Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc.

Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.

Gheorghe Cosma

James N Usko

John A Schwoerer

Richard E Vanderpoel

Steven N Ernest

Jeffrey E Mossberg

Andrew Jozef Brzoska

Edward T Leitkowski

Guy Paterson

Joseph M Vorih

Dennis R Custer

John A Konopka

Joesph M Vorih

A lost motion engine valve actuation system and method of actuating an engine valve are disclosed. The system may comprise a valve train element, a pivoting lever, a control piston, and a hydraulic circuit. The pivoting lever may include a first end for contacting the control piston, a second end for transmitting motion to a valve stem and a means for contacting a valve train element. The amount of lost motion provided by the system may be selected by varying the position of the control piston relative to the pivoting lever. Variation of the control piston position may be carried out by placing the control piston in hydraulic communication with a control trigger valve and one or more accumulators. Actuation of the trigger valve releases hydraulic fluid allowing for adjustment of the control piston position. Means for limiting valve seating velocity, filling the hydraulic circuit upon engine start up, and mechanically locking the control piston/lever for a fixed level of valve actuation are also disclosed.

Variable lost motion valve actuator and method

An apparatus and method for effectuating multi-cycle engine braking is disclosed. The present invention controls the operation of the engine valves to permit more than one compression release event during a single engine operating cycle. The apparatus includes an assembly for operating at least one exhaust valve of an engine cylinder during a positive power operation. The apparatus further includes an assembly for operating at least one intake valve of the engine cylinder. The apparatus further including an assembly for operating the at least one exhaust valve during an engine braking operation.

Multi-cycle, engine braking with positive power valve actuation control system and process for using the same

Multi-cycle, engine braking with positive power valve actuation control

A camless internal combustion engine has electronically or computer controlled, electrically operated hydraulic actuators for selectively opening the engine cylinder valves. The engine is capable of operating in either positive power mode or compression release engine braking mode. The pressure of the hydraulic fluid available for application to the hydraulic actuators is automatically adjusted from a relatively low pressure during positive power mode to a relatively high pressure during compression release engine braking mode. The stroke lengths of the engine cylinder valves may be automatically adjusted for various engine operating conditions using feedback loops that include sensors for detecting the amount of opening of each engine cylinder valve whose stroke length is to be controlled in this manner. The shapes of the valve opening and closing trajectories as a function of engine crank angle may similarly be varied in many other respect.

Camless engines with compression release braking

In engine brakes of the type in which a master piston is reciprocated by an associated internal combustion engine part to hydraulically pressurize hydraulic fluid in a plenum, after which a trigger valve is opened to apply that hydraulic pressure to a slave piston which opens an exhaust valve in the engine to produce a compression release event, an electronically controlled trigger valve is used in place of the conventional mechanically operated trigger valve. The electronically controlled trigger valve can be much simpler and cheaper than the mechanical trigger valve it replaces, and it can also be readily controlled to automatically vary the timing of the compression release events if desired.

Electronically controlled compression release engine brakes

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Windsor, CT, United States of America

Gheorghe Cosma