Hydraulic System Patents (Class 123/90.12)
  • Publication number: 20120260872
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided with a system for the variable actuation of the intake valves, and such system is used to vary the amount of air taken in by each cylinder so as to reduce to the minimum or entirely eliminate the differences in the torque produced by the various cylinders and hence limit the irregularities in the rotation speed of the engine shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventor: Fabio BOREAN
  • Publication number: 20120260871
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine for motor-vehicles, includes a system for variable actuation of the intake valves of the engine having a solenoid valve controllable between a closed condition and an open condition wherein it places a pressurized fluid chamber in communication with an exhaust chamber, with the aim of decoupling the intake valve from the respective tappet and causing the quick closing of the intake valve due to the respective return spring. The solenoid valve has a valve element with a cylindrical body having a first conical surface portion and a second conical surface portion. The conical surface portions are defined by the axially opposite ends of a circumferential groove formed on the valve element. The first conical surface portion cooperates with the valve seat. The other conical surface portion has an outer diameter substantially identical to the diameter of the annular edge defining the valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Sergio STUCCHI, Onofrio DE MICHELE, Raffaele RICCO, Marcello GARGANO
  • Publication number: 20120240886
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (4) having an electrohydraulic valve control (1) for the variable lift drive of a gas exchange valve (3) is provided. The hydraulic valve (15) is actuated by an electronic control module (16) such that a gas exchange valve stroke (19) required for a charge change is adjusted during the cold start phase of the internal combustion engine (4) within a minimum stroke height (h-min) and a maximum closing time (?-max). A method for operating the internal combustion engine (4) is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Lothar Von Schimonsky, Camilo Costa
  • Patent number: 8272363
    Abstract: A compression-release brake system for operating an exhaust valve of an engine during an engine braking operation. The compression-release brake system comprises a self-contained compression brake control module (CBCM) operatively coupled to the exhaust valve for controlling a lift and a phase angle thereof and a source of a pressurized hydraulic fluid. The CBCM includes a casing defining piston and actuator cavities, a slave piston mounted within the piston cavity, a check valve provided between a supply conduit and a slave piston chamber and a compression brake actuator disposed in the actuator cavity. The compression brake actuator includes an actuator element and a biasing spring. The actuator element selectively engages the check valve when deactivated so as to unlock the slave piston chamber, and disengages from the check valve when activated so as to lock the slave piston chamber. The actuator element is exposed to atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Pacbrake Company
    Inventors: Vincent Meneely, Robert Price
  • Publication number: 20120234271
    Abstract: A pressure storage unit (2) for a camshaft, having an integrated controllable pressure storage device for supporting hydraulic engine components, which includes a housing (4) with a piston (14) mounted movably therein having a piston floor (18), and a spacer element (28) being provided on the piston floor (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Mathias Boegershausen, Michael Busse
  • Patent number: 8267057
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a camshaft, a valve, a cam follower and a rocker arm. The cam follower is coupled between the camshaft and the valve. The rocker arm is coupled between the cam follower and the valve. At least one of the cam follower and the rocker arm is configured so as to move through an adjustable distance prior to transmitting motion for moving the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Racing Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. Schwitters
  • Publication number: 20120227691
    Abstract: A switchable device for supplying at least one consumer of an internal combustion engine with pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mathias Boegershausen, Michael Busse, Eduard Golovatai-Schmidt, Andreas Strauss
  • Publication number: 20120222634
    Abstract: A three-port flow control valve comprising a valve body having two opposite-facing valve seats disposed along a central bore terminating in an exhaust port. A supply port communicates with the first valve seat, and a common port communicates with the second valve seat. A pintle shaft connected to an actuating linear solenoid extends along the central bore. A first valve head actuated by the pintle shaft mates with the first valve seat. A second valve head disposed colinearly with the pintle shaft mates with the second valve seat. Opening of the first valve closes the second valve and vice versa. While the solenoid is de-energized the supply pressure keeps the first valve closed. A spring may be disposed between the second valve head and the exhaust port to urge the second valve head to close with the second valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: MICHAEL J. DINKEL, LUIS BARRON, JOSE ALBERTO SANCHEZ, JAMES R. FACTOR, MIGUEL I. AVILA
