# US 8,770,160 B2 · Engine for small vehicle

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- Number: US 8,770,160 B2
- Document ID: US8770160B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/238,845
- Filed: 2008-09-26
- Published: 2009-04-30
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2007-10-31
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Hayato Maehara; Yasushi Fujimoto
- Inventors: Hayato Maehara; Yasushi Fujimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770160B2

## CPC

- F01L 1/182: {the rocking arm being pivoted about an individual fulcrum, i.e. not about a common shaft}
- F01L 1/022: {Chain drive}
- F01L 1/143: {for use with overhead camshafts}
- F01L 13/0005: {Deactivating valves}
- F02B 61/02: for driving cycles
- F02B 67/04: of mechanically-driven auxiliary apparatus
- F16D 21/06: at least two driving shafts or two driven shafts being concentric
- F16D 25/0638: with more than two discs, e.g. multiple lamellae
- F16D 25/10: Clutch systems with a plurality of fluid-actuated clutches (arrangements or mounting of clutches in vehicles B60K17/00)
- F16H 61/0009: {Hydraulic control units for transmission control, e.g. assembly of valve plates or valve units}
- F01L 1/20: Adjusting or compensating clearance
- F01L 2001/0535: {Single overhead camshafts [SOHC]}
- F01L 2001/0537: {Double overhead camshafts [DOHC]}
- F01L 2305/00: Valve arrangements comprising rollers
- F01L 2810/02: Lubrication
- F16D 2021/0661: {Hydraulically actuated multiple lamellae clutches}
- F16H 61/0003: {Arrangement or mounting of elements of the control apparatus, e.g. valve assemblies or snapfittings of valves; Arrangements of the control unit on or in the transmission gearbox}
- F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

There is provided an engine for a small vehicle where driven sprockets, around which a cam chain for transmitting power from a crankshaft is wound, are provided at one end of camshafts that form a part of a valve system provided with hydraulic valve-operation mode changing mechanisms; and a valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device, which controls hydraulic pressure applied to the valve-operation mode changing mechanisms, is provided in the engine body. In the engine, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in disposing the oil passage between the valve-operation mode changing mechanism and the valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device while avoiding the increase in the number of parts and assembly man-hours. A valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device is mounted on the side surface of the engine body on the side opposite to a cam chain in an axial direction of a camshaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An engine, comprising:
an engine body having a crankcase and a cylinder head;
a plurality of valves;
a plurality of camshafts, each being rotatably supported by said cylinder head, and each having driven sprockets provided at a first end thereof;
a crankshaft rotatably supported by said crankcase and having a driving sprocket provided thereon;
a plurality of hydraulic valve-operation mode changing mechanisms for changing operation modes of said plurality of valves;
an endless chain wound around said driving sprocket and said driven sprockets; and
a valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device, controlling hydraulic pressure applied to said hydraulic valve-operation mode changing mechanisms,
wherein said valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device is mounted on a side surface of said engine body which is opposite to said endless chain, in the axial direction of said camshafts,
wherein said engine body further comprises
a cylinder block connected to said crankcase, said cylinder head being mounted on said cylinder block opposite said crankcase, and
a recess formed in a side surface of said cylinder head which is opposite to said endless chain, in the axial direction of said camshafts, said recess being recessed inwardly from a coupling surface of said cylinder block and said cylinder head, and
wherein said valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device is mounted on the side surface of said cylinder head such that a part of said valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device is received in said recess.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The engine according to claim 1, further comprising an oil passage connecting said valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device with an oil pump;
wherein at least a part of said oil passage is formed in said engine body at a position corresponding to second ends, opposite the first ends, of each of said camshafts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The engine according to claim 2,
wherein said part of said oil passage connecting said valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device with said oil pump is formed in said cylinder head and said cylinder block on a side closer to said crankshaft than said recess, so as to overlap the valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device as seen in an axial direction of cylinder bores formed in said cylinder block.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The engine according to claim 1,
wherein a part of an oil passage connecting said valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device with an oil pump is formed in said cylinder head and said cylinder block on a side closer to said crankshaft than said recess, so as to overlap the valve-moving hydraulic pressure control device as seen in an axial direction of cylinder bores formed in said cylinder block.