U.S. patent application number 09/778912 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for valve resting mechanism for cylinder control type engine.
Invention is credited to Nakashima, Kenro.
Application Number | 20010039930 09/778912 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18645694 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010039930 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakashima, Kenro |
November 15, 2001 |
Valve resting mechanism for cylinder control type engine
Abstract
A rocker arm for rocking on a rocker arm shaft is constructed to
include two arms: a first rocker arm rocked positively by the
rotating motion of a cam; and a second rocker arm for actuating the
opening/closing actions of an intake/exhaust valve. At a running
time of an engine at a high speed/under a high load, an
electromagnet of an electromagnetic drive device is excited to move
a movable pin forward thereby connect the first and second rocker
arms to each other. At a running time of the engine at a low
speed/under a low load, on the other hand, the electromagnet of the
electromagnetic drive device for a selected cylinder is unexcited
so that the movable pin is returned to an initial position by the
force of a return spring to disconnect the first and second rocker
arms.
Inventors: |
Nakashima, Kenro;
(Fujisawa-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
700 11TH STREET, NW
SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20001
US
|
Family ID: |
18645694 |
Appl. No.: |
09/778912 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/90.16 ;
123/198F |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01L 2001/188 20130101;
F01L 13/0005 20130101; F01L 2820/031 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/90.16 ;
123/198.00F |
International
Class: |
F01L 001/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 11, 2000 |
JP |
2000-138018 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In an overhead cam engine comprising: a cylinder head fixed on a
cylinder block having multiple cylinders; an intake/exhaust valve
for opening/closing an intake/exhaust port formed in said cylinder
head; and a cam type valve actuating mechanism disposed over said
cylinder head for actuating said intake/exhaust valve for the
opening/closing actions, said cam type valve actuating mechanism
including: a cam formed on a camshaft made rotatable according to
the rotation of the engine; and a rocker arm adapted to rock on a
rocker arm shaft in accordance with the rotation of said cam, for
giving the opening/closing actions to said intake/exhaust valve, a
valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine, wherein
the improvement resides: in that said rocker arm includes a first
rocker arm and a second rocker arm for rocking independently of
each other on said rocker arm shaft, said first rocker arm being
adapted to rock when given the rotational motion of said cam, said
second rocker arm being adapted to give the opening/closing actions
to said intake/exhaust valve; in that said first and second rocker
arms have individual engagement portions, with which a pin to be
slidably moved by an electromagnetic drive device comes into
engagement; and in that the rocking motion is transmitted from said
first rocker arm to said second rocker arm in the engaged state
where said pin is engaged by both said engagement portions whereas
the rocking motion is not transmitted from said first rocker arm to
said second rocker arm in the disengaged state where said pin is
not engaged by the engagement portion of said second rocker
arm.
2. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 1, wherein one of said engagement portions
formed on said first and second rocker arms is formed at the boss
portion of said first rocker arm by a pin guide hole for guiding
said pin slidably, whereas the other engagement portion is formed
at the boss portion of said second rocker arm by an engagement hole
to be engaged by said pin.
3. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 2, wherein said pin is inserted at all times
into said pin guide hole of said first rocker arm and is biased in
a direction to come out of said engagement hole of said second
rocker arm by a return spring which is arranged between the head of
said pin and said boss portion.
4. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic drive device
includes: a movable element for sliding said pin in the axial
direction; a stator for establishing an electromagnet; and a
clearance between said movable element and said stator for
regulating the sliding extent of said movable element in the axial
direction.
5. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 4, wherein the sliding stroke of said pin is
controlled by the sliding extent of said movable element.
6. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 4, wherein said pin and said movable element are
mutually slidable toward the center of the rocking fulcrum of said
rocker arm from the sliding faces of said engagement portions.
7. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 4, wherein said pin rocks while engaging at all
times with said engagement portion of said first rocker arm and is
brought by the sliding motion of said movable element into rocking
engagement with said engagement portions of both said first and
second rocker arms.
8. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 1, wherein said first rocker arm and said second
rocker arm are provided with return springs so that they may rock
while following the motions of said cam and said intake/exhaust
valve at all times.
9. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 1, wherein the engagement/disengagement of said
first rocker arm and said second rocker arm, as so disposed at the
individual cylinders as to act independently of each other for the
individual cylinders, are individually controlled according to the
running state of the engine.
10. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 1, wherein said stator of said electromagnetic
drive device includes: a case fixed on said cylinder head through a
bracket; a yoke arranged in said case; and an exciting coil
arranged in said yoke.
