Engine valve actuation
AssigneeJaguar Land Rover Limited
InventorsRoger STONE, Richard TYRRELL, David KELLY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electromagnetic valve actuator and method of control thereof. The electromagnetic valve actuator is for at least one valve of an internal combustion engine, the electromagnetic valve actuator comprising: a rotor; a stator for rotating the rotor; output means for actuating the valve in dependence on rotation of the rotor; mechanical energy storage means arranged to store energy in dependence on rotation of the rotor and release the energy to assist rotation of the rotor and phase varying means for varying a phase between the mechanical energy storage means and the output means.
Claims20
An electromagnetic valve actuator for at least one valve of an internal combustion engine, the electromagnetic valve actuator comprising:
- a rotor;
- a stator for rotating the rotor;
- output means for actuating the valve in dependence on rotation of the rotor;
- and
- mechanical energy storage means arranged to store energy in dependence on rotation of the rotor and release the energy to assist rotation of the rotor;
- wherein
- the mechanical energy storage means comprises a cam means, the cam means having an asymmetric profile.
A controller for an electromagnetic valve actuator for at least one valve of an internal combustion engine, the electromagnetic valve actuator comprising:
- a rotor;
- a stator for rotating the rotor;
- output means for actuating the valve in dependence on rotation of the rotor;
- mechanical energy storage means arranged to store energy in dependence on rotation of the rotor and release the energy to assist rotation of the rotor, wherein the mechanical energy storage means comprises a cam means the cam means having an asymmetric profile, wherein the controller comprises:
- means to control the stator to provide assistive torque for the rotor to rotate past an energy storage flank of the cam means.
An internal combustion engine comprising the controller as claimed in 12.
A method of controlling an electromagnetic valve actuator for at least one valve of an internal combustion engine, the electromagnetic valve actuator comprising:
- a rotor;
- a stator for rotating the rotor;
- output means for actuating the valve in dependence on rotation of the rotor;
- mechanical energy storage means arranged to store energy in dependence on rotation of the rotor and release the energy to assist rotation of the rotor, wherein the mechanical energy storage means comprises a cam means, the cam means having an asymmetric profile, wherein the method comprises:
- controlling the stator to provide assistive torque for the rotor to rotate past an energy storage flank of the cam means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.