Borgwarner Inc.

Borg-warner Automotive Gmbh

Eaton Corporation

Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc.

Mark M Wigsten

George L Markley

Dale N Smith

Chad M McCloy

Christopher J Pluta

Michael Marsh

Braman C Wing

James Capp

Roger T Simpson

Philip J Mott

Kevin B Todd

Daniel Brown

David C White

Marty Gardner

Keith V Feldt

Sean R Simmons

Sam A Kuznets

Seongdo Hong

Thomas P Howell

Mark S Breon

James Sisson

John T Crockett, Ii

Timothy A Turner

Chris Pluta

Steven W Wyatt

Jonas Adler

Timothy Bishop

Jason Moss

Mike Marsh

Brian R Scotti

Francis J Hunter

John T Crockett

Timothy S Bishop

An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly, comprises a sun gear configured to receive input from an electric motor and one or more planet gears having radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth that engage the sun gear; a first ring gear, having radially-inwardly extending gear teeth that engage the radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth of the sun gear, configured to receive rotational output provided by a crankshaft; a second ring gear, having radially-inwardly extending gear teeth that engage the radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth of the sun gear, configured to couple to a camshaft; one or more planet gear pins that carry the planet gear(s) and engage a planetary gear set to prevent the relative rotation of the planet gear pin(s) relative to the planetary gear set; and one or more springs that bias the planet gear pin(s) and the planetary gear(s) toward the first ring gear and the second ring gear.

Electrically-actuated camshaft phaser with backlash reduction

An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser is employed for use with an internal combustion engine (ICE). The electrically-actuated VCT phaser includes a gear set assembly and a fixture. The gear set assembly has an input gear and an output gear, among other possible components. The input gear receives rotational drive input from an engine crankshaft, and the output gear transmits rotational drive output to an engine camshaft. The fixture is secured in the gear set assembly. Amid installation of the electrically-actuated VCT phaser on the ICE, the fixture constrains rotational movement of the gear set assembly. After installation, the fixture can be removed from the gear set assembly.

Electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing phaser with removable fixture

A pressure regulator is in fluid communication with a supply inlet of a hydraulic tensioner to actively control fluid to the inlet of the hydraulic tensioner. By actively controlling the pressure regulator based on engine conditions and thus the oil pressure being fed to the hydraulic tensioner, the oil pressure to the hydraulic tensioner may be reduced at low engine speeds, increasing the efficiency of the timing system, or allowing full oil pressure at high engine speeds and low engine temperature.

Hydraulic tensioner with controllable inlet pressure

Using existing phaser control valve and a solenoid to create a pumping chamber which provides enough oil pressure to disengage a locking pin at all conditions.

Zero pressure unlocking system for a phaser

A valve operating system that includes a plurality of cam assemblies that are coupled for rotation about a rotary axis. Each of the cam assemblies has a control link and a first cam member. Each of the control links has a link body, which forms a majority of the control link, and that extends parallel to the rotary axis. Each of the first cam members is coupled to one of the control links for axial movement therewith along the rotary axis between first and second positions to alternate between first and second cam profiles, respectively.

Valve operating system providing variable valve lift and/or variable valve timing

A mechanism provides high pressure fluid to a cam phaser on demand. The mechanism includes a positive displacement pump within the camshaft which is driven by a pin to compress and trigger fluid to be dispensed to the phaser.

Camshaft driven pump for a hydraulic cam phaser

A split ring planetary drive for an engine or use with an electric phaser. The split ring planetary drive includes a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a spring ring gear, a camshaft ring gear, and at least one spring. The sun gear has teeth and is driven to rotate around a sun axis. The plurality of planet gears are arranged around the sun gear with each planet gear comprised of planet teeth maintaining the planet gear in meshing engagement with the sun gear teeth. The sprocket ring gear has teeth and is driven by a crankshaft. The camshaft ring gear has teeth is rotatable with a camshaft. The teeth of the sprocket and camshaft ring gears maintain the ring gears in meshing engagement with each of the planet gears. The spring biases the planet gear teeth into meshing engagement with the sprocket and camshaft ring gear teeth.

Spring loaded plant gear assembly

A number of variations may include a product comprising a flexible member for an electric phaser actuator comprising: a plate, wherein the plate comprises a body; wherein the body has a thickness which is less than a width and a height of the body and wherein the body is constructed and arranged to attach to an output gear of an electric phaser actuator and wherein the body is constructed and arranged to mate with an input gear on a camshaft phaser.

