Dynamic locking and releasing cam lobe
AssigneeYelir, Inc.
InventorMichael B. Riley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and system for intermittently operating poppet valves in an internal combustion engine when desired by the selective locking or unlocking of one or more cam lobes with the camshaft. One or more cam lobes, with a small radial clearance, ride on a camshaft such that an engagement mechanism may be activated as desired to lock the cam lobe to the camshaft, thereby activating the respective poppet valve. The cam lobe is prevented from moving axially to ensure correct alignment with a follower. A suitable holding device may be used to ensure the non-activated cam lobes are restrained at a suitable orientation relative to the cam follower.
Claims6
A cam driven reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising:
- a rotating cam shaft comprising a groove in mechanical communication with a plurality of cam lobes, wherein each cam lobe of said plurality of cam lobes is mechanically coupled to and controls the operation of an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve associated with a respective cylinder of said internal combustion engine, and wherein said each cam lobe of said plurality of cam lobes comprising a keyway slot and a tapered portion extending along an interior diameter to said keyway slot;
- at least one coupler that selectively couples a rotational force of said rotating cam shaft to at least one cam lobe of said plurality of cam lobes, said at least one coupler comprising a key that sits in said groove and is engageable with said keyway.
A method of deactivating one or more valves from undergoing gas exchange during the operation of an internal combustion engine comprising:
- providing a cam driven reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising:
- a cylinder block defining a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder of said plurality of cylinders in mechanical communication with a respective cam driven intake valve and/or exhaust valve;
- rotating a cam shaft in mechanical communication with at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe that sits via a groove on the interior of said at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe on a fastener attached to the cam shaft thereby controlling the operation of said respective intake valve and/or said respective exhaust valve;
- providing at least one coupler that selectively couples and decouples a rotational force of said cam shaft to said at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe, said at least one coupler comprising a key that sits in a groove of said cam shaft;
- connecting said at least one coupler to an actuation mechanism;
- deactivating said respective intake valve and/or said respective exhaust valve by signaling said actuation mechanism to move from said at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe causing said key of said at least one coupler to disengage from a keyway in said at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe in a first mode;
- activating said respective intake valve and/or said respective exhaust valve by signaling said actuation mechanism to move toward said at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe causing said key of said at least one coupler to engage said keyway in said at least one selectively disengagable cam lobe in a second mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.