Tappet Patents (Class 123/90.48)
  • Patent number: 7246587
    Abstract: The invention proposes a deactivating element (1) for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The deactivating element (1) comprises a housing (2) and an inner element (4) that is axially displaceable in the bore (3) of the housing (2). According to the invention, the pistons (7) arranged in the inner element (4) for coupling into an annular groove (12) in the housing (2) possess two flattened regions (10, 15) arranged diametrically opposite each other in axial direction of the deactivating element (1). The height of the annular groove (12) is reduced by a measure of a height of the second, additional flattened region (15). Due to the reduction of height of the annular groove (12), its volume is also reduced. This results in advantages activation and deactivation times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Matthew Evans, Peter Sailer
  • Patent number: 7246590
    Abstract: The invention proposes a valve train (1) of an internal combustion engine comprising a tappet (7) and a tappet pushrod (1) that is actuated by said tappet (7), said tappet pushrod (1) being at least partly hollow and comprising on one end (3), a first support (4) for a pressure piston (5) of a hydraulic lash adjuster (6) of said tappet (7) that follows a periodic driving element such as a cam. A second support (9) for a follower member (2) such as a rocker arm is arranged on a further end (8) of the tappet pushrod (1). The first support (4) comprises a passage (10) for hydraulic medium that can be routed out of the pressure piston (5) during operation of the internal combustion engine into an interior (11) of the tappet pushrod (1), a one-way valve means (12) being installed in the tappet pushrod (1) for retaining a hydraulic medium column during a standstill of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Henning Karbstein, William Carter, David Kehr
  • Patent number: 7246585
    Abstract: A deactivating hydraulic valve mechanism includes a hydraulic element assembly disposed within a pin housing slidably disposed within a bore in a body. A transverse bore in the pin housing contains selectively-retractable locking pins that engage a groove in the body to selectively lock together the body and the pin housing. A lost motion spring is disposed in an annular chamber between the body and the pin housing. An oil passage from an engine gallery to the hydraulic element assembly includes an axial component and bypasses the lost motion chamber. A ring holds the lifter assembly together and also sets mechanical lash. The ring may be provided as a standard-thickness ring and a shim selected to provided a predetermined amount of mechanical lash in the assembled mechanism to ensure facile engagement and disengagement of the locking pins in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Spath, Michael E. McCarroll
  • Patent number: 7246584
    Abstract: A force-transmitting arrangement (4) for a valve train (1) of an internal-combustion engine (2) is provided with hydraulic valve play compensation device (6) with a hollow cylindrical compensation piston (13). This borders, on one end, a working space (28) of the valve play compensation device (6) and, on the other end, a hydraulic medium reservoir (29), which is used for supplying the working space (32) and which is connected to a hydraulic medium supply (18) of the internal-combustion engine (2). Here, a run-off safety device (27) at least partially prevents a hydraulic medium flow from the hydraulic medium reservoir (29) in the direction of the hydraulic medium supply (23). The hydraulic medium reservoir (29) includes an inner storage space (15) enclosed by the compensation piston (13) and at least one outer storage space (52) located outside the compensation piston (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Uwe Geiger, Friedrich Hieronymus
  • Patent number: 7237520
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve-lash-adjusting element (HVA) for the valve train of an internal combustion engine, wherein: a housing (1) has a blind bore (2) in which a piston (3) is guided with sealing clearance and is in pressure contact with a valve-actuating element (6) and its cam; the piston (3), together with the blind bore (2), defines a high-pressure space (4) while a low-pressure space (5) is located above the piston (3); the pressure spaces (4, 5) are connected by at least one central axial bore in the piston (3), this axial bore being controlled by a control valve arranged in the piston (3), wherein the control valve is designed as an exchange valve (11), with a valve body (12) which is guided in a smooth-running manner in the interior of the piston (3), serves to control an upper and a lower central axial bore (14, 15) and the closing movement in both directions of which is the relative movement of the piston (3) in relation to the valve body (12), which is virtually at a standstill because of its mass mo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Donald R. Haefner
  • Patent number: 7219639
