Patents Examined by Ching Chang
  • Patent number: 9803518
    Abstract: In a lash adjuster used for a valve operating mechanism of an internal combustion engine, there is known a lash adjuster constituted by inserting a cylindrical sleeve into a plunger cap for preventing air from entering a high-pressure chamber located at a lower portion of the lash adjuster. However, in the conventional lash adjuster, since the plunger cap is formed with two side holes which are different in height in the axial direction of the plunger cap, it becomes complicated to regulate the side surface the plunger cap which corresponds to a sliding surface. Therefore, it is problems to be solved by the present invention to provide a lash adjuster in which the side surface of the plunger cap can be easily regulated without disturbing the inflow and outflow of oil and whose machining cost can be kept low. The above problems can be solved by a hydraulic lash adjuster in which two or more cap side holes 27c are provided and all of them are disposed in a plane perpendicular to a shaft center of the body 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Nittan Valve Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Kubota
  • Patent number: 9803517
    Abstract: A valve-actuating lever for reciprocating-piston internal combustion engines is proposed, wherein this lever is supported on a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine or a part of this cylinder head, is in active connection with a cam of a camshaft, has an essentially inverted U-shaped cross section, is made from steel sheet metal by a punching, bending, and/or deep-drawing measure, and has, in addition to a support plate (5) for a shaft of a gas-exchange valve or for an intermediate piece, lateral guide cheeks (3, 4). A height of the lateral guide cheeks (3, 4) can be changed with regard to the support plate (5) by an embossing procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Lambert, Ralph Teichgraber
  • Patent number: 9797277
    Abstract: A camshaft phaser, including: an inner rotor with radially outwardly extending vanes which is connected to the inner camshaft; a stator having radially inwardly directed projections which contact the outer surface of the rotor and form working spaces into which the vanes extend, the vanes divide the working spaces into first and second sets of pressure chambers which can be pressurized with a hydraulic medium in order to rotate the rotor in an advancing or retarding direction; a front cover connected to a front side of the assembly defining a front side of the pressure chambers; and a rear cover connected to the rear side of the assembly defining a rear side of the pressure chambers, having first and second protrusions directed toward and meshed with complementary first and second indentations on an outer camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Inhwa Chung, Kevin Poole, Nicholas Periat, Jon Petersen
  • Patent number: 9797278
    Abstract: An adjustable camshaft may include an inner shaft and an outer shaft arranged coaxially thereto. The camshaft may also include a camshaft adjuster having a stator connected to the outer shaft in a torque-proof manner, and a rotor connected to the inner shaft. The camshaft may further include an integral first connection contour provided at an end of the inner shaft, and an integral second connection contour complementary to the integral first connection contour and provided on the rotor. The connection contours may directly or indirectly enable an interlocking connection between the inner shaft and the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Flender, Alf Heydenblut, Michael Kreisig, Andre Maeder, Antonio Menonna, Juergen Rommel, Stefan Steichele, Christoph Steinmetz
  • Patent number: 9790817
    Abstract: In an aspect, a tensioner for an endless drive member, comprising a shaft and base that are mountable to be stationary relative to an engine, a tensioner arm that is pivotable relative to the shaft about a tensioner arm axis, a pulley on the tensioner arm rotatable about a pulley axis that is offset from the tensioner arm axis, and that is engageable with an endless drive member, a tensioner spring that is positioned to urge the tensioner arm towards a free arm position, a damping element that engages the tensioner arm and that is engaged by a plurality of axially spaced segments of the tensioner spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: LITENS AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERSHIP
    Inventors: Marek Frankowski, Dino Farronato, Rares I. Comsa, Frank C. Schimpl
  • Patent number: 9790823
    Abstract: A switching rocker arm assembly can include an outer arm having a first outer side arm and a second outer side arm, each of the first and second outer side arms having a high lift lobe contacting surface, and an inner arm disposed between the first and second outer side arms and pivotably secured to the outer arm, the inner arm having a low lift lobe contacting surface and defining a latch bore. A latch assembly can be arranged at least partially within the latch bore of the inner arm. The latch assembly can include a latch pin having an orientation pin receiving recess, a sleeve engaging the latch pin and having an orientation pin opening, and an orientation pin extending through the orientation pin opening into the orientation pin receiving recess. The orientation pin can have a substantially cylindrical first wall and a substantially cylindrical second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Austin Zurface
  • Patent number: 9790818
