Eaton Corporation

Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Michigan State University

David Gerard Genise

Austin Robert Zurface

Douglas John Nielsen

James Edward McCarthy, Jr

Dale Arden Stretch

Andrei Dan Radulescu

Andrew Paul Harman

Mark William Hildebrandt

Hongbin Wang

Brian Karl Vandeusen

Philip Michael Kline

Tony Eric Gordon

Daniel Bennett Trudell

Mark Joseph Birler

Farhang Pourboghrat

Brian Karl VanDeusen

Michael A Zampaloni

McCarthy E James, Jr

Michael R Gose

Suzanne M Zampaloni

Sachin Wadikhaye

Otto Jerome Schultheis

Robert Boychuk

James Edward Mccarthy

A novel cylinder head arrangement for an in-line four cylinder or eight cylinder engine. A modified arrangement allows additional space for installation of wider rocker arm assemblies used for variable valve lift (VVL), cylinder deactivation (CDA) and other types of variable valve actuation (VVA). In one embodiment, cam towers adjacent the end two cylinders are not used. At least one end support is used, which may be an outboard bearing on a camshaft for each end. The wider rocker assemblies may then be installed. In another embodiment, cam towers adjacent the inner two cylinders are eliminated and a single camshaft support piece with a support bearing is installed between the inner cylinders to provide support for the camshafts. The wider rocker assemblies may then be installed on at least one of the middle cylinders. A novel oil control valve operates latches in switching rocker arm assemblies.

Cylinder head arrangement for variable valve actuation rocker arm assemblies

An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head, a poppet valve having a seat within the cylinder head, a cam shaft on which is mounted an eccentrically shaped cam, and a rocker arm assembly comprising a rocker arm, a cam follower, and an electromagnetically actuated lash adjuster. The lash adjuster provides a continuously variable length fulcrum for the rocker arm. The actuator may be a piezoelectric stepper motor. The lash adjuster may be operative to vary a rate of internal exhaust gas recirculation and without requiring crank angle data.

Electromechanical valve lash adjuster

A system for controlling variable valve actuation in an automobile engine. A first cam has a first lift profile and a second cam has a second lift profile. A rocker arm assembly engages the cams having a first arm for riding on the first cam, and a second arm for riding on the second cam. The second arm has an activatable latch capable of securing the second arm to the first arm when latched. When the first arm is secured to the second arm, the rocker arm assembly achieves a first lift profile and when the first arm is not secured to the second arm, the rocker arm assembly achieves a second lift profile. A non-contact sensor mounted adjacent the rocker arm assembly is adapted to monitor and create data indicative of whether the first arm is secured to the second arm.

Sensing and control of a variable valve actuation system

A method for adding fluid to an hydraulic lash adjuster (HLA) comprises the steps of placing the HLA in to a centrifuge, the centrifuge having a fluid container, placing a sufficient amount of a first fluid in the fluid container to fluidly communicate with at least one fluid port of the HLA, and spinning the HLA at a first speed sufficient to move the first fluid in to at least the second of two fluid chambers in the HLA.

Centrifugal process to eliminate air in high pressure chamber of hydraulic lash adjuster

An internal combustion engine has a cylinder head mounted to an engine block that at least partially forms a plurality of cylinder combustion chambers. The cylinder head has multiple intake ports and multiple exhaust ports. Engine valves regulate the passage of gas into and out of the combustion chamber. Cam-operated engine valves are mechanically coupled to a rotating cam directly or through one or more of a variety of components that assist in transforming the rotational kinetic energy of the cam to linear motion of the engine valves. One of the exhaust valves and one of the intake valves are mechanically coupled to the cam. Electrohydraulic actuators actuate separate intake and exhaust valves of a particular cylinder. The electrohydraulic actuators are in fluid communication with a high pressure fluid source.

Hybrid cam-camless variable valve actuation system

A system for controlling variable valve actuation in an automobile engine is disclosed. A first cam has a first lift profile and a second cam has a second lift profile, both profiles having a base circle portion and a lift portion. A rocker arm assembly engages the cams having a first arm for riding on the first cam, and a second arm for riding on the second cam. The second arm has an activatable latch capable of securing the second arm to the first arm when latched. The latch may only be latched while the arms are riding on the base circle portion of the cams. When the first arm is secured to the second arm, the rocker arm assembly achieves a first lift profile and when the first arm is not secured to the second arm, the rocker arm assembly achieves a second lift profile. A non-contact sensor mounted adjacent the rocker arm assembly is adapted to monitor and create data indicative of whether the first arm is secured to the second arm. An engine control unit (ECU) for controlling functioning of at least one aspect of said engine operation receives the signal from the non-contact sensor and control functioning of the at least one aspect of said engine operation based upon the received signal from the non-contact sensor.

