Camshaft Or Cam Characteristics Patents (Class 123/90.17)
  • Patent number: 11649741
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool sliding in an axial direction within the sleeve. The spool has an inner space serving as a drain passage through which the hydraulic oil discharged from a phase shifting portion flows. The spool defines a drain inlet that guides the hydraulic oil discharged from the phase shifting portion into the drain passage. At least one of the sleeve or the spool defines an opening through which the hydraulic oil in the drain passage is discharged from the hydraulic oil control valve. A protrusion is formed between the drain inlet and the opening to extend radially inward beyond the drain inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11560813
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid control valve (HFCV) configured to recirculate an exiting hydraulic fluid from a first hydraulic actuation chamber to a second hydraulic actuation chamber is provided. The HFCV includes a selectively movable spool having an outer annulus configured to receive and deliver the exiting hydraulic fluid to one or both of either a sump or one of the first or second hydraulic actuation chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Steven Burke
  • Patent number: 11560834
    Abstract: A cam phaser is described for selectively engaging in a torque transmitting mode or an angle control mode. In the torque transmitting mode, torque from a camshaft is transmitted to an e-motor, which functions as a generator and provides electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ayushmoy Roy, Steven Burke
  • Patent number: 11542843
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an insertion piece for a camshaft phaser and the camshaft phaser. The insertion piece is configured to be partially inserted and mounted into a center hole of the rotor of the camshaft phaser. The insertion piece has a stepped cylindrical shape across its entirety and includes a first cylinder portion, a second cylinder portion, and a third cylinder portion, which are connected to each other and are coaxially arranged. The first cylinder portion extends along the axial direction; the second cylinder portion is located at one axial side of the first cylinder portion and extends along the axial direction; the third cylinder portion is located at one axial side of the second cylinder portion and extends along the axial direction; and a clamping connection portion for fixing the coil spring of the camshaft phaser is formed on the third cylinder portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Xiaona Liu
  • Patent number: 11542876
    Abstract: A method for advancing valve actuation during low load or idle diesel engine conditions to promote aftertreatment heat up comprises switching a cam phaser from a nominal lift position to an advance lift position to open an affiliated valve before nominal. Valve lift is actuated via the cam phaser. The valve is lowered towards nominal closure, and valve closure is interrupted by actuating a latch phaser. Valve closure is extended beyond nominal valve closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: James E. McCarthy, Jr., Matthew A. Vance
  • Patent number: 11530660
    Abstract: A phase diagnosis method and apparatus. When it is verified that the location of an engine is valid, an oil injector performs spraying at a top center compression position; if no acceleration is detected after spraying, it indicates that a fault occurs; in order to detect whether it is a fault of phase deviation of the camshaft by 180 degrees, the oil sprayer performs spraying at the top center exhaust position and detects whether there is an acceleration; if an acceleration is detected, it indicates that the situation of the phase deviation of the camshaft by 180 degrees exists. In this way, the problem in the prior art of being unable to detect phase deviation when the phase of a camshaft is deviated by 180 degrees is solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: WEICHAI POWER CO.. LTD.
    Inventors: Dawei Song, Xuebin Wang, Peng Huang
  • Patent number: 11519306
    Abstract: A check valve is made of a resilient body wound in a ring form and is located in an annular flow passage. A displacement limiter includes: a limiter main body that is located on an outer side of the check valve and is configured to limit displacement of the check valve in a diameter increasing direction of the check valve; and a limiter flow passage that communicates between one side and the other side of the limiter main body in an axial direction to enable hydraulic oil to flow between the one side and the other side of the limiter main body through the limiter flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Hamada, Makoto Otsubo, Tetsuro Mitsutani, Kinya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11492933
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, first and second rotating members, one for the intake valve and one for the exhaust valve rotate next to the outside of an engine cylinder on opposite sides thereof when driven by a drive gear attached to the end of the engine's crankshaft. Each rotating member may include a ring gear having a valve port or aperture near its perimeter that cyclically aligns with a corresponding valve port formed through the cylinder wall near the top of the cylinder. A method of controlling valve timing comprises the steps of causing the rotating member containing the second valve port to periodically align in synchronism with the first port to control the passage of an air/fuel mixture and exhaust gases through the combustion cycles of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Allen Eugene Looney
  • Patent number: 11466595
