Apparatus for controlling the operation of a valve in an internal combustion engine
AssigneeRicardo, Inc.
InventorRussell J. Wakeman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control apparatus for deactivating one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve in an internal combustion engine has a stepped sleeve slidably receiving a valve stem in a smaller diameter portion and a rocker piston in a larger diameter portion. Hydraulic fluid is retained in the sleeve and a clamping block is positioned adjacent the exterior of the larger diameter portion. When the clamping block is activated to engage the sleeve, the sleeve remains stationary as reciprocating movement of the rocker piston causes the valve to open and close. When the clamping block is not activated, the sleeve is free to move with the piston leaving the engine valve closed.
Claims19
An apparatus for controlling the deactivation of a movable valve comprising:
- a lost motion sleeve having a generally tubular body with a smaller diameter first portion and a larger diameter second portion connected by a shoulder, said first portion having an open end adapted to slidingly receive a valve;
- a rocker piston slidingly disposed in an open end of said second portion of said sleeve;
- a clamping means positioned adjacent an exterior surface of said second portion of said sleeve and being selectively activated for preventing movement of said sleeve;
- and
- a generally non-compressible fluid retained in said second portion of said sleeve whereby when a valve is inserted into said open end of said first portion of said sleeve in a valve closed position, said fluid is trapped between the valve and said rocker piston,
- and when said rocker piston is moved toward the valve and said clamping means is activated, the valve is moved relative to said sleeve to a valve opened position,
- and when said rocker piston is moved toward the valve and said clamping means is not activated, said sleeve is moved relative to the valve and the valve remains in the valve closed position.
An apparatus for controlling the deactivation of a pair of movable valves comprising:
- A pair of lost motion sleeves each having a generally tubular body with a smaller diameter first portion and a larger diameter second portion connected by a shoulder, each said first portion having an open end adapted to slidingly receive a valve;
- a pair of rocker pistons each slidingly disposed in an open end of said second portion of an associated one of said sleeves;
- a clamping means positioned adjacent an exterior surface of said second portion of each of said sleeves and being selectively activated for preventing movement of said sleeves;
- and
- a generally non-compressible fluid retained in said second portion of each of said sleeves whereby when a separate valve is inserted into said open end of said first portion of each of said sleeves in a valve closed position, said fluid is trapped between each of the valves and an associated one of said rocker pistons,
- and when each of said rocker pistons is moved toward the associated valve and said clamping means is activated, the associated valve is moved relative to said associated sleeve to a valve opened position,
- and when each of said rocker pistons is moved toward the associated valve and said clamping means is not activated, said associated sleeve is moved relative to the associated valve and the associated valve remains in the valve closed position.
An apparatus for controlling the deactivation of one of an internal combustion engine intake valve and exhaust valve comprising:
- a lost motion sleeve having a generally tubular body with a smaller diameter first portion and a larger diameter second portion connected by a shoulder, said first portion having an open end adapted to slidingly receive a valve;
- a rocker piston slidingly disposed in an open end of said second portion of said sleeve;
- a clamping means positioned adjacent an exterior surface of said second portion of said sleeve and being selectively activated for preventing movement of said sleeve;
- and
- a generally non-compressible fluid retained in said second portion of said sleeve whereby when a stem of an engine valve is inserted into said open end of said first portion of said sleeve in a valve closed position, said fluid is trapped between the stem and said rocker piston,
- and when said rocker piston is moved toward the stem and said clamping means is activated, the valve is moved relative to said sleeve to a valve opened position,
- and when said rocker piston is moved toward the stem and said clamping means is not activated, said sleeve is moved relative to the valve and the valve remains in the valve closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.