11. A valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine
according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic drive device
includes a permanent magnet midway of the iron core for forming a
magnetic path so that said movable element may be self-retained.
Description
BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a valve resting mechanism
for a multi-cylinder engine. More particularly, the invention
relates to a valve resting mechanism for a cylinder control type
engine, for retaining a proper running state for an engine load by
resting the multiple cylinders partially according to the acting
state of the engine.
[0002] Most of multi-cylinder engines of the prior art are run by
feeding the fuel and air individually homogeneously to all the
cylinders according to a load all over drive ranges because they
are restricted on the mechanism of a valve actuating system.
[0003] In the valve actuating mechanism capable of performing a
drive resting the cylinders partially or changing the valve timing,
on the other hand, there is known (see for example Japanese patent
application Kokai publications No. 6-299828 and No. 7-49016) a
valve actuating mechanism for the engine to make it easy to return
from the partially rested run to the run with all the cylinders
being active or to change the valve timing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In the multi-cylinder engine of the type in which the fuel
and air are fed individually homogeneously to all the cylinders in
accordance with the load all over the drive ranges, however, the
combustion efficiency at an idling time or at a low speed/under a
low load is generally so poor as to increase the pumping loss
thereby to raise a problem that the thermal efficiency is lowered.
On the other hand, the valve actuating mechanism of the engine, as
disclosed in Japanese patent application Kokai publication No.
6-299828, has such a complicated mechanism as to raise another
problem that its assembly and control are troublesome.
[0005] An object of the invention is to solve the above-specified
problems and to provide a valve resting mechanism for a cylinder
control type engine, which can improve the combustion efficiency at
the idling time and at the low speed/under the low load and can
simplify the valve actuating mechanism of the engine.
[0006] In an overhead cam engine comprising: a cylinder head fixed
on a cylinder block having multiple cylinders; an intake/exhaust
valve for opening/closing an intake/exhaust port formed in the
cylinder head; and a cam type valve actuating mechanism disposed
over the cylinder head for actuating the intake/exhaust valve for
the opening/closing actions, the cam type valve actuating mechanism
including: a cam formed on a camshaft made rotatable according to
the rotation of the engine; and a rocker arm adapted to rock on a
rocker arm shaft in accordance with the rotation of the cam, for
giving the opening/closing actions to the intake/exhaust valve,
according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a valve
resting mechanism for a cylinder control type engine, wherein the
improvement resides: in that the rocker arm includes a first rocker
arm and a second rocker arm for rocking independently of each other
on the rocker arm shaft, the first rocker arm being adapted to rock
when given the rotational motion of the cam, the second rocker arm
being adapted to give the opening/closing actions to the
intake/exhaust valve; in that the first and second rocker arms have
individual engagement portions, with which a pin to be slidably
moved by an electromagnetic drive device comes into engagement; and
in that the rocking motion is transmitted from the first rocker arm
to the second rocker arm in the engaged state where the pin is
engaged by both the engagement portions whereas the rocking motion
is not transmitted from the first rocker arm to the second rocker
arm in the disengaged state where the pin is not engaged by the
engagement portion of the second rocker arm.
[0007] One of the engagement portions formed on the first and
second rocker arms is formed at the boss portion of the first
rocker arm by a pin guide hole for guiding the pin slidably,
whereas the other engagement portion is formed at the boss portion
of the second rocker arm by an engagement hole to be engaged by the
pin. Moreover, the pin is inserted at all times into the pin guide
hole of the first rocker arm and is biased in a direction to come
out of the engagement hole of the second rocker arm by a return
spring which is arranged between the head of the pin and the boss
portion.
[0008] The electromagnetic drive device includes: a movable element
for sliding the pin in the axial direction; a stator for
establishing an electromagnet; and a clearance between the movable
element and the stator for regulating the sliding extent of the
movable element in the axial direction.
[0009] The sliding stroke of the pin is controlled by the sliding
extent of the movable element. The pin and the movable element are
mutually slidable toward the center of the rocking fulcrum of the
rocker arm from the sliding faces of the engagement portions. On
the other hand, the pin rocks while engaging at all times with the
engagement portion of the first rocker arm and is brought by the
sliding motion of the movable element into rocking engagement with
the engagement portions of both the first and second rocker
arms.
[0010] The first rocker arm and the second rocker arm are provided
with return springs so that they may rock while following the
motions of the cam and the intake/exhaust valve at all times.
