Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Colin Foster

Faheem Ahmed

David Chandler

John Whitton

Debora Manther

Sumukha Nagaraj

Pradeep Mohan Mohan Das

Michael Kugler

Kate Higdon

Philipp Streit

Shannon Fandale

A camshaft phaser assembly configured for phasing a camshaft and a crankshaft with respect to each other is provided. The camshaft phaser assembly includes a sprocket for receiving torque from the crankshaft; an output gear for driving the camshaft; a flexible gear deformable into an elliptical orientation for engaging the output gear to transmit torque from the sprocket to the output gear; and a wave generator for deforming the flexible gear into the elliptical orientation; the flexible gear radially disposed about the wave generator and including an inner circumferential surface in contact with an outer race of the wave generator, the flexible gear including teeth for engaging the output gear in the elliptical orientation and a retainer at an axial end of the flexible gear, the output gear including a centering feature configured for contacting the retainer to center the flexible gear in the elliptical orientation inside of the output gear.

Electric camshaft phaser assembly including a flexible gear with a retainer

A switchable valve bridge for an internal combustion engine is provided that includes an outer housing, an inner housing, a locking collar, and a first ramp. The outer housing includes two valve pallets configured to interface with two poppet valves. The inner housing is slidably disposed within the outer housing. The inner housing has a first locking latch configured to move radially relative to an actuation axis of the inner housing. The locking collar is configured to move axially via an actuation force applied to the locking collar in a first axial direction parallel to the actuation axis. The first ramp is disposed within both the first locking aperture and the locking collar. The first ramp is configured to be actuated by the locking collar such that axial movement of the first ramp causes radial movement of the first locking latch.

Switchable valve bridge

A camshaft phaser is provided that includes a rotor, a stator, and a locking cover. The rotor is selectively locked to the stator via a locking assembly arranged within a locking bore of the rotor. Contaminant particles that enter a first locking end of the bore are exited out a second venting end of the bore via a contaminant particle exit pathway.

Contaminant pathway for camshaft phaser

A switchable lever is provided that includes an outer lever, an inner lever pivotably mounted to the outer lever, and a coupling assembly capable of selectively locking the inner lever to the outer lever. The coupling assembly is arranged to be actuated from either a first side or a second side of the switchable lever. The coupling assembly can have one or more push pins and a coupling pin that is arranged to be actuated by the one or more push pins. An actuated end of the coupling pin can be formed with a receiving land that is configured to engage a cam form on a second end of the one or more push pins.

Coupling assembly for switchable lever

A switchable rocker arm is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The switchable rocker arm includes a first lever arranged to be rotated by a camshaft about a pivot, a second lever arranged to actuate an engine valve, and a locking part arranged to selectively lock the first lever to the second lever. The locking part is arranged to be mechanically actuated by the pivot.

Switchable rocker arm

A switchable roller finger follower including an improved valve stem pallet formed by a rotatable body is disclosed. The switchable roller finger follower includes an axle extending through first aligned holes of an outer body and second aligned holes of an inner body to pivotally attach the inner body to the outer body at a valve stem end. The rotatable body is mounted on the axle and adapted to contact a valve stem.

Rotatable body valve stem contact for switchable roller finger follower

A switchable valve train assembly including a carrier housing defining a hydraulic circuit, a supply assembly, a plurality of rocker shafts, a plurality of separators, and a plurality of rocker arm assemblies is provided. Each one of the plurality of separators divides the rocker shafts into (1) a first chamber extending between a first chamber axial end and the separator, and (2) a second chamber extending between a second chamber axial end and the separator. The plurality of separators each include an orifice defined between the first chamber and the second chamber that provides fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber. Locking assemblies of the rocker arm assemblies are selectively actuated based on the supply assembly. The separators ensure that hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic fluid is de-aerated and that the second chambers remain primed with hydraulic fluid for faster actuation of the locking assemblies.

Rocker shaft with de-aeration oil gallery segment

A hydraulic support element including a housing with a central bore and a bottom face that is provided on one axial end of the housing, a piston that is arranged in the bore of the housing, the piston is connected to a bottom closure so as to define a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber is defined between the bottom face and the bottom closure. A valve is provided between the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber to regulate a fluid connection between the pressure chambers, and a seal formed between the piston and the bottom closure with the bottom closure being affixed to the piston in a detachable manner.

