Abstract: A vane-type camshaft phaser for an internal combustion engine, in which an intermediate locking pin and seat are provided for locking the camshaft phaser at a position intermediate of its full advanced and retard positions, one of the locking pin and seat having a non-circular cross section, and the cross-sectional shapes of the locking pin and seat being substantially dissimilar to each other.

Abstract: A vane-type camshaft phaser for an internal combustion engine, in which an intermediate locking pin and seat are provided for locking the camshaft phaser at a position intermediate of its full advanced and retard positions, one of the locking pin and seat having a non-circular cross section, and the cross-sectional shapes of the locking pin and seat being substantially dissimilar to each other.

Abstract: An improved releasable and reusable self-sealing plug for mechanically sealing a bore. A cylindrical body is formed on its outer surface to retain radial sealing means such as an O-ring. An oversize annular cap at the outer end of the body limits ingress of the plug into a bore, and a pair of opposed, flexible limbs terminating in flanges beyond the inner end of the body are compressed radially during insertion of the plug and spring out at completion of insertion to grip the inner entrance to the bore, thus holding the O-ring and plug in the bore. Insertion may be accomplished manually without the aid of tools. The plug cannot be driven out by pressure on the bore, but is easily removed by recompression of the limbs and flanges and withdrawal of the plug by, for example, needle-nose pliers. The plug may be formed inexpensively and easily by injection molding of a suitable plastic polymer.

Abstract: Internal combustion engine variable valve timing control with a camshaft phaser for varying rotational phase between a camshaft and a crankshaft in response to a control command determined through a hybrid control strategy without resort to direct temperature measurement. For a range of phase errors requiring high response compensation, a control strategy emphasizing rapid response, such as a bang-bang strategy, is deployed. For a range of phase errors requiring high accuracy compensation, a control strategy emphasizing high precision, such as a proportional-plus-integral strategy, is deployed. The phase error ranges are updated periodically to account for changes in operating conditions. The control command includes an offset which varies in response to a periodically estimated control deadband to affirmatively account for the deadband with each issued control command.