    Abstract: A slide element for displacement of a cam segment in an axial direction along a camshaft may include a slide sleeve, which has a longitudinal toothing formed at least sectionally along an inner wall of the slide sleeve and has a latching section formed on the inner wall and serving for interaction with a latching means. The latching section comprises a latching means receiving part, which comprises at least two latching grooves formed adjacently in an axial direction and at least one latching elevation formed between the latching grooves of the latching means receiving part and directed inward. The latching elevation may be partially hardened exclusively in a latching means transfer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA TECCENTER AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventor: Rene Kargl
  • Patent number: 11466597
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electromechanical camshaft adjuster comprising an electric motor and an adjusting gear, which has a housing with two housing parts that are sealed off with respect to each other by means of a static seal and with respect to the electric motor and a cylinder head by means of two dynamic seals. A first housing part of the adjusting gear has a pot shape that tapers in a stepped manner towards a housing bottom of the housing part, said pot shape having three different inner diameter regions. In the region closest to the bottom with the smallest inner diameter, a stop plate that acts in the circumferential direction is held. In the region with the middle inner diameter, an output ring gear is mounted with play, and in the region with the largest inner diameter, an input ring gear is secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Weber, Peter Zierer
  • Patent number: 11459916
    Abstract: A drive-side rotor is rotated synchronously with a crankshaft. A driven-side rotor is rotated integrally with a camshaft. An internal gear section is formed at the driven-side rotor. An Oldham coupling includes: a driven Oldham flange that is formed at the drive-side rotor; a drive Oldham flange that is formed at the planetary rotor; and an Oldham intermediate that is configured to synchronize rotation of the driven Oldham flange and rotation of the drive Oldham flange while permitting eccentricity between the driven Oldham flange and the drive Oldham flange. There is satisfied a relationship of ?2<?1 where: ?1 is a maximum tilt amount of the planetary rotor relative to the driven Oldham flange; and ?2 is a maximum tilt amount of the planetary rotor in a clearance formed at the Oldham coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Otsubo, Kenichi Tomomatsu, Shuhei Yamamoto, Hiroki Takahashi, Soichi Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 11454141
    Abstract: An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly includes a gearbox assembly including an input; an electric motor having a rotor, a stator, and a motor shaft that is coupled with the input of the gearbox assembly, wherein the motor shaft includes etchings, on an outer surface of the motor shaft, that releasably couple the motor shaft to the rotor at a center aperture of the rotor when an amount of torque exerted on the motor shaft via the gearbox assembly is less than or equal to a predetermined torque value, and the etchings are further configured to decouple the motor shaft from the rotor when the amount of torque exerted on the motor shaft is greater than the predetermined torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Shawn Blackmur, Anthony Mattord, Glen Kozeli, John R. Smerczak, Daniel Brown
  • Patent number: 11454140
    Abstract: An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly including an electric motor for controlling the VCT assembly having a rotor and a motor output shaft; a gearbox assembly having an input coupled to the motor output shaft and an output configured to be coupled with a camshaft of an internal combustion engine; and a torque-limiting assembly coupled to the motor output shaft that prevents angular displacement of the motor output shaft relative to the rotor and includes a spring that releasably engages the rotor to the motor output shaft to prevent angular displacement of the rotor relative to the motor output shaft at or below a torque limit and permits angular displacement of the rotor relative to the motor output shaft above the torque limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Chad M. McCloy, Daniel Scales
  • Patent number: 11441500
    Abstract: An engine torque estimating apparatus having a processor and a memory accessed by the processor. The processor performs a torque estimating that calculates time series data of an estimated indicated torque, based on a crank angle having been extracted from an output of a crank angle sensor of an engine including a plurality of cylinders; an estimated indicated torque-related value extracting that extracts an estimated indicated torque-related value, for each of the cylinders, from the time series data of the estimated indicated torque, for each of the cylinders; and average indicated torque correct value acquiring that converts, for each of the cylinders, the estimated indicated torque-related value into an average indicated torque correct value having been calculated based on a cylinder internal state of the engine in correspondence to the estimated indicated torque-related value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TRANSTRON INC.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ogawa, Hiromitsu Soneda
  • Patent number: 11434787
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a driving-side rotatable body and a driven-side rotatable body. The driving-side rotatable body is configured to be rotated about a rotational axis synchronously with a drive shaft and includes a sprocket portion and a housing portion. The sprocket portion is configured to receive a drive force transmitted from the drive shaft. The housing portion is shaped in a tubular form and is formed separately from the sprocket portion. The driven-side rotatable body is configured to be rotated about the rotational axis synchronously with a driven shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahito Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11421608
