Electric cam phaser with fixed sun planetary

In an electric cam phaser (30, 130, 230) for dynamically adjusting a rotational relationship of a camshaft (32) of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft, the improvement comprising:

• a phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242) to be operably driven by the crankshaft;
• a planetary gear assembly having a ring gear (34, 134, 234) driven by the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242), a planetary gear carrier (36, 136, 236) connected to the camshaft (32), and a sun gear (38, 138, 238), all rotatable about a common axis, the carrier (36, 136, 236) supporting at least one rotatable planetary gear (40, 140, 240) in meshing engagement between the ring gear (34, 134, 234) and the sun gear (38, 138, 238), the sun gear (38, 138, 238) being stationary for maintaining a cam phase position of the camshaft (32) relative to the crankshaft and being driven in rotation to different adjustable angular positions for varying the cam phase position;
• a sprocket housing (44, 144, 244) connected for rotation with the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242), the sprocket housing (44, 144, 244) operable for connecting the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242) and the ring gear (34, 134, 234) for rotation;
• and
• a rotation prevention mechanism including at least one serrated washer (39a) and a belleville washer (66) interposed between the at least one serrated washer (39a) and the carrier (236), the at least one serrated washer (39a) normally biased against the sun gear (238) by the belleville washer (66) preventing rotation of the sun gear (238) when the carrier (236) is disconnected from the camshaft (32), the belleville washer (66) compressible and allowing rotation of the sun gear (238) when the carrier (236) is connected to the camshaft (32).

In an electric cam phaser (30, 130, 230) for dynamically adjusting a rotational relationship of a camshaft (32) of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft, the improvement comprising:

• a phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242) to be operably driven by the crankshaft;
• a planetary gear assembly having a ring gear (34, 134, 234) driven by the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242), a planetary gear carrier (36, 136, 236) connected to the camshaft (32), and a sun gear (38, 138, 238), all rotatable about a common axis, the carrier (36, 136, 236) supporting at least one rotatable planetary gear (40, 140, 240) in meshing engagement between the ring gear (34, 134, 234) and the sun gear (38, 138, 238), the sun gear (38, 138, 238) being stationary for maintaining a cam phase position of the camshaft (32) relative to the crankshaft and being driven in rotation to different adjustable angular positions for varying the cam phase position;
• a sprocket housing (44, 144, 244) connected for rotation with the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242), the sprocket housing (44, 144, 244) operable for connecting the phaser sprocket (42, 142, 242) and the ring gear (34, 134, 234) for uniform rotation;
• and
• a timing bracket (54) connected to the sun gear (38, 138, 238) and operable for limiting angular rotation of the sun gear (38) between first and second end limits of travel.