Fluid-electric actuated reciprocating piston engine valves

A fluid-electric actuated internal combustion engine valve assembly comprising,

• an electromagnet having an armature formed from ferromagnetic material;
• a fluid flow control valve having a spool operatively associated on a common valve stem with the armature and an internal combustion engine valve;
• wherein the spool of the fluid control valve is slidably and sealingly mounted within a bore in the internal combustion engine valve assembly, the spool is connected to the common valve stem and has a valve sealing surface at one end that when open allows the flow of fluid from a source of pressurized fluid through the bore holding the fluid flow control valve to a timer that regulates movement of the spool, the common valve stem and the internal combustion engine valve;
• wherein the common valve stem is configured to actuate the fluid flow control valve via the armature when the electromagnet establishes a magnetic field;
• and
• wherein the valve spool of the fluid control valve is moved in the bore by the pressurized fluid applied on said one end to an open position for driving the internal combustion engine valve along an axis extending between an open position and closed position thereof by the movement of the spool of the fluid flow control valve.

A fluid-electric actuated internal combustion engine valve assembly comprising:

• an electromagnet having a fixed stator and a movable armature that is attracted by a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet;
• a control valve piston sealingly and slidably mounted within a casing;
• an internal combustion poppet valve;
• and
• a stop element having an abutment surface coupled to a common valve stem;
• wherein the internal combustion poppet valve, the movable armature, the stop element and the control valve piston are operatively associated on the common valve stem within the internal combustion engine valve assembly;
• wherein the control valve piston is connected to the common valve stem and has a valve seal proximate a first end for controlling the flow of fluid from a source of pressurized fluid through a metering valve to a timing control chamber at a second end of the control valve piston;
• and
• wherein the abutment surface of the stop element is constructed and arranged to be moved by controlling electric current supplied to the electromagnet to enable the movable armature to engage the abutment surface of the stop element for opening the valve seal proximate the end of the control valve piston such the pressurized fluid then exerts an axial fluid force on the control valve piston for continuing a motion enabled by the electromagnet and movable armature driving the internal combustion poppet valve to a closed position by the pressurized fluid.

An actuator assembly of a reciprocating piston engine having engine valves comprising an inlet valve and an exhaust valve for controlling at least one of an inlet flow to and an exhaust flow out of the reciprocating piston engine comprising:

• an actuator casing;
• a cylindrical valve body slidably and sealingly mounted within a cylindrical bore in the casing that has first and second chambers therein at first and second ends of the valve body;
• wherein the cylindrical bore has a supply port therein for admitting pressurized fluid into the cylindrical bore, the valve body sealing the port from the first chamber when moved axially to a closed position proximate the first chamber;
• an electromagnet for moving the cylindrical valve body axially within the cylindrical bore for enabling the fluid to enter the first chamber via the supply port;
• an armature mounted within the actuator assembly in a position spaced by a gap from the electromagnet;
• a traction rod extending from the cylindrical valve body that is connected to one of the engine valves, the traction rod being slidably related to the armature;
• a stop having an abutment surface coupled to the traction rod in a position to be moved by the armature toward the electromagnet when the armature moves toward the electromagnet to open said valve body for allowing fluid to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber through a duct communicating between the first chamber and the second chamber and
• a metering valve in the duct to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough from said first chamber to said second chamber.

An actuator assembly of a reciprocating piston engine having engine valves comprising an inlet valve and an exhaust valve, the actuator assembly comprising:

• an actuator casing;
• a cylindrical valve body for operating at least one of the engine valves;
• wherein the cylindrical valve body is connected to the at least one of the engine valves and is slidably and sealingly mounted within a cylindrical bore in the casing that has first and second chambers therein at first and second ends of the valve body;
• wherein a cylindrical bore has a supply port for admitting pressurized fluid into the cylindrical bore, the cylindrical valve body sealing the supply port from the first chamber when moved axially to a closed position proximate the first chamber;
• a metering orifice in a duct between said first and second chambers to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough from said first chamber to said second chamber;
• wherein the cylindrical valve body has a section of a first diameter at one end and a section of a second diameter that is different from the first diameter at an opposite end and each of the first diameter section and the second diameter section is sealingly and slidably mounted within one of a pair of coaxial portions of the cylindrical bore that have different diameters;
• and
• a valve lifter operatively associated with the cylindrical valve body to shift the cylindrical valve body away from the first chamber to enable the fluid to flow from the supply port to the first chamber and through the orifice in the duct to the second chamber thereby pressurizing the second chamber to produce a force that exceeds an opposing force applied to the valve body by fluid pressure within the first chamber thereby moving the valve body and at least one engine valve to a selected position by the fluid pressure applied to the cylindrical valve body.