    Abstract: A mechanical system that forms a cam follower or a rocker arm. The mechanical system includes a support element, a pin extending between two opposite ends along a first axis, and a roller mounted on the pin, movable in rotation relative to the pin around the first axis and adapted to roll on a cam. The support element further comprises an insert having holding members supporting the pin ends, provided with cut-outs having a shape complementary to the shape of the pin-ends, for assembling pin with insert by quarter-turn around the first axis. The pin ends each have a flat surface and an external surface. A first dimension of each pin end, measured perpendicularly to the flat surface, between the flat surface and the external surface of the pin end, is higher than half the outer diameter of the pin ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Nicolas Berruet, François Champalou, Samuel Viault
  • Patent number: 9784144
    Abstract: A camshaft phaser includes a stator; a rotor defining an advance chamber and a retard chamber with the stator; a valve spool that is rotatable about an axis and defining a supply chamber and a vent chamber with the rotor; an actuator which rotates the valve spool to change the position of the rotor relative to the stator by 1) supplying oil from the supply chamber to the advance chamber and venting oil from the retard chamber to the vent chamber and 2) supplying oil from the supply chamber to the retard chamber and venting oil from the advance chamber to the vent chamber; and a check valve which is displaceable axially between an open position which allows oil to flow from the vent chamber to the supply chamber and a closed position which prevents oil from flowing from the supply chamber to the vent chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Karl J. Haltiner, Jr., Thomas H. Fischer, Thomas H. Lichti
  • Patent number: 9777604
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for an engine with a cam torque actuated variable cam timing phaser. Phaser positioning control is improved by reducing inaccuracies resulting from inadvertent spool valve and/or phaser movement when the spool valve is commanded between regions. In addition, improved spool valve mapping is used to render phaser commands more consistent and robust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul A. Pietrzyk, John Eric Rollinger, Ed Badillo
  • Patent number: 9777603
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly includes a base shaft including at least one lobe pack axially movably mounted on the base shaft, the lobe pack including a control groove therein. An actuator device includes a pin movably mounted to the actuator between a retracted position and an extended position for engaging with the control groove to cause axial movement of the lobe pack. The control groove includes a pin engagement region, a shifting region and an ejection region. The pin engagement region of the control groove has a first pair of sidewalls. The shifting region extends from the pin engagement region and has a second pair of sidewalls angled relative to the first pair of sidewalls and having a first portion with a varying groove width that varies relative to a groove width of the pin engagement region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Bradley R. Kaan, Domenic Certo, Joseph J. Moon
  • Patent number: 9771836
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head, a crankshaft, intake and exhaust camshafts, first and second chain covers, a chain, and a fastening bolt. The first chain cover having a cutout includes a first flange positioned at a specific edge portion of the cutout, which is positioned between the crankshaft and the camshafts, and a first boss through which a shaft portion of the fastening bolt is passed. The cylinder head includes a second flange, and a second boss into which the shaft portion is inserted, and which is disposed coaxially with the first boss. The liquid gasket is held between the second flange and the first flange. A groove is provided in at least one of a position between the first flange and the first boss of the first chain cover and a position between the second flange and the second boss of the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsukahara, Kengo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9765655
    Abstract: A camshaft adjusting device including a vane cell adjuster with a stator which can be connected to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and with a rotor which is rotatably mounted in the stator and can be connected to a camshaft. The camshaft adjusting device also includes a central locking device for locking the rotor in a central locking position relative to the stator. In one or more of the vanes together: at least two pressure medium lines are provided, each of which fluidically connects two working chambers with different working directions to each other. Non-return valves with different working directions are provided in each pressure medium line, each non-return valve allowing a flow of the pressure medium between the working chambers in one direction and preventing the flow in the respective other direction depending on the rotational direction of the rotor relative to the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Torsten Zschieschang, Olaf Boese
  • Patent number: 9765656
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for deactivating a valve actuation mechanism. In one example, a system may include a hydraulic gallery that may deliver a restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic flow restrictor to a pressure relief valve within a valve deactivation oil control valve, and during a second condition may deliver an unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid from the valve deactivation oil control valve to the hydraulic flow restrictor. The hydraulic flow restrictor may comprise two vertical bores within the camshaft carrier that are fluidically coupled via a restrictive groove on the bottom surface of the camshaft carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore Beyer, Charles Joseph Patanis, Jon Michael LaCroix, Joseph Keenan, Jonathan Denis Crowe
  • Patent number: 9759136