  • Patent number: 8256392
    Abstract: A method for actuating an electromagnetic switching valve (2) which is part of a fluid system s which has different operating states and which has a solenoid (17) and an armature group (19) which can be moved between a first switched position, which enables a flow of fluid, and a second switched position which blocks the flow of fluid, and has a valve-closing body (22) and a magnet armature (20) which is connected to the valve-closing body (22) in a tensile force-free frictional connection. In this context, in at least one operating state of the fluid system, intermediate excitation (30) in order to damp overshooting of the magnet armature (20) is performed between two coil excitations which move the armature group (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gianni Padroni
  • Publication number: 20120204823
    Abstract: An oil supply apparatus includes an oil pump that is driven by an internal combustion engine; a supply passage that is connected to a discharge side of the oil pump; a lubricant passage that leads hydraulic fluid from the supply passage to a portion to be lubricated that is provided in the internal combustion engine; a hydraulic passage that leads hydraulic fluid from the supply passage to a variable valve mechanism; a flow regulating valve capable of regulating a flowrate of hydraulic fluid that flows through the lubricant passage; and a control apparatus that controls the flow regulating valve in a closing direction at startup of the internal combustion engine such that a pressure of hydraulic fluid that is led to the variable valve mechanism when the internal combustion engine is being cranked comes to be equal to or greater than a predetermined target pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi KANAI
  • Patent number: 8240278
    Abstract: An engine brake may include a rocker shaft, a rocker arm pivoting around the rocker shaft, an actuator piston disposed to the rocker arm and selectively protruded there from, a stopper disposed to a corresponding position of the actuator piston for the rocker arm to open a valve when the actuator piston is protruded and a hydraulic pressure supply portion selectively supplying hydraulic pressure to the actuator piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Hee Jeon, Yong Wook Yu
  • Patent number: 8240279
    Abstract: An engine valve control device is applied to an engine valve control mechanism having a VVT (valve timing adjusting device), an OCV (control valve) that controls a flow of hydraulic oil supplied to the VVT, and an electromagnetic solenoid that controls an operation of the OCV according to a control duty (control command value). The engine valve control device calculates the control duty based on a holding duty, which occurs when an actual phase does not change but is held, and feedback correction values. The engine valve control device corrects the value of the holding duty in accordance with a steady-state deviation between the actual phase and a target phase to perform learning for storing and updating the holding duty value. If temperature of the hydraulic oil is low, the learning is prohibited even when the steady-state deviation is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Wada
  • Patent number: 8230830
    Abstract: An electronically controlled hydraulic system for variable actuation of the valves of an internal combustion engine is constructed for fast filling of the high pressure side of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Francesco Vattaneo
  • Patent number: 8230829
    Abstract: A control arrangement for a gas exchange valve in a piston engine adapted between the camshaft of the engine and the valve mechanism, which control arrangement comprises a body part and a chamber arranged therein, into which chamber a connection for hydraulic medium opens and in which a piston device is arranged in force transmission connection with the camshaft and the valve mechanism. The connection for hydraulic medium opens to a space in the chamber, which space increases as the piston device moves in the opening direction of the valve, whereby hydraulic medium is arranged to flow into the space, when the valve is being opened, and out of the space, when the valve is being closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Wärtsilä Finland Oy
    Inventors: Magnus Sundsten, Saku Niinikangas, Jussi Autio
  • Patent number: 8225769
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including at least one exhaust valve for withdrawal of exhaust gas from at least one combustion chamber, and an engine brake device having a hydraulic valve auxiliary control unit by means of which the exhaust valve can be held in a temporarily open position when the engine brake device is actuated. The engine also includes a hydraulic valve play compensation mechanism for the exhaust valve, and an oil channel that for supplying oil to the valve auxiliary control unit is formed between the latter and the valve play compensation mechanism. For compensation of valve play of the exhaust valve, the oil channel can be closed off via a closure unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Hans-Werner Dilly
  • Patent number: 8220424
