotational phase is within the start phase region, the internal combustion engine is allowed to start; the opening-closing member opens the fluid path arrangement and causes the rotational phase to be changeable when the opening-closing member is displaced to the opening position serving as a first allowance position; and the opening-closing member closes the fluid path arrangement and causes the rotational phase to be changeable when the opening-closing member is displaced to the closed position serving as a second allowance position.