Method and apparatus for a solenoid assembly

A solenoid assembly for cam phasing in an internal combustion engine comprising:

• an electromagnetic solenoid actuator having a magnetic circuit including primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• and
• an armature, associated with a rod member, said armature and rod member being moveable in said chamber,
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature and said rod member, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein said inner wall extends from said flat section to a height of about one half of a height of said outwardly tapering wall extending from said flat section.

A cam phaser assembly for cam phasing in an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cam phaser module for an engine head having a vane phaser sub-assembly, and an actuator assembly having a solenoid assembly, the solenoid assembly including;
• an electromagnetic solenoid actuator having a magnetic circuit including primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• and
• an armature, associated with a rod member, said armature and rod member being moveable in said chamber,
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature and said rod member, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein said inner wall extends from said flat section to a height of about one half of a height of said outwardly tapering wall extending from said flat section.

A method to extend the stroke and linear magnetic force acting on a moveable armature in a solenoid assembly relative to a primary pole piece, the method comprising:

• configuring the armature from a solid cylinder material having a bottom surface cavity formed therein;
• and
• configuring a secondary pole piece in magnetic communication with said primary pole piece, said primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein said inner wall extends from said flat section to a height of about one half of a height of said outwardly tapering wall extending from said flat section.

An electromagnetic solenoid assembly having a magnetic circuit configured to provide a linear magnetic force to an actuation assembly comprising:

• a primary pole piece;
• a secondary pole piece in magnetic communication with said primary pole piece, said primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• and
• an armature, associated with a rod member, said armature and rod member being moveable in said chamber and in operable communication with the actuation assembly,
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature and said rod member, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein further movement of said armature toward said primary pole piece is operably prevented when said conical portion on said periphery of said armature meets said flat section and said inner wall.

A solenoid assembly for cam phasing in an internal combustion engine comprising:

• an electromagnetic solenoid actuator having a magnetic circuit including primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• and
• an armature, associated with a rod member, said armature and rod member being moveable in said chamber,
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature and said rod member, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein further movement of said armature toward said primary pole piece is operably prevented when said conical portion on said periphery of said armature meets said flat section and said inner wall.

A cam phaser assembly for cam phasing in an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cam phaser module for an engine head having a vane phaser sub-assembly, and an actuator assembly having a solenoid assembly, the solenoid assembly including;
• an electromagnetic solenoid actuator having a magnetic circuit including primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• and
• an armature, associated with a rod member, said armature and rod member being moveable in said chamber,
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature and said rod member, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein further movement of said armature toward said primary pole piece is operably prevented when said conical portion on said periphery of said armature meets said flat section and said inner wall.

A method to extend the stroke and linear magnetic force acting on a moveable armature in a solenoid assembly relative to a primary pole piece, the method comprising:

• configuring the armature from a solid cylinder material having a bottom surface cavity formed therein;
• and
• configuring a secondary pole piece in magnetic communication with said primary pole piece, said primary and secondary pole pieces defining an axial chamber;
• wherein said primary pole piece having a center pole member including a cylindrical inner wall, open at a first end, for receiving said moveable armature, said armature and said cylindrical inner wall defining a fixed, radially extending, primary air gap for flux passage thereacross, and an outer wall extending in an outward taper from said first, open end of said center pole member to a second end of said center pole member, said outwardly tapering wall operable to increase the mass of the pole piece through which said magnetic circuit operates as said armature moves from said first, open end of said center pole member towards said second end, said inner cylindrical wall further including an axially inwardly extending flat section, an inner wall extending in an inward taper extending from said flat section towards said armature adjacent said second end of said center pole member, said inner wall operable with an associated conical portion formed on a periphery of said moveable armature to define a secondary air gap for flux passage thereacross as said armature approaches said second end of said pole piece, and operable to increase axial force on said armature in relation to said primary air gap for flux passage, wherein further movement of said armature toward said primary pole piece is operably prevented when said conical portion on said periphery of said armature meets said flat section and said inner wall.