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing hydrocarbon emissions from an engine. In one example, a method may include adjusting timing profiles of a first and a second exhaust valve to selectively allow pneumatic communication between a cylinder and exhaust ports of an exhaust manifold during an engine cold start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Steven Wooldridge, Brad VanDerWege
  • Patent number: 11408309
    Abstract: A valve opening and closing timing control device includes: a drive-side rotary body rotating synchronously with a crankshaft; a driven-side rotary body arranged coaxially with the drive-side rotary body and rotating integrally with a valve opening and closing camshaft; a fluid pressure chamber defined between the drive-side and driven-side rotary bodies; advance and retard chambers defined by partitioning the fluid pressure chamber; an intermediate lock mechanism selectively switches between a lock state and a lock release state; advance and retard flow paths allowing a flow of the working fluid to be supplied to and discharged from the advance and retard chambers; a control valve including a spool; and a phase control unit moving a position of the spool by controlling a power supply amount to the control valve to supply and discharge the working fluid to and from the advance and retard chambers to displace a relative rotation phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Ueda, Yuji Noguchi, Masaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11408336
    Abstract: An example embodiment of an all-stroke-variable internal combustion engine may include a piston slidably positioned within an engine cylinder for asymmetrical reciprocation and a primary crankshaft and a half-speed crankshaft to be operatively engaged for rotation of the half-speed crankshaft at half of a speed of the primary crankshaft, wherein the rotation of the half-speed crankshaft at half of the speed of the primary crankshaft to result in the asymmetrical reciprocation of the piston so as to produce a stroke length that is independently variable over four distinct strokes of a full cycle of the all-stroke-variable internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: Robert P. Hogan
  • Patent number: 11401842
    Abstract: A camshaft phase adjuster, which includes first and second oil holes and a locking pin hole formed in the rotor inner core, the first oil hole connecting an engine fluid passage and the first chamber, the second oil hole connecting the first and second chambers, and the first and second oil holes both passing through the locking pin hole. The locking pin is switchable between first and second positions. A one-way valve is provided at the second oil hole; when the locking pin is in the first position, the first oil hole is unblocked, the one-way valve is switched off and the second oil hole is blocked; and in the second position, the first oil hole is blocked, the one-way valve is switched on, and the second oil hole is unblocked. This allows an intermediate locking function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Xin Li
  • Patent number: 11396831
    Abstract: A phaser which has three camshaft start positions at start-up during cranking before the engine can fire. By having three possible start positions of the phaser, there is an increase in flexibility of the cam position at startup during cranking. The three start positions can also be achieved in open loop, reducing the complexity of the control system needed at cranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventor: Anand Barve
  • Patent number: 11384662
    Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling an apparatus for camshaft timing adjustment being driven by a hydraulic pump, having a valve body with a first control port, a second control port, a high pressure port and a low pressure port, the valve assembly having a first state for enabling a flow of a hydraulic fluid from the high pressure port to the first control port and from the second control port to the low pressure port, respectively, and a second state for enabling a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the high pressure port to the second control port and from the first control port to the low pressure port, respectively. The valve body has central actuating through-hole extending axially through the valve body defining an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Hagen Mueller
  • Patent number: 11352916
    Abstract: A mechanical cam phasing system includes a stator, a cradle rotor, a first locking mechanism having a first locking feature and a second locking feature, a cage, and a second locking mechanism rotationally coupled to the cradle rotor and selectively moveable between a locking state and a phasing state. In the locking state, a clearance is provided between the cradle rotor and the cage to allow the cradle rotor to rotate relative to the cage and lock the first locking feature or the second locking feature. In the phasing state, the clearance between the cradle rotor and the cage is reduced to ensure rotational coupling between the cradle rotor and the cage in at least one direction, which displaces the first locking feature or the second locking feature relative to the cradle rotor and enables the cradle rotor to rotate relative to the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: HUSCO Automotive Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Michael Kujak, Austin Schmitt, Alexander Schlarmann
  • Patent number: 11352917
    Abstract: An apparatus for camshaft timing adjustment, having a drive disc and a hub rotationally supported relative to each other and defining a common rotational axis wherein the hub is arranged within the drive disc or vice versa, a vane being accommodated in an adjusting chamber defined by the drive disc and the hub and separating the adjusting chamber into a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber, wherein the vane is attached to the hub or the drive disc, a hydraulic pump having a high pressure pump chamber, a low pressure pump chamber and a pump for pumping a hydraulic fluid from the low pressure pump chamber to the high pressure pump chamber, each pump chamber being fluidly connected to the first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Hagen Mueller, Theodor Hueser