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drag lever (1) comprising two side walls (2, 3) which are connected together by a transversal bar (4) which is arranged on an end (6) of the lower side (5) thereof on an end (6) thereof on a head of a support element (9) by means of a dome-shaped cavity (7) on a head (8) of a support element (9). A clamp (10) is applied to the end (6) thereof. The clamp fixes the drag lever (1) to the head such that it can be displaced in a pivoting direction thereof. The clamp (10) is made of thin-walled wire material and extends essentially in a transversal manner in relation to the longitudinal axis of the drag lever (1) and is arranged on the lower side (5) of the transversal bar (4) by means of a central section (11) which is formed by webs (12, 13) which extended in a semi-circular manner in a part of the support element (9) which has a reduced diameter (14) and is located below said head (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Helmut Engelhardt, Johann Kecker, Jörg Michel
  • Patent number: 7210439
    Abstract: The invention proposes a switching element (1) for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, particularly for valve deactivation, with a simple-to-implement measure for adjusting the coupling lash of its coupling means (8) in a receptacle (6) using two retaining rings (19, 20), one of which is stocked in a variety of thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Norbert Geyer, Peter Sailer, Oliver Schnell
  • Patent number: 7210438
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine with variable actuation valves, each variable actuation valve is actuated by an actuator assembly including an actuating piston slidably mounted in a guide bushing. Between the actuating piston and the stem of the respective valve is interposed an auxiliary hydraulic tappet comprising a first bushing and a second bushing positioned inside the first bushing in such a way as to define a first chamber between the second bushing and the actuating piston, and a second chamber between the two bushings of the hydraulic tappet. The first chamber is fed a pressurized chamber of the engine lubrication loop. A check valve controls a communication between the two chambers of the tappet, to allow the passage of fluid in the direction of the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Gianluca Canino, Stefano Chiappini, Francesco Vattaneo
  • Patent number: 7210437
    Abstract: The invention proposes a periodically actuable tappet (1) for a valve train, said tappet (1) comprising a hollow cylindrical skirt (2) that can be arranged through an outer peripheral surface (3) in a guide bore (4) of a surrounding structure (5), said skirt (2) comprising a window-type aperture (6) in which a separate anti-rotation device (8) is arranged through a radially inner portion (7), a radially outer portion (9) of the anti-rotation device (8) extending beyond the skirt (2) for guidance in a longitudinal groove (10) that intersects the guide bore (4), wherein the anti-rotation device (8), as viewed in cross-section, is substantially mushroom-shaped, the inner portion (7) has a rectangular cross-section corresponding to a geometry of the aperture (6) of the skirt (2), into which cross-section, the outer portion (9) merges in the manner of a roof through a fractional cylindrical outer peripheral surface (11), inner legs (12) of the outer portion (9) extend beyond the aperture (6) in peripheral directio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Norbert Geyer
  • Patent number: 7207303
    Abstract: A switch element (1) is proposed for valve shut-off, fabricated as cam follower for a plunger rod valve drive of an internal combustion engine, having an outer part (2) and an inner element (4) axially movable in its bore (3) and with rotational security (15) relative to the guided inner element (4). The outer part (2), inside the bore (3), has an annular groove (6), and the inner element (4) has a radial bore (7) with two diametrically opposed pistons (8), which to couple the elements (2, 4) in their axially remote relative position achieved by a lost-motion spring (5) are displaceable towards the annular groove (6). On their cam-side under side, emanating from their radially outward, bulbous face, the pistons (8) segmentwise comprise a plane transverse surface as contact area for a facing under side (27) of the annular groove (6). The latter is intersected by two diametrically opposed oil ports (11) running offset 90° from the pistons (8) in circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Norbert Geyer, Peter Sailer, Oliver Schnell
  • Patent number: 7207302
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a valve lifter body, comprising an outer surface, enclosing a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the first cavity includes a first inner surface configured to house a cylindrical insert, the second cavity includes a second inner surface cylindrically shaped, and at least one of the cavities is fabricated through forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Carroll Williams, Dhruva Mandal
  • Patent number: 7191745
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lash adjuster body, comprising A lash adjuster body, comprising an outer surface, enclosing a cavity, wherein the cavity includes an inner surface configured to accommodate an insert and a spring; and the cavity is fabricated through forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Dhruva Mandal, Carroll Williams
