# US 7,610,882 B2 · Default device of actuator for variable lift valve operating mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,882 B2 - Document ID: US7610882B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/701,551 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2007-08-30 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-22 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Michihisa Tsutsumi; Shigeru Maruyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610882B2 ## CPC - F01L 13/0063: {by modification of cam contact point by displacing an intermediate lever or wedge-shaped intermediate element, e.g. Tourtelot} - F01L 13/0021: {by modification of rocker arm ratio} - F01L 2305/00: Valve arrangements comprising rollers - F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES ## Abstract In a default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism, in the event of failure of the actuator, a pressed portion of a lever pivotably supported on a support shaft is urged by a resilient force of a coil spring, an arm is pressed by a cam portion of the lever to rotate a control shaft in one direction to prevent valve lift from being a predetermined value or lower. The support shaft that pivotably supports the lever of a default mechanism is placed in a position offset from a rotation axis of the control shaft. Thus, as compared with the case where the support shaft is placed coaxially with the control shaft, a large urging force is input from the lever to the control shaft to reliably prevent the valve lift from being the predetermined value or lower. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism in which in the event of failure of an actuator that rotatably drives a control shaft of a variable lift valve operating mechanism capable of varying valve lift of an engine valve of an internal combustion engine, the control shaft is urged in one direction by an urging member of a default mechanism to prevent the valve lift from being a predetermined value or lower or higher, wherein a support shaft that pivotably supports the urging member is offset from a rotation axis of the control shaft, and wherein the urging member is a lever pivotably supported at an intermediate portion thereof by the support shaft, and one end of the lever is urged by a spring and the other end thereof abuts a driven portion of the control shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a driven gear provided on the control shaft, and a drive gear that meshes with a lower portion of the driven gear, and the support shaft of the lever is placed below the drive gear in a cylinder axial direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein one end of the lever slidably engages a rod-shaped spring guide that guides expansion and contraction of the spring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 2, wherein one end of the lever slidably engages a rod-shaped spring guide that guides expansion and contraction of the spring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the rod-shaped spring guide is provided on at least one side of a drive shaft that drives the control shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 4, wherein a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides are provided on opposite sides of a drive shaft that drives the control shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 4, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps the rod-shaped spring guide in an axial direction of the control shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the rod-shaped spring guide is provided on at least one side of a drive shaft that drives the control shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 3, wherein a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides are provided on opposite sides of a drive shaft that drives the control shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 3, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps the rod-shaped spring guide in an axial direction of the control shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 8, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides in an axial direction of the control shaft, and is placed between the pair of rod-shaped spring guides. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 9, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides in an axial direction of the control shaft, and is placed between the pair of rod-shaped spring guides. ### Claim 13 A default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism in which in the event of failure of an actuator that rotatably drives a control shaft of the variable lift valve operating mechanism capable of varying valve lift of an engine valve of an internal combustion engine, the control shaft is urged in one direction by an urging member of a default mechanism to prevent the valve lift from being a predetermined value or lower or higher, wherein a support shaft that pivotably supports the urging member is offset from a rotational axis of the control shaft, and wherein the actuator comprises a driven gear provided on the control shaft, and a drive gear that meshes with a lower portion of the driven gear, and the support shaft of the lever is placed below the drive gear in a cylinder axial direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 13, wherein one end of the lever slidably engages a rod-shaped spring guide that guides expansion and contraction of the spring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the rod-shaped spring guide is provided on at least one side of a drive shaft that drives the control shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 15, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides in an axial direction of the control shaft, and is placed between the pair of rod-shaped spring guides. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 14, wherein a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides are provided on opposite sides of a drive shaft that drives the control shaft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 17, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps a pair of the rod-shaped spring guides in an axial direction of the control shaft, and is placed between the pair of rod-shaped spring guides. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The default device of an actuator for a variable lift valve operating mechanism according to claim 14, wherein at least part of the driven gear overlaps the rod-shaped spring guide in an axial direction of the control shaft.