Electrically-Driven Actuator Heat Management Layout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electrically-driven actuators in variable valve operating mechanisms are prone to overheating due to exposure to engine, transmission, and radiator core heat, leading to performance degradation and increased costs, as they are often accommodated in a cylinder head cover, making it difficult to avoid heat flow paths within the engine room.

Innovation Solution

The electrically-driven actuator is positioned outside the engine room in a way that it is not directly exposed to heat from the transmission, radiator core, or engine auxiliary machinery, such as by placing it on the opposite side of the transmission, above engine auxiliary components, or in a space shared with the transfer mechanism, thereby avoiding heat flow paths and maintaining compactness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the electrically-driven actuator is accommodated in the cylinder head cover, then the engine can be made compact, but the actuator is exposed to heat flow paths and overheats

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine compactnessVSAvoidactuator temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The actuator is extracted from the cylinder head cover and positioned outside the engine room. This separates the actuator from the heat-generating components (engine, transmission, radiator core), eliminating exposure to heat flow paths while maintaining engine compactness through optimized spatial arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediate spatial zones and structural elements (such as positioning the actuator on the opposite side of the transmission, above engine auxiliary components, or in space shared with the transfer mechanism) that mediate between the compact engine layout requirements and the need to avoid heat exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the motor capacity is increased to prevent overheating, then the actuator performance is maintained, but the actuator size and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactuator performance stabilityVSAvoidactuator size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful heat exposure situation into a beneficial arrangement by positioning the actuator outside the engine room. This eliminates the need for oversized motors or enhanced cooling systems, allowing the use of a compact, cost-effective motor capacity while maintaining reliable performance through proper thermal environment management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Temperature

If the actuator is positioned to avoid heat flow paths, then overheating is prevented, but the engine room layout becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactuator temperatureVSAvoidengine room layout

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The actuator positioning outside the engine room serves multiple functions simultaneously: it avoids heat flow paths from the engine, transmission, and radiator core; it maintains engine compactness through optimized spatial arrangement; and it simplifies the overall system layout by eliminating the need for internal cooling structures or heat shielding within the cylinder head cover.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP1921282B1Arrangement structure of electrically-driven actuator

Publication Date: 2012.08.29 MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORP

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AI summary

An arrangement structure of an electrically-driven actuator (65) is used in a variable valve operating mechanism (50, 202, 300) capable of adjusting an operation of a valve (19a, 19b) of an engine (10). A part of the electrically driven actuator (65) exposed to the outside of the engine (10) is arranged at a position shifted in a car width direction with respect to an exothermic body (30, 40) provided at a periphery of the engine (10).