Rod Patents (Class 123/90.61)
  • Patent number: 8967103
    Abstract: A variable valve timing arrangement for an engine system is disclosed. The variable valve timing arrangement includes a cam follower configured to follow a cam lobe. A pushrod is operably connected with the cam follower and a pushrod rotation mechanism is configured to selectively rotate the pushrod. Further, a cam follower adjustment mechanism is configured to reposition the cam follower based on the rotation of the pushrod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Derek A. Tanis, Joseph E. Roth, Aaron G. Foege
  • Patent number: 8820284
    Abstract: A variable valve gear for an internal combustion engine that is capable of being disposed in a small compact manner and also capable of reducing the generation of a knocking sound. In a variable valve gear, a camshaft is supported by supporting walls of a cylinder head, and camshaft holders formed separately from the supporting walls, two exhaust rocker arms are disposed adjacent to each other, and a connecting pin is movably inserted into pin holes provided in the exhaust rocker arms by an actuator through a pushrod to connect or disconnect the exhaust rocker arms to or from each other. In the variable valve gear, the pushrod is slidably supported in a rod insertion hole of the camshaft holder with the connecting pin being disposed between the pair of camshaft holders and has an axis that is offset toward the camshaft with respect to an axis of the pushrod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidemichi Mori, Dai Kataoka, Nozomi Okada, Makoto Fujikubo
  • Patent number: 8770162
    Abstract: A lifter guide includes a lifter guide body having an outer surface and an inner surface that extend from a first end to a second end. The inner surface defines at least one push rod passage. A plurality of compression members are provided at the first end. The plurality of compression members project proudly from the first end. The plurality of compression members are configured and disposed to be compressed by a cylinder head to retain the lifter guide in a cylinder block. The lifter guide is devoid of mechanical fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nick John Hendriksma, Gerald R. Stabel, Kenneth J. Veenstra
  • Patent number: 8292303
    Abstract: A manifold gasket assembly includes a steel carrier fabricated with a plurality of air intake openings. Rubber material is molded to the carrier body to provide a seal about the openings when the gasket assembly is clamped between a cylinder head and intake manifold. Pushrod guides are provided on the carrier body and are fabricated of a material different than that of the carrier body, namely the same material as that used to form the elastomeric sealing beads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Roberts, Gerald Rosenquist, Joseph Hermanson
  • Patent number: 8220429
    Abstract: A single-cylinder, four-stroke cycle, internal combustion engine arranged in an overhead valve configuration includes a first valve train and a second valve train. The first valve train includes a first cam on a camshaft, a first pushrod driven by the first cam, a first rocker arm attached to the first pushrod, and an exhaust valve driven by the first rocker arm. The second valve train includes a second cam on the camshaft, a second pushrod driven by the second cam, a second rocker arm attached to the second pushrod, and an intake valve driven by the second rocker arm. The first rocker arm is longer than the second rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Schneiker
  • Patent number: 8136494
    Abstract: A guide for use in a vehicle engine having an engine block, cylinder head, and a cylinder head gasket. The guide comprises a valve lifter retention portion, a push rod retention portion in communication with the valve lifter retention portion via one or more apertures, and an alignment and attachment portion extending from the push rod retention portion and configured to be retained by contact with the cylinder head gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Atzwanger, Emre Bulbul, Michael Josef Fuchs
  • Patent number: 8069828
    Abstract: A mechanism (40) for enabling an engine cylinder valve (18) to close at various times during engine cycles has a hydraulic actuator (58) and a control valve (60) controlling the hydraulic actuator a) to constrain a pivot axis of a valve rocker (52) against relocation while the cylinder valve is being forced increasingly open, and b) to release the constraint after the cylinder valve has been forced open for enabling the pivot axis to relocate so that the intake valve can close early thereby providing early IVC. A hydraulic snubber (64) snubs closing motion of the cylinder valve through a scheduling geometry to a hydraulic accumulator (62). The control valve opens to the accumulator to allow the rocker pivot axis to relocate and provide early IVC and closes to return the pivot axis to a location that doesn't provide early IVC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: William de Ojeda, Daniel Cornelius
  • Patent number: 8006661