  • Patent number: 11352913
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a present disclosure provide a variable valve lift device. The variable valve lift device includes a main shaft, a sleeve, an oil cylinder and a valve mechanism. The sleeve is provided on the main shaft in a sleeve manner, can be driven by the main shaft to rotate together with the main shaft, and can further linearly move relative to the main shaft along an axis direction of the main shaft. A cam assembly is disposed on the sleeve, and includes at least two cams with different projection heights. The oil cylinder includes a cylinder barrel and a piston disposed in the cylinder barrel, the cylinder barrel is fixed onto the main shaft, the piston is fixedly connected to the sleeve. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an automobile having the above variable valve lift device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU AUTOMOBILE GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhen Lu, Hainian Lian, Liang Chen, Qizhou Zhang
  • Patent number: 11313448
    Abstract: A harmonic drive including a housing component (4) and a drive element (18) which is held on the housing component, can be deformed by a wave generator (14), is in the form of a flanged bushing and has a toothing region (17) having a cylindrical basic shape and a disc section (19) which adjoins the toothing region (17). Adjoining the disc section (19) there is a bushing section (20) which is concentric to the toothing region (17), overlaps the latter in the axial direction and is held interlockingly between a cylindrical edge section (21), which is thick-walled in comparison with the bushing section (20), of the housing component (4) and an intrinsically rigid component (22) which is likewise solid in comparison with the flanged bushing (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jurgen Weber, Marco Hildebrand, Daniel Heise
  • Patent number: 11313256
    Abstract: An Oldham coupling includes an engagement arm. At least either a driving-side rotor or an input gear has an engagement portion engaged with the engagement arm and is connected to the Oldham coupling. The engagement arm has a pair of arm flat surface portions perpendicular to a rotational direction of the driving-side rotor. The engagement portion has a pair of engagement flat surface portions that the arm flat surface portions face in a sliding contact manner. Each arm flat surface portion is, within a range where the arm flat surface portion slides against a facing engagement flat surface portion, always in contact with an overlapping portion of the engagement flat surface portion with the arm flat surface portion when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a sliding direction of the Oldham coupling and in which the arm flat surface portion and the engagement flat surface portion overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Sano, Hiroki Mukaide, Kenji Ikeda, Tomoharu Otake, Kenta Koide
  • Patent number: 11306628
    Abstract: A continuously variable valve duration apparatus includes a camshaft, a cam unit on which a cam is formed, a guide bracket including an upper guide boss, an internal wheel configured to transmit rotation of the camshaft to the cam unit, a wheel housing in which the internal wheel is rotatably inserted, wherein a guide thread is formed in a portion of the wheel housing, and of which a guide shaft is formed to be movably inserted into the upper guide boss, a worm wheel to which an internal thread engaging with the guide thread is formed in the worm wheel, and to which an external thread is formed thereon, a control shaft on which a control worm engaged with the external thread is formed, and an upper bushing mounted on a lower portion of the upper guide boss to support the guide shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Hyeon Woo Kim, Kyoung Pyo Ha, Back Sik Kim, Jong Gu Kim
  • Patent number: 11300017
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve for a cam phaser, the hydraulic valve including a bushing including a piston that is movable in a bore along a longitudinal direction; a supply connection configured to feed a hydraulic fluid; a first operating connection and a second operation connection; and a first tank drain connection and a second tank drain connection configured to drain the hydraulic fluid; and a first check valve associated with the first operating connection and a second check valve associated with the second operating connection, wherein the first operating connection and the second operating connection are connectable through at least one of the first check valve and the second check valve alternatively with each other or with the supply connection or with one of the first tank drain connection and the second tank drain connection by moving the piston, wherein the hydraulic valve includes five switching positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ECO Holding 1 GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Diederichs, Michael Brumm
  • Patent number: 11280228
    Abstract: A variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly includes an independent VCT device that can couple with a first camshaft and change an angular position of the first camshaft relative to the angular position of a crankshaft. The independent VCT device has a stator and an output fixedly coupled with the first camshaft. The VCT assembly also includes a dependent VCT device that angularly adjusts a second camshaft in response to angular adjustment of the first camshaft. The dependent VCT device has a camshaft link coupled with the output of the independent VCT device; the camshaft link has a slot positioned radially outwardly from an axis of camshaft rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: BORGWARNER, INC.
