Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Jeff Villemure

Debora Manther

Jeffrey Shewell

Kirk Siefker

A finger lever is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The finger lever comprises an inner lever, at least one arm pivotally coupled to the inner lever, and a coupling device operatively displaceable to control movement of the at least one arm relative to the inner lever. The coupling device includes a slide and a piston disposed in a longitudinal bore of the inner lever, the piston having an entraining slot in which at least part of the slide is received, and at least one biasing member arranged to bias the piston relative to the inner lever. The slide is constructed to be displaced in a coupled position or an uncoupled position. In the coupled position the slide is entrained by the at least one arm, and in the uncoupled position the slide is not entrained by the at least one arm.

Nested locking mechanism for switchable roller finger follower

A method of manufacturing spring pallets of a switchable roller finger follower. The method includes the steps of forming the spring pallets of the roller finger follower as a single unit, forming a material web between the spring pallets, and separating the spring pallets apart from each other. Also, an intermediate assembly of the spring pallets of the roller finger follower is disclosed. The intermediate assembly includes a first spring pallet, a second spring pallet, and a material web which extends between the spring pallets, and adjoins the spring pallets together. Further, a method of manufacturing an inner arm of the switchable roller finger follower is disclosed in which the inner arm is formed by sheet metal, preferably by stamping.

Involute spring pallet component for a cylinder deactivation switchable roller finger follower

The roller finger follower employs two independent lost motion arms and a coupling device that locks both arms. A coupling element allows for changing from locked to unlocked mode. Components of the coupling element include a shuttle pin with a head, a shank and a cutout on which a rod is positioned, a coil spring which surrounds the outside diameter of the shuttle pin shank, and an end cap. By positioning the spring on the shuttle pin shank, a large spring diameter and short spring height can be used which allows for compact packaging. Also, a low spring rate is required.

Locking mechanism for variable actuation using a shuttle pin and return spring

The finger follower employs two independent lost motion arms and a rod which moves longitudinally to lock both arms. The rod is transversely mounted in the follower. In order to avoid premature locking, each arm has a chamfered surface on a top wall to force the rod out of engagement with the arm during upward movement of the arms, to protect premature movement of the rod from an unlocked position to a locked position.

Switchable roller finger follower

A switchable finger lever for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said finger lever comprising an inner lever comprising on an underside on one end, a support for a gas exchange valve and on another end, a contact surface for a head of a support element, said inner lever being flanked by outer arms which are articulated for pivoting relative to the inner lever on a side of the one end, at least each of said outer arms comprising on an upper side, a cam contacting surface, said inner lever comprising directly next to the contact surface a coupling device for an optional connection of the outer arms to the inner lever, said coupling device comprising a cross-bore in which two coupling slides are arranged diametrically opposite each other, which coupling slides for effecting coupling engage partially in or under an entraining surface arranged on the respective outer arm ending in this region, and the at least one restoring spring being likewise arranged in the region of the another end while being clamped between the inner lever and the outer arms.

Switchable finger lever

The invention proposes a switchable finger lever () comprising an inner lever () comprising on one end (), a support () for a gas exchange valve and on another end (), a contact surface () for a head of a support element, said inner lever () comprising on the one end (), pivotable outer arms () made separately from each other, which outer arms () comprise on their upper sides (), contacting surfaces () for high lift cams, a coupling device () comprising a coupling slide () for simultaneously connecting the outer arms () to the inner lever () being seated in a section of the another end () in the inner lever (), which coupling slide () is seated in an oblong hole () extending transversely through the inner lever () as also in longitudinal direction of the finger lever (), the coupling slide () comprises two end portions () which protrude beyond the outer walls (),and for effecting coupling, the coupling slide () can be displaced with the two end portions () partially under entraining surfaces () of the outer arms (), whereas for effecting uncoupling, the coupling slide () can be displaced out of the entraining surfaces (), and at least one restoring spring () extends in the region of the another end () between the inner lever () and the outer arms ().

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Beverly Hills, MI, United States of America

Jeff Villemure