Schaeffler Technologies Ag & Co .kg

Sumukha Nagaraj

David Chandler

Faheem Ahmed

Debora Manther

Colin Foster

Pradeep Mohan Mohan Das

John Whitton

Béla Hofer

A switchable finger follower, including an inner lever and an outer lever. The outer lever includes a pocket defined by two outer arms that extend along longitudinal sides of the inner lever. The outer lever is mounted for pivoting movement at the first end of the inner lever by a pivot axle, and a respective outer roller is separately mounted on an outer side of each of the two outer arms. A coupling device is located on one of the inner or outer levers and has a coupling pin arranged to move between a locking position, in which the inner and outer levers are connected together for movement in an activation direction, and an unlocked position, in which the inner lever is pivotable relative to the outer lever. A method of assembling a finger lever with outer rollers connected to the two outer arms is also provided.

Three roller switchable finger follower

A switchable lever arrangement is provided that includes at least one switchable lever and a rotary actuator. The at least one switchable lever includes an outer lever, an inner lever pivotably mounted to the outer lever, and a locking part that selectively locks the inner lever to the outer lever. The rotary actuator rotates about a rotational axis to actuate the locking part. The rotary actuator has a first locked position defined by a first effective actuation length, and a second unlocked position defined by a second effective actuation length, with the second actuation length different than the first actuation length.

Switchable lever arrangement

A switchable lever is provided that includes an outer lever, an inner lever pivotably mounted to the outer lever, and a coupling assembly that is capable of selectively locking the inner lever to the outer lever. The coupling assembly includes a coupling pin that has a first end that is configured to be received by an actuator. The coupling pin can be configured with at least one slot, which can be received by the actuator. The coupling pin is moveable from a first, locked position to a second, unlocked position, by an actuator and can be configured to be received by the actuator continuously throughout a valve lift event. The coupling pin can be configured with at least one protrusion that is arranged to be received by an actuator, or the actuator can be configured with at least one protrusion to receive the coupling pin.

Actuation arrangement for switchable lever

A switching roller finger follower, including: first and second body portions; a resilient element connected to the body portions; and a locking assembly. The first body portion includes: a first bore; a second bore including a first orifice arranged to receive a pressurized fluid; and a second orifice arranged to expel the fluid. The locking assembly includes: a locking pin disposed in the first bore; and a shuttle pin engaged with the locking pin. The shuttle pin is displaceable transverse to the locking pin to: displace the locking pin in a first axial direction to contact the second body portion with the locking pin; and displace the locking pin in a second axial direction to disengage the locking pin from the second body portion. The second bore includes the second orifice; or the second bore does not include the second orifice and is in fluid communication with the second orifice.

Finger follower with oil spray hole

A switchable valve train assembly including a carrier housing defining a hydraulic circuit, a supply assembly, a plurality of rocker shafts, a plurality of separators, and a plurality of rocker arm assemblies is provided. Each one of the plurality of separators divides the rocker shafts into (1) a first chamber extending between a first chamber axial end and the separator, and (2) a second chamber extending between a second chamber axial end and the separator. The plurality of separators each include an orifice defined between the first chamber and the second chamber that provides fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber. Locking assemblies of the rocker arm assemblies are selectively actuated based on the supply assembly. The separators ensure that hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic fluid is de-aerated and that the second chambers remain primed with hydraulic fluid for faster actuation of the locking assemblies.

Rocker shaft with de-aeration oil gallery segment

A switchable rocker arm is provided having first and second arms. The first arm has a first outer end and a first inner end and the second arm has a second outer end a second inner end, with the first and second outer ends contacting a respective one of a cam or a valve. One of the first and second inner ends includes an opening with a ring gear and the other includes at least one support for a planet gear that engages the ring gear. A sun gear is located on a rocker shaft and engages the planet gear. A locking mechanism is switchable from a locked position, in which the sun gear is rotationally fixed to the rocker shaft to transfer a cam lift to the valve via the gear ratio provided in the sun, planet, and ring gear arrangement, and a release position, in which the sun gear is rotatable on the rocker shaft so no cam lift is transferred.

Rocker arm with integrated gear train

A hollow rocker shaft including a central opening defined by a radially inner surface and a separator secured in the central opening of the rocker shaft is provided. A radially outer surface of the separator engages the radially inner surface of the rocker shaft via a press-fit. The separator divides the central opening of the rocker shaft into (1) a first chamber extending between a first chamber axial end and the separator, and (2) a second chamber extending between a second chamber axial end and the separator. The separator includes an orifice defined between the first chamber and the second chamber that provides fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber.

A switchable valve train assembly including a rocker shaft is provided. The rocker shaft includes a first chamber extending between a first axial end and a second axial end of the rocker shaft and a second chamber extending between the first axial end and the second axial end of the rocker shaft. A seepage orifice is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber and provides a fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber. The first chamber includes a first actuator port in fluid connection with a first intake port for a hydraulic lash adjuster. The second chamber includes a second actuator port in fluid connection with a second intake port for a locking assembly.

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Beverly Hills, MI, United States of America

Sumukha Nagaraj