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has one or more engine cylinders (12) within which fuel is combusted and a pair of cylinder valves (14, 16) spring-biased (22, 24) closed but open in unison to place the respective cylinder in flow communication with one of an intake and an exhaust. A bridge (34) bridges ends of the pair external to the cylinder and has a spherically concave depression (42) in a face that is opposite a face that bears against the ends of the pair. The depression is located intermediate locations at which the ends of the pair bear against the bridge. A pivot foot (44) has a spherically convex surface (46) seated with substantial conformity in the depression and a flat surface (48) opposite the spherically convex surface. The flat surface of the pivot foot abuts a flat surface (50) of a rocker (30) that when rocked acts through the pivot foot and bridge to open the respective pair of valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Christofer J. Palumbo
  • Patent number: 7861680
    Abstract: A multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine having a camshaft-driven valvetrain with a camshaft disposed within an engine block includes at least two intake and/or exhaust valves with multiple valves operated by a common lifter and pushrod that engages a follower having multiple independent lash adjusters coupled to associated rocker arms. The lifter contacts the common camshaft lobe and a corresponding pushrod that engages a reciprocating bucket follower with a compliant coupling to corresponding rocker arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Byrne Diggs
  • Patent number: 7854215
    Abstract: A valve train for use in an engine is provided. The valve train includes a rocker arm assembly having a valve side arm and a cam side arm. A valve is coupled to the engine and is in contact with the valve side arm. A pushrod is reciprocatable by a camshaft and is in contact with the cam side arm. An overload feature is located on at least one of the rocker arm assembly or the pushrod. The overload feature has a reduced cross-sectional area calibrated to activate at a predefined load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick J. Rozario, James B. Hicks, William C. Albertson, Gary J. Patterson
  • Patent number: 7644694
    Abstract: A rocker box, pushrod assembly, oil delivery system, tappets and tappet guides are provided for an engine, particularly a motorcycle engine. The rocker box includes a separable upper portion and lower portion with a seal for sealing the upper portion and lower portion when coupled together. The pushrod assembly includes an adjusting unit that collapses into a pushrod shaft. The oil delivery system includes an oil passageway(s) in a rocker shaft of a rocker arm assembly, and at least one of an oil passageway(s) in a rocker box and an oil passageway(s) in a pushrod assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: S&S Cycle, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Hanold, Floyd Baker, Bruce Tessmer, Scott Sjovall
  • Patent number: 7617807
    Abstract: A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having a camshaft-driven valvetrain with a camshaft disposed within an engine block includes at least two intake and/or exhaust valves with a pair of valves operated by a common camshaft lobe and a cam follower. The valvetrain may include independently operable mechanical or hydraulic lash adjusters. The cam follower contacts the common camshaft lobe and at least two pushrods with each pushrod having an associated single plane rocker arm which couples to a fulcrum mounted to the cylinder head to actuate the at least two valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Diggs, Wally Beaber, Robert Innes
  • Patent number: 7603971
    Abstract: A valve operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine includes a drive member that engages a control arm at a contact point spaced apart from the pivot axis of the control arm, and a control member that operates to vary the contact point in order to vary a spacing between the contact point and the pivot axis of the control arm to vary the amplitude of reciprocation of a cam surface of the control arm and to vary the portion of the cam surface which is engaged by a cam follower member during pivoting of the control arm to thereby vary the amount of lift and/or opening duration of the engine valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Scion-Sprays Limited
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen
  • Patent number: 7546823
    Abstract: A valve control mechanism is provided for an overhead valve, internal combustion engine having a camshaft moving a pushrod to move a rocker arm that in turn moves the valve. Three aligned rollers are fastened to the end of the pushrod adjacent the rocker arm. The outer two rollers roll along parallel profiled surfaces that control at least the valve lift and ramp. The middle roller rolls along an engaging surface on the rocker to move the rocker arm in a motion determined by the configuration and location of the profiled surfaces and the engaging first and second rollers. The outer rollers rotate in a direction opposite the middle roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Inventor: Terry Buelna
  • Patent number: 7530339
    Abstract: A valve system lifter for combustion engines includes a hard metal face pad connected to a lower-grade metal lifter body. The connecting material is one or more materials that are different from both the lifter body and the face pad. Preferably, the connecting material is a silver-and copper-containing material, that may take the form of a wafer with silver or silver alloy layered over a copper alloy core. The preferred body includes one or more ferrous compounds, and the preferred face includes tungsten carbide. The resulting lifter is resistant to the cracking, breakage, and wear that plague conventional lifters, due to the harsh temperature and impact environment of the lifter. The resulting lifter may be used to reduce the need for change-out and down-time in many engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Jerry Burnham of C & B Aviation
