Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Jeffrey Shewell

Debora Manther

Jeff Villemure

Kirk Siefker

John Stallmann

Kate Higdon

A rocker arm assembly for an engine is configured to fit about a pivot shaft that extends along a central axis. The assembly includes an intermediate shaft configured to be rotatably disposed about the pivot shaft. A cam-side arm is pivotable about the central axis and is configured to be driven by a cam. A valve-side arm is pivotable about the central axis and relative to the cam-side arm, and is configured to convert rotation of the rocker arm assembly about the central axis into operation of an engine valve. An annular compressible fluid chamber is disposed between the intermediate shaft and the valve-side arm. When the cam-side arm and the intermediate shaft are engaged, pivoting of the cam-side arm compresses fluid within the chamber, causing corresponding pivoting of the valve-side arm and operation of the valve. The fluid provides hydraulic lash adjustment.

Rocker arm with hydraulic lash adjustment

A switchable rocker arm for valve deactivation is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The switchable rocker arm includes a valve side lever assembly, a cam side lever assembly, and a hydraulically actuated coupling assembly. The valve side lever assembly includes a first housing with a first rocker shaft bore. The cam side lever assembly includes a second housing with a first arm with a second rocker shaft bore and a second arm with a third rocker shaft bore. The first and second arms extend along opposed longitudinal sides of the cam side lever assembly such that the first, second and third rocker shaft bores are axially aligned. The coupling assembly is arranged at an end furthest away from a pivot axis for minimal loading and provides locking and unlocking of the switchable rocker arm to achieve full valve lift and no valve lift modes, respectively.

Switchable rocker arm with reduced coupling assembly loads

A variable camshaft phaser having a stator arranged to receive torque from an engine; a rotor arranged to be non-rotatably connected to a camshaft; a first wedge plate and a second wedge plate radially disposed between the stator and the rotor; a spinner, operatively arranged about a central hub; a paddle arranged about the spinner including an annular ring having an engagement projection extending outwardly therefrom, the engagement projection having a proximate section and a distal section; the proximate section operatively arranged to engage a twisting groove of the spinner, and the distal section operatively arranged to engage either the first or second wedge plates; wherein the spinner, paddle, central hub, and engagement projection are operatively arranged to displace the first or the second wedge plate in either an advance mode or in a retard mode.

Variable camshaft phaser with a linear actuator for absolute positioning

A cam follower assembly is provided including an improved lubricant flowpath. The assembly includes a generally cylindrical housing including an annular groove adapted to be in communication with a lubricant gallery in an engine block or cylinder head. An axial end of the housing includes skirt portions including openings, and one of the skirt portions includes a first recessed section indented from an outer lateral surface of the housing and extending axially between the annular groove and a respective one of the openings. A pin is mounted in the openings of the skirt portions and has a second recessed section indented from an outer lateral surface of the pin that extends to at least one of the ends of the pin. The second recessed section is in communication with the first recessed section, and a cam roller supported on the pin.

Lubrication passageway for lubrication of cam follower assembly

A hydraulic lash adjuster arrangement is provided that includes a cylinder head including a bore and at least one hydraulic fluid gallery. The hydraulic lash adjuster arrangement includes a hydraulic lash adjuster assembly including a housing positioned in the bore of the cylinder head and including an annular body that includes a port on a radially outer wall of the housing. A plunger is arranged within the annular body of the housing and is axially displaceable therein. A clip including a circular body is arranged radially between the housing and the cylinder head. The clip includes at least one first tab extending radially outwardly that engages the at least one hydraulic fluid gallery and at least one second tab extending radially inwardly that engages the port.

Hydraulic lash adjuster anti-rotation clip

A camshaft phaser, including: a stator arranged to receive torque; a rotor arranged to be non-rotatably connected to a camshaft; first and second wedge plates radially disposed between the rotor and the stator; and a displacement assembly arranged to for an advance mode, displace the first wedge plate in a first axial direction so that the rotor is rotatable with respect to the stator in a first circumferential direction. For a retard mode, the displacement assembly is arranged to displace the second wedge plate in a second axial direction, opposite first axial direction, so that the rotor is rotatable with respect to the stator in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction.

Multi-position camshaft phaser with two one-way wedge clutches

A torsion assembly for providing controllable torsion to a camshaft, including: a spring assembly including a first spring; and, a contact element arranged to engage at least one lobe for the camshaft. For a locked mode: the contact element is arranged to be displaced by the at least one cam lobe; the contact element is arranged to compress the first spring; and the first spring is arranged to impart a first torque to the camshaft via the contact element. For an unlocked mode, the contact element is arranged to be displaced by the at least one cam lobe and the contact element is arranged to impart a second torque, less than the first torque, to the cam shaft via the contact element.

Torsion assembly for controllably providing torque to a camshaft

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 split rolling element guide for a bearing assembly for a balance shaft of an internal combustion engine, having two axial support faces and a plurality of axial cross members defining rolling element pockets. A plurality of radial cutouts at each pocket increase flexibility of the cage and allow for greater opening of the cage at the split portion.

Split cage for a bearing

A deactivating cam system () for a valve train () of an internal combustion engine is provided having a camshaft () on which at least one cam () is seated for rotation but fixed in axial direction while being able to be connected through a coupling device () rotationally fast to the camshaft (). The coupling device () has a ball detent mechanism () which is arranged within the cam () and whose balls () are seated within radial pockets () of the cam ().

Deactivating cam system for a valve train of an internal combustion engine

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 ().

Switchable finger lever

A switchable component () for a valve train of a combustion engine is provided, such as a roller tappet, with a housing (), in whose borehole () an inner element () runs that can move relative to the housing in the axial direction. At least one coupling element () is allocated to the inner element (), wherein this coupling element, in the decoupled case, lies with its outer end () directly in front of an annular surface () between both components () and, in the coupled case, engages in some sections with a driver surface () in the borehole () of the housing (), and wherein, between the components () there is a lost-motion spring element () forcing these components away from each other in the axial direction. As the coupling element () there is at least one sickle-shaped ratchet that can pivot outward and that sits at least indirectly in an opening () in the outer shell () of the inner element () and that is connected to the inner element () in an articulated way at one end (). An annular groove is present as a driver surface () in the borehole () of the housing () and the coupling element () can pivot outward in the coupling direction via the force of a mechanical spring () and can pivot inwardly in the decoupling direction via hydraulic medium guided into the driver surface () in front of its outer end ().

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey Shewell