  • Patent number: 7185620
    Abstract: A cam follower of a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, having a run-on surface for following at least one cam. The run-on surface has a microstructure comprising depressions for accumulating lubricant, wherein the depressions form an at least largely symmetrical microstructure similar to a grid. Two depressions of each enclosed section of the run-on surface running toward each other in the manner of an arrow to form a corner such that they point at least in the predominant direction of a movement of a contact point of a cam on the run-on surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Georg Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7159553
    Abstract: The invention provides a valve train for an internal combustion engine, comprising an elongate anti-rotation bridge (16) acting as a retention device and a mounting aid and comprising receptions (18) for valve lash adjusters arranged spaced behind one another. A valve adjuster configured as a roller tappet (17) is arranged in each reception (18) while being directed through a tappet roller (22) toward a cam of a camshaft. The roller tappet (17) is retained for longitudinal displacement in the reception (18) and is secured against rotation through flat key surfaces arranged on its outer peripheral surface that bear against corresponding inner surfaces of the anti-rotation bridge (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Roland Krapp, Peter Sailer
  • Patent number: 7159552
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cup tappet for an internal combustion engine, having a skirt which has a radial recess, into which an anti-rotation element (6) is inserted. The anti-rotation element protrudes from the skirt in the radial direction, in order to be accommodated in a corresponding groove of the cylinder head as an anti-rotation safeguard. According to the invention, the anti-rotation element (6) has an outer contour in longitudinal section with a head (20) and a stem (21). The stem has a reduced dimension compared with the head (20) and a thickened portion (32), and can be clipped into the recess of the skirt of the cup tappet under elastic deformation of the thickened portion (32). In this way, an anti-rotation safeguard is possible which can be assembled particularly simply, can be manufactured cheaply and is reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Georg Backert, Michael Dotterweich, Matthias Reichel
  • Patent number: 7156061
    Abstract: A valve lifter, in which an amorphous hard carbon film is coated at least on the surface that slides against a cam, is characterized in that the surface of a base material (substrate) has an arithmetic mean roughness of Ra 0.01 to 0.03 micrometers, and the maximum length of the scratch on the base surface is made to be equal to or shorter than 250 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Riken, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsui, Masaki Moronuki, Katsuhiro Tsuji, Yutaka Mabuchi, Takahiro Hamada, Hiroyuki Izumi, Tomoyuki Koike
  • Patent number: 7146953
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanical valve play compensation element for a valve drive on a piston combustion engine, comprising a first pressure part (1) which is axially displaceable in relation to a second pressure part (2) and which is fixed in such a way that it can turn about the axis of displacement; a torsion spring element (10) which acts between the first pressure part (1) and the second pressure part (2) and is axially flexible at least to a certain extent; and at least one helical surface (9.1) on the first pressure part (1), to which a corresponding helical surface (9.2) on the second pressure part (2) is allocated, these forming a pair of helical surfaces (9). The surfaces of the helical surface pair (9) are configured as a rough surface and are pressed against each other by the torsion spring element (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fev Motorentechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Duesmann
  • Patent number: 7146955
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic tappet clearance compensation device (1) for a valve gear of an internal combustion engine, the high pressure chamber (8) of which device can be rapidly and easily vented. For this purpose an annular collar (11) has radial openings (16) distributed over the circumference of its pressure piston (5). These allow air bubbles, which accumulate between an outer shell of the annular collar (11) and a bore (3) of a housing (2), to escape to a bore (9) for a non-return valve (10) and hence directly into the open. There is therefore no need for venting via a leakage gap (13) between the pressure piston (5) and the housing (2), which has hitherto yielded only unsatisfactory results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Peter Sailer, Oliver Schnell
  • Patent number: 7146952