[0011] In this cylinder control type engine, valve resting
mechanisms are provided separately to separate cylinders so that
they can operate independently for separate cylinders, and the
engagement or disengagement of the such mechanisms with or from the
first rocker arm and the second rocker arm provided to each
cylinder are controlled mechanism by mechanism according to the
running state of the engine.
[0012] The stator of the electromagnetic drive device includes: a
case fixed on the cylinder head through a bracket; a yoke arranged
in the case; and an exciting coil arranged in the yoke. On the
other hand, the electromagnetic drive device includes a permanent
magnet midway of the iron core for forming a magnetic path so that
the movable element may be self-retained.
[0013] With the valve resting mechanism for the cylinder control
type engine being thus constructed, when the electromagnetic drive
device is activated in response to the high speed/the high load of
the engine, the pin slides and moves so that the first and second
rocker arms can be connected to each other to open/close the
intake/exhaust valve.
[0014] When the electromagnetic drive device for the cylinder
selected is inactivated, on the other hand, the pin of the
corresponding cylinder is returned to the initial position by the
return spring so that the first and second rocker arms come into
the disconnected state. Then, even if the first rocker arm rocks
according to the rotation of the cam, the second rocker arm does
not rock to rest the selected cylinder.
[0015] Therefore, this valve resting mechanism for the cylinder
control type engine can control the valve drive and the valve rest
simply with or without the drive of the electromagnetic drive
device so that the responding speed of the drive control is better
improved than that of the hydraulic valve resting mechanism of the
prior art.
[0016] At the idling time or at the low speed/under the low load,
moreover, the valve drive is partially inactivated to rest the
cylinders partially so that the engine can be run with a proper
number of cylinders to improve the combustion efficiency. According
to the invention, therefore, the pumping loss can be lowered to
improve the thermal efficiency. In this valve resting mechanism for
the cylinder control type engine, moreover, the intake valve and
the exhaust valve can be assembled and controlled separately for
the individual cylinders so that they can cope with the various
cylinder controls.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a valve resting mechanism
of a cylinder control type engine according to the invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an electromagnetic drive
device;
[0019] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a rocker arm;
[0020] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the
leading end portion of a pin is inserted into an engagement hole of
a second rocker arm;
[0021] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state where
first and second rocker arms rock together to open intake/exhaust
valves;
[0022] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the
leading end portion of the pin is retracted from the engagement
hole of the second rocker arm; and
[0023] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the state where
only the first rocker arm is rocked by a cam while leaving the
intake/exhaust valves unopened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0024] An embodiment of the invention will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0025] An overhead cam type engine having a valve resting mechanism
according to the invention is constructed to include: a cylinder
head 4 fixed in the (not-shown) cylinder block having multiple
cylinders; an intake/exhaust valve 2 for opening/closing an
intake/exhaust port 5 formed in the cylinder head 4; and a cam type
valve actuating mechanism 3 formed over the cylinder head 4 for
opening/closing the intake/exhaust valve 2. To the cylinder head 4,
there is attached through a gasket 44 a cylinder head liner 27
forming a combustion chamber. In this cylinder head liner 27, there
is formed a valve seat 45, on which the intake/exhaust valve 2 is
seated. The reference numeral 54 denotes a cylinder head cover.
[0026] A valve stem 20 of the intake/exhaust valve 2 is
reciprocated by the guide of a valve guide 21 which is arranged in
a through hole formed in the cylinder head 4. At the end portion of
the valve stem 20, there is fixed a cotter 23, to which a valve
spring retainer 18 is attached. On the upper face of the cylinder
head 4, there is disposed a valve spring retainer 26. Between these
two valve spring retainers 18 and 26, moreover, there is arranged a
valve spring 19 for returning the intake/exhaust valve 2 in a
closing direction.
[0027] The cam type valve actuating mechanism 3 is provided with: a
cam 6 formed on a camshaft 7 made rotatable according to the
rotation of the engine; and a rocker arm 25 for rocking on a rocker
arm shaft 8 in accordance with the rotation of the cam 6 to
open/close the intake/exhaust valve 2. This cam type valve
actuating mechanism 3 rocks the rocker arm 25 on the rocker arm
shaft 8 in accordance with the rotation of the cam 6, and this
rocking motion is transmitted through a valve adjusting screw 28,
as attached to the leading end of the rocker arm 25, to a tappet 17
carried on the end portion of the valve stem 20, so that it is
converted into a push-down motion of the tappet 17. By this
push-down motion of the tappet 17, the opening/closing motion is
transmitted to the intake/exhaust valve 2. Reference numeral 29
designates a nut for fixing the valve adjusting screw 28 on the
rocker arm 25.
