Valve timing control device of internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708941-B2
Application number	US-201514795451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A valve timing control device of internal combustion engine comprises a chain case 6 that is fixed to a cylinder head 101 of the engine and has a circular opening 55 for receiving therein a cylindrical housing 5 a of an electric motor 8 , an annular seal member 58 that is operatively received in an annular clearance defined between an outer cylindrical wall of the cylindrical housing 5 a and an inner cylindrical wall of the circular opening 55 , and a cover member 4 that is connected to the chain case 6 to cover the circular opening thereby concealing the annular seal member from the outside, wherein when the cover member 4 is removed from the chain case 6 , the annular seal member 58 becomes exposed to the outside through the circular opening 55 of the chain case 6 for a visual inspection of the annular seal member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
first and second rotational members;
a phase varying mechanism that varies a rotation phase of the second rotational member relative to the first rotational member;
an electric motor mounted to the first rotational member;
a speed reduction mechanism through which rotation of an output shaft of the electric motor is transmitted to the second rotational member while reducing the speed of the rotation;
a cover member covering at least a part of the electric motor and fixed to a given element of the engine, the given element being either one of a cylinder head of the engine and a chain case; and
an annular seal member sealing an annular clearance between an outer cylindrical wall of the electric motor and the given element, the annular seal member being concealed by the cover member when the cover member is fixed to the given element;
wherein the cover member is constructed and arranged to cause the annular seal member to be exposed to the outside for a visual inspection of the annular seal member when the cover member is removed from the given element.

2. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1 , in which the cover member is constructed and arranged to cause an inner sealing portion of the annular seal member to be exposed to the outside for the visual inspection of the annular seal member when the cover member is removed from the given element.

3. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2 , in which the annular seal member comprises an outer annular part that is fixed to the given element and an inner annular part that slidably contacts with the outer cylindrical wall of the electric motor.

4. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 3 , in which the annular seal member has a generally C-shaped cross section and has at the inner annular part thereof a seal lip that slidably contacts with the outer cylindrical wall of the electric motor.

5. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 3 , in which the given element is formed with a circular opening in which a front part of the electric motor is received, and in which an inner cylindrical surface of the circular opening is formed with a stepped part against which the outer annular part of the annular seal member abuts in an axial direction.

6. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2 , in which an intermediate member is disposed between the cover member and the given element and formed with a circular opening, and in which an outer annular part of the annular seal member is fixed to an inner cylindrical wall of the circular opening and an inner annular part of the annular seal member slidably contacts with the outer cylindrical wall of the electric motor.

7. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 6 , in which the cover member, the intermediate member and the given element are entirely positioned by positioning pins.

8. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2 , in which the annular seal member is arranged at a front part of the electric motor where the cover member is placed.

9. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
first and second rotational members;
a phase varying mechanism that varies a rotation phase of the second rotational member relative to the first rotational member thereby to change an operating characteristic of engine valves;
an electric motor mounted to the first rotational member;
a speed reduction mechanism through which rotation of an output shaft of the electric motor is transmitted to the second rotational member while reducing the speed of the rotation;
a fixing member having a circular opening in which a cylindrical housing of the electric motor is inserted;
a cover member covering one open side of the circular opening while concealing part of the electric motor; and
an annular seal member having an outer annular part that is fixed to an inner cylindrical wall of the circular opening of the fixing member and an inner annular part that slidably contacts with an outer cylindrical wall of the cylindrical housing of the electric motor,
wherein a diameter of the inner annular part of the annular seal member is smaller than a diameter of the one open side of the circular opening of the fixing member.

10. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 9 , in which the fixing member is either one of a cylinder head of the engine and a chain case.

11. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 9 , in which the fixing member is a cover member used for a hydraulic type valve timing control device.

12. A valve timing control device of an internal combustion engine comprising:
intake and exhaust camshafts arranged to extend in parallel with each other;
an electric type phase varying mechanism coaxially connected to the intake camshaft; and
a hydraulic type phase varying mechanism coaxially connected to the exhaust camshaft,
wherein the electric type phase varying mechanism comprises:
an intake side driving rotational member to which a torque of crankshaft of the engine is transmitted;
an intake side follower rotational member that is integrally connected to the intake shaft;
an electric motor that is integrally mounted to the intake side driving rotational member and has a motor output shaft by which the intake side follower rotational member is rotated relative to the intake side driving rotational member;
a fixing member having a circular opening in which a housing of the electric motor is received, the fixing member being arranged to cover the least part of the hydraulic type phase varying mechanism;
a cover member that is connected to the fixing member in a manner to cover one open end of the circular opening of the fixing member; and
an annular seal member sealing an annular clearance between an outer cylindrical wall of the housing of the electric motor and a cylindrical inner wall of the circular opening of the fixing member;
wherein when the cover member is removed from the fixing member, the annual seal member is exposed to the outside through the opening end of the circular opening of the fixing member for a visual inspection of the annular seal member.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Kajiura Mikihiro
• Iwase Yosuke

Classifications

• F01L2301/00

  Using particular materials · CPC title

• F01L2810/02

  Lubrication · CPC title

• F01L2820/032

  Electric motors · CPC title

• F01L1/022

  Chain drive · CPC title

• F01L2201/00

  Electronic control systems; Apparatus or methods therefor · CPC title