Fast acting switching valve train system for valve deactivation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988947-B2
Application number	US-201614992119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 11, 2016
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A fast acting valve train system for valve deactivation is provided that includes an actuator together with a switchable rocker arm. The actuator, controlled by the engine control unit and mounted to a structural housing, contains an actuator pin that retracts or extends facilitating either a deactivation or reactivation valve event. The switchable rocker arm is a two arm design that includes cam side and valve side arms that are coupled together with a locking mechanism assembly that interfaces with the actuator pin. The system is capable of fast switching times to meet the increased demands of cylinder deactivation systems.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A switchable rocker arm comprising:
a cam arm assembly including a first housing with a first rocker shaft bore and a locking pin bore;
a valve arm assembly, axially adjacent to the cam arm assembly, the valve arm assembly including a second housing with a second rocker shaft bore and a shuttle pin bore with two at least partially open ends; wherein, the second rocker shaft bore is axially aligned with the first rocker shaft bore; and
a coupling assembly, including a locking pin arranged at least partially within the locking pin bore, and a shuttle pin arranged at least partially within the shuttle pin bore with a first end of the shuttle pin engaging the locking pin, and a second end of the shuttle pin configured to be engaged by an actuator pin arranged within an actuator.

2. The switchable rocker arm of claim 1 , including:
a first locked position with the locking pin bore axially aligned with the shuttle pin bore, the locking pin arranged partially within the shuttle pin bore and partially within the locking pin bore with a first end of the locking pin at a first distance from a first axial face of the first housing, and the second end of the shuttle pin at a second distance from a first axial face of the second housing; and,
a second unlocked position with the first end of the locking pin at a third distance from the first axial face of the first housing, and the second end of the shuttle pin at a fourth distance from the first axial face of the second housing, wherein the third distance is less than the first distance and the fourth distance is less than the second distance.

3. The switchable rocker arm of claim 2 , including a resilient element in contact with the locking pin, the resilient element having a first compressed length in the first locked position and a second compressed length in the second unlocked position, wherein the first compressed length is greater than the second compressed length.

4. The switchable rocker arm of claim 3 , wherein an actuator force acts upon the second end of the shuttle pin in the first locked position to axially urge the shuttle pin to the second unlocked position.

5. The switchable rocker arm of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the shuttle pin is of frusto-conical form.

6. The switchable rocker arm of claim 1 , further comprising a lost motion resilient element arranged to engage the cam arm assembly.

7. The switchable rocker arm of claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic lash adjuster arranged within the second housing.

8. The switchable rocker arm of claim 1 , further comprising a cam roller follower arranged within the first housing.

9. A switchable rocker arm system comprising:
a switchable rocker arm having:
a cam arm assembly including a first housing with a first rocker shaft bore and a locking pin bore;
a valve arm assembly, axially adjacent to the cam arm assembly, the valve
arm assembly including a second housing with a second rocker shaft bore and a shuttle pin bore; wherein, the second rocker shaft bore is axially aligned with the first rocker shaft bore;
a coupling assembly, including a locking pin arranged at least partially within the locking pin bore, and a shuttle pin arranged at least partially within the shuttle pin bore with a first end of the shuttle pin engaging the locking pin; and,

an actuator having an actuator pin arranged to engage a second end of the shuttle pin.

10. The switchable rocker arm system of claim 9 , further comprising a lost motion resilient element arranged to engage the cam arm assembly.

11. The switchable rocker arm system of claim 9 , wherein a distal end of the actuator pin has an angled face.

12. The switchable rocker arm system of claim 9 , wherein the actuator pin is supported by a housing.

13. The switchable rocker arm system of claim 9 , wherein a distal end of the actuator pin is of frusto-conical form.

14. The switchable rocker arm system of claim 9 , wherein the second end of the shuttle pin is of frusto-conical form.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Haefner Donald

Classifications

• F01L1/181

  Centre pivot rocking arms · CPC title

• F01L13/0005

  Deactivating valves · CPC title

• F01L1/053

  overhead type · CPC title

• F01L1/2416

  by means of a hydraulic adjusting device attached to an articulated rocker · CPC title

• F01L2013/001

  Deactivating cylinders · CPC title