[0028] In the valve resting mechanism of this cylinder control type
engine, the rocker arm 25 is constructed of a first rocker arm 9
and a second rocker arm 10 for rocking independently of each other
on the rocker arm shaft 8 such that the first rocker arm 9 is
rocked by the rotational motion of the cam 6 and such that the
second rocker arm 10 opens/closes the intake/exhaust valve 2. On
these first and second rocker arms 9 and 10, there are individually
formed engagement portions to be engaged by a pin 11 which is
slidably moved by an electromagnetic drive device 1. These
engagement portions are characterized in that the rocking motion is
transmitted from the first rocker arm 9 to the second rocker arm 10
in the engaged state where the pin 11 is engaged by both the
engagement portions whereas the rocking motion is not transmitted
from the first rocker arm 9 to the second rocker arm 10 in the
disengaged state where the pin 11 is not engaged by the engagement
portion of the second rocker arm 10.
[0029] The engagement portion at the first rocker arm 9 is formed
of a pin guide hole 13 which is formed in a boss portion 46 of the
first rocker arm 9 for guiding the pin 11 slidably, as shown in
FIG. 3. On the other hand, the engagement portion at the second
rocker arm 10 is formed of an engagement hole 12 which is formed in
a boss portion 47 of the second rocker arm 10 for engaging with the
pin 11. On the other hand, this pin 11 is biased in a direction to
come out of the engagement hole 12 of the second rocker arm 10 by a
return spring 22 which is arranged between the head of the pin 11
and the upper face of the boss portion 46, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0030] The electromagnetic drive device 1 includes: a movable
element 14 for sliding the pin 11 axially; and a stator 15 for
establishing an electromagnet, and has a clearance formed between
the movable element 14 and the stator 15 for regulating the axial
sliding extent of the movable element 14, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0031] The stator 15 is constructed to include: a case 30 fixed on
the cylinder head 4 through a bracket 31; a lower yoke 34 and an
upper yoke 32 arranged in the recess of the case 30 for forming a
magnetic core; and an annular exciting coil 33 arranged
concentrically in an annular portion defined by the upper and lower
yokes 32 and 34. On the other hand, the movable element 14 is
constructed to include: a plunger 53; a cylindrical plunger 41
fitted on the plunger 53 and fixed on the upper end portion 39 of
the plunger 53 by a nut 38; and a push portion 40 formed at the
lower end of the plunger 53.
[0032] The lower yoke 34 is formed of a bottom plate 34a and a
cylindrical portion 34b erected on the bottom plate 34a, which has
a hole formed to have a diameter equal to that internal diameter of
the cylindrical portion 34b. On the other hand, the upper yoke 32
is formed of a cylindrical portion 32a and a cover portion 32b
attached to the upper end of the cylindrical portion 32a. In the
cover portion 32b, there is formed a hole, through which the
cylindrical plunger 41 extends.
[0033] In the electromagnetic drive device 1, when the exciting
coil 33 of the stator 15 is energized, the movable element 14
protrudes downward from a hollow portion 50 of the stator 15 so
that the lower end face 51 of its push portion 40 comes into
abutment against the upper end face 52 of the pin 11, as shown in
FIG. 1, to push down the pin 11. This pin 11 has a sliding stroke
controlled by the sliding extent of the movable element 14, that
is, by the gap of a clearance 35 which is defined between a
funnel-shaped end face at the upper end of the cylindrical portion
34b of the lower yoke 34 and a conical end face at the lower end of
the cylindrical plunger 41. The pin 11 and the movable element 14
are mutually slidable toward the center of the rocking fulcrum of
the rocker arm 25 from the sliding faces of the engagement
portions. On the other hand, the stator 15 of the electromagnetic
drive device 1 can be added after the assembly by attaching it to
the bracket 31 supporting the rocker arm shaft 8 rotatably, as
shown in FIG. 2, so that it can be assembled and controlled for
each cylinder or for every intake and exhaust valves 2.
[0034] The pin 11 rocks always in engagement with the pin guide
hole 13 of the first rocker arm 9, and the rocker arm 25 can rock
when the pin 11 is slid into engagement with the engagement hole 12
of the second rocker arm 10 by the movable element 14. The first
rocker arm 9 and the second rocker arm 12 are equipped with a
return spring 24 so that they may rock at all times while following
the motions of the cam 6 and the intake/exhaust valve 2. In short,
the return spring 24 performs a function to cause the first rocker
arm 9 to follow the cam 6.