    Inventor: Chad McCloy
  • Patent number: 11268412
    Abstract: A cam phaser mechanism includes an inner ring (rotor), and outer ring (stator), and a face plate. The inner ring that is wider than outer ring. The face plate is contoured such that it is thinner in a region in contact with the inner ring and thicker in a region in contact with the outer ring, thus compensating for the different widths of the inner ring and outer ring. The stator is fastened to the face plate by a plurality of bolts which are threaded into the face plate. The greater width of the face plate in this region provides sufficient thread engagement without increasing the overall width of the cam phaser mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Techologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Shannon Bell
  • Patent number: 11268603
    Abstract: A harmonic drive (1), including a wave generator (8), a flexible, externally toothed gear component (14), in particular in the form of a flex ring, which can be deformed by said wave generator, and at least one internally toothed gear component (4, 5) that meshes with the flexible, externally toothed gear component (14). The flexible, externally toothed gear component (14) has a non-circular basic shape in relation to its mechanically non-loaded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Jochen Thielen
  • Patent number: 11242775
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a drive-side rotating body that rotates in conjunction with a crankshaft, a driven-side rotating body that rotates integrally with a camshaft, a speed reduction mechanism that transmits rotation while allowing relative rotation between the drive-side rotating body and the driven-side rotating body. The driven-side rotating body includes a fastening portion fastened to the end portion of the camshaft by a center bolt, a bearing portion that is located radially outward of the fastening portion and that axially supports the drive-side rotating body, and a fitting outer surface that is fitted to a regulating member on a side where an outer diameter of an axial contact surface with the other member on one side and the other side in the axial direction of the driven-side rotating body is large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanobu Aochi, Hitoshi Maegawa, Tomohiro Hayashi, Hiroki Takahashi, Kenji Tada
  • Patent number: 11230950
    Abstract: An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser is employed for use with an internal combustion engine (ICE). The electrically-actuated VCT phaser includes a gear set assembly and a fixture. The gear set assembly has an input gear and an output gear, among other possible components. The input gear receives rotational drive input from an engine crankshaft, and the output gear transmits rotational drive output to an engine camshaft. The fixture is secured in the gear set assembly. Amid installation of the electrically-actuated VCT phaser on the ICE, the fixture constrains rotational movement of the gear set assembly. After installation, the fixture can be removed from the gear set assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: BORGWARNER, INC.
    Inventors: Chad McCloy, Mark Wigsten
  • Patent number: 11193398
    Abstract: A friction member is clamped between a driven shaft of an internal combustion engine and a vane rotor and includes an oil passage hole. The oil passage hole communicates between a first oil passage of the driven shaft a second oil passage of the vane rotor. Each of positioning arrangements includes a primary engaging portion of the vane rotor and a secondary engaging portion of the friction member. The positioning arrangements are configured to limit relative rotation between the vane rotor and the friction member in a communicating state where the first oil passage and the second oil passage are communicated with each other through the oil passage hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hamaoka, Tomoyuki Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 11193399
    Abstract: A variable camshaft timing (VCT) assembly for controlling angular positions of concentric camshafts. The VCT assembly includes an independent VCT device and a dependent VCT device. The independent VCT device is hydraulically- or electrically-actuated. The independent VCT device is coupled with a first concentric camshaft and has a first component that rotates during phasing movements. The first component has a first set of slots therein. The dependent VCT device is coupled with a second concentric camshaft. The dependent VCT device has a second component that lacks rotation during phasing movements, and has multiple phase lugs. The second component has a second set of slots therein. The phase lugs are received in the first set of slots and are received in the second set of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: BORGWARNER, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Keefover, Brian Thomas Kenyon
  • Patent number: 11187115
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a camshaft adjusting device with a dry belt, a central valve arranged within a camshaft adjuster, and an actuator acting on the central valve. An oil-tight wet space is formed by the camshaft adjuster and the actuator or a component supporting the actuator, and oil present in the wet space can be evacuated by means of an oil path. A portion of this oil path extends axially through the output element of the camshaft adjuster. This oil path can pass the end-side contact face between the output element and camshaft, opening out into an axial bore of the camshaft which is distanced radially from the axis of rotation of the camshaft adjusting device. The axial bore runs beneath an oil feed connection formed on the outer surface of the camshaft for feeding oil to the central valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ali Bayrakdar
  • Patent number: 11174761
    Abstract: A variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly and control valve are employed for use in an internal combustion engine. The VCT phaser assembly has a housing and a rotor. The control valve is installed at a location that is remote of the housing and rotor, and apart from a center bolt site of the housing and rotor. The control valve has a valve housing and a spool located in the valve housing. The valve housing has different ports for fluid communication with a source, an advance line, and a retard line. One or more recirculation paths can be established at various times between the valve housing and the spool, depending upon the position of the spool in the valve housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: BORGWARNER, INC.