    Inventor: Clyde G. Ritter
  • Publication number: 20080295790
    Abstract: The Independently Moving Rod 12 and Holder 30 for Lobe 24 (Apex) of Crank 20, will allow production of extremely fuel efficient reciprocating piston 42 and cylinder 41 engines, regardless of fuel type, without the need for many years of research and development or, R & D. The efficiency is increased because rod 12 moves independently to crank 20, which controls piston 42's movement and speed during most of the power stroke, and by using greater leverage per any certain amount of stroke. The Apex Engine can also be manufactured to be rebuilt by having a few parts replaced. The Apex Engine is simple, soundly engineered, need not be expensive, and will operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventor: Carlo Rene' Calalay
  • Patent number: 7392776
    Abstract: Disclosed is a unique configuration of a rocker arm per se wherein high stress areas thereof are strengthened and a trunion shaft is rotatively mounted on its push rod end and has a threaded push rod end insertion bore, a unique push rod construction per se wherein the upper end thereof is threaded, the combination of this rocker arm and the push rod wherein the upper end of the push rod is threaded into the insertion bore whereby the sudden, rapid, repeated and severe impact forces of the push rod end against the rocker arm are spread throughout the threaded connection and the rocker arm and are thus greatly diminished for each point of force contact between the push rod and the rocker arm, and further the stated combination mounted on an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Jackie L. Lawson
  • Patent number: 7389757
    Abstract: A force-transmitting arrangement (4) for a valve train (1) of an internal-combustion engine (2) with hydraulic valve play compensation device (6) with a hollow cylindrical compensation piston (15) is provided. The compensation piston (15) borders, on one end, a working space (32) of the valve play compensation device (6) and, on the other end, a hydraulic medium reservoir (33), 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). A run-off safety device (22, 22a, 22b) at least partially prevents a hydraulic medium flow from the hydraulic medium reservoir (33) in the direction of the hydraulic medium supply (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Calin Petru Itoafa, Friedrich Hieronymus
  • Patent number: 7308760
    Abstract: A valve lifter and a method of manufacture thereof is provided in which sliding properties of a cam on a cam-contacting sliding surface in an upper surface of a valve lifter are improved by forming the cam-contacting sliding surface as a concave surface to permit retention of lubricating oil therein. The cam-contacting sliding surface is integrally provided in an outer wall of an upper part of a valve lifter. The cam-contacting sliding surface is formed as a concave surface to provide better retention of the lubricating oil. The concave sliding surface is formed during high temperature oxidation of the valve lifter by permitting the natural slumping down of the upper part due to its own weight under the gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Horimura, Kosuke Doi
  • Patent number: 7302925
    Abstract: A manifold gasket assembly includes a steel carrier fabricated with a plurality of air intake openings. Rubber material is molded to the carrier body to provide a seal about the openings when the gasket assembly is clamped between a cylinder head and intake manifold. Pushrod guides are provided on the carrier body and are fabricated of a material different than that of the carrier body, namely the same material as that used to form the elastomeric sealing beads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc
    Inventors: Brian Roberts, Gerald Rosenquist, Joseph Hermanson
  • 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: 7246589
    Abstract: The invention proposes a valve train 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 an at least indirectly contacting pressure piston (5) of a hydraulic lash adjuster (6) of said tappet (7) that follows a periodic driving element, typically a cam. A second support (9) for a follower member (2), typically 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), wherein a pipette means (12) is 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: 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: 7174870
    Abstract: A valve train of an internal combustion engine comprising a tappet and a hollow tappet pushrod that is actuated by said tappet, said tappet pushrod comprising on one end, a first support for an at least indirectly contacting pressure piston of a hydraulic lash adjuster of said tappet that follows a periodic driving element, typically a cam, a second support for a follower member, typically a rocker arm, being arranged on a further end of the tappet pushrod, said first support comprising a passage for hydraulic medium that can be routed out of the pressure piston during operation of the internal combustion engine into an interior of the tappet pushrod, and the second support comprising a passage for the hydraulic medium to the follower member, wherein a one-way valve body is arranged in the interior of the tappet pushrod and extends for free axial displacement between a complementary valve seat facing the first support and a stop for the one-way valve body, typically a disc, facing the second support, which st