    Abstract: A valve tappet system includes a base body, a lateral section, which forms a guide surface for guiding the base body along an oscillation axis. The anti-rotation element to suppress a rotational or swiveling movement about the oscillation axis. The anti-rotation element has a seat face which sits on the lateral section and a guide body which protrudes beyond the lateral section in the radial direction. Spaced first and second engagement protrusions are provided on the element, and the lateral section is provided with a first and second radial bores assigned to the respective first and second engagement protrusions, which are each engaged in the respective radial bore radially to the oscillation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Kreil, Gunter Schroeter, Berthold Manke, Franz Bonauer
  • Patent number: 7143731
    Abstract: The invention proposes a cup tappet (1) of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said cup tappet (1) comprising a hollow cylindrical skirt (3) closed at one end by a bottom (2), said bottom (2) comprising an outer end surface (4) and an inner end surface (6), said outer end surface (4) comprising a contact surface (5) for a cam and said inner end surface (6) comprising a central support (7) for a gas exchange valve, wherein the inner end surface (6) of the bottom (2) comprises a radially extending flat web (8), the support (7) is arranged symmetrically between edges (9, 19) of the web (8), a leg (11, 12) sloping away from the bottom (2) after the manner of a roof extends from each edge (9, 10) up to an inner surface (13) of the skirt (3), and the legs (11, 12) are situated axisymmetrically opposite each other. This cup tappet (1) thus possesses a particularly good rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Lutz Kirbach, Robert Kamm, Arndt Lhlemann
  • Patent number: 7140336
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine with variable actuation valves, each variable actuation valve is actuated by an actuator assembly including an actuating piston slidably mounted in a guide bushing. Between the actuating piston and the stem of the respective valve is interposed an auxiliary hydraulic tappet positioned outside the guide bushing of the actuating piston, so that said bushing can be dimensioned with a relatively small diameter, regardless of the outer diameter of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet. The intake valves of a same cylinder are actuated by a single cam, by means of a single pumping piston and by means of a single pressure chamber controlled by a single solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Francesco Vattaneo, Damiano Micelli, Costantinos Vafidis, Roberto Saretto
  • Patent number: 7137374
    Abstract: An adjustable hydraulic valve lifter has a lifter body and an internal cylindrical body. The lifter body has a first longitudinally cylindrical internal bore and a first substantially closed lower end, and the internal cylindrical body is axially slideable and rotatable within the first longitudinally internal bore, forming a first oil chamber. A first spring is positioned to bias the internal cylindrical body away from the lifter body. A first oil flow path permits the flow of oil into the first oil chamber through a first check valve. An oil outlet in the lifter body adjacent the first substantially closed lower end allows oil to escape from the first oil chamber as controlled by an oil control recess in an outer surface of the internal cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Inventor: Mike Wayne Ballard
  • Patent number: 7137373
    Abstract: A valve lifter guide (100) includes a base (111) and at least one conduit (101) extending from the base (111). The conduit (101) has a first inwardly curved surface (103) opposed to a second inwardly curved surface (105) such that the conduit is capable of holding a valve lifter (200) between the first inwardly curved surface (103) and the second inwardly curved surface (105).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Seymour, II, Susan L. Lukasik, Sriram Balaraman
  • Patent number: 7131411
    Abstract: A limited leak-down variable duration lifter and its adjustment is provided to maximize performance gains at low engine rpm when used with a conventional cam and more particularly with a conventional hi-performance camshaft. The increased performance gains were here-to-for unobtainable with conventional variable duration lifters and the conventional adjustment. By utilizing an adjustable valve train to precisely position the plunger of an accelerated leak variable duration lifter near the bottom of its travel, optimum reductions of lift and duration are achieved without exceeding amounts that would be detrimental to the engine and its valve train. To maintain proper rocker arm geometry, the plunger is positioned closer to its seat in the assembled state by either reengineering the internal dimensions of the lifter, or by providing a spacer or spacers between the plunger and the push rod cup, or plunger and seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventors: Jack L. Rhoads, Justin D. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 7128034
