Borgwarner Inc.

Magna Powertrain of America, Inc.

Chad M McCloy

Mark M Wigsten

Daniel Brown

Brian Thomas Kenyon

Shawn Blackmur

Braman C Wing

Douglas W Perry

Franklin R Smith

Timothy Wilton Kunz

David C White

Chris D Thomas

Keith V Feldt

Timothy K White

Michael Close

Joshua D Plumeau

Jonas Adler

Jason Moss

Daniel Scales

Xiaoyu Lu

Matthew N Sherman

Andrew V Degner

Marco Caputo

Chris Pluta

A torque-limiting torsion gimbal for connecting an electric motor to a camshaft phaser includes an elongated body configured to extend from an end of a motor shaft of the electric motor to an input of a planetary gear assembly of the camshaft phaser; an angular-displacement-resistant end of the elongated body configured to engage an end of the motor shaft; and a key, positioned at another end of the elongated body opposite to the angular-displacement-resistant end, and configured to be received within and engage a slot at the input of the planetary gear assembly of the camshaft phaser to transmit torque from the electric motor to the planetary gear assembly; the elongated body prevents an angular displacement of the motor shaft relative to the input of the planetary gear assembly and permits the angular displacement of the motor shaft relative to the input of the planetary gear assembly when a mechanical stop of the camshaft phaser is engaged.

Torque-limiting torsion gimbal

An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly, comprises a sun gear configured to receive input from an electric motor and one or more planet gears having radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth that engage the sun gear; a first ring gear, having radially-inwardly extending gear teeth that engage the radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth of the sun gear, configured to receive rotational output provided by a crankshaft; a second ring gear, having radially-inwardly extending gear teeth that engage the radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth of the sun gear, configured to couple to a camshaft; one or more planet gear pins that carry the planet gear(s) and engage a planetary gear set to prevent the relative rotation of the planet gear pin(s) relative to the planetary gear set; and one or more springs that bias the planet gear pin(s) and the planetary gear(s) toward the first ring gear and the second ring gear.

Electrically-actuated camshaft phaser with backlash reduction

A variable camshaft timing (VCT) system includes an independent camshaft phaser, receiving input from a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, having an output coupled to one of an inner concentric camshaft or an outer concentric camshaft; and a dependent camshaft phaser, coupled to the other of the inner concentric camshaft or the outer concentric camshaft, comprising a half-Oldham link configured to permit radial movement of the inner concentric camshaft relative to the outer concentric camshaft in one radial direction and at least one pivotable arm configured to permit radial movement of the inner concentric camshaft relative to the outer concentric camshaft in another, different radial direction.

Variable camshaft timing system

An engine variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly is equipped in an internal combustion engine (ICE) to adjust the rotation of the engine's camshaft relative to the engine's crankshaft. The adjustments advance and retard the opening and closing movements of the engine's intake and exhaust valves. An electric motor and a planetary gear set work together amid use of the VCT phaser assembly. The planetary gear set can include two or more ring gears, planet gears, and a sun gear. A backlash condition sometimes experienced in previous VCTs is minimized in the VCT phaser assembly by one or more springs that urge the planet gears into engagement with the ring gears.

Engine variable camshaft timing phaser with planetary gear set

An electrically-controlled variable camshaft timing (VCT) system including a sun gear, having an inner axial surface, configured to communicate torque from an output shaft of an electric motor to a gearbox assembly; and a collet sleeve having at least one slot configured to engage the output shaft of the electric motor and a relief section permitting radial-inward compression and an outer axial surface that releasably engages the inner axial surface of the sun gear such that the outer axial surface of the collet sleeve is engaged with the inner axial surface of the sun gear while an amount of torque applied to the sun gear by the output shaft is below a predetermined torque threshold and the sun gear and the collet sleeve are angularly displaced relative to each other when an amount of torque applied to the sun gear by the output shaft is at or above the predetermined torque threshold.

Compliant coupling for electrically-controlled variable camshaft timing assembly

An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) device, comprising: an input configured to receive rotational force from an electric motor; an output configured to couple with a camshaft of an internal combustion engine; a planet gear having radially outwardly extending gear teeth configured to engage ring gears and a radially-inwardly-facing surface; a planet pin, supporting the planet gear, having an outer surface and an axis of rotation about which the planet gear rotates; and a spring applying force in a substantially axial direction along the axis of rotation that moves the planet gear in a radial direction.

Electrically-actuated camshaft phasers with tapered features

An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser is employed for use with an internal combustion engine (ICE). The electrically-actuated VCT phaser includes a gear set assembly and a fixture. The gear set assembly has an input gear and an output gear, among other possible components. The input gear receives rotational drive input from an engine crankshaft, and the output gear transmits rotational drive output to an engine camshaft. The fixture is secured in the gear set assembly. Amid installation of the electrically-actuated VCT phaser on the ICE, the fixture constrains rotational movement of the gear set assembly. After installation, the fixture can be removed from the gear set assembly.

Electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing phaser with removable fixture

An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly including an electric motor for controlling the VCT assembly having a rotor and a motor output shaft; a gearbox assembly having an input coupled to the motor output shaft and an output configured to be coupled with a camshaft of an internal combustion engine; and a torque-limiting assembly coupled to the motor output shaft that prevents angular displacement of the motor output shaft relative to the rotor and includes a spring that releasably engages the rotor to the motor output shaft to prevent angular displacement of the rotor relative to the motor output shaft at or below a torque limit and permits angular displacement of the rotor relative to the motor output shaft above the torque limit.

Torque-limiting rotor coupling for an electrically-actuated camshaft phaser

A valve assembly that can be employed in a variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly. The valve assembly includes a metal sleeve and a check valve. The check valve, in an implementation, has an integral construction with the metal sleeve. The integral construction has multiple designs, one of which includes an overmolded construction of the check valve with the metal sleeve. The valve assembly can also include a valve housing which, in the implementation of the VCT phaser assembly, is a center bolt.

Variable camshaft timing valve assembly

A variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly includes an independent VCT device that can couple with a first camshaft and change an angular position of the first camshaft relative to the angular position of a crankshaft. The independent VCT device has a stator and an output fixedly coupled with the first camshaft. The VCT assembly also includes a dependent VCT device that angularly adjusts a second camshaft in response to angular adjustment of the first camshaft. The dependent VCT device has a camshaft link coupled with the output of the independent VCT device; the camshaft link has a slot positioned radially outwardly from an axis of camshaft rotation. The independent VCT device also includes a planetary gear link having a geared surface configured to engage a geared surface coupled to the second camshaft, a planetary gear pin received by the slot of the camshaft link, and a planetary gear pivot; angular movement of the output relative to the stator moves the planetary gear pin relative to the slot and the planetary gear link about the pivot thereby transmitting angular motion of the first camshaft to the second camshaft through the planetary gear link.

Variable camshaft timing assembly

A variable camshaft timing system including a first camshaft phaser having an input that is configured to receive rotational force from a crankshaft and an output that is configured to link with a first camshaft of a concentric camshaft assembly to change the angular position of the first camshaft relative to a crankshaft; and a second camshaft phaser having an output that is configured to link with a second camshaft of the concentric camshaft assembly to change the angular position of the second camshaft relative to the crankshaft, wherein the first camshaft is concentrically positioned to the first camshaft and the first camshaft phaser is mechanically linked to the second camshaft phaser to communicate rotational force from the crankshaft to the second camshaft phaser through the first camshaft phaser and the mechanical link.

Dual actuating variable cam

A continuously variable friction drive is used to phase a cam plate attached to the camshaft relative to a sprocket plate driven by the crankshaft. Discs are received within the cavity between the sprocket and cam plate. The discs are free to rotate about an axis of rotation, and is fixed relative to the cam and the sprocket, so that when the sprocket plate rotates, the cam plate is rotated by the discs in the opposite direction. The axis of rotation of the discs can be tilted by an actuator, so that the discs themselves contact the plates at different distances from their axes of rotation, which changes the speed of rotation of one plate relative to the other. When the speed of rotation of the crank and cam differ, the phase angle between the two shafts is changed.

Continuously variable friction drive phaser

A variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly for changing the angular position of concentric camshafts relative to a crankshaft includes a coupling plate having a first plurality of Oldham features configured to engage a first plurality of Oldham receiving features carried by a first VCT device and a second plurality of Oldham features configured to engage a second plurality of Oldham receiving features carried by a second VCT device; the coupling plate is positioned axially between the first VCT device and the second VCT device permitting the first VCT device and the second VCT device to move radially outwardly and inwardly relative to an axis of camshaft rotation.

Oldham flexplate for concentric camshafts controlled by variable camshaft timing

An electrically-actuated camshaft phaser including an electrically-actuated lock that includes a planetary gear assembly having a camshaft ring gear configured to be connected to a camshaft, a sprocket ring gear configured to receive rotational input from a crankshaft, and one or more planet gears engaging the camshaft ring gear and the sprocket ring gear, wherein the planetary gear assembly changes the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft; an electric motor, coupled to the planetary gear assembly, and a solenoid, wherein the electric motor controls the relative angular position of the crankshaft relative to the camshaft and the solenoid selectively moves a mechanical connection into locking engagement thereby preventing relative movement between the camshaft relative to the crankshaft.

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Cortland, NY, United States of America

Chad M McCloy