    Abstract: In a method for operating an electrohydraulic valve control system of an internal combustion engine, the electrohydraulic valve control system comprising at least one gas exchange valve actuator and a gas exchange valve, which is hydraulically actuated by it, an actuation characteristic is acquired during the operation of the internal combustion engine while the gas exchange valve is being actuated and is compared with a reference actuation characteristic, which describes a nominal characteristic of the gas exchange valve actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Karsten Mischker, Thomas Rommel, Hermann Gaessler, Milos Medvecky
  • Patent number: 8220427
    Abstract: A spool valve 10 for a variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser for an internal combustion engine comprises a spool 11 slidable in a bore 12 in a valve sleeve 13, the spool 11 having spaced apart lands 14-17 dividing the bore 12 into chambers 41, 42, 43 between adjacent lands. The valve sleeve 13 has fluid passages 22-27 including a lock passage 26 communicating with a lock pin 31, a vent passage 27 communicating with a fluid sump 35, and a lock pin oil feed passage 22, with the spool 11 being slidable in the bore 12 to interconnect select passages via particular chambers, wherein the vent passage 27 and the lock pin passage 26 are connectable with different chambers 43 and 42 respectively. The arrangement avoids unnecessary operation of the lock pin 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Jaguar Cars Limited
    Inventor: Matt James Child
  • Patent number: 8220425
    Abstract: A valve operation control system for an internal combustion engine in which hydraulic pressure applied to a valve operation mode changing mechanism is controlled by hydraulic pressure control means that is formed from a holder mounted on a cylinder head, a spool valve formed by slidably housing a spool valve body in a valve body, and an electromagnetic open/close valve for controlling hydraulic pressure of a pilot hydraulic chamber, wherein the holder (109) is formed by integrally connecting a housed portion (109a) and a projecting portion (109b) by means of a connection portion (109c), the housed portion (109a) being housed between the cylinder head (22R) and a head cover, the projecting portion (109b) projecting outside the cylinder head (22R) and the head cover and having the electromagnetic open/close valve (113, 114) mounted thereon, a seal face (116) with the head cover is formed on the connection portion (109c), and the valve body (110) is provided so as to be connected to the housed portion (109a) whi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhide Kumagai, Tomonori Niizato, Masataka Ikawa
  • Patent number: 8215274
    Abstract: A hydraulic control system to provide an oil or pressurized fluid supply to a variable cam phasing system in an engine is provided. The hydraulic control system includes a valve housing attachable to a front cover assembly of the engine; a first valve installed in the housing; and an inlet passage defined by the front cover assembly hydraulically communicating with the first valve in the housing to carry pressurized fluid from a fluid source to the first valve. A first and a second outlet passage defined by the housing hydraulically communicates with the first valve to allow the pressurized fluid to flow to the cam phasing system, thereby variably moving a camshaft assembly operatively connected to the cam phasing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Frederick J. Rozario, Joseph E. Robbins
  • Patent number: 8215271
    Abstract: A hydraulic unit (5) is provided for a cylinder head (2) of an internal combustion engine with a hydraulically variable valve train (1). In the hydraulic unit, a high-pressure chamber (11), a medium-pressure chamber (12), and a low-pressure chamber (16) used as the hydraulic medium reservoir are formed. The low-pressure chamber communicates via a throttle point (17, 17?, 17?, 17??) with the medium-pressure chamber, and the throttle point is formed by a displaceable valve body (19, 19?, 19?, 19??) and has through-flow cross sections of different sizes according to a position of the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mario Kuhl, Lothar von Schimonsky, Thomas Kremer, Calin Petru Itoafa, Jens Lang, Andreas Eichenberg
  • Publication number: 20120167847
    Abstract: An assembly for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, which has a hydraulic support element and a cam follower connected by way of a clamp. The follower rests on one end via a cap on a spherical head of a pressure piston of the support element. The piston extends in a bore of a housing of the support element. The clamp flanks the cap with holding strips along the sides. The inner sides run in a guide zone on the outer shell of the piston. The housing has an opening for hydraulic fluid that can be conducted between the housing and the piston through at least one passage in the piston to a storage chamber. The guide zone on the piston is also designed as an anti-rotation mechanism therefore. The piston is installed in a defined manner and is torsionally oriented in relation to the cam follower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Christgen, Peter Sailer, Frank Himsel
  • Publication number: 20120167848
