Individual hydraulic circuit modules for engine with hydraulically-controlled cylinder deactivation
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsVimesh M. Patel, William Conrad Albertson
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine includes hydraulically-controlled cylinder deactivation and has an engine block with a plurality of cylinders formed therein. At least one-half of the cylinders are deactivatable by collapsible lifters. An individual hydraulic circuit module is positioned adjacent each deactivatable cylinder. Each hydraulic circuit module includes a valve and is configured to receive a supply of oil from the engine block and to selectively provide pressurized oil to the respective collapsible lifters for cylinder deactivation. A solid cover plate is positioned adjacent each cylinder which is not deactivatable.
Claims13
An internal combustion engine having hydraulically-controlled cylinder deactivation, the engine comprising:
- an engine block having an oil supply gallery and a plurality of cylinders formed therein, at least one half of said cylinders being deactivatable by collapsible lifters;
- said engine block including first and second lifter openings adjacent each deactivatable cylinder, and having said collapsible lifters therein;
- first and second deactivator feed channels communicating the first and second lifter openings, respectively, with a top surface of the engine block, and a supply channel communicating the top surface with the oil supply gallery;
- and
- an individual hydraulic circuit module connected to the top surface adjacent each deactivatable cylinder and including a hydraulic plate with a flow channel formed therethrough and positioned in fluid communication with the respective first and second deactivator feed channels and with the respective supply channel, said module also including a solenoid valve for selectively blocking oil flow from the flow channel to an exit port of the module to selectively build oil pressure in the flow channel and in the lifter openings to actuate the respective collapsible lifters to enable cylinder deactivation.
An internal combustion engine having hydraulically-controlled cylinder deactivation, the engine comprising:
- an engine block having a plurality of cylinders formed therein with an oil supply channel adjacent each cylinder, at least one half of said cylinders being deactivatable by collapsible lifters;
- an individual hydraulic circuit module positioned adjacent each deactivatable cylinder, each said hydraulic circuit module including a valve and configured to receive a supply of oil from the oil supply channel and to selectively provide pressurized oil to the respective collapsible lifters for cylinder deactivation;
- and
- a solid cover plate positioned adjacent each cylinder which is not deactivatable to cover the respective oil supply channels.
An internal combustion engine having hydraulically-controlled cylinder deactivation, the engine comprising:
- an engine block having a plurality of cylinders formed therein, at least one half of said cylinders being deactivatable by collapsible lifters;
- an individual hydraulic circuit module positioned adjacent each deactivatable cylinder, each said hydraulic circuit module including a hydraulic plate with a flow channel formed therein to receive a supply of oil from the engine block and to communicate the supply of oil with an exhaust port and with the respective collapsible lifters;
- wherein each said hydraulic circuit module includes a two-way, solenoid-controlled on/off valve which is operative to selectively discommunicate the flow channel from the exit port to cause oil pressure build-up in the flow channel to actuate the respective collapsible lifters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.