Valve lash adjustment apparatus and method
AssigneeCinetic Automation Corporation
InventorsThomas Hathaway, Edwin E. Rice
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for automatically adjusting the valve lash of an internal combustion engine is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, a probe is employed for verifying and/or setting valve lash settings in an automated manner. A further aspect of the present invention does not require determination of a zero lash position or reference datum prior to adjusting the valve lash adjusting screw for desired lash.
Claims15
A valve lash adjustment apparatus for adjusting the valves of an internal combustion engine, the apparatus comprising:
- a first spindle driving system operable to rotate a valve lash lock nut in a forward and a reverse direction;
- a second spindle driving system operable to rotate a valve lash adjusting screw in a forward and a reverse direction independently from and, at times, simultaneously with the first spindle driving system;
- and
- a controller operable to determine an inflection point in the valve lash adjusting screw torque during rotation of the second spindle driving system and control the operation of the first and second spindle driving systems to set a predetermined valve lash.
A valve lash adjustment apparatus for adjusting the valves of an internal combustion engine, the apparatus comprising:
- a first spindle driving system operable to rotate a valve lash lock nut in a forward and a reverse direction;
- a second spindle driving system operable to rotate a valve lash adjusting screw in a forward and a reverse direction independently from and, at times, simultaneously with the first spindle driving system;
- and
- a controller operable to determine a second derivative of a measure parameter during rotation of the second spindle driving system and control the operation of the first and second spindle driving systems to set a predetermined valve lash, the controller being operable to provide an error signal if the second derivative is below a predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.