[0035] The valve resting mechanism of this cylinder control type
engine is provided for each cylinder so that it may act
independently for each cylinder, and the engagement/disengagement
of the first rocker arm 9 and the second rocker arm 10 of each
cylinder are individually controlled according to the running state
of the engine.
[0036] In the electromagnetic drive device 1, as shown in FIG. 2,
the bracket 31 is fixed on a holding member 16 over the cylinder
head 4 by means of bolts 36. On the bracket 31, there is fixed by a
support bed 43 the case 30 which is fixed on the bracket 31 by
means of a knock-pin 48. A cover 37 is attached to the case 30. in
this case 30, there is fixed by means of a knock-pin 49 the lower
yoke 34 of the electromagnet, which constructs the stator 15. On
the lower yoke 34, there is fixed the annular upper yoke 32. In the
annular portion defined by the upper yoke 32 and the lower yoke 34,
there is arranged the exciting coil 33 which is arranged in an
annular shape. In the hollow portion 50 of the stator 15, there is
slidably arranged the plunger 53 which constructs the movable
element 14.
[0037] The lower end face 51 of the push portion 40 of the plunger
53 forms the sliding face to come into sliding abutment against the
pin 11. On the other hand, the clearance 35 is formed between the
lower end face of the cylindrical plunger 41 and the upper end face
of the lower yoke 34 so that it defines the stroke of the sliding
motion of the movable element 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the lefthand
movable element 14 is in the state where it is lifted by the
exciting coil 33 energized, but the righthand movable element 14 is
in the state where it is not lifted because the exciting coil 33 is
deenergized. The bracket 31 has an oil filler port 42 for feeding a
lubricant so that the movable element 14 may slide smoothly.
[0038] On the other hand, this valve resting mechanism of the
cylinder control type engine could be constructed such that a
permanent magnet is disposed midway of the upper yoke 32, i.e., the
magnetic core for forming the magnetic path, although not shown, so
that the movable element 14 may be self-restrained by the permanent
magnet. In this modification, it is possible to reduce the power
consumption at the time when the electromagnet is energized.
[0039] With the construction thus far described, this valve resting
mechanism of the cylinder control type engine acts in the following
manners.
[0040] At the time of the engine at a high speed and under a high
load, as shown in FIG. 4, the electromagnet of the electromagnetic
drive device 1 is excited. When the electromagnet of the
electromagnetic drive device 1 is excited, the cylindrical plunger
41 of the movable element 14 is attached by the magnetic pole,
i.e., the upper end of the cylindrical portion 34b of the lower
yoke 34 so that the movable element 14 is lifted to push down the
pin 11. At this time, the pin 11 slides down in the pin guide hole
13 formed in the first rocker arm 9 and comes into engagement with
the engagement hole 12 of the second rocker arm 10.
[0041] When the pin 11 engages at its leading end portion with the
engagement hole 12 of the second rocker arm 10, the first rocker
arm 9 and the second rocker arm 10 come into the integrally
connected state. When the first rocker arm 9 and the second rocker
arm 10 are thus fixed, not only the first rocker arm 9 but also the
second rocker arm 10 is rocked by the cam 6, as shown in FIG. 5, so
that the intake/exhaust valve 2 is pushed down through the valve
adjusting screw 28 fixed in the second rocker arm 10, to open the
intake/exhaust port 5.
[0042] At an idling time or at a running time at a low speed/under
a low load of the engine, on the other hand, the electromagnet of
the electromagnetic drive device 1 of the selected cylinder is
unexcited to the inactive state. When the electromagnet of the
electromagnetic drive device 1 is thus unexcited, the pin 11 is
returned upward by the return spring 22, as shown in FIG. 6, so
that the movable element 14 of the electromagnetic drive device 1
is returned upward by the return of the pin 11.
[0043] The leading end portion of the pin 11 is retracted from the
engagement hole 12 of the second rocker arm 10 by the return of the
pin 11 to disconnect the first rocker arm 9 and the second rocker
arm 10. When these first and second rocker arms 9 and 10 are thus
disconnected, the second rocker arm 10 is not rocked even if the
first rocker arm 9 is rocked by the cam 6, as shown in FIG. 7, so
that it is held at the original position by the return spring 24.
As a result, the valve adjusting screw 28 fixed in the second
rocker arm 10 does not push down the intake/exhaust valve 2 so that
the intake/exhaust port 5 is held in the closed state.
* * * * *