Borgwarner Inc.

Christopher J Pluta

Michael Marsh

Mark M Wigsten

Larry A Pritchard

Thomas R Benner

Philip J Mott

Roger P Butterfield

Braman C Wing

David B Roth

Daniel Brown

James Sisson

Paul A Darsky

Michael Grieb

Steven W Wyatt

A planetary gear assembly () and method of assembly in an electric camshaft phaser () with a split ring gear including a drive-side ring gear portion () rotatable by an engine crankshaft and an output-side ring gear portion () that can be connected to a camshaft (). A plurality of rotatable planetary gears () can be interposed between the split ring gear and the sun gear (). The output-side ring gear portion () can have a different number of teeth than the drive-side ring gear portion () by a value corresponding to a multiple of the number of planetary gears (). A compliant planetary gear carrier () can support the plurality of planetary gears () allowing variance of a normally equidistant distance between separate spaced rotational axes of at least two of the planetary gears () to selectively compensate for mechanical tolerances of the drive-side ring gear portion () and the output-side ring gear portion () of the split ring gear.

Planetary gear carrier with compliance

An engine variable camshaft timing phaser () includes a sprocket () and a planetary gear assembly (). The sprocket () receives rotational drive input from an engine crankshaft. The planetary gear assembly () includes two or more ring gears (), multiple planet gears (), a sun gear (), and a wrap spring (). One of the ring gears () receives rotational drive input from the sprocket () and one of the ring gears () transmits rotational drive output to an engine camshaft. The sun gear () engages with the planet gears (). The wrap spring () experiences expansion and contraction exertions to permit advancing and retarding engine valve opening and closing, and to prevent advancing and retarding engine valve opening and closing.

Engine variable camshaft timing phaser with planetary gear assembly

An engine variable camshaft timing phaser () includes a sprocket (), three ring gears (), multiple planet gears (), and a sun gear (). The sprocket () receives rotational drive input from an engine crankshaft. One or more of the three ring gear(s) () receives rotational drive input from the sprocket () and rotates with the sprocket (), and the remaining ring gear(s) () transmit rotational drive output to an engine camshaft (). All three of the ring gears () engage with the planet gears (). And the sun gear () also engages with the planet gears (). In operation, relative rotational speeds between the sprocket () and the sun gear () causes the engine camshaft () to advance or retard engine valve opening and closing.

Engine variable camshaft timing phaser with planetary gear set

A variable compression connecting rod system () located in an internal combustion engine () and a method of assembly can include a connecting rod () mountable to a piston pin () having a first longitudinal axis at one end andmountable to a crankpin () having a second longitudinal axis at a second end portion (). A hydraulically actuated eccentric rotor () rotatable about one of the first and second longitudinal axis. The eccentric rotor () including first and second vanes () for driving the rotor between first and second angular positions in response to fluid pressure acting on the first and second vanes. The eccentric rotor() having an eccentric surface area with different radial distances () movable into alignment with a longitudinal axis of the connecting rod () for varying a longitudinal length of the connecting rod () between the first and second longitudinal axis.

Variable compression ratio connecting rod system with rotary actuator

A cam phaser () dynamically adjusts a rotational relationship of a camshaft () of an internal combustion engine with respect to an engine crankshaft operably connected with a phaser sprocket (). The cam phaser () can include a planetary gear assembly having a ring gear () driven by the phaser sprocket (), a planetary gear carrier () connected to the camshaft (), a sun gear (), and at least one rotatable planetary gear (). The cam phaser () can include a sprocket housing () connected with the phaser sprocket () and operable for connection with the ring gear (), a cover plate () secured to the carrier (), and a adapter () connected between the sun gear () and an electric motor () for changing an angular position of the sun gear () and adjustably varying a cam phase position of the camshaft () relative to the crankshaft.

Electric cam phaser with fixed sun planetary

The variable compression ratio piston system for an engine adjusts the compression ratio of the engine piston by way of hydraulic fluid distributed between a pair of chambers formed in a pair of bores receiving control pistons mechanically coupled to the engine piston. A control valve selectively permits flow of hydraulic fluid between the high compression ratio line and the low compression ratio line. A variable force solenoid controlled by an engine control unit preferably controls the position of the control valve. The position of the spool controls whether hydraulic fluid can flow toward the first chamber, toward the second chamber, or not at all. Flow of hydraulic fluid is actuated by alternating forces from inertial and combustion forces on a crankshaft from operation of the engine.