Hydraulic support element

A clip for a switchable roller finger follower that includes a retainer for a hydraulic lash adjuster, and an anti-rotation feature that prevents rotation of a coupling pin is provided. The clip includes a first leg arranged adjacent to a dome-shaped recess on a bottom surface of an outer lever of the switchable roller finger follower that includes a retainer for the hydraulic lash adjuster, and a second leg of the clip includes an anti-rotation bar that extends laterally across a part of the coupling pin and prevents rotation of the coupling pin. A switchable finger follower with the clip is also provided.

Valve train retention clip with integrated locking pin anti-rotation feature

A switchable finger follower is provided having an inner lever with a sliding pad located between first and second inner lever ends. The sliding pad has at least one of an anti-friction coating or a surface finish of Ra 0.05 or better forming a cam contact surface. An outer lever supports the inner lever, and includes a first outer lever end mounted for pivoting movement at the first end of the inner lever by a pivot axle. A coupling pin is arranged on one of the inner or outer levers on an end opposite from the pivot axle. The coupling pin has a coupling projection with a first locking surface, and is moveable from a first, locked position with the first locking surface engaged with a second locking surface located on the other of the inner lever or the outer lever, to a second, unlocked position. A lost motion element is arranged between the inner lever and the outer lever.

Low profile switchable finger follower

A hollow rocker shaft including a central opening defined by a radially inner surface and a separator secured in the central opening of the rocker shaft is provided. A radially outer surface of the separator engages the radially inner surface of the rocker shaft via a press-fit. The separator divides the central opening of the rocker shaft into (1) a first chamber extending between a first chamber axial end and the separator, and (2) a second chamber extending between a second chamber axial end and the separator. The separator includes an orifice defined between the first chamber and the second chamber that provides fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber.

A switchable valve train assembly including a rocker shaft is provided. The rocker shaft includes a first chamber extending between a first axial end and a second axial end of the rocker shaft and a second chamber extending between the first axial end and the second axial end of the rocker shaft. A seepage orifice is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber and provides a fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber. The first chamber includes a first actuator port in fluid connection with a first intake port for a hydraulic lash adjuster. The second chamber includes a second actuator port in fluid connection with a second intake port for a locking assembly.

Switchable valve train rocker shaft

A switchable rocker arm for valve deactivation is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The switchable rocker arm includes a cam lever assembly, a valve lever assembly, and a hydraulically actuated coupling assembly that is radially arranged between the cam lever and valve lever assemblies. The coupling assembly includes a shuttle pin, a locking pin with a round or flat locking interface, and optional shuttle pin and locking pin sleeves. In a first, locked position, the rotational motion of a camshaft is translated to linear motion of an engine valve. In a second, unlocked position, the cam lever assembly rotates about the valve lever assembly, facilitating valve deactivation. A pivot joint arranged between the cam lever and valve lever assemblies facilitates an arcuate lost motion of the cam lever assembly. An integrated arrangement for one or more lost motion springs offers packaging and functional advantages.

Switchable rocker arm with pivot joint

A coupling pin anti-rotation arrangement is provided for a switchable roller finger follower within a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The coupling pin, located on one of the levers, has a first locking surface, and includes at least one coupling pin-side anti-rotation flat; the other lever, with a second locking surface, is configured with at least one lever-side anti-rotation flat. The at least one lever-side anti-rotation flat slidably guides the at least one coupling pin-side anti-rotation flat such that the first locking surface is aligned with the second locking surface throughout longitudinal displacement of the coupling pin within a coupling pin bore. The coupling pin anti-rotation arrangement is adaptable to various switchable roller finger follower designs that incorporate different valve lift strategies and lever configurations.

Coupling pin anti-rotation for a switchable roller finger follower

A coupling pin anti-rotation arrangement is provided for a switchable roller finger follower within a valve train of an internal combustion engine capable of switching between at least two valve lift modes. The switchable roller finger follower includes an inner lever, an outer lever, a coupling pin, and an anti-rotation clip. The coupling pin, located on one of the inner or outer levers, has a first locking surface, and a first, and preferably, second coupling pin-side anti-rotation flat. The coupling pin moves longitudinally within a coupling pin bore to a first, locked position and a second, unlocked position. The anti-rotation clip has a first and, preferably, second clip-side finger to slidably guide the first and second coupling pin-side anti-rotation flats to ensure alignment of the first locking surface with a second locking surface, located on the other of the inner lever or the outer lever, during all modes of operation.

Growing community of inventors

Belle River, Canada

Colin Foster