Abstract: A method for controlling the opening of at least one intake valve of a combustion chamber in a periodically working piston engine, at least one intake valve of the combustion chamber being opened during a first partial period of a working period of the piston engine for charging the combustion chamber; and at least one intake valve of the combustion chamber being opened during a second partial period of the working period, wherein the second partial period begins after the combustion of the combustion chamber charge and has no overlap with the first partial period.

Abstract: A device for controlling gas-exchange valves of an internal combustion engine is provided, which device has hydraulic valve actuators each allocated to one gas-exchange valve. Each valve actuator has an actuating piston acting on the gas-exchange valve, and two hydraulic working chambers delimited by the actuating piston, of which the first working chamber acting upon the gas-exchange valve in the closing direction is constantly filled with fluid under pressure, and the second working chamber acting upon the gas-exchange valve in the opening direction is able to be alternately filled with fluid under pressure and relieved via two electric control valves. For the purpose of cost reduction, provided for each valve-actuator pair is a single first electric control valve that is acted upon with the fluid pressure on the intake side, and is connected on the outlet side to the second working chamber of one valve actuator.

Abstract: Disclosed is a simple, easy-to-produce, and reliable connection between a shaft of a gas exchange valve and an actuator. This connection is detachable and, as a result, can be connected and disconnected multiple times. It is also possible to dispose the coupling piece on the shaft of the gas exchange valve and provide circumferential grooves on the control element of the actuator.

Abstract: A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders are described, each cylinder having at least one intake valve and one exhaust valve having fully variable valve control, a fuel feed to at least one first cylinder of the plurality of cylinders being deactivated, a first quantity of fresh air being drawn in by opening the at least one intake valve of the at least one first cylinder in a first downward movement of the piston of the at least one first cylinder, and a second quantity of fresh air being ejected by opening the at least one exhaust valve with a first upward movement of the piston of the at least one first cylinder.

Abstract: A device for controlling gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine, which has hydraulic valve positioners, each having a positioning piston acting on the gas exchange valve and two hydraulic working chambers, delimited by the positioning piston, of which the first working chamber, for closing the gas exchange valve, is continuously filled under fluid pressure and the second working chamber, for opening the gas exchange valve, is alternately filled and emptied with pressurized fluid via a first and second electrical control valve. To reduce the number of control valves, which may be necessary, for a valve pair, the filling of the second working chamber of the second valve positioner is performed via the second working chamber of the first valve positioner, which is connected to the first control valve, after a predetermined stroke of the positioning piston of the first valve positioner to open the assigned gas exchange valve.

Abstract: A hydraulically controlled actuator for actuation of an exhaust-side gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, containing a control piston that is displaceable within a cylinder and, with piston sides facing away from one another, delimits pressure chambers, of which the one pressure chamber impinges upon the gas exchange valve in the closing direction and the other pressure chamber impinges upon the gas exchange valve in the opening direction. In the actuator is provided at least one spring element, which can be brought into a preloaded state by the control piston moving in the closing direction of the gas exchange valve, and whose stored potential energy accelerates the gas exchange valve in the opening direction at least at the beginning of an opening phase, is provided. This results in a reduction in the energy expended in the context of valve actuation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a simple, easy-to-produce, and reliable connection between a shaft of a gas exchange valve and an actuator. This connection is detachable and, as a result, can be connected and disconnected multiple times. It is also possible to dispose the coupling piece on the shaft of the gas exchange valve and provide circumferential grooves on the control element of the actuator 5.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection between a shaft end of a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine and a sleeve-shaped actuating element of a valve actuator, which is guided in an axially movable manner within a pressure region, which is able to be pressurized with a pressure medium, of the valve actuator and at least partially surrounds the shaft end. The present invention provides for the connection to be situated outside of the pressure region and in the region of an opening, which is formed on the side of the valve actuator away from the combustion chamber, and is, for example, coaxial to the shaft end.

Abstract: A device for controlling an opening cross section in the combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine is provided, the device having a gas exchange valve integrated into the combustion cylinder and having an actuator which drives the valve element to execute a closing stroke and an opening stroke. A valve brake which is active during a residual closing stroke of the valve element is provided for the purpose of reducing the impact velocity of the valve closure member of the valve element on the valve seat in the closing stroke of the valve element. The valve brake has a hydraulic damping element with a fluid displacement volume which flows out through a throttle cross section of a throttle opening, and a control unit for controlling the throttle cross section as a function of the viscosity of the displacement volume.