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a valve lifter body, comprising an outer surface, enclosing a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the first cavity includes a first inner surface configured to house a cylindrical insert, the second cavity includes a second inner surface cylindrically shaped, and at least one of the cavities is fabricated through forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Dhruva Mandal, Carroll Williams
  • Patent number: 7117833
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve lifter including venting means to assure venting of air through the lifter and filling thereof with oil during pre-start filling of the engine oil galleries after engine assembly. Patterning of a hemispherical pushrod seat surface, and/or patterning of either or both of the mating surfaces of a pushrod seat and a piston, permits air purged from the engine through a pushrod to be vented through the lifter. Such means may be temporary or permanent and may include coatings of the surfaces with materials that are destroyed by engine action after starting. Permanent means may include surface grooves in the mating surfaces and/or small-diameter passages between the hemispherical seat surface and the cylindrical outer surface of the pushrod seat. Venting means in accordance with the invention is useful for both valve-deactivating and non-valve-deactivating valve lifters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Spath, Daniel F. Smith, Thomas H. Lichti
  • Patent number: 7104232
    Abstract: A deactivation valve lifter includes a lifter body. The lifter body has a first end configured for engaging a cam of an engine and at least one annular pin chamber. A pin housing includes a pin housing bottom. The pin housing bottom defines at least one pin stop aperture and a radially directed pin bore. A deactivation pin assembly is disposed within the pin bore and includes pin members. The pin housing is concentrically disposed within the lifter body. A portion of each pin member may be disposed within the annular pin chamber to thereby selectively couple and decouple the lifter body to the pin housing. A drain aperture defined by the pin housing bottom extends from the pin bore to an outside surface of the pin housing. A stop pin is disposed in the at least one pin stop aperture for limiting the inward motion of the pin members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nick J. Hendriksma, Mark J. Spath
  • Patent number: 7096838
    Abstract: A reversible four cycle internal combustion engine. A crankshaft is rotatably mounted in a block and a piston is operatively mounted to a crankshaft via a connecting rod. A follower wheel traverses a cam as the cam rotates with the crankshaft, and in doing so, causes a combustion chamber valve to open and close access of an intake port in the block and an exhaust port in the block to a combustion chamber in the block so as to allow the engine to achieve each of a power stroke thereof, a exhaust stroke thereof, a intake stroke thereof, and a compression stroke thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Daniel W. Sexton
  • Patent number: 7086360
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mounting and anti-rotation device (mounting aid) (1) for roller tappets of a valve train of an internal combustion engine in which gas exchange valves are activated by roller tappets. The roller tappets comprising a substantially cylindrical tappet body are retained in receptions (7, 8) of the mounting aid (1) that is made of plastic. With the help of opposing parallel anti-rotation surfaces that are arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the roller tappet and are disposed on the end of the tappet body that is oriented away from a roller, the roller tappets are guided secured against rotation in the mounting aid during the operation of the internal combustion engine. This is achieved by the fact that the inner profile of the receptions (7, 8) is matched to the outer profile of the roller tappets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Oliver Schnell, Christof Faria, Peter Sailer, Matthew Evans
  • Patent number: 7077090
    Abstract: Valve train with hydraulic lash adjustment in the entire timing train, in which oil is delivered from the oil supply space of the hydraulic valve-lash adjuster (HLA) to the valve rocker arm via a hollow push rod, a choke limiting the oil discharge, the choke being designed in such a way that it seals off the push rod bore at the top when the oil pressure drops, that is to say when the engine is shut off, so that the oil is retained in the push rod bore (12) until—after the engine is started—the choke body (15, 22) opens up the discharge opening again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Peter Sailer, Oliver Schnell, Friedrich Hieronymus
  • Patent number: 7066124
    Abstract: In a scooter engine having valve lifters (33) interposed between intake valves (16) and a cam shaft (31), as well as between exhaust valves (17) and a cam shaft (32), with its axial line (C) of a cylinder (7) extending toward the front part of the vehicle body, a stopper (42) is provided in the cylinder (7) in the opposite position to a top face (33a) of the valve lifters (33). The top face (33a) of the valve lifters (33) is abutted against the stopper (42) when the valve lifters (33) move to fall off a cylinder head (12) as the cam shaft is removed from the cylinder head (12), thus the valve lifters (33) are prevented from falling off the cylinder (7) by the stopper (42). In this way, the valve lifters (33) are be kept assembled to the cylinder (7) even when the cam shaft is removed during the maintenance work. In other words, the DOHC engine (2) can be installed on a scooter while preventing the valve lifters (33) from falling off in the course of maintenance work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 7059287
