Valve timing control apparatus for internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9556757-B2
Application number	US-201514658786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2015
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a power feeding brush including a tip end portion arranged to be slidably abutted on the slip ring; and a rotation angle sensing mechanism provided between one end portion of the motor output shaft, and the cover member confronting the one end portion of the motor output shaft, and arranged to sense a rotation angle of the motor output shaft, the power feeding brush being disposed in a range in which the power feeding brush is slid on the slip ring, in a range from a position which is deviated a predetermined angle in a rotation direction of the motor housing from an uppermost position of the other of the electric motor and the cover member in a vertical direction, to a lowermost position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising:
a first member to which a rotational force is transmitted from a crank shaft;
a second member which is arranged to be rotated relative to the first member, and to rotate as a unit with a cam shaft;
an electric motor which includes a motor housing that is provided to the first member to rotate as a unit with the first member, and a motor output shaft, and which is arranged to rotate the second member relative to the first member by the motor output shaft;
a cover member which is disposed on an outer end surface of the electric motor to confront the outer end surface of the electric motor in an axial direction;
a slip ring which has an annular shape, which is provided to one of the electric motor and the cover member, and which is provided coaxially with the motor output shaft;
a power feeding brush which is provided to the other of the electric motor and the cover member, and which includes a tip end portion arranged to be slidably abutted on the slip ring; and
a rotation angle sensing mechanism which is provided between one end portion of the motor output shaft, and the cover member confronting the one end portion of the motor output shaft, and which is arranged to sense a rotation angle of the motor output shaft,
the power feeding brush being disposed in a range in which the power feeding brush is slid on the slip ring, in a range from a position which is deviated a predetermined angle in a rotation direction of the motor housing from an uppermost position of the other of the electric motor and the cover member in a vertical direction, to a lowermost position.

2. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation angle sensing mechanism includes a sensing portion and a sensed portion; the sensed portion is provided at the one end portion of the motor output shaft; and the sensing portion is provided to the cover member.

3. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power feeding brush is provided at a position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction.

4. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power feeding brush is provided at a position of a side portion on a horizontal line of the rotation angle sensing mechanism.

5. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power feeding brush is provided at a position which is rotated substantially 45 degrees from the uppermost position in the vertical direction in the rotation direction of the motor housing.

6. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power feeding brush is provided on a lower side of the rotation angle sensing mechanism in the vertical direction.

7. A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising:
a driving rotation member which is arranged to be rotated by a rotational force from a crank shaft;
a driven rotation member which is arranged to be rotated relative to the driving rotation member, and to rotate synchronously with a cam shaft;
an electric motor which includes a motor housing that is provided to the driving rotation member to rotate as a unit with the driving rotation member, and a motor output shaft, and which is arranged to rotate the driven rotation member relative to the driving rotation member;
a cover member disposed to confront and cover a front end portion of the electric motor;
a slip ring which is provided to the electric motor, which has an annular shape, and which is disposed coaxially with the motor output shaft;
a power feeding brush which is provided to the cover member, and which includes a tip end portion slidably abutted on the slip ring; and
a rotation angle sensing mechanism which is provided between one end portion of the motor output shaft, and the cover member confronting the one end portion of the motor output shaft, and which is arranged to sense a rotation angle of the motor output shaft,
the power feeding brush being provided in a range from a predetermined angle position in the rotation direction of the motor housing from an uppermost position of the cover member in a vertical direction, to a lowermost position in the rotation direction of the motor housing.

8. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the slip ring is a first slip ring which is an annular conductive member; the valve timing control apparatus further comprises a second slip ring which is provided to the electric motor which is disposed coaxially with the motor output shaft, and which is an annular conductive member; the first slip ring and the second slip ring which are disposed, respectively, at a radially inside portion and a radially outside portion; the power feeding brush is a first power feeding brush which includes the tip end portion slidably abutted on the first slip ring, and which is a conductive member; and the valve timing control apparatus further comprises a second power feeding brush which is provided to the cover member, which includes a tip end portion slidably abutted on the second slip ring, and which is a conductive member.

9. The valve timing control apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the rotation angle sensing mechanism is constituted by an electromagnetic induction angle sensor.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Kajiura Mikihiro
• Iwase Yosuke

Classifications

• F01L2820/032

  Electric motors · CPC title

• F01L2250/02

  the camshaft being driven by chains · CPC title

• F01L2820/041

  Camshafts position or phase sensors · CPC title

• F01L2301/00

  Using particular materials · CPC title

• F01L1/352 Primary

  using bevel or epicyclic gear · CPC title