Abstract: A method for controlling the opening of at least one intake valve of a combustion chamber in a periodically working piston engine, at least one intake valve of the combustion chamber being opened during a first partial period of a working period of the piston engine for charging the combustion chamber; and at least one intake valve of the combustion chamber being opened during a second partial period of the working period, wherein the second partial period begins after the combustion of the combustion chamber charge and has no overlap with the first partial period.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine having hydraulic valve actuators each assigned to one gas exchange valve, with one adjusting piston acting on the gas exchange valve and two hydraulic work chambers defined by the adjusting piston the first work chamber acting on the gas exchange valve in the closing direction being constantly filled with fluid that is under pressure, and the second work chamber acting on the gas exchange valve in the opening direction can be filled with and relieved of fluid that is under pressure in alternation via a first and second electrical control valve. Two valve actuators are each triggered in alternation by the same first and the same second control valve, and the switchover of the control valves is performed during the closing state of the two gas exchange valves actuated by these valve actuators.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling gas exchange valves includes at least one valve positioner, associated with a gas exchange valve, and a pressure supply device which supplies the valve positioner with a fluid under high pressure. The valve positioner encompasses a working cylinder having a positioning piston, coupled to the gas exchange valve, which delimits an upper pressure space for opening the valve and a lower pressure space for closing the valve, and encompasses a control valve controlling the hydraulic pressure in the pressure spaces. In order to reduce the manufacturing costs and electrical energy demand of the apparatus, the upper pressure space is connected directly, and the lower pressure space via a restrictor throttle, to the pressure supply device; and the control valve is connected to the lower pressure space and to a relief line. Depending on the switch position, the control valve additionally connects the lower pressure space to the relief line or blocks it off from the relief line.

Abstract: An hydraulically controlled actuator for activating a valve, especially for activating a gas-exchange valve in a combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine, which includes two fluid-filled pressure chambers having controllable chamber volumes and a movable operating piston which delimits the pressure chambers by piston sides facing away from one another, the operating piston acting upon the valve and having an effective closing area acted upon by fluid pressure in the pressure chambers to close the valve and an effective opening area acted upon by the fluid pressure to open the valve. To influence the kinematics of the opening and closing movement of the valve, the operating piston is such that the surface area of at least one of the two effective areas changes along the sliding path of the operating piston.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a hydraulic system with a hydraulic pump. A lubricant system for moving parts of the engine is also provided, which includes a lubricant pump. To enable making the engine smaller, it is proposed that the hydraulic pump is connected to the lubricant system in such a way that it can be lubricated by the lubricant.

Abstract: A device for controlling gas-exchange valves of an internal combustion engine is provided, which device has hydraulic valve actuators each allocated to one gas-exchange valve. Each valve actuator has an actuating piston acting on the gas-exchange valve, and two hydraulic working chambers delimited by the actuating piston, of which the first working chamber acting upon the gas-exchange valve in the closing direction is constantly filled with fluid under pressure, and the second working chamber acting upon the gas-exchange valve in the opening direction is able to be alternately filled with fluid under pressure and relieved via two electric control valves. For the purpose of cost reduction, provided for each valve-actuator pair is a single first electric control valve that is acted upon with the fluid pressure on the intake side, and is connected on the outlet side to the second working chamber of one valve actuator.

Abstract: A hydraulically controlled actuator for actuation of an exhaust-side gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, containing a control piston that is displaceable within a cylinder and, with piston sides facing away from one another, delimits pressure chambers, of which the one pressure chamber impinges upon the gas exchange valve in the closing direction and the other pressure chamber impinges upon the gas exchange valve in the opening direction. In the actuator is provided at least one spring element, which can be brought into a preloaded state by the control piston moving in the closing direction of the gas exchange valve, and whose stored potential energy accelerates the gas exchange valve in the opening direction at least at the beginning of an opening phase, is provided. This results in a reduction in the energy expended in the context of valve actuation.

Abstract: A pressure-supply device for an electrohydraulic valve control of gas-exchange valves in internal combustion engines which has a fluid reservoir, a fluid output for the connection of the valve control, and a high-pressure pump which removes fluid from the fluid reservoir and delivers it under high pressure to the fluid output. To attain high pump efficiency and high system dynamics, the high-pressure pump is constructed as constant-displacement pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, and the pump outlet is connectible by a switchover valve alternately to the fluid output and, accompanied by blocking of the fluid output, to the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A method for cylinder-charge control is described as implementing an internal recirculation of residual gas in the cylinder, through controlling the closing times of at least one exhaust valve of the respective cylinder and by opening at least one intake valve in the vicinity of top dead center of the piston, along with intermittent discharge of residual gas in front of the at least one intake valve. Within one charge-exchange process in the cylinder, in at least two phases that are offset in time from one another, at least one intake valve is opened. This method optimizes the engine operation in the warm-up phase from the standpoint of consumption, pollutant emission and running smoothness.

Abstract: A control system and a control method for an internal combustion engine have a cylinder including an intake valve and an exhaust valve with a fully variable valve-gear assembly. An engine control unit determines setpoint values with regard to a fresh gas charge, an internal residual gas charge, a torque reduction, an EGR control strategy, and a charging strategy. In addition, a transmission device is provided which transmits setpoint values determined by the engine control unit to a valve control unit in synchronization with the crankshaft angle. The valve control unit controls the fully variable valve-gear assembly of the intake and exhaust valve of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine on the basis of the setpoint values determined by the engine control unit.

Abstract: A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders are described, each cylinder having at least one intake valve and one exhaust valve having fully variable valve control, a fuel feed to at least one first cylinder of the plurality of cylinders being deactivated, a first quantity of fresh air being drawn in by opening the at least one intake valve of the at least one first cylinder in a first downward movement of the piston of the at least one first cylinder, and a second quantity of fresh air being ejected by opening the at least one exhaust valve with a first upward movement of the piston of the at least one first cylinder.