Switchable finger follower with lash adjustment shim

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003111-A1
Application number	US-201514744401-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A switchable finger follower, including an inner lever and an outer lever. The outer lever is mounted for pivoting movement to the inner lever. 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 coupling projection is located on the other of the inner or outer lever. The coupling pin engages beneath a coupling surface of the projection in the locking position, and a stop surface of the projection contacts a second stop surface on the one of the inner lever or the outer lever. The second stop surface is located on a removable shim that is replaceable for lash adjustment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A switchable roller finger follower having at least two lift modes for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
an inner lever having first and second ends; an outer lever with two outer arms that extend along longitudinal sides of the inner lever, mounted for pivoting movement at the first end of the inner lever by a pivot axle; a lost motion spring connected between the inner lever and the outer lever; a coupling device located on one of the inner lever or the outer lever on an end opposite from the pivot axle that includes a coupling pin arranged to move in a longitudinal direction between a locking position, in which the inner lever and the outer lever are connected together for movement at least in an activation direction of a valve, and an unlocked position, in which the outer lever is pivotable relative to the inner lever; a coupling projection with a coupling surface and a stop surface located on the other of the inner lever or the outer lever, the coupling pin engages beneath the coupling surface in the locking position and the stop surface of the coupling projection contacts a second stop surface on the one of the inner lever or the outer lever; and the second stop surface is located on a removable shim connected to the one of the inner lever or the outer lever.

2 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 1 , wherein the removable shim has a predetermined thickness and is selected to adjust a coupling lash of the coupling device.

3 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 1 , wherein the removable shim is made of hardened steel.

4 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 1 , wherein the removable shim is located in a slot in the one of the inner or the outer lever, and is connected to a hardened pin.

5 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 4 , wherein the removable shim includes a recess and is snapped onto the hardened pin in the slot.

6 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of the removable shims having different thicknesses, and one of the removable shims with a desired thickness is connected to the one of the inner lever or the outer lever to adjust a coupling lash of the coupling device to a desired value.

7 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 1 , wherein the coupling device is located on the outer lever, and in the unlocked position, the roller finger follower provides zero lift.

8 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 1 , wherein the coupling device is located on the inner lever, and in the locked position, the roller finger follower provides a high lift.

9 . The switchable roller finger follower of claim 8 , wherein high lift cam contact surfaces are located on the outer arms.

10 . A method of adjusting a coupling device lash for a switchable roller finger follower, comprising:
providing a switchable roller finger follower having at least two lift modes for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, including an inner lever having first and second ends, an outer lever with two outer arms that extend along longitudinal sides of the inner lever, mounted for pivoting movement at the first end of the inner lever by a pivot axle, a lost motion spring connected between the inner lever and the outer lever, a coupling device located on one of the inner lever or the outer lever on an end opposite from the transverse axle that includes a coupling pin arranged to move in a longitudinal direction between at least a locking position, in which the inner lever and the outer lever are connected together for movement at least in an activation direction of a valve, and an unlocked position, in which the outer lever is pivotable relative to the inner lever, a coupling projection with a coupling surface and a stop surface located on the other of the inner lever or the outer lever, and the coupling pin engages beneath the coupling surface in the locking position and the stop surface of the coupling projection contacts a second stop surface on the one of the inner lever or the outer lever; measuring a lash of the coupling device between the coupling surface and the coupling pin in the locking position; and installing a removable shim having a required thickness as the second stop surface on the one of the inner lever or the outer lever to provide a desired coupling device lash.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the removable shim is selected with the required thickness that results in the coupling device lash being in a range of 25 to 200 microns.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Evans Matthew
• Manther Debora

Classifications

• F01L1/205

  by means of shims or the like · CPC title

• F01L2305/00

  Valve arrangements comprising rollers · CPC title

• F01L13/0005

  Deactivating valves · CPC title

• F01L2001/186

  Split rocking arms, e.g. rocker arms having two articulated parts and means for varying the relative position of these parts or for selectively connecting the parts to move in unison · CPC title

• F01L1/18

  Rocking arms or levers · CPC title