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is employed for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The control apparatus includes a variable valve operating mechanism which changes a valve characteristic of an engine valve; a valve stop mechanism which stops opening/closing of the engine valve in at least one cylinder; and a controller which executes a variable valve control that makes an actual value of the valve characteristic match a target value by executing a hydraulic pressure control for the variable valve operating mechanism, and which operates the valve stop mechanism so that a reduced-cylinder operation is performed when an engine operating state is in a preset reduced-cylinder operation region. If it is determined that a pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied to the variable valve operating mechanism satisfies a preset condition when the engine operating state is in the reduced-cylinder operation region, the controller prohibits the variable valve control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihito Moriya
  • Publication number: 20120167846
    Abstract: A valve timing adjusting apparatus includes: recesses provided opposite to the wall surfaces in a circumferential direction of a shoe and a vane in an advance hydraulic chamber; a holding member insertion-disposed into the recesses from an axial direction; and an assist spring disposed between the holding member on the shoe side and the holding member on the vane side to urge a rotor in an advance direction, and further a clearance formed by a length in the axial direction of the holding member provided on the vane side and a length in the axial direction of the case is set to not less than a sum of an increment of the length in the axial direction in consideration of a tilt of the holding member produced by a gap between the holding member and recess, and an increment due to the thermal expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventor: Hirofumi Hase
  • Publication number: 20120167845
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block, a cylinder head and a cylinder head cover module attached to the cylinder head. The cylinder head cover module includes passageways and a plurality of receiving features for valve train components. A housing may be integrally formed with the cylinder head cover module. The cylinder head cover module may include components of a non-integrated valve control system and may be used in either an inline or a V-shaped engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Richard H. Sands, Alan G. Falkowski
  • Patent number: 8210140
    Abstract: A hydraulic unit (5) is provided for a cylinder head (2) of an internal combustion engine with a hydraulically variable gas-exchange valve train (1). In the hydraulic unit, a high-pressure chamber (11), a medium-pressure chamber (12), and a low-pressure chamber (16) used as the hydraulic medium reservoir are formed. The low-pressure chamber communicates via a throttle opening (17, 17?, 17?, 17??) with the medium-pressure chamber, and the throttle opening extends through a housing seal (23) produced as a separate component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mario Kuhl, Andreas Eichenberg
  • Publication number: 20120152195
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic valve for an oscillating motor adjuster that utilizes camshaft alternating torques by means of non-return valves for more rapid adjustment. The non-return valve that is not used for the respective rotation is additionally closed by means of the piston of the hydraulic valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: Hilite Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Wolf-Dietmar Schulze, Andre Selke
  • Publication number: 20120145098
    Abstract: In one example, a method is described for an engine with a hydraulically actuated phaser for adjusting cam timing. The phaser is controlled by a hydraulic spool valve, for example, having a de-energized position that results in hydraulic force urging the phaser to a base timing. When it is desired to operate the cam timing at base timing, rather then leave the spool valve in a de-energized position that can generate leakage, the spool valve is adjusted to near a null position to reduce the hydraulic pressure drop across the cam journal and thus reduce oil leakage. In this way, it is possible to maintain base timing, while also reducing leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Denis Crowe, Jamie Charles Hanshaw
  • Publication number: 20120145105
    Abstract: A control valve which has a substantially cylindrical valve box and a substantially cylindrical control piston. The control valve can be arranged in a cylindrical receptacle and the control piston is arranged so as to be axially displaceable inside the valve box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Ali Bayrakdar
  • Patent number: 8191518
    Abstract: A valvetrain control arrangement for an internal combustion engine. A fluid-working machine (1) has working chambers (3) of cyclically varying volume, each connected to a piston actuator (4) which is capable of moving an intake or exhaust valve in the internal combustion engine. The engine crankshaft (2) drives a crankshaft of the fluid-working machine at the same speed as the engine. Each working chamber (3) is linked to a low-pressure manifold (7) by a venting valve (6), the venting valve being normally open but electromagnetically closable by a signal from an electronic sequencing means (8) which operates in timed relationship to the engine crankshaft phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Artemis Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Uwe Bernhard Pascal Stein, Niall James Caldwell, William Hugh Salvin Rampen
