US 5,660,153 AGranted

Valve control system

AssigneeEaton Corporation

InventorsKeith Hampton, David M. Preston, Dale A. Stretch, Douglas J. Nielsen, Neal L. Tack

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Abstract

A valve control system for an internal combustion engine, which is particularly adapted for selectively actuating and deactuating an engine valve. The system includes an inner rocker arm which contacts the cam and an outer rocker arm which engages the valve, the inner and outer arms being in nesting relation to one another and in pivotal contact with the output plunger of a stationary lash adjuster. A sliding latch member is movable between an active position wherein the inner and outer arms are effectively latched together to transmit the force of the cam through the inner and outer arms to the valve, and an inactive position wherein the inner and outer arms are free to move relative to one another. A spring acting between the inner and outer arms biases the inner arm into engagement with the cam and the outer arm, and the outer arm into engagement with the valve and the lash adjuster. Positive stops between the inner and outer arms are effective to limit lash adjuster leak down.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A valve control system for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder head, a poppet valve, and a camshaft having a cam lobe formed thereon;

said control system comprising means on said cylinder head defining a pivot point;
a first rocker arm mounted for rotation about said pivot point and engageable with said poppet valve;
a second rocker arm mounted for rotation relative to said first rocker arm and engageable with said cam lobe;
means biasing said first rocker arm into engagement with said pivot point and said second rocker arm into engagement with said cam lobe;
and means for selectively interconnecting said first and second rocker arms for movement in unison about said pivot point in response to a force applied by said cam lobe to said second rocker arm;
said means biasing said first rocker arm into engagement with said pivot point and said second rocker arm into engagement with said cam lobe comprises a spring acting between said first and said second rocker arms;
characterized by:
(a) said first rocker arm comprises a first elongated arm member having a valve contacting element formed at one end thereof, a first spring receiving surface formed at the opposite end thereof, and a first pivot bearing element formed between said valve contacting element and said spring receiving surface, and said second rocker arm comprises a second elongated arm member having a contact surface formed at one end thereof, a second spring receiving surface formed at the opposite end thereof, and a second pivot bearing element formed between said contact surface and said spring receiving surface.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/412,474Filed 28 Mar 1995
Granted: 26 Aug 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F01L 13/0005
Modifications of valve-gear to facilitate reversing, braking, starting, changing compression ratio, or other specific operations: deactivating valves
F01L 1/185
Rocking arms or levers: overhead end-pivot rocking arms
F01L 1/2405
By fluid means, e.g. hydraulically: by means of a hydraulic adjusting device located between the cylinder head and rocker arm
F01L 13/0036
For optimising engine performances by modifying valve lift according to various working parameters, e.g. rotational speed, load, torque: the…