    Abstract: A switchable cam follower (1) or a switchable support element of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said cam follower or support element comprising an outer part (2) which is assembled together with an inner part (4) that is displaceable relative thereto in a direction of cam lift, said inner part (4) comprising, at a parting gap (5) to the outer part (2), two spaced apart or opposing openings (6, 7) for coupling means, each of said openings (6, 7) being aligned, at one cam position, to a further opening (10, 11) for coupling means in the outer part (2), the coupling means being configured and arranged so that, in a coupled state, each coupling means extends beyond the parting gap (5) on one coupling side (12, 13) while simultaneously extending in the opening (10, 6) of the outer and the inner part (2, 4) which in an uncoupled position of the coupling means (14, 15), an axial idle stroke of the coupling means (15) on the one coupling side (12) till coupling is achieved is large and the axial idle
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: INA Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Walter Speil, Henning Karbstein
  • Patent number: 7044095
    Abstract: A cold advance device for advancing the injection beginning in cold condition diesel engine with single plunger pumps, by means of which the injection onset is adjusted in cold conditions and also in normal conditions. A piston is provided in the roller tappet and the roller tappet moves up and down in response to lubricating oil pressure through a plate valve. The lubricating oil lifts the hydro tappet piston enabling the pump plunger to be in the advance position. The pump plunger is lifted an amount corresponds to 8° to 10° crank angle depending upon the cam profile. The stroke of the piston is limited by a stopper and is designed according to the cold advance requirements of the engine. The plate valve is provided with a throttle hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Kaidala Nanjunda Rao Subramanya
  • Patent number: 7036475
    Abstract: In a lash adjuster of a valve gear which employs a serration-shaped thread mechanism, the formation of a tribochemical reactive film is suppressed by using as the materials for its adjuster screw and nut member (or the materials for their thread surfaces) materials that, even if FM oil is used, the friction coefficient will not extremely decrease. The nut member is provided on the underside of an end plate of a lifter body. The adjuster screw is threadedly engaged in a threaded hole of the nut member. The adjuster screw is biased by a return spring. The female threads of the threaded hole and the male threads of the adjuster screw are serration shaped. One or both of the nut member and the adjuster screw, or the pressured thread surfaces of one or both of them, are formed of a material that will not react with oil additives of FM oil to suppress the formation of tribochemical reactive film, thereby stabilizing the operation of the lash adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Yasuda, Kenshi Ushijima, Eiji Maeno, Ken Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7032553
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly, comprising an adjusting body, a valve lifter body and means for cold forming at least a portion of at least one of the adjusting body and the valve lifter body. The adjusting body includes an outer surface enclosing a cavity, wherein the cavity includes an inner surface configured to accommodate an insert and a spring. The valve lifter body includes a first end containing a first opening, a second end containing a second opening, and an outer lifter surface that encloses a first and second lifter cavity, wherein at least one of the ends is substantially flat, the second lifter cavity includes a second inner lifter surface that is configured to house the adjusting body, and the first cavity is configured to house a cylindrical insert and includes a first inner lifter surface provided with a plurality of walls that extend from the first opening, a curved surface, a flat surface, and an angled surface that is at an angle with respect to the flat surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: The MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Carroll Williams, Dhruva Mandal
  • Patent number: 7028654
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly, comprising a socket body including a forgeable material and provided with an outer socket surface, a first socket surface, and a second socket surface, wherein the outer socket surface is configured to cooperate with the inner surface of an engine workpiece, the first socket surface includes a push rod cooperating surface, and the second socket surface includes a plunger reservoir passage configured to conduct fluid and a curved socket surface that is configured to cooperate with a leakdown plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: The MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Dhruva Mandal, Carroll Williams