  • Patent number: 8191531
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system is equipped with a controllable engine valve actuation system. Controlling lift of an engine valve includes periodically monitoring engine valve lift and engine crank angle. A preferred engine valve lift profile is determined in a crank angle-domain. A preferred engine valve position is determined in the crank angle-domain. The preferred engine valve position is interpolated to determine a preferred engine valve position in the time-domain. The control circuit is actuated to control the engine valve in the time-domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Hanho Yun, Chen-Fang Chang
  • Patent number: 8186317
    Abstract: Combination of a housing having a fluid passage and one or more solenoid actuated fluid control valves communicated to the fluid passage wherein a permanent magnet is disposed in fluid passage upstream of the fluid control valves to magnetically capture or getter ferrous particles in fluid prior to entry into the fluid control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Saturn Electronics & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamid Najmolhoda, David Seid
  • Patent number: 8171900
    Abstract: An exhaust valve control method may include displacing an exhaust valve in communication with the combustion chamber of an engine to an open position using a hydraulic exhaust valve actuation system and returning the exhaust valve to a closed position using the hydraulic exhaust valve actuation assembly. During closing, the exhaust valve may be displaced for a first duration from the open position to an intermediate closing position at a first velocity by operating the hydraulic exhaust valve actuation assembly in a first mode. The exhaust valve may be displaced for a second duration greater than the first duration from the intermediate closing position to a fully closed position at a second velocity at least eighty percent less than the first velocity by operating the hydraulic exhaust valve actuation assembly in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Inventor: Joel Cowgill
  • Patent number: 8166933
    Abstract: A power unit for a small-sized vehicle that includes a valve operating system equipped with a hydraulic valve operation mode change mechanism capable of changing the operational mode of an engine valve, and a clutch device disposed between a crankshaft and a shift mechanism so as to switch hydraulically between connection and disconnection of power transmission, wherein a discharge outlet of one oil pump (209) driven by power transmission from the crankshaft is connected in common to a valve operation mode change mechanisms (63, 64) and a clutch device (102). This enables the hydraulic system to be made compact while avoiding any increase in the overall bulk of the power unit, thus providing a power unit suitable for a small-sized vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Fujimoto, Atsushi Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20120097121
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a first lift control module and a second lift control module. The first lift control module increases lift of M valves of the engine to a predetermined valve lift during a period before disabling or re-enabling N valves of the engine. The second lift control module decreases the lift of the M valves to a desired valve lift during a period after enabling or re-enabling the N valves of the engine, wherein N and M are integers greater than or equal to one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Brennan, Craig D. Marriott, Joel Cowgill, Matthew A. Wiles, Kenneth James Patton
  • Patent number: 8161936
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust valve for removing exhaust gas from a combustion chamber and an engine braking device with a hydraulic valve control unit by which the exhaust valve can be held in an intermediate open position when the engine braking device is actuated. A hydraulic valve lash compensation mechanism for the exhaust valve and a control channel formed between the hydraulic valve control unit and the valve lash compensation mechanism for feeding oil to the hydraulic valve control unit that can be closed by a closure element to compensate for the valve lash of the exhaust valve. A counter-holder is constructed as a piston-cylinder unit. The counter-holder forms a variable stop for a valve bridge cooperating with the valve lash compensation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG
    Inventors: Florian Kraft, Thomas Leitel, Norbert Schatz
  • Patent number: 8151763
    Abstract: A lost motion valve actuation system includes an engine brake housing and one or more hydraulic fluid supply passages extending through the housing. Master and slave pistons are slidably disposed corresponding bores in the housing. The master and slave pistons are used to provide selective actuation to one or more engine valves. An engine brake rocker arm disposed adjacent to the housing includes a master piston contact surface and a bias mechanism contact surface. A bias mechanism is disposed in the housing and includes a bias piston which extends from the housing. The bias piston biases the rocker arm out of contact with an engine cam during select engine operation modes, such as during a positive power mode of operation. The bias piston may be mechanically or hydraulically repositioned to permit the rocker arm to contact the engine cam during a second mode of engine operation, such as an engine braking mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek S. Meistrick, Joseph A. Bonfatto