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Cathleen Rutsey
  • 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: 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: 7093574
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rocker arm shaft for an automobile engine, which is effectively capable of offsetting the length change of the rocker arm shaft, which caused by heat. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a rocker arm shaft can be divided into at least two shafts. An elastic member, such as a coil spring, is positioned between the shafts. When the length change of the shafts is changed by heat, the elastic member offsets the changed length of the shafts. The rocker arm shaft is divided into a hollow first shaft and a hollow second shaft. A one end of the second shaft of the rocker arm shaft forms a receiving groove for inserting the elastic member. With this structure, the rocker arm shaft for an automobile engine does not bend nor get twisted by offsetting the changed length of the shafts by means of the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: GM Daewoo Auto & Technology
    Inventor: Jae-Ook Oh
  • Patent number: 7077091
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention comprises a polymer matrix pushrod comprising a composite rod having an annular collar affixed over each end portion of the composite rod and an endcap affixed at each end. The composite rod comprises a thermosetting polymer matrix and reinforcing fibers within the polymer matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Leland E. Hix, James P. Sorensen
  • 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: 7032562
    Abstract: An adjustable pushrod guide plate assembly including a first plate and a second plate. Each plate defines an adjustment slot. The plates are in an at least partially overlapping configuration, the slots are optionally aligned, and a shaft is disposed at least partially through the slots to join the plates. The shaft can be a fastener adapted to be manipulated to secure the plates in a variety of fixed configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Dart Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Paul W. Hoskins
  • Patent number: 7004132
    Abstract: To reduce the size and weight of an engine body and improve the mountability and maintainability of transmitting rods in a valve train for an OHV engine having a crankshaft, a crankcase for rotatably supporting the crankshaft, a camshaft incorporated in the crankcase, cylinder heads connected to the crankcase, engine valves operably provided in the cylinder heads, and the transmitting rods for transmitting a valve operating force due to the rotation of the camshaft to the engine valves. The transmitting rods as pull rods are arranged on one side of cylinder barrels. One end portion of each transmitting rod is formed with an engaging portion disengageably engaged with a hook portion of a mating member. An engine body or a guide member, fixed to the engine body, is provided with a guide portion for guiding the engaging portion to the hook portion of the mating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Matsuda, Makoto Sanada, Kazuhiro Uehara, Atsushi Niimi
  • 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: 6883485
    Abstract: In an OHV engine in which a pair of cylinder blocks is connected to the crankcase and power from a cam is transmitted to a rocker arm pivotably supported by the cylinder heads via connecting rods, to enable downsizing of the engine while reducing the number of components and the number of assembling steps. A part of the connecting rods out of the respective connecting rods are respectively stored in a rod storage chamber provided in both cylinder heads, both cylinder blocks and a crankcase between the cylinder axes of the adjacent cylinder bores in the respective cylinder blocks. The remaining connecting rod disposed outwardly of the cylinder axes of the outermost cylinder bores laid along the axis of the crankshaft is stored in part in a pipe member disposed at the position away from the outer walls of the cylinder blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuto Fukuzawa, Tomomi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6883483
    Abstract: In an engine having a rocker member adapted to rock about an axis intermediate the rocker member and a pushrod extending from a lower body to an upper body and engaging an end of the rocker member, a gasket for sealing the lower body to the upper body is provided. The gasket includes a sealing portion adapted to substantially seal at least a portion of the upper body to the lower body, and a pushrod support portion extending outwardly from the sealing portion adapted to engage the pushrod. At least a portion of the pushrod support portion engaging the pushrod is constructed from a material that is softer than the material of the pushrod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Dresser, Inc.
