Pivoting variable cam follower
OwnerDaniel Guy Pomerleauinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cam follower for operable attachment to a valve lifter assembly for use with a variable cam lobe camshaft in a variable valve timing system includes a housing with a central cavity and a mushroom head with a stem pivotably connected to the housing in the central cavity, the mushroom head having a radiused surface for contacting a cam lobe surface. The cam follower is used in combination with a variable cam surface of an axially displaceable camshaft to obtain improvements in idling speed and volumetric efficiency.
Claims16
A cam follower for operable attachment to a valve lifter assembly for use with a variable cam lobe camshaft in a variable valve timing system within an internal combustion engine, the cam follower comprising:
- a) a housing with a central cavity;
- and
- b) a mushroom head with a stem pivotably connected to the housing in the central cavity, the mushroom head having a radiused surface for contacting a cam lobe surface,
- wherein the stem is pivot connected to the housing, by an axle extending through openings in opposing sides of the housing and through the stem of the mushroom head, and
- wherein the housing is operatively connected to a lubrication system for providing lubrication to the mushroom head and the cam lobe surface, the lubrication system comprising:
- a) at least one first channel in the housing extending from a lubricant reservoir in the valve lifter assembly to at least one of the openings in the opposing sides of the housing;
- b) at least one lubricant receiving port in the axle for receiving lubricant passing through the at least one first channel in the housing and at least one lubricant delivery port in the axle for passing the lubricant from the axle to the stem of the mushroom head;
- and
- c) a second channel in the mushroom head extending from the stem to the radiused surface for passing the lubricant to the radiused surface, thereby providing lubrication to the radiused surface and the cam lobe surface.
A rocker arm valve lifter assembly with a pivoting cam follower for use with a variable cam lobe camshaft in a variable valve timing system within an internal combustion engine (ICE), the rocker arm valve lifter assembly comprising:
- a) a rocker arm with a cam follower housing integrally formed therewithin, the housing having a central cavity;
- and
- b) a mushroom head with a stem pivotably connected to the housing in the central cavity, the mushroom head having a radiused surface for contacting a cam lobe surface,
- wherein the stem is pivotably connected to the housing by an axle extending through opposing sides of the housing and through the stem of the mushroom head, and wherein the housing is operatively connected to a lubrication system for providing lubrication to the mushroom head and the cam lobe surface, the lubrication system comprising:
- a) at least one first channel in the housing extending from a lubricant reservoir in the valve lifter assembly to at least one opening in the opposing sides of the housing;
- b) at least one lubricant receiving port in the axle for receiving lubricant passing through the at least one first channel in the housing and at least one lubricant delivery port in the axle for passing the lubricant from the axle to the stem of the mushroom head;
- and
- c) a second channel in the mushroom head extending from the stem to the radiused surface for passing the lubricant to the radiused surface, thereby providing lubrication to the radiused surface and the cam lobe surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.