    Abstract: A variable valve operating system assembled in an engine includes a first rocker arm contacting with a valve, a second rocker arm no contacting with any valve, a lost motion spring bringing the second rocker arm into contact with a cam, and switching device for switching the first/second rocker arms to a coupled or uncoupled state. An operation control apparatus for the engine includes element for determining whether or not an engine speed is higher than a first speed at which supply of fuel is allowed to be temporarily stopped, and element for setting a requested quantity of increase/decrease in internal resistance of the engine. When the engine speed is higher than the first speed and an accelerator opening degree is 0%, the switching device switches the first/second rocker arms to the coupled or uncoupled state based on the requested quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Haga
  • Patent number: 9759100
    Abstract: A device for changing the relative angular position of a camshaft with respect to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, wherein the drive element is rotatably mounted with respect to the crankshaft and is driven by the camshaft. Between the drive element and the camshaft at least two hydraulic chambers are formed, wherein the hydraulic chambers can be pressurized with a pressurized fluid in order to set a defined relative rotational position between the drive element and the camshaft. The device includes a housing element, wherein a pressure reservoir having a pressure chamber for pressurized fluid is arranged on the housing element and wherein the basic form of the pressure reservoir is substantially cylindrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ali Bayrakdar, Uwe Elfers, Thomas Mueller, Holger Pieper
  • Patent number: 9759101
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus has a regulation member to fix a phase. The regulation member has a main regulation member and a sub regulation member. The main regulation member is inserted into a recess part to regulate the phase. The sub regulation member has an engagement part engageable with the main regulation member in an escape direction Y and disengageable from the main regulation member in an insertion direction X. Further, the sub regulation member has a pressure reception part that receives pressure in the escape direction Y from hydraulic fluid in an operation chamber. The main regulation member is urged in the insertion direction X by a main resilient member. Further, the sub regulation member is urged in the insertion direction X by a sub resilient member. The main regulation member moves in the escape direction Y only by hydraulic fluid, and moves in the insertion direction X only by the resilient member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Fujiyoshi, Takashi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9759099
    Abstract: In a valve drive train device for an internal combustion engine of motor vehicle, wherein at least one axially movably mounted cam element including at least one cam set with at least two cam parts and a shifting gate with at least two gate track for converting a rotary movement of the cam element into an axial shifting motion, at least one of the cam parts and the adjacent gate track are disposed in an at least partially axially overlapping relationship for reducing thereby the axial length and the mass of the cam element or permitting the use of a larger, highly durable, actuating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Markus Lengfeld, Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander Von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 9745874
    Abstract: A piston assembly for pressurizing a hydraulic chamber is provided. The piston assembly has a cylinder and a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder. The piston has a first end in the cylinder and a second end adapted to be acted on by a drive element. The piston assembly also has a spring configured to bias the piston. The piston assembly further has a retainer mounted to an exterior of the cylinder and including a seat surface. The spring is seated on the seat surface. The outer diameter of the spring is less than the outer diameter of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Béla Hofer, Donald J. Dixon, Kevin Sittner, Todd Simcina
  • Patent number: 9745875
    Abstract: A variable valve gear for an internal combustion engine includes: a cam base portion integrally or separately provided in a camshaft, and immovably fixed to the camshaft; a cam lobe portion connected to the cam base portion so as to swing and shift between a first state where the cam lobe portion is positioned to project from an outer circumference of the base portion and a second state where the cam lobe portion is positioned to be lower than the cam base portion in the first state; a lock mechanism locking the cam lobe portion in the first and second state; and a biasing member biasing the cam lobe portion to be shifted to the first state, to such an extent that the cam lobe portion is shifted to the second state by reaction force from a cam follower when the locking mechanism is unlocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Yano, Yoshiaki Miyazato, Motohiro Yuge
  • Patent number: 9739229
    Abstract: The system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises a stationary coil linear motor to drive a valve with a stem comprising a ferromagnetic property. The linear motor moves the valve in response to control governed by an electronic valve control computer. The valve is movable between a closed position at a selectable rate of both acceleration and speed for a selectable distance (“lift”) to a second selectable open position, including all position variations between the fully open and fully closed states. Valve position, velocity and acceleration can be varied both during a valve stroke and from one stroke to the next, as controlled by the logic programmed on a non-transitive memory of the electronic valve control computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SentiMetal Journey LLC
    Inventors: Richard H. Hutchins, Michael E. Edmonds