U.S. patent application number 09/851954 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-07 for hydraulically actuated latching pin valve deactivation.
Invention is credited to Church, Kynan L., Hampton, Keith, Janowiak, Gary L., Zurface, Austin R..
Application Number | 20020014217 09/851954 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26944646 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020014217 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Church, Kynan L. ; et
al. |
February 7, 2002 |
Hydraulically actuated latching pin valve deactivation
Abstract
The invention is a valve deactivator assembly (15) for use in
connection with a valve train of an internal combustion engine. In
application, a pre-selected number of the engine cylinders would
each be equipped with a deactivator connected to its intake engine
valve. Upon driver selection or predetermined road conditions,
sufficient lost motion would be introduced into the valve train so
that the valve would remain closed and the cylinder deactivated as
the engine is in operation. The deactivator has in its inner body
(19) a latch assembly that is in a latched condition for normal
operation of the valve train. When it is desired to retain the
valve in the closed position and deactivate a cylinder, the latch
assembly is caused to be moved to the unlatched condition by
increase in the pressure of the engine oil. When the latch assembly
is unlatched, significant lost motion is introduced into the valve
train causing the valve to remain closed and the cylinder is
deactivated.
Inventors: |
Church, Kynan L.; (Ceresco,
MI) ; Zurface, Austin R.; (Hastings, MI) ;
Hampton, Keith; (Ann Arbor, MI) ; Janowiak, Gary
L.; (Saginaw, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EATON CORPORATION
EATON CENTER
1111 SUPERIOR AVENUE
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
|
Family ID: |
26944646 |
Appl. No.: |
09/851954 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09851954 |
May 9, 2001 |
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09533832 |
Mar 23, 2000 |
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6321704 |
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09533832 |
Mar 23, 2000 |
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09255366 |
Feb 23, 1999 |
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6196175 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
123/198F ;
123/90.16; 123/90.43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01L 1/146 20130101;
F01L 13/0005 20130101; F01L 2305/02 20200501; F01L 2305/00
20200501 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/198.00F ;
123/90.16; 123/90.43 |
International
Class: |
F01L 001/18; F01L
001/34 |
Claims
1. A valve deactivator assembly for an internal combustion engine
of the type having valve means for controlling the flow to and from
a combustion chamber, drive means for providing cyclical motion for
opening and closing said valve means in timed relationship to the
events in said combustion chamber, and valve gear means operative
in response to said cyclical motion to effect cyclical opening and
closing of said valve means; said valve deactivator assembly
comprising part of said valve gear means and including an outer
body member and an inner body member disposed within said outer
body member and being reciprocable relative thereto, and a spring
biasing said inner body member toward an axially extended position
relative to said outer body member; a latch assembly wholly
disposed within said inner body member when said outer and inner
body members are in an unlatched condition, said latch assembly
including a radially moveable latch member and spring means biasing
said latch member toward a latched condition; a source of
pressurized fluid operably associated with said latch assembly and
operable to bias said latch member toward said unlatched condition;
characterized by: (a) said latch assembly further comprises said
outer body member defining a generally annular, internal groove
including an annular latch surface and at least one fluid port
disposed in open fluid communication with said annular, internal
groove and in fluid communication with said source of pressurized
fluid; (b) said latch member defining a generally planar stop
surface oriented generally parallel to said annular latch surface
and disposed for face-to-face engagement therewith when said latch
member is in said latched condition, whereby said inner body member
may have any rotational orientation relative to said outer body
member.
2. A valve deactivator assembly as claimed in claim 1,
characterized by said latch assembly including a pair of
diametrically opposite, radially moveable latch members, said
spring means comprising a single compression spring biasing both of
said latch members radially outward toward said latched condition,
each of said latch members defining said generally planar stop
surface.
3. A valve deactivator assembly as claimed in claim 1,
characterized by said engine including a cylinder head defining a
bore, said outer body member of said valve deactivator assembly
being generally cylindrical, and disposed within said bore.
4. A valve deactivator assembly as claimed in claim 1,
characterized by said outer body member being generally cylindrical
and hollow, and said inner body member being generally cylindrical
and hollow, said outer and inner body members defining therebetween
a generally annular chamber.
5. A valve deactivator assembly as claimed in claim 4,
characterized by said spring biasing said inner body member toward
said axially extended position comprising a coil compression spring
disposed within said annular chamber, said spring having an upper
end seated relative to said inner body member, and a lower end
seated relative to said outer body member, said latched condition
of said latch assembly occurring when said inner body member is in
said axially extended position.