    Inventors: Augusto Fanzani, Davide Caldirola
  • Patent number: 11168589
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes exhaust-side and intake-side variable valve timing mechanisms, an oil passage defined in the cylinder head, an exhaust-side connection passage that branches from the oil passage to conduct oil to the exhaust-side variable valve timing mechanism, and an intake-side connection passage that branches from the oil passage to conduct oil to the intake-side variable valve timing mechanism. The connection passage that conducts oil to one of the exhaust-side variable valve timing mechanism and the intake-side variable valve timing mechanism that has a greater amount of oil leakage when oil having the same pressure is supplied to the variable valve timing mechanisms to operate the variable valve timing mechanisms is located at a downstream side in the oil passage of the connection passage that conducts oil to the variable valve timing mechanism that has a smaller amount of oil leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiki Endo
  • Patent number: 11143062
    Abstract: A valve opening-closing timing control apparatus includes a phase adjustment mechanism. The phase adjustment mechanism includes an input gear and an elastic member that applies biasing force to the input gear in such a way that the input gear meshes with an output gear. An eccentric member includes one first concave portion along a circumferential direction thereof, being formed on an outer circumferential surface. The elastic member includes a supported portion supported by the first concave portion, and a curved portion and a biasing piece portion that generate biasing force. The elastic member is supported by the first concave portion at two different boundaries in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Sano, Tomoharu Otake, Hideomi Iyanaga
  • Patent number: 11131221
    Abstract: A central valve for a camshaft phaser includes a hollow cylindrical housing, a hydraulic unit, a control piston, a retaining ring, and a washer. The hollow cylindrical housing includes a first radial opening and a groove. The hydraulic unit is disposed in the hollow cylindrical housing and includes a second radial opening and a channel. The control piston is axially moveable in the hydraulic unit to adjust a flow of a hydraulic medium through the first radial opening, the second radial opening, and the channel. The retaining ring is disposed in the groove to retain the hydraulic unit and the control piston in the hollow cylindrical housing. The washer is disposed in the hollow cylindrical housing axially between the hydraulic unit and the retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Steven Burke
  • Patent number: 11131232
    Abstract: A cooling system of an internal combustion engine includes a control valve that regulates the flow of a coolant in a circulation circuit, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to have the following functions: controlling the driving of a motor of the control valve; calculating a motor torque based on an effective voltage applied to the motor; calculating a valve body torque that is part of the motor torque, based on an angular acceleration rate of the motor; and calculating a driving stress based on a difference between the motor torque and the valve body torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Furuya
  • Patent number: 11131220
    Abstract: A camshaft adjuster (1) is provided, including a drive element (2) and a driven element (3), which can be rotated in relation to the drive element within an angular range and can be connected to a camshaft, wherein pressurizable working chambers (4) for rotating the drive element (2) with respect to the driven element (3) are formed between the drive element (2) and the driven element (3), wherein the camshaft adjuster (1) has a volume accumulator (5) for collecting hydraulic medium, wherein the volume accumulator (5) supplies the hydraulic medium to a vacuum-pressurized working chamber (4) via a check valve (6) in that the vacuum in the working chamber (4) opens the check valve (6), characterized in that the check valve (6) is arranged in an axial position between the working chamber (4) and the volume accumulator (5), and the volume accumulator (5) is formed by a cover element (7) connected to the drive element (2) for conjoint rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Olaf Boese, Jochen Thielen
  • Patent number: 11118486
    Abstract: A rotor is provided for a camshaft phaser. The rotor includes a plurality of vanes, a locking pin aperture, a vent passage connected to an end of the locking pin aperture, and an axial face configured to connect with a camshaft. The axial face defines a timing protrusion that is aligned with the vent passage or the locking pin aperture, and configured to be received by the camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Shannon Bell
  • Patent number: 11111826
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve for a cam phaser, the hydraulic valve comprising: a bushing including a piston that is movable in a bore along a longitudinal direction; a supply connection for feeding a hydraulic fluid; a first operating connection and a second operation connection; and a first tank drain connection and a second tank drain connection configured to drain the hydraulic fluid, wherein a first check valve is associated with the first operating connection and a second check valve is associated with the second operating connection, and the first operating connection and the second operating connection are connectable through at least one of the first check valve and the second check valve alternatively with each other or with the supply connection or with the first tank drain connection or with the second tank drain connection by moving the piston, wherein the hydraulic valve includes five switching positions,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ECO Holding 1 GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Bartel, Falk Mueller, Andre Seidenschwann, Patrick Ruppert