Variable compression ratio piston system

A variable cam timing apparatus () and method of assembly for transmitting rotational torque between a driving rotary member () and a driven rotary member (). The flexible coupling () can include an axis of rotation coinciding with, and an outer peripheral edge () extending at least partially around, or completely surrounding, a common rotational axis of the driving rotary member () and the driven rotary member (). The flexible coupling () including a flexible body () having a plurality of apertures () formed therein at angularly spaced positions relative to one another for connection therethrough with respect to the driving and the driven rotary members () permitting adjustment for perpendicularity and axial misalignment, while maintaining a torsionally stiff coupling between the driving and driven rotary members (). A cam phaser () and concentric camshaft () define at least in part the driving rotary member () and the driven rotary member () for operating a poppet-type valve () of an internal combustion engine () of a motor vehicle ().

Concentric camshaft phaser flex plate

A flexible coupling linkage () anchors a housing () that at least partially encloses a rotor () of an actuator () against rotation, while allowing free movement of the housing () in two other planes relative to the rotor () to match an angular rotational plane orientation of the rotor () to prevent binding between the housing () and the rotor () due to misalignment. The flexible coupling linkage () can be selected from a group of pivot joints () including at least one of a pivot pin joint (), a ball-and-socket joint (), and any combination thereof. The pivot joint () defines a restrained point () associated with the housing () radially spaced from an axis of rotation of the rotor () preventing rotation of the housing () about the axis of rotation of the rotor (), while allowing angular displacement of the housing () about the restrained point () permitting the housing () to match an angle of the rotor () to prevent binding between the housing () and the rotor ().

Flexible coupling/linkage for an actuator

A torque pulsated variable cam timing camshaft arrangement for a reciprocating piston, internal combustion engine is provided. The arrangement includes a sprocket. A torque pulsated phaser unit is operatively associated with the sprocket. A camshaft is operatively associated with the sprocket and the camshaft torsionally powers the phaser unit. The camshaft has a cam lobe engaged with a first cam follower for controlling a position of a spring biased valve. A spring biased second cam follower is engaged with the cam lobe providing a torsional input to the camshaft.

Additional spring and follower mechanism built into valve cover or bearing bridge

A cam torque actuated variable cam timing phaser can include a rotor () enclosed by an endplate () within a housing (). The housing () can have at least one cavity () to be divided by a vane () rigidly attached to the rotor (). The vane () can divide the cavity () into a first chamber () and a second chamber (). Passages () can connect the first and second chambers () facilitating oscillation of the vane () within the cavity (). A detent valve () can move between an open position and a closed position. When in the open position, the detent valve () can connect portions of a detent passage () extending through the rotor () and through the endplate () allowing pressurized actuating fluid flow with respect to the first and second chambers () in response to a relative angular position of the rotor () with respect to the endplate (). A lock pin () can move between a locked position and a released position.

Cam torque actuated phaser with mid position lock

A camshaft assembly for an internal combustion engine has a hollow outer shaft with slots along its length and an inner shaft with holes along its length. The holes on the inner shaft are aligned with the slots on the outer shaft. A first set of cam lobes are fixed to the outer shaft and a second set of cam lobes are placed on the slots of outer shaft with a clearance fit. A means fixes the second set of cam lobes to the inner shaft, while simultaneously allowing the second set of cam lobes to be a clearance fit to the outer shaft. The means fixing the second set of cam lobes to the inner shaft may be a hollow pin which is hydroformed or a rivet insert which is expanded by insertion, pulling, and removal of a threaded rod.

Concentric cam with check valves in the spool for a phaser

An assembly for an engine comprising at least one phaser and a camshaft assembly. The camshaft assembly has an outer camshaft piece and an inner camshaft piece. The outer camshaft piece includes an outside cam integrally attached to the housing of the phaser through a middle portion. The outer camshaft piece also defines a hollow extending a length. The inner camshaft piece includes an inner cam adjacent to the outer cam. A tube portion extends from a first side of the inner cam and is received by the hollow of the outer camshaft piece, connecting the inner cam to the rotor of the phaser. A shaft portion extends to an end portion from the other side of the outer cam. A passage, connected to an inlet line is present within the inner camshaft piece, directing fluid to the control valve of the phaser.

Concentric cam with phaser

A variable cam timing phaser including a housing, a rotor coaxially located within the housing, a phase control valve, a switching valve, and a passage connecting the first advance and retard chambers. The housing and the rotor define at least two chambers, a first chamber separated by a first vane into the first advance and retard chambers, and a second chamber separated by a second vane into the second advance and retard chambers. The switching valve has a first position in which fluid may flow freely between the passage connecting the first advance and retard chambers and fluid flow from the phase control valve to the first advance and first retard chambers is blocked. In the second position, the passage connecting the first advance and retard chambers is blocked and fluid may flow freely between the phase control valve and the first advance and first retard chambers.

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Lansing, NY, United States of America

Christopher J Pluta