  • Patent number: 8151749
    Abstract: An engine with a valve opening arrangement includes an engine including at least one cylinder and at least one valve for opening and closing an opening in the cylinder. The valve is spring loaded to a closed position. The engine also includes a movable contact surface for urging the valve to an open position, and a control arrangement at least partially connected to the contact surface and operable in a modified mode to at least one of advance opening and delay closing of the valve relative to opening and closing in a normal mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mack Trucks, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Smith, Chun Tai, Timothy Suder
  • Patent number: 8146547
    Abstract: Actuators, and corresponding methods and systems for controlling such actuators, provide independent valve control with a large initial or opening force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Scuderi Group, LLC
    Inventor: Zheng Lou
  • Patent number: 8146566
    Abstract: A compression release engine brake unit includes an oil outlet passage formed in a socket brake, which stores engine brake oil, and a reset member opening or closing the outlet passage. The reset member discharges the engine brake oil by opening the oil outlet passage in response to the rotation of a rocker arm during engine braking and, thereby, the engine brake restores the initial state. Since the compression release engine brake can restore the initial state, the return valve lift is the same as when the compression release engine brake is not actuated. Accordingly, the valve does not butt against an engine piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gi Ra Lee, Jung Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8145405
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine for motor vehicles, for example a petrol-fuelled engine or a gas-fuelled engine, is provided with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for variable actuation of the intake valves. The system of variable actuation of the intake valves is governed by an electronic control unit that is programmed for performing at least once, at the start of the life of the engine, an activity of supervision of the functions of self-adaptive control of the air-fuel ratio. The supervision activity is based upon identification of a constant ratio between a delta in the value of the crank angle used by the electronic control unit and the error in the estimation of the air-fuel ratio by the electronic control unit when the system of actuation of the intake valves operates in late-opening mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ferdinando De Cristoforo, Fabio Garofalo, Eduardo Sepe, Domenico Tavella
  • Patent number: 8113156
    Abstract: A hydraulic circuit is disclosed. The hydraulic circuit includes an actuating mechanism having an engine valve and an engine valve spring, an added motion valve system having a cam system, a valve in fluid communication with the actuator mechanism, and a dump valve and at least one check valve in fluid communication with the valve to allow a recovery of energy stored in an engine valve spring during closing movement of the engine valve associated with the added motion system. A method for controlling a hydraulic circuit is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Dale A. Stretch, Matthew P. Scarbrough, John Douglas Auxier, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120031373
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a knock control module and a valve control module. The knock control module adjusts a period that one or more of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of a cylinder are open based on engine knock corresponding to the cylinder. The valve control module, based on the adjusted period, controls the one or more of the intake valve and the exhaust valve using one or more hydraulic actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel G. Brennan
  • Patent number: 8109249
    Abstract: A valve control for a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine includes at least one spring element for preloading the valve in an end position and a fixing device for the releasable fixing of the valve. The spring element in a moveable insert, which by means of an actuation device is adjustable in actuation direction of the valve between an end position close to the valve disc and an end position far from the valve disc for adjusting a preload applied on the valve by the spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: MAN Diesel SE
    Inventor: Nikolaus König
  • Patent number: 8096281
