Engine valve actuator assembly
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsMadhusudan Raghavan, Jie Tong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve actuator assembly for an engine includes a movable engine valve. The valve actuator assembly also includes a movable roller finger follower operatively engaged with the engine valve, a rotatable cam, and an intermediate finger follower operatively engaged with the roller finger follower and the cam. The valve actuator assembly also includes at least one actuator operatively cooperating with the intermediate finger follower to position the intermediate finger follower in two directions relative to the cam to move the roller finger follower to position the engine valve at a desired lift and phasing.
Claims28
A valve actuator assembly for an engine of a vehicle comprising:
- a movable engine valve;
- a movable roller finger follower operatively engaged with said engine valve;
- a rotatable cam;
- an intermediate finger follower operatively engaged with said roller finger follower and said cam;
- and
- at least one actuator operatively cooperating with said intermediate finger follower to position said intermediate finger follower in two directions independent of one another relative to said cam to move said roller finger follower to position said engine valve at a desired, decoupled lift and phasing.
A valve actuator assembly comprising:
- a movable engine valve;
- a movable roller finger follower operatively engaged with said engine valve;
- a rotatable cam;
- an intermediate finger follower operatively engaged with said roller finger follower;
- and
- a first actuator operatively connected to said intermediate finger follower to move said intermediate finger follower in either one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction and a second actuator operatively cooperating with said first actuator to move said first actuator and said intermediate finger follower in the other one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction independent of movement in said one of a horizontal and a vertical direction to position said intermediate finger follower relative to said cam to move said roller finger follower to position said engine valve at a desired, decoupled lift and phasing.
A method of operating a valve actuator assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- providing a movable engine valve;
- providing a movable roller finger follower operatively engaged with the engine valve;
- providing a cam and rotating the cam;
- providing an intermediate finger follower operatively engaged with the roller finger follower;
- and
- actuating at least one actuator operatively cooperating with the intermediate finger follower in vertical and horizontal directions independent of one another, positioning the intermediate finger follower relative to the cam, and positioning the engine valve at a desired, decoupled lift and phasing.
A valve actuator assembly for an engine of a vehicle comprising:
- a movable engine valve;
- a movable roller finger follower operatively engaged with said engine valve;
- a rotatable cam;
- an intermediate finger follower operatively engaged with said cam through a first roller, and operatively engaged with said roller finger follower trough a second roller, said second roller being guided by a stationary curved ramp;
- and
- at least one actuator operatively cooperating with said intermediate finger follower to position said intermediate finger follower in two directions relative to said cam to move said roller finger follower to position said engine valve at a desired lift and phasing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.