6. A valve deactivator assembly as claimed in claim 1,
characterized by said latch member defining, on its outer
periphery, a flat surface oriented generally perpendicular to said
planar stop surface, said inner body member including a retention
member disposed closely spaced apart from said flat surface, and
operable to orient said latch member whereby said stop surface
remains substantially parallel to said annular latch surface.
7. A valve deactivator assembly as claimed in claim 1,
characterized by said inner body member defining a pair of
diametrically arranged bores, and an annular groove which
intersects said bores, said latch members being disposed in said
bores and each defining one of said planar stop surfaces; an
orientation member disposed within said annular groove and disposed
adjacent each of said planar stop surfaces to orient said latch
members whereby said stop surfaces remain substantially parallel to
said annular latch surface.
8. A valve deactivator assembly for an internal combustion engine
of the type having valve means for controlling the flow to and from
a combustion chamber, drive means for providing cyclical motion for
opening and closing said valve means in timed relationship to the
events in said combustion chamber, and valve gear means operative
in response to said cyclical motion to effect cyclical opening and
closing of said valve means; said valve deactivator assembly
comprising part of said valve gear means and including an outer
body member and an inner body member disposed within said outer
body member and being reciprocable relative thereto, and a spring
biasing said inner body member toward an axially extended position
relative to said outer body member; a latch assembly wholly
disposed within said inner body member when said outer and inner
body members are in an unlatched condition, said latch assembly
including a radially moveable latch member and spring means biasing
said latch member toward a latched condition; a source of
pressurized fluid operably associated with said latch assembly and
operable to bias said latch member toward said unlatched condition;
characterized by: (a) said latch assembly further comprises said
outer body member defining an annular latch surface; (b) said latch
member defining a generally planar stop surface oriented generally
parallel to said annular latch surface and disposed for
face-to-face engagement therewith when said latch member is in said
latched condition; and (c) an orientation arrangement operable to
orient said latch member whereby said stop surface remains
substantially parallel to said latch surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of
co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/533,832, filed Mar. 23,
2000, in the name of Kynan L. Church, Austin R. Zurface and Keith
Hampton for a "Hydraulically Actuated Latching Pin Valve
Deactivation", which application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of
co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/255,366, filed Feb.
23,1999, in the name of Kynan L. Church for a "Hydraulically
Actuated Valve Deactivating Roller Follower", now U.S. Pat. No.
6,196,175 issued Mar. 6, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present invention relates to an improved valve train for
an internal combustion engine, and more particularly, to a valve
deactivator assembly for use therein, and even more particularly,
to such a valve deactivator of the type utilizing a latching pin
arrangement.
[0003] Although the valve deactivator assembly of the present
invention may be utilized to introduce some additional lash into
the valve train, such that the valves open and close by an amount
less than the normal opening and closing, the invention is
especially suited for introducing into the valve train sufficient
lash (also referred to hereinafter as "lost motion"), such that the
valves no longer open and close at all, and the invention will be
described in connection therewith.
[0004] Valve deactivators of the general type to which the
invention relates are known, especially in connection with internal
combustion engines having push rod type valve gear train. In such a
gear train, there is a rocker arm, with one end of the rocker arm
engaging a push rod, and the other end engaging the engine poppet
valve. Typically, a central portion of the rocker arm is fixed
relative to the cylinder head (or other suitable structure) by a
fulcrum arrangement as is well known to those skilled in the art,
in which the fulcrum normally prevents movement of the central
portion of the rocker arm in an "up and down" direction. At the
same time, the fulcrum permits the rocker arm to engage in
cyclical, pivotal movement, in response to the cyclical movement of
the push rod, which results in the engagement of the push rod with
the lobes of a rotating cam shaft.
[0005] There are a number of known valve deactivator assemblies
which are operably associated with the fulcrum portion of the
rocker arm in a push rod type valve gear train. Such known valve
deactivator assemblies, when in the latched condition, restrain the
fulcrum portion of the rocker arm to cause the rocker arm to move
in its normal cyclical, pivotal movement. However, in an unlatched
condition, the valve deactivator assembly permits the fulcrum
portion of the rocker arm to engage in "lost motion" such that the
cyclical, pivotal movement of the push rod causes the rocker arm to
undergo cyclical, pivotal movement about the end which is in
engagement with the engine poppet valve. In other words, the rocker
arm merely pivots, but the engine poppet valve does not move, and
hence, is in its deactivated condition.
[0006] A different approach to valve deactivation in a push rod
type valve gear train is illustrated and described in above-cited
U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,175. In the cited patent, the valve
deactivation is accomplished in a roller follower of a type having
an outer body which moves with the roller follower, and an inner
body which imparts motion to the push rod. The valve deactivator
has either an unlatched condition, in which lost motion occurs, or
a latched condition, in which the inner and outer bodies are
latched to each other and motion imparted to the roller follower by
the cam is, in turn, transmitted to the push rod to provide normal
valve opening and closing.
