Electrohydraulic Valve Actuator Sleeve Stop Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrohydraulic gas exchange valve drives require different actuators for varying maximum lifts, leading to increased production costs due to the need for multiple, differently designed parts.
Innovation Solution
The use of adjustable sleeves with radial collars as axial stops allows for varying axial mobility and adaptation to different gas exchange valve drives, enabling the use of identical actuator and differential housing parts across different designs, with sleeves fastened via interference fits or form-fitting beads, allowing for flexible positioning of stops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different actuators are used for varying maximum lifts, then the gas exchange valve drive can be adapted to different designs, but the production cost increases due to the need for multiple differently designed parts
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is divided into modular components: a standardized base actuator housing and interchangeable sleeve elements with different collar positions. The sleeve acts as a segmented adapter that can be exchanged to change the axial stop position, allowing adaptation to different maximum lifts without redesigning the entire actuator.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal actuator housing design is created that can accommodate multiple sleeve variants. The standardized bore and mounting features allow the same actuator body to work with different sleeve collars, making the base component multi-functional and reducing the total number of unique parts needed across different valve drive designs.
2Ease of manufacture
If standardized compensation housings with uniform lengths are used, then production costs decrease, but the axial mobility must be adjustable to accommodate different maximum lifts
Solution Approach 1:
The axial stop position is made adjustable through the interchangeable sleeve system. By changing the sleeve variant with different collar positions, the axial mobility range of the compensation housing is dynamically adapted to match different maximum lift requirements, while the compensation housing itself remains a standardized component.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve acts as an intermediary element between the standardized compensation housing and the actuator housing. It mediates the interaction by providing the appropriate axial stop position, allowing the compensation housing to maintain uniform dimensions while still achieving the required axial mobility for different valve drives.
3Device complexity
If the stop on the differential housing is fixed in position, then the design is simpler, but it cannot be adapted to differently designed gas exchange valve drives with varying maximum lifts
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve with the adjustable collar is nested within the actuator housing bore. This nested structure allows the stop position to be changed by exchanging the sleeve, providing adaptability while keeping the overall actuator structure compact and maintaining relatively simple design principles.
Data Source
Figure 1a~4a
Figure 4b~6
Figure 7a~7b
AI summary
The invention relates to an actuator of an electrohydraulic gas exchange valve drive of an internal combustion engine, comprising an actuator housing (4), which can be fixed in the internal combustion engine and which comprises a bore (9); a valve play compensating element (8) which is received in said bore in an axially movable manner and which comprises a compensating housing (12) for actuating the gas exchange valve (1); and an axial stop which limits the extending movement of the compensating housing out of the bore (9) and which comprises stops (14, 15) that overlap each other radially. The stop (14) on the compensating housing-side is a collar of a sleeve (18) that surrounds the outer casing of the compensating housing, said collar extending outwards in a radial manner.