A system for preloading a latch used in a variable valve actuation system for internal combustion engines is disclosed. It includes a rocker arm assembly having a first arm for operatively engaging the first cam for a first desired lift profile, and a second arm for operatively engaging the second cam for a second desired lift profile. A selectively-activatable latch to operatively latch the second arm with the first arm. An electronic control unit (ECU) communicates with an oil control valve that changes oil pressure to the latch to cause it to secure the arms together, or allow them to move independently. Due to the short time period required to operate the latch, the ECU provides a signal for the oil control valve to supply oil pressure or release oil pressure prior to the rocker arms being engaged with the base circle of the cams. This effectively preloads the latch causing it to react quickly and within the small time period allowed to latch.

Rocker arm assembly and components therefor

A camshaft phase adjustment device comprises a housing receiving a camshaft. A driving gear member has a first gear and a camshaft receiving portion. The driving gear member transfers motion from the driveshaft to the first gear, which is meshed with a second gear. A second and third gear are mounted on an axle parallel to the camshaft. The second gear and third gear rotate with the same angular velocity. The third gear transfers motion to a fourth gear. The fourth gear is coupled to the camshaft for transferring angular motion to the camshaft such that the camshaft rotates with the angular velocity of the fourth gear. An actuator rotates the housing about the axis of the camshaft.

Camshaft phasing device

An apparatus for measuring pressure comprises a housing and an actuator pressure sealed to the housing and having a shaft. The actuator is configured to be in pressure communication with a volume of gas or liquid. Upon a change in pressure, the actuator is displaced at least partially in the axial direction. A sensor detects axial displacement of a magnetically encoded target upon the change in pressure in the volume. A device for measuring pressure in an engine cylinder comprises a valve in pressure communication with an engine cylinder. The valve stem has a magnetic coding located adjacent a sensor. Axial displacement of the stem under cylinder pressure is detected and pressure is obtained.

Magnetically coded pressure detection apparatus

A hydraulic lash compensation device for an engine includes a plunger assembly slidingly received within a body bore to define a high pressure chamber. The plunger assembly includes a lower pressure chamber, an upper plunger element, and a lower plunger element. A mechanical lift loss feature includes a generally annular lift stop member retained to the upper plunger element by an adjustment member that extends through the lift stop member and is adjustably received in upper plunger element. The lift stop member is biased away from upper plunger element by a spring. When the upper plunger element is received into the body, the upper plunger element is offset a predetermined distance from the lower plunger element by virtue of the lift stop member's engagement with the lower plunger element. The offset is adjustable based on the position of the lift stop member relative to the upper plunger element.

Hydraulic lash compensation device with mechanical lift loss feature

A valve control system for an engine having a camshaft with first and second cam profiles, the valve control system comprising a rocker arm assembly including a first rocker arm having a first cam follower in engagement with the first cam profile, and a second rocker arm having a second cam follower in engagement with the second cam profile. The first rocker arm includes a latch member biased toward a latched condition by a fluid pressure in a chamber, and the first rocker arm defines a fluid passage having a first end in open fluid communication with the pressure source, and a second end in open fluid communication with the pressure chamber. An alignment feature cooperates with the latch member to ensure proper alignment with a latch surface.

Dual lift rocker arm latch mechanism and actuation arrangement therefor

A cylinder head () for an internal combustion engine has hydroformed port liners () positioned within selected ports, either exhaust and/or intake ports (). The hydroformed port liner () includes an air gap () for an insulation layer within the selected port () between an outer surface () of the hydroformed port liner () and the wall of the port (). A cylinder head () with a predetermined port configuration has selected ports () cast with protrusions (). The selected ports () have a larger diameter than a standard size port diameter for that cylinder head to provide a predetermined port configuration by a preset amount based on the thickness of the hydroformed port liner () and a desired air gap (). Protrusions () in the wall of the selected ports () or on the insert sleeves () facilitate formation of the air gap during the hydroforming process.

Hydroformed port liner

A valve control system () in which there is provided a deactivating rocker arm () disposed beneath a conventional, upper rocker arm (), and disposed within a module housing (). The deactivating rocker arm includes a latch tab () and when the latch tab engages (FIG.) a latch member (), the system operates in a normal, valve activating mode. When the latch member is in an unlatched condition (FIG.), the deactivating rocker arm pivots, compressing the valve return spring (), which thereafter serves as the required lost motion spring, biasing the deactivating rocker arm () and lash compensation device () back toward their normal position.

Valve control system including deactivating rocker arm

A rocker arm () adapted to engage a pair of cam lobes (), the rocker arm having first () and second () sidewall portions, and being formed from a flat sheet metal blank (B) having a nominal thickness (T). The sidewall portions () define fold regions () whereby, after each is folded over upon itself, and the rocker arm is formed to have the sidewall portions generally parallel to each other, the fold regions provide first () and second () cam contact surfaces, each having a width (W) substantially greater than the nominal thickness of the blank.

Growing community of inventors

Marshall, MI, United States of America

David Gerard Genise