    Abstract: A supercharged diesel engine is equipped with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for variable actuation of the intake valves of the engine. The cam that controls each intake valve has an additional lobe for causing an additional opening of the intake valve, during the exhaust stroke, so as to provide an exhaust-gas recirculation directly inside the engine. Said additional lobe is shaped in such a way as to give rise to a profile of the additional lift of the valve as the crank angle varies with a boot conformation, including an initial stretch with a gentler slope extending from a point of zero lift corresponding to the expansion stroke in the engine cylinder. The engine is moreover equipped with a duct for exhaust-gas recirculation of the long-route type, which picks up the gases from a point of the exhaust duct set downstream of the catalytic converter and of the particulate trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Gianluca Canino, Luca Gentile, Davide Peci, Francesco Vattaneo
  • Publication number: 20120006289
    Abstract: In order for the viscosity of the engine oil to be determined as directly as possible, particularly in the case of a motor vehicle with hydraulic control of the gas exchange valves, provision is made for a time period which a hydraulic component, in particular a solenoid valve, requires to move from a first position to a second position to be used as a measure of the viscosity. In particular, an electrical control signal for the solenoid valve is evaluated in the process. An additional sensor arrangement is not required. The determined viscosity is preferably actively used for controlling the gas exchange valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andreas PETZ, Piergiacomo TRAVERSA, Marco DI PACE, Ilia TARASSOV
  • Patent number: 8091522
    Abstract: To provide a variable valve driving device which can accurately control the lift amount of valves and can be manufactured at a low cost. The device has: valves (10) serving as intake valves or exhaust valves of an engine; springs (11) for biasing the valves (10) in the valve closing direction; a cam (12) for pressing the valves (10) in the valve opening direction against a biasing force of the springs; a piston (19) joined to the valves (10); a control chamber (21) configured by a piston insertion hole (20) into which the piston (19) is inserted; and a control mechanism (24) for changing the valve closing timing of the valves (10) by controlling the introduction and discharge of a working fluid into and from the control chamber (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Akihiko Minato, Terukazu Nishimura, Takeshi Tokumaru, Tsuneo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110313643
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided with a system for the variable actuation of the intake valves. At least one part of the engine cylinders is deactivated, cutting off fuel supply to said cylinders, under operating conditions that do not require the maximum power of the engine and in which one wants to reduce fuel consumption. The intake valves of the deactivated cylinders are kept at least partly open during at least one part of the discharge stages in the deactivated cylinders, hence, in the deactivated cylinders, part of the burnt gases generated during the operation prior to the deactivation flows into the respective intake conduits during the discharge stage of each cylinder. The intake valves are closed after the discharge stage. The intake valves of the deactivated cylinders are further kept closed during the compression and expansion stages in each deactivated cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Marco LUCATELLO, Fabio BOREAN
  • Patent number: 8079331
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine provided with a simplified system for variable actuation of the valves, which envisages for two different engine cylinders a single solenoid valve that controls connection to an exhaust channel of two pressurized chambers associated to the intake valves of the two different cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Francesco Vattaneo, Laura Gianolio
  • Patent number: 8079337
    Abstract: A variable valve lift apparatus may include an inner body of which an end is pivotally connected to an anchor, an outer body of which an end is pivotally connected to the anchor, a roller finger follower of which an end is pivotally connected to a hydraulic lash adjuster, wherein a portion of the roller finger follower is pivotally connected to the outer body, a valve disposed to the other end of the roller finger follower, and a connecting unit selectively connecting the inner body and the outer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Back Sik Kim, Ingee Suh, Dong Hee Han, Hyung Ick Kim, Myungsik Choi, Dae Sung Kim, Kyoung Pyo Ha
  • Patent number: 8079338
    Abstract: A variable valve actuation system to actuate and control the seating velocity of an internal combustion engine valve is disclosed. The system comprises: a housing having a bore formed therein; an outer piston slidably disposed in the bore, said outer piston having an internal hydraulic passage, an internal chamber defined by an outer piston side wall, and an internal orifice connecting the internal hydraulic passage and the internal chamber; a catch piston slidably disposed in the outer piston; and a cone-shaped extension extending from the inner piston, wherein the cone-shaped extension is adapted to provide a variable flow area through the outer piston orifice to provide improved engine valve seating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Schwoerer, Zhou Yang, Ryan C. Noss, Brian L. Ruggiero, Neil E. Fuchs