[0007] A generally similar type of valve deactivator is illustrated
and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,487, for use in an overhead
cam ("OHC") engine, of the type utilizing an end pivot rocker arm.
In a valve gear train of the type described above, the pivot point
for the end of the rocker arm is a hydraulic lash adjuster ("HLA"),
with the opposite end of the rocker arm being in engagement with
the engine poppet valve.
[0008] In the valve deactivator of the above-cited patent, the
latching arrangement between the inner and outer bodies is
configured such that the inner body must be maintained in a
predetermined rotational orientation within the outer body, in
order for proper latching and unlatching to occur. Such a need for
maintaining rotational orientation of the inner body member,
relative to the outer body member, adds substantially to the
overall complexity and cost of both the manufacture and assembly of
the valve deactivating HLA. In connection with the development of
the present invention, it has also been determined that another
disadvantage of the valve deactivator of the cited patent is that,
when the latching mechanism is latched, all of the gear train force
being supported by the latching mechanism is being carried over a
relatively small area, thus resulting in higher than desirable
surface stresses in the latch mechanism.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an improved valve deactivator assembly which overcomes the
above-described disadvantages of the prior art.
[0010] It is a more specific object of the present invention to
provide an improved valve deactivator assembly wherein the inner
body member does not need to be in any particular rotational
orientation relative to the outer body member, in order for proper
latching and unlatching to occur.
[0011] It is a related object of the present invention to provide
an improved valve deactivating HLA for use in OHC valve gear train
of the end pivot rocker arm type, in which the HLA is reasonably
compact, to minimize the need for overall re-design of the valve
gear train.
[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
an improved latching mechanism which is useable in either a valve
deactivating HLA for use in OHC valve gear train of the end pivot
rocker arm type, or in a valve deactivating roller follower for use
in a push rod type valve gear train.
[0013] The above and other objects of the invention are
accomplished by the provision of an improved valve deactivator
assembly for an internal combustion engine of the type having valve
means for controlling the flow to and from a combustion chamber,
drive means for providing cyclical motion for opening and closing
the valve means in timed relationship to the events in the
combustion chamber, and valve gear means operative in response to
the cyclical motion to effect cyclical opening and closing of the
valve means. The valve deactivator assembly comprises part of the
valve gear means and includes an outer body member and an inner
body member disposed within the outer body member and being
reciprocable relative thereto, and a spring biasing the inner body
member toward an axially extended position relative to the outer
body member. A latch assembly is wholly disposed within the inner
body member when the outer and inner body members are in an
unlatched condition, the latch assembly including a radially
moveable latch member and spring means biasing the latch member
toward a latched condition. A source of pressurized fluid is
operably associated with the latch assembly and is operable to bias
the latch member toward the unlatched condition.
[0014] The improved valve deactivator assembly is characterized by
the latch assembly further comprising the outer body member
defining a generally annular, internal groove including an annular
latch surface and at least one fluid port disposed in open fluid
communication with the annular internal groove and in fluid
communication with the source of pressurized fluid. The latch
member defines a generally planar stop surface oriented generally
parallel to the annular latch surface and disposed for face-to-face
engagement therewith when the latch member is in the latched
condition, whereby the inner body member may be in any rotational
orientation relative to the outer body member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, axial cross-section taken through a
vehicle internal combustion engine, illustrating a typical valve
gear train of the type with which the present invention may be
utilized.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged, axial cross-section
illustrating the valve deactivator assembly of the present
invention in its unlatched condition.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a further enlarged, fragmentary, axial
cross-section of a portion of the valve deactivator assembly of the
present invention in its latched condition.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section, taken on line 4-4 of
FIG. 3, but with the latching elements retracted, illustrating one
important aspect of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
[0020] FIG. 6 is an enlarged, axial cross-section illustrating the
latching mechanism of the present invention utilized in a
deactivating roller follower.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a somewhat enlarged, perspective view of the body
member of the embodiment of FIG. 6.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the wire ring orientation member
which comprises one aspect of the alternative embodiment of FIG.
6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] Referring now to the drawings, which are not intended to
limit the invention, there is illustrated, by way of example only,
an OHC valve gear train of the type which may utilize the valve
deactivator assembly of the present invention. In FIG. 1, there is
shown fragmentarily a cylinder head 11 of an internal combustion
engine. The cylinder head 11 defines a generally cylindrical bore
13 within which is disposed a valve deactivator assembly, generally
designated 15.
