# US 2014/0190433 A1 · Variable valve actuation apparatus, system, and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190433 A1 - Document ID: US20140190433A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/162,161 - Filed: 2014-01-23 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-02-17 - Assignees: Cummins Inc. - Applicants: Cummins Inc. - Inventors: David M. Barnes; Adam C. Cecil - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190433A1 ## CPC - F01L 1/047: Camshafts - F01L 1/053: overhead type - F01L 1/18: Rocking arms or levers - F01L 1/26: characterised by the provision of two or more valves operated simultaneously by same transmitting-gear; peculiar to machines or engines with more than two lift-valves per cylinder (with coaxial valves F01L1/28) - F01L 1/267: {with means for varying the timing or the lift of the valves} - F01L 1/34: characterised by the provision of means for changing the timing of the valves without changing the duration of opening {and without affecting the magnitude of the valve lift} - F01L 13/0021: {by modification of rocker arm ratio} - F01L 13/0026: {by means of an eccentric} - F01L 2001/0473: {Composite camshafts, e.g. with cams or cam sleeve being able to move relative to the inner camshaft or a cam adjusting rod} - F01L 2001/34489: {Two phasers on one camshaft} - F02D 13/0269: {Controlling the valves to perform a Miller-Atkinson cycle} - F02D 2013/0292: {in the start-up phase, e.g. for warming-up cold engine or catalyst} - F02M 26/01: Internal exhaust gas recirculation, i.e. wherein the residual exhaust gases are trapped in the cylinder or pushed back from the intake or the exhaust manifold into the combustion chamber without the use of additional passages - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y10T 29/49293: Camshaft making - F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A variable valve actuation system in one form includes a rocker coupled with a valve stem at one end and a cam follower at the other end. The rocker is operable to rotate about a fixed axis and the cam follower includes a set of lower rollers operable to follow one cam lobe and an upper roller operable to follow another cam lobe. A leaf spring can be used to couple the cam follower with the rocker. A cam shaft can have a nested configuration that includes an inner shaft, an intermediate tube, and an outer tube. Cam lobes can be fastened to the cam shaft by fastening through each of the inner shaft, intermediate tube, and outer tube. The cam lobes can be attached by at least two devices inserted from either side of the cam shaft and that are not inserted at least through the inner shaft. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-27. (canceled) ### Claim 28 An apparatus comprising: a cam shaft having a reference elongate member driven by an engine crank shaft, the cam shaft having a first lobe and a second lobe structured to be independently clocked relative to the reference elongate member when the cam shaft is in operation. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first lobe is coupled with a shaft and the second lobe is coupled with a tube. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the second lobe is coupled to the tube with an elongate member that traverses through the tube. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the second lobe is coupled to the tube with a first member and a second member, the shaft prohibiting the first member or the second member from passing from one side of the shaft to the other side of the shaft ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the cam shaft further includes a shaft, a first tube, and a second tube, the shaft and first tube within the second tube. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the second lobe is coupled to rotate with the second tube. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the second lobe is pinned to the second tube through the shaft ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the second lobe is coupled to the second tube with a first pin and a second pin, the first pin prohibited from passing through the shaft. ### Claim 36 (canceled) ### Claim 37 A method comprising: coupling a double nested camshaft with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; engaging a first cam follower member of a cam follower with a first cam lobe and a second cam follower member with a second cam lobe; and fastening one end of a rocker arm to the cam follower. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, which further includes assembling the cam follower by rotatingly mounting the first cam follower member to the cam follower. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the rotatingly mounting includes contacting a surface of the first cam follower with a bearing. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, which further includes spring loading the cam follower such that the first cam follower disengages the first cam lobe over a portion of a revolution of the double nested camshaft. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the spring loading includes attaching a spring between the rocker arm and the cam follower. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the spring loading includes fastening a spring between the cam follower and a relatively fixed location of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 43 An apparatus comprising: a rocker arm operable to be used in a variable valve actuation engine; a cam shaft having a variable first lobe and a variable second lobe; and means for following the variable first lobe and the variable second lobe, the means coupled to an end of the rocker arm. ### Claim 44 A method comprising: rotating a cam shaft having an independently variable first lobe and an independently variable second lobe; periodically engaging the variable first lobe with a first member of a cam follower; substantially engaging the variable second lobe with a second member of the cam follower; pivoting the cam follower about a rocker; and rocking the rocker to actuate a valve. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44 includes biasing the cam follower with an energy device.