Control mechanism for engine valve timing

A control mechanism for controlling timing of a plurality of intake and exhaust valves in an engine, comprising:

• a camshaft for actuating said exhaust valves, said camshaft having a rotational center;
• a timing pulley coupled to the engine and having a rotational center, whereby the rotational movement of the engine is transmitted to said timing pulley;
• a first gear mechanism being driven by said timing pulley;
• a second gear mechanism for engaging said first gear mechanism, and for generating a rotational phase shift of said timing pulley with respect to said camshaft;
• a casing radially and rotatably mounted on the camshaft and concentric with the camshaft, wherein said first gear mechanism is disposed in the casing for integral rotation therewith;
• drive means, operably connected to said casing, for rotating the casing to change said rotational phase shift, wherein the rotational center of the timing pulley revolves around the rotational center of the camshaft when the drive means rotates the casing;
• and
• means for permitting said rotational phase shift change to occur based on the relative position of said first and second gear mechanisms.

A control mechanism for controlling the timing of a plurality of intake and exhaust valves in an engine comprising:

• a camshaft for actuating said exhaust valves;
• a timing pulley coupled to the engine, the rotational movement of the engine being transmitted to said pulley;
• a trochoidally shaped outer rotor being driven by said timing pulley and having a set of trochoid gear teeth;
• an inner rotor having a set of outwardly protruding trochoid gear teeth being engaged with said set of trochoid teeth of said outer rotor, said inner and outer rotors forming a trochoid pump for supplying lubricating oil to said camshaft;
• the number of said gear teeth of said outer rotor being greater than that of said gear teeth of said inner rotor;
• said trochoid pump generating a rotational phase shift of said timing pulley with respect to said camshaft;
• drive means including at least one sensor for detecting the operating condition of the engine and for generating sensing signals indicative thereof;
• control means for sending control signals to said drive means, based on said sensing signals;
• and
• means for permitting rotational phase shift changes to occur based on the relative position of said first and second gear mechanisms.