  • Patent number: 11105229
    Abstract: A hydraulic camshaft adjuster has a stator, a rotor arranged movably with respect to the stator, and a central valve via which oil supply of working chambers of the hydraulic camshaft adjuster is controlled. A deformable sealing sleeve is arranged between the central valve and the rotor. The sealing sleeve has an initial length in an axial direction, and after assembly, has a deformation such that the length of the sealing sleeve changes from the initial length to an assembled length. The sealing sleeve bears at least partially in the radial direction against the central valve and against the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Weber, Jochen Thielen
  • Patent number: 11098618
    Abstract: A press-fit member having a cylindrical shape is press-fit into a through hole formed in a vane. An advance-side lock pin and a retard-side lock pin are provided coaxially with each other inside the press-fit member. In the outer circumferential surface of the press-fit member, an advance-side lock pin-release oil passage for applying lock pin-release hydraulic pressure to an advance-side engagement groove and a retard-side lock pin-release oil passage for applying the lock pin-release hydraulic pressure, applied to the advance-side engagement groove, to a retard-side engagement groove are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Chikayama, Masayuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11092046
    Abstract: A first rotator (6) includes an internal gear (14) and rotates in conjunction with a crankshaft (4). A second rotator (12) includes an output gear (121) and rotates in conjunction with a camshaft (3). A planetary rotator (13) includes a planetary gear (131) that meshes with the internal gear (14) and the output gear (121), and the planetary gear (131) meshes with the internal gear (14) and the output gear (121) to perform planetary motion, thereby changing the relative rotational position between the first rotator (6) and the second rotator (12). An input shaft (16) causes the planetary rotator (13) to perform planetary motion. A first bearing (18) is interposed between the input shaft (16) and the first rotator (6). A planetary bearing (17) is interposed between the input shaft (16) and the planetary rotator (13), and is included on the same plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (O) as the first bearing (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsuyoshi Nakayama, Masayuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11085337
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes: a first rotatable body that is rotated about a rotational axis synchronously with one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft of an engine; and a second rotatable body that is rotated about the rotational axis synchronously with the other one of the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The first rotatable body includes: a fastening portion, a slide portion and a bearing portion. The fastening portion is fastened to the one of the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The bearing portion includes an outer peripheral surface that is opposed to an inner peripheral surface of the second rotatable body, and the bearing portion rotatably supports the second rotatable body. The fastening portion projects on one axial side of the slide portion and the bearing portion in an axial direction toward the one of the drive shaft and the driven shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Kinouchi, Kenji Tada, Makoto Otsubo
  • Patent number: 11078813
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a sprocket, a vane rotor and a shim. The sprocket is configured to rotate. The vane rotor is received in the sprocket such that the vane rotor is rotatable relative to the sprocket. The vane rotor includes a supply oil passage that is configured to communicate with an external oil passage, and a rotational phase of the sprocket is changed when the vane rotor is rotated relative to the sprocket. The filter is configured to filter hydraulic oil, which is conducted in a connection oil passage that is configured to connect between the external oil passage and the supply oil passage. The shim is placed between the driven shaft and the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 11073052
    Abstract: A valvetrain for an internal combustion engine has a camshaft rotatable about an axis of rotation, a sliding-block element connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the camshaft and displaceable in the axial direction of the camshaft relative thereto, which sliding-block element has an outer circumferential jacket surface with a shift gate via which a rotational movement of the sliding-block element can be converted into a displacement of the sliding-block element in the axial direction of the camshaft relative thereto, and a shift rod at least partially accommodated in the camshaft and displaceable by the sliding-block element in the axial direction of the camshaft relative thereto and via which shift rod an actuation of a gas exchange valve can be influenced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventor: Martin Mehring