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Variable-valve-actuation apparatus for internal combustion engine

a technology of variable valves and internal combustion engines, which is applied in mechanical equipment, valve arrangements, machines/engines, etc., can solve the problems of increasing increasing the torque of the motor for rotating the control shaft, and increasing the power consumption during ordinary driving of the vehicle, so as to reduce the power consumption of the motor and enhance the switching responsivity

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-09-14
HITACHI LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a WA apparatus for an internal combustion engine that reduces power consumption and improves switching responsivity when control is switched from small lift-amount and operating-angle control to large lift-amount and operating-angle control. This is achieved by a variable-valve-actuation (VVA) apparatus with a control shaft, alteration mechanism, and drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes an electric motor and a reduction mechanism with a larger reduction ratio when the valve is under control of small operating angle than when the valve is under control of large operating angle.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, under small valve-lift and operating-angle control which corresponds to a control area in the ordinary driving range or practical range of the vehicle, the reduction ratio is smaller, leading to greater power consumption of the motor.
Therefore, under small valve-lift and operating-angle control, the reduction ratio is not increased and thus smaller, leading to greater torque of the motor for rotating the control shaft.
This increases power consumption during ordinary driving of the vehicle, resulting in a harmful effect on fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine which also serves to drive accessories such as an alternator.
Further, if power supplied to the motor is smaller due to reduction in storage amount of a battery for supplying power to the motor, a technical problem can occur such as deterioration of the rotation-ability of the motor in the ordinary driving range of the vehicle.
Furthermore, since the reduction ratio is not decreased and thus constant during the transition from small valve lift to large valve lift, which occurs at quick acceleration of the vehicle and the like, the total number of revolutions of the motor required for this transition cannot be reduced, causing longer transition time, resulting in possible lowering of the switching responsivity from small valve lift to large valve lift.

Method used

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  • Variable-valve-actuation apparatus for internal combustion engine
  • Variable-valve-actuation apparatus for internal combustion engine
  • Variable-valve-actuation apparatus for internal combustion engine

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first embodiment

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2-5B, there is shown first embodiment of the present invention. The WA apparatus includes a pair of intake valves 2 slidably provided to a cylinder head 1 through valve guides, not shown, and biased in the closed direction by valve springs 3, an alteration mechanism 4 for varying the lift amount of intake valves 2, a control mechanism 5 for controlling the operating position of alteration mechanism 4, and a drive mechanism 6 for driving control mechanism 5.

[0028] Alteration mechanism 4 includes a hollow driving shaft 13 rotatably supported by a bearing 14 in an upper portion of cylinder head 1, a crank or eccentric rotating cam 15 fixed to driving shaft 13 by press fit and the like, a pair of VO cams 17 swingably supported on an outer peripheral surface of driving shaft 13 and coming in slide contact with valve lifters 16 disposed at the upper ends of intake valves 2 for opening operation thereof, and a transmission mechanism connected between crank cam 15 ...

second embodiment

[0077] Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown second embodiment of the present invention, wherein screw transmission mechanism 37 comprises no link member 48 nor linkage arm 47, but a linkage lever 70 instead of linkage arm 47, which is directly liked to threaded nut 46.

[0078] Specifically, linkage lever 70 is formed like an axially long raindrop, and has a base 70a fixed to one end 32a of control shaft 32, and a slit 71 formed longitudinally substantially in the center of a tip 70b extending below one side of threaded nut 46.

[0079] On the other hand, threaded nut 46 has a transmission pin 72 rotatably mounted substantially in the axial center of one side. Transmission pin 72 has a base end rotatably supported in support hole radially formed in threaded nut 46, and a tip formed with two engagement faces 72a, 72b slidably engaged in slit 71.

[0080] When linkage lever 70 is located perpendicular (about 90°) to an axis of threaded shaft 45 as shown by solid line in FIG. 9, it abuts on se...

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Abstract

A WA apparatus includes a control shaft arranged rotatable in accordance with the engine operating conditions, an alteration mechanism for changing a lift amount and an operating angle of an engine valve in accordance with rotation of the control shaft, and a drive mechanism for rotating the control shaft and including an electric motor and a reduction mechanism. The reduction mechanism has a reduction ratio set to be larger when the valve is under small lift-amount and operating-angle control than when the valve is under large lift-amount and operating-angle control.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10 / 627,745, filed Jul. 28, 2003, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a variable-valve-actuation (WA) apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which can vary at least the operating angle of engine valves such as an intake valve and an exhaust valve in accordance with engine operating conditions. [0003] Typically, the WA apparatus applied to intake valves comprises a crank cam arranged at the outer periphery of a driving shaft that rotates in synchronism with a crankshaft and having an axis eccentric to an axis of the driving shaft, and a valve operating (VO) cam to which torque of the crank cam is transmitted through a transmission mechanism to have a cam face coming in slide contact with the top face of a valve lifter arranged at the upper end of the intake valve for opening operation thereof against a biasing force of a valve spring. ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F01L1/34F01L13/00F01L1/18
CPCF01L1/022F01L1/25F01L1/267Y10T74/19014F01L13/0063F01L2013/0073F01L2820/032F01L13/0026
Inventor NAKAMURA, MAKOTOYAMADA, YOSHIHIKO
Owner HITACHI LTD