  • Patent number: 7013857
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a leakdown plunger, comprising a first plunger opening, a second plunger opening, and an outer plunger surface that is provided with an axis and encloses an inner plunger surface, the first plunger opening is provided with a first annular plunger surface shaped to accommodate a valve insert, the second plunger opening is configured to cooperate with a socket body and is provided with a second annular plunger surface, the outer plunger surface includes a cylindrical plunger surface and cooperates with a lash adjuster body to define a cavity between the lash adjuster body and the outer plunger surface, and the inner plunger surface includes a first inner cylindrical plunger surface and a second inner cylindrical plunger surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Carroll D. Williams, Dhruva Mandal
  • Patent number: 6994064
    Abstract: In a guide rail for the valve train of an internal combustion engine, having receiving spaces disposed in an elongate body in spaced-apart relationship behind one another and accommodating valve lifters, flats are formed upon the outer surface area of each valve lifter to prevent the lifter from rotating about its central longitudinal axis. These flats are supported by flats of the guide rail which are located within the pertaining receiving space. An inlet bore is assigned to each receiving space of the elongate body for insertion of the valve lifter with an attached trumpet-like end in direction of its longitudinal axis. Subsequently the valve lifter is shifted in axis-parallel relationship to the flats of the guide rail, which act as rotation-inhibiting surfaces, and then is slightly displaced again in axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Michael Haas, Norbert Geyer
  • Patent number: 6991219
    Abstract: A valving assembly for a motor vehicle includes a hard, lubricious and chemically inert coating of graphitic carbon. The coating may include a metal. Preferred metals include chromium or other transition metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Ionbond, LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Aharonov, Raymond P. Fontana, James M. South
  • Patent number: 6990935
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine that has a camshaft having a plurality of cam lobes, a plurality of valves where each of the valves are actuated by a lifter actuated by the camshaft with a cam lobe. The lifter comprises a lifter body having an upper surface and a lower surface. A cam contact plate pivots on an axis on the upper surface of the lifter body. Opposed hydraulic actuators are present on either side of the axis of the cam contact plate, where each hydraulic actuators comprise a fluid chamber in the lifter body, a piston in the chamber, and a spring biasing the piston into contact with the cam contact plate. The lifter further comprises a line supplying hydraulic fluid to the fluid chambers of the hydraulic actuators and a control valve for controlling fluid flow from one hydraulic actuator to the other hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Roger T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6981476
    Abstract: A multiple cylinder engine is described, provided with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for actuating the intake valves, in which intake valves and exhaust valves are controlled by a single camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Roberto Saretto, Costantinos Vafidis, Francesco Vattaneo
  • Patent number: 6978752
    Abstract: A hybrid valve lifter guide formed of metal and nonmetallic material for maintaining the angular position of a reciprocable valve lifter having a circumferential surface with at least one alignment flat. The guide includes a metal guide body having a longitudinal guide wall with at least one guide opening through the wall. The guide opening is adapted to receive a valve lifter. A nonmetallic insert is retained by the body adjacent the guide opening to engage at least one alignment flat of the valve lifter received in the guide opening to substantially maintain the angular position of the valve lifter and dampen angular oscillation of the lifter during engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Albertson, Mark Stabinsky, Frederick J. Rozario, Jason E. Morehead
  • Patent number: 6978749
    Abstract: A device for providing additional torsional energy for a cam shaft is provided. The device includes at least one main cam lobe formed on a rotating shaft; a valve operating mechanism disposed to be engaged by the main cam lobe; and an outer cylinder encompassing the valve operating mechanism, and capable of movement that is independent of the valve operating mechanism, the outer cylinder being disposed to provide torsional energy to the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Roger T. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6971356
