Unit trigger actuator
AssigneeInternational Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
InventorWilliam de Ojeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuator for actuating a linearly translatable member, such as an engine valve includes a unit trigger actuator, the unit trigger actuator having a trigger being electrically actuatable, a hydraulic cartridge having a selectively translatable component and being operably coupled to the trigger for receiving actuation commands therefrom, the unit trigger actuator being an open loop system. A pivot element is operably coupled to the translatable component and to the engine valve, the pivot element amplifying motion imparted to the pivot element by translatory motion of the piston at the engine valve. A lash adjuster is operably coupled to the pivot element for decoupling the hydraulic cartridge from lash inherent in a plurality of components and assembly of an engine valve arrangement. A method of actuation is further included.
Claims24
A lash adjuster comprising:
- a translatable pivot element being contactable with a device having a variable amount of lash;
- and
- an actuator assembly exerting a bias on the translatable pivot element, translation of the pivot element effected thereby being variable to accommodate the variable amount of lash, the variable translation being effected by a path for continuously leaking a fluid at a known rate from the actuator during movement of the device having a variable amount of lash.
A method of lash adjustment comprising:
- contacting a translatable pivot element with a device having a variable amount of lash;
- exerting a bias on the translatable pivot element by means of an actuator assembly exerting a bias on the translatable pivot element, translation of the pivot element effected thereby being variable to accommodate the variable amount of lash;
- and
- effecting the variable translation by continuously leaking a fluid at a known rate from the actuator during movement of the device having a variable amount of lash.
A lash adjuster comprising:
- a translatable element being contactable with a device having a variable amount of lash;
- and
- an actuator assembly exerting a bias on the translatable pivot element, translation of the element effected thereby being variable to accommodate the variable amount of lash, the variable translation being effected by a path for continuously leaking a fluid at a known rate from the actuator during movement of the device having a variable amount of lash, an actuator fluid cavity and a translatable element fluid cavity both being in continuous fluid communication with a low pressure fluid rail.
A method of lash adjustment, comprising:
- contacting a translatable element with a device having a variable amount of lash;
- exerting a bias on the translatable element by means of an actuator assembly exerting a bias on the translatable element, translation of the element effected thereby being variable to accommodate the variable amount of lash;
- and
- effecting the variable translation by continuously leaking a fluid at a known rate from the actuator during movement of the device having a variable amount of lash and putting both an actuator fluid cavity and a translation element fluid cavity in continuous fluid communication with a low pressure fluid rail.
A lash adjuster comprising:
- a translatable pivot element being contactable with a device having a variable amount of lash;
- and
- an actuator assembly exerting a bias on the translatable element, translation of the element effected thereby being variable to accommodate the variable amount of lash, the variable translation being effected by a path for continuously leaking a fluid at a known rate from the actuator during movement of the device having a variable amount of lash, the actuator assembly being translatably disposed in a cylinder, an annulus defined between the cylinder and an actuator assembly exterior margin being the path for leaking fluid.
A method of lash adjustment comprising:
- contacting a translatable element with a device having a variable amount of lash;
- exerting a bias on the translatable element by means of an actuator assembly exerting a bias on the translatable element, translation of the element effected thereby being variable to accommodate the variable amount of lash;
- and
- effecting the variable translation by continuously leaking a fluid at a known rate from the actuator during movement of the device having a variable amount of lash, including translatably disposing the actuator assembly in a cylinder and forming the path for leaking fluid by defining an annulus between the cylinder and an actuator assembly exterior margin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.