Flexible member in electric phaser actuator

In an engine comprising a cylinder having first and second engine valves of a same function type, a system for actuating the first and second engine valves comprises a first and second master pistons that receive first and second valve actuation motions from respective ones of a first and second valve actuation motion source, a first slave piston operatively connected to the first engine valve and configured to hydraulically receive the first valve actuation motions from at least the first master piston and a second slave piston operatively connected to the second engine valve and configured to hydraulically receive the second valve actuation motions from the second master piston. The system further comprises an accumulator and a mode selector valve in hydraulic communication with the first master piston, the first slave piston and the accumulator. The mode selector valve may selectively hydraulically connect the first master piston to the accumulator.

Lost motion differential valve actuation

A tensioner () for an endless loop power transmission member can induce a piston () operably engageable with an endless loop power transmission member, and a cylinder () guiding include a piston () for sliding coaxial movement in a direction of the endless loop power transmission member. The piston () and cylinder () defining an oil reservoir or pressure chamber () for receiving hydraulic fluid. A bearing () has bearing balls () located in a counter bore () coaxial with cylinder bore (). The counter bore () has a steep taper () on which the bearing balls () ride. As the cylinder () moves in an extending direction, the bearing balls () move out of the counter bore () allowing free extending movement of the cylinder (). As the cylinder () moves in a retracting direction, the bearing balls () are driven down into the steep taper () preventing the cylinder () from retracting.

Series arrangement of hydraulic chain tensioner and ratchet

A tensioner () for an endless loop power transmission member can include the assembly of a plunger () operably engageable with an endless loop power transmission member, and a piston () guiding the plunger () for sliding coaxial movement in a direction of the endless loop power transmission member and defining an oil reservoir () for receiving hydraulic fluid. A bearing () can have bearing balls () located in a counter bore () coaxial with piston bore (). The counter bore () can have a steep taper () on which the bearing balls () ride, such that as the plunger () moves in an extending direction, the bearing balls () move out of the counter bore () allowing free extending movement of the plunger (), and as the plunger () moves in a retracting direction, the bearing balls () are driven down into the steep taper () preventing the plunger () from retracting.

Expanding piston hydraulic chain tensioner

A variable cam timing assembly () and method for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes a cam phaser () connected between an inner camshaft () and an outer camshaft () of a concentric camshaft (). A torsional drive mechanism () connects between the cam phaser () and the inner camshaft () for transmitting rotational torque. The torsional drive mechanism () permits adjustment for perpendicularity and axial misalignment of the inner and outer camshafts (), while maintaining a torsionally stiff coupling between the cam phaser () and one of the inner and outer camshafts () of the concentric camshaft (). The torsional drive mechanism () can be formed from one of a flexible shaft coupling (), a transversely split driven gear (), a transversely split sprocket ring gear (), a transverse face spline gear (), and a pin and slot combination drive ().

Concentric camshaft phaser torsional drive mechanism

A variable cam timing phaser () includes a fluid transfer assembly with at least one of a fluid transfer sleeve () having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (), and a fluid transfer plate () having a plurality of pressurized fluid passages (). Each passage () extends in fluid communication with a corresponding circumferentially spaced annular groove segment portion () for selective communication with first and second vane-type hydraulic couplings () depending on an angular orientation of the fluid transfer sleeve () during rotation. Each passage () extending from a corresponding centrally located port () in fluid communication with a radially extending passage portion () and with an arcuately extending passage portion ().

Oil passage design for a phaser or dual phaser

A flexible coupling linkage () anchors a housing () that at least partially encloses a rotor () of an actuator () against rotation, while allowing free movement of the housing () in two other planes relative to the rotor () to match an angular rotational plane orientation of the rotor () to prevent binding between the housing () and the rotor () due to misalignment. The flexible coupling linkage () can be selected from a group of pivot joints () including at least one of a pivot pin joint (), a ball-and-socket joint (), and any combination thereof. The pivot joint () defines a restrained point () associated with the housing () radially spaced from an axis of rotation of the rotor () preventing rotation of the housing () about the axis of rotation of the rotor (), while allowing angular displacement of the housing () about the restrained point () permitting the housing () to match an angle of the rotor () to prevent binding between the housing () and the rotor ().

Growing community of inventors

Lansing, NY, United States of America

Mark M Wigsten