    Abstract: An engine pushrod which includes a plastic shaft in the form of a rod or tube, and a metal cap on at least one of the ends of the plastic shaft. The plastic shaft may be a molded plastic rod made from an engineered resin material, and may take one of several different shapes, such as a round or “T-shaped” cross-sectional profile. There may be a metal cap on both ends of the plastic shaft, and each of the metal caps may be shaped with a stamping process and hardened. The caps may be crimped onto the ends of the plastic shaft or they may be insert molded. Preferably, either method provides a part with excellent TIR and surface finish, and which meets torque requirements. Preferably, the assembly is lightweight and meets all requirements and the resin material is high temperature resistant and oil resistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Alan Diestelmeier
  • Patent number: 6964252
    Abstract: A valve lifter is disclosed comprising a lifter housing having a receiver, a switch retainer having at least one bore, and a key disposed in the at least one bore. The key is movable into the receiver to lock the switch retainer against movement relative to the lifter housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: James R Klotz
  • Patent number: 6953016
    Abstract: The invention proposes a tappet (1) in a valve train of an internal combustion engine having a bottom camshaft for acting on a tappet push rod, said tappet being arranged with a housing (2) for axial displacement, but secured against rotation, in a guide bore (3) of the internal combustion engine (3a) or of a component connected to the internal combustion engine, said housing (2) comprising on one front end (4), two cheek-like extensions (5) that are situated diametrically opposite each other and are connected by an axle (6) on which a rotary roller (7) extends for making direct contact with a cam, said front end (4) comprising a transverse region (8) that connects the extensions (5) axially inside and has a cylindrical shape in a length direction of the roller (7), and said guide bore (3) being intersected by two passages (12, 13) for routing hydraulic medium to the tappet (1), wherein a radius center point (M) of the transverse region (8) of the one front end (4) is situated with a lateral offset to a longi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Henning Karbstein, Mario Kuhl, Jason Morehead
  • Patent number: 6920857
    Abstract: A deactivation hydraulic valve lifter which includes an elongate lifter body having a substantially cylindrical outer surface and an inner wall, the inner wall defining at least one annular pin chamber therein. The outer surface defining at least one annular groove in fluid communication with a high-pressure oil gallery of an engine, the lifter body having a lower end configured for engaging cam of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Spath
  • Patent number: 6907852
    Abstract: In a valve-driving device for variable adjustment of the lift of a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, wherein the gas exchange valve co-operates, via a transfer element, with a roller which can move about an axis of rotation, with a control path having an idling lift curve and a lift curve in an end area of a spring-loaded pivoting level which is controlled by a cam associated with a cam shaft in order to actuate the lifting of said gas exchange valve. In order to obtain a pure pivoting movement of the pivoting lever, the pivoting center of motion forms a constant instantaneous center of rotation during any actuation of said lift. In order to prevent an impact arising from the valve clearance, the control path of the pivoting lever comprises a ramp, which is correspondingly adapted to the respective valve clearance, between the idling lift curve and the lift curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
    Inventors: Michael Schleusener, Rudolf Flierl
  • Patent number: 6880507
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a valve train that includes a switchable cam follower is provided. The cam follower (20) has a generally cylindrical shape and can move longitudinally in a receptacle (21) of the engine (22), and is acted upon at one axial end by a cam (23) of a camshaft and at the other axial end indirectly or directly by a gas exchange valve of the valve train. A main oil gallery (24) is arranged in the internal combustion engine (22) for introducing hydraulic medium to a valve lash adjustment element arranged in the cam follower (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Mario Kuhl, Henning Karbstein
  • Patent number: 6871622
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a roller follower, comprising an outer surface, enclosing a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the first cavity includes a first inner surface configured to house a cylindrical insert, the second cavity includes a second inner surface cylindrically shaped, and at least one of the cavities is fabricated through forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: MacLean-Fogg Company
    Inventors: Dhruva Mandal, Carroll D. Williams