    Inventors: Julian R. Knudsen, Christopher B. Welch
  • Patent number: 6854436
    Abstract: An adjustable length composite push rod constructed of a composite bar having two specially shaped ends to which metal end fittings bond via mating surfaces provided thereon for evenly distributing mechanical stress from the metal end fittings to the composite bar. The bar is constructed of a plurality of layers of sheets of thermosetting, epoxy impregnated, longitudinally oriented fiber material that form the inner portion of the push bar and a single outside sheet of thermosetting, epoxy impregnated, woven fiber material forms the outside portion of the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Performance Composites Inc
    Inventor: Eric H. English
  • Publication number: 20040261740
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control device for continuously variable time and cross section which is added the throttle control valve 10, the element 8 of throttle control valve and the relevant drive mechanism 1 in the regular intake and exhaust system of internal combustion engine. The throttle control valve 10 is fixed in the cavity, which is composed of the fluid flow passage 11 in the cylinder head 7, the valve seat 12 and the valve 9. The throttle control valve 10 is cylindrical, and its axis of motion is just the same as that of the valve guide or is parallel with it. Through controlling the relative movement between the valve 9 and the throttle control valve 10 it is flexible to adjust the cross-section area of fluid flow passage, effective valve phase, working time, effective lift and swirl intensity of fluid movement in the course of periodic opening and closing of valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Guofeng Deng
  • Patent number: 6782859
    Abstract: In a valve system for a OHV horizontally-opposed, four-cycle internal combustion engine, valve camshafts are provided at crankcase portions for supporting a crankshaft, of left and right cylinder banks disposed on opposite sides of the crankshaft. Intake and exhaust valves are provided at cylinder heads and are opened and closed by pull rods operated by the valve camshafts. The aforementioned valve system achieves large reductions in the size and weight of the piston heads where the intake and exhaust valves of the internal combustion engine are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Matsuda, Makoto Sanada
  • Patent number: 6782855
    Abstract: An engine valve train has oil flow to valve actuating components cut off or restricted when the valves are closed, to reduce parasitic losses. In an exemplary embodiment, a pushrod has a pivotable connection with a valve actuating rocker arm through which internal oil passages conduct oil for lubricating the rocker arm. The passages are aligned during valve actuation but become misaligned when the valve is closed. Misalignment of the passages at the sliding connection reduces the amount of oil flow through the connection to improve engine efficiency. When applied to cylinder deactivation engines, oil flow to rocker arms of deactivated valves is completely cut off, or reduced, further reducing parasitic losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Albertson, Frederick J. Rozario, David R. Staley
  • Publication number: 20040149244
    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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventor: Stephen Alan Diestelmeier
  • Patent number: 6691659
    Abstract: A push rod (1), more specifically for use in a valve actuation device of an internal combustion engine, which is substantially hollow and is provided with a portion (5) of a maximum cross section dimension arranged preferably in the middle between the ends (1a, 1b) of the push rod (1). In order to provide, in the easiest possible way, a light weight push rod (1) with high buckling resistance, the push rod (1) consists of a first and of a second, substantially hollow rod piece (2, 3), the rod pieces (2, 3) having a maximum cross section dimension in the region of one open front face (2b, 3b) thereof and being rigidly joined together at their open front faces (2b, 3b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Avl List GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Laimböck
  • Publication number: 20030177994
    Abstract: In an OHV engine in which a pair of cylinder blocks is connected to the crankcase and power from a cam is transmitted to a rocker arm pivotably supported by the cylinder heads via connecting rods, to enable downsizing of the engine while reducing the number of components and the number of assembling steps. A part of the connecting rods out of the respective connecting rods are respectively stored in a rod storage chamber provided in both cylinder heads, both cylinder blocks and a crankcase between the cylinder axes of the adjacent cylinder bores in the respective cylinder blocks. The remaining connecting rod disposed outwardly of the cylinder axes of the outermost cylinder bores laid along the axis of the crankshaft is stored in part in a pipe member disposed at the position away from the outer walls of the cylinder blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuto Fukuzawa, Tomomi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6604499
    Abstract: An oil-through type push rod for, for instance, internal combustion engines including a metal pipe and a metal end fitting which has an oil hole formed therein and is welded to the end of the metal pipe, the metal pipe being provided with a covering layer of a low-melting-point metal for fixing a welding spatter generated during welding, and such a low-melting-point metal covering layer being disposed on at least an inside wall surface of the metal pipe so as to be near an area where the metal end fitting is welded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Suzuki, Iyoshi Watanabe, Teruhisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6584943
