Control apparatus for varying a rotational or angular phase between two rotational shafts, preferably applicable to a valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A shoe housing 3 is connected to and rotatable together with an input shaft. A vane rotor 9 is connected to an output shaft and accommodated in shoe housing 3 so as to cause a rotation within a predetermined angle with respect to shoe housing 3. Vane rotor 9 and shoe housing 3 cooperatively define hydraulic chambers 10, 11, 12 and 13 whose volumes are variable in accordance with a rotational position of vane rotor 9 with respect to shoe housing 3. A locking member 7 is accommodated in vane rotor 9 and shiftable in a direction parallel to a rotational axis common to shoe housing 3 and vane rotor 9. And, an engaging bore 20, formed on a front plate 4 secured to shoe housing 3, receives locking member 7 through a tapered surface. With this arrangement, it becomes possible to provide a control apparatus for varying a rotational or angular phase between the input and output shafts, while adequately maintaining the durability of the apparatus with a simple configuration easy to manufacture and suitable for downsizing without causing hammering noises or increasing operational resistances.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.