    Abstract: A variable compound rocker system for varying the lift of intake valves of an internal combustion engine is provided. The system comprises a rocker shaft with eccentric rings non-rotatably attached thereto. Furthermore, the system includes primary rockers non-rotatably attached to the eccentric rings. The primary rockers have engaging surfaces for engaging rollers attached to secondary rockers. The rollers enable the primary rockers to actuate the secondary rockers, thus actuating the intake valves. The system further includes an actuator assembly adapted to incrementally rotate the rocker shaft, and thus the primary rockers. This incremental rotation of primary rockers changes their attitude causing the lift of the intake valves to vary, thus varying the engine performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: James R Klotz
  • Patent number: 6581558
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine tapered push rod assembly construction is disclosed, as well as a novel method of partially making the assembly elongated body section component from tubular push rod feedstock by removing excess exterior feedstock to form the body section exterior taper rather than by known conventional radial compression of feedstock exterior material that otherwise results in an unwanted feedstock reduced internal diameter, and an unwanted increased body section wall thickness configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Vern D. Ott
  • Patent number: 6557507
    Abstract: A rocker arm assembly has a rocker arm that forms an adjusting mechanism bore, an insert bore, and a transverse central bore. An adjusting mechanism, e.g., a screw, is installed in the adjusting mechanism bore and is used to adjust the travel of the rocker arm as it pivots about the central bore during normal operation. An insert having a hemispherical end is installed in the insert bore. Additionally, a button that forms a hemispherical chamber that is sized and shaped to be received to the hemispherical end of the insert is press fitted onto the insert. As the rocker arm assembly pivots about the central bore the button rotates with respect to the insert. The cooperation of structure between the insert and the button allows the button to rotate with respect to the insert, but prevents the button from falling off the insert and damaging the engine in which the rocker arm assembly is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Rosenbush, Matthew K. Johnson, Damon B. Vaughan
  • Publication number: 20030041826
    Abstract: An oil-through type push rod for, for instance, internal combustion engines including a metal pipe and a metal end fitting which has an oil hole formed therein and is welded to the end of the metal pipe, the metal pipe being provided with a covering layer of a low-melting-point metal for fixing a welding spatter generated during welding, and such a low-melting-point metal covering layer being disposed on at least an inside wall surface of the metal pipe so as to be near an area where the metal end fitting is welded
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Suzuki, Iyoshi Watanabe, Teruhisa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20030024494
    Abstract: The invention relates to a push rod (1), more specifically for use in a valve actuation device of an internal combustion engine, which is substantially hollow and is provided with a portion (5) of a maximum cross section dimension arranged preferably in the middle between the ends (1a, 1b) of the push rod (1). In order to provide, in the easiest possible way, a light weight push rod (1) with high buckling resistance, the push rod (1) consists of a first and of a second, substantially hollow rod piece (2, 3), said rod pieces (2, 3) having a maximum cross section dimension in the region of one open front face (2b, 3b) thereof and being rigidly joined together at their open front faces (2b, 3b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventor: Franz Laimbock
  • Patent number: 6513472
    Abstract: In a valve train (1) of an internal combustion engine (10), a tappet push rod (2) comprises on its first end (3), a tappet (5) and an uncoupling device (8) made as a single component, and on its second end (4), a hydraulic lash adjuster (15) that acts on a rocker arm. Due to this spatial separation of the lash adjuster (15) from the single component (5, 8), a component (5, 8) is obtained that has a reduced mass and a smaller diameter as well as a relatively simple structure. In addition, the lash adjuster (15) can now be supplied with hydraulic medium directly out of the rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Ina-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Walter Speil, Oliver Schnell
  • Patent number: 6505592
    Abstract: A valve train for a twin cam engine has three valves per cylinder, including a pair of side-by-side intake valves and a single exhaust valve on an opposite, exhaust side of the combustion chamber. Dual camshafts in a V-type engine separately drive the intake and exhaust cams through a single dual arm intake rocker arm and a single exhaust rocker arm per cylinder, which provides much improved inlet port airflow for improved specific output compared to a single inlet valve engine. The single exhaust valve provides better catalytic converter performance due to lower exhaust heat loss than in four-valve engines of the same output capability. The intake and exhaust valve trains provide coplanar action of the push rods, rocker arms and valve stem axes, yielding an efficient and simplified valve train with a high flow combustion chamber. Additional features and advantages are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Alan William Hayman, James Joseph Mazzola, III
  • Patent number: 6505589
    Abstract: A valve train layout for an overhead valve engine uses a single camshaft actuating two inlet valves and a single exhaust valve. The two inlet valves are preferably aligned on an inner side of a cylinder with the exhaust valve on an outer side. The inlet valves are preferably actuated by a cam follower and single push rod driving a rocker arm with dual arms and separate lash adjusters actuating the inlet valves. The exhaust valve is preferably actuated by a cam follower with a lash adjuster driving a single push rod operating a primary rocker arm that drives a secondary push rod pivoting an exhaust rocker arm to actuate the exhaust valve. In one embodiment, the primary rocker arm for the exhaust valve pivots on a common axis with the intake rocker arm. In an alternative embodiment, the primary rocker arm pivots on a canted pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Alan William Hayman, James Joseph Mazzola, III, Frederick J. Rozario, Terry Wayne Black