[0024] The valve deactivator assembly 15 includes an outer body
member 17, an inner body member 19, and a plunger element (to be
described subsequently) which includes a ball plunger portion 21.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, the cylinder head 11
also defines an engine oil passage 23 which intersects the bore 13,
and by means of which pressurized oil is communicated to the valve
deactivator assembly 15, as will be described in greater detail
subsequently.
[0025] Referring still primarily to FIG. 1, the ball plunger
portion 21 is received within a hemispherical socket 25 of a rocker
arm 27. At the end of the rocker arm 27 opposite the socket 25 is a
valve contacting pad 29, the underside of which is in engagement
with the tip 31 of an engine poppet valve 33 (of which only the
upper portion of the stem is shown). The rocker arm 27 includes a
rotatable cam follower 35, which is in engagement with the surface
of a valve actuating cam 37.
[0026] Typically, but by way of example only, the present invention
would be utilized with an eight cylinder engine for which the valve
gear train would include eight pairs of intake and exhaust valve
rocker arms, with four of the eight being equipped with the valve
deactivator assembly 15 of the present invention. In other words,
four of the eight cylinders could be selectively deactivated by
introducing sufficient lost motion into the valve drive train for
that particular valve, so that the cyclical motion of the cam 37
does not result in any corresponding cyclical opening and closing
movement of the poppet valve 33 (i.e., of either the intake valve
or the exhaust valve for that particular cylinder). Under the
"deactivated" condition described, the engine poppet valve 33
remains closed under the influence of a valve closing spring (not
shown herein). It would also be typical that, for the four
cylinders which cannot be selectively deactivated, the socket 25 of
the rocker arm 27 would engage the ball plunger portion of a
"conventional" hydraulic lash adjuster, i.e., an HLA not having
valve deactivation capability.
[0027] When the lobe of the cam 37 engages the follower 35 (as
shown in FIG. 1), under normal operating conditions, the ball
plunger portion 21 would comprise the pivot point for the rocker
arm 27, such that the rocker arm would pivot about the ball plunger
portion 21 as the follower 35 is engaged by the cam lobe 37, thus
forcing the engine poppet valve 33 in a downward direction.
[0028] Referring now primarily to FIG. 2, those skilled in the art
should understand that the invention is not limited to any
particular valve deactivator or HLA configuration, except as is
noted hereinafter in the appended claims. Thus, the present
invention is being illustrated and described in connection with a
valve deactivating HLA for use with an end pivot rocker arm, but
the invention could also be utilized in, for example, a valve
deactivating roller follower for a push rod type gear train, as
will be described in connection with the alternative embodiment
shown in FIGS. 6 through 8.
[0029] In FIG. 2, the valve deactivator assembly 15 is shown in its
unlatched condition, with the inner body member 19 and ball plunger
portion 21 fully "retracted", i.e., moved as far downward as
possible within the outer body member 17. Disposed in engagement
with an internal groove formed in the outer body member 17 is a
stop clip 39 which serves as the lower spring seat for a lost
motion compression spring 41. At its upper end, the spring 41 is
seated against a pilot ring 43, which is preferably fixed to move
with the upper end of the inner body member 19 by any suitable
means, such as a wire snap ring 45. Thus, the compression spring 41
biases the inner body member 19 and the ball plunger portion 21
"upward" in FIG. 2, toward a fully extended condition (the
condition shown in FIG. 3), in the absence of a downward force
being exerted on the ball plunger 21 by the socket 25 of the rocker
arm 27, when the lobe of the cam 37 is in the position shown in
FIG. 1.
[0030] Referring still primarily to FIG. 2, the ball plunger
portion 21 is formed at the upper end of a generally cylindrical
plunger element 47 which is retained for limited reciprocal
movement within the inner body member 19 by means of a wire snap
ring 49. The inner body member 19 defines a stepped bore 51 which
serves as the high pressure chamber for a hydraulic lash
compensation element, generally designated 53, which may be of a
type well known to those skilled in the art, is not an essential
feature of the invention, and will not be described further herein.
Disposed within the plunger element 47 is a fluid reservoir 55,
which is in fluid communication with the high pressure chamber 51
by means of the lash compensation element 53, in a manner well
known to those skilled in the art.
[0031] Disposed between the outer body member 17 and the inner body
member 19 is a generally cylindrical chamber 57, in which the
compression spring 41 is disposed. The chamber 57 would typically
be filled with engine lubricating oil, some of which would enter
through a port 59 formed in the wall of the outer body member
17.
[0032] The lower portion of the inner body member 19 defines a pair
of diametrically arranged bores 61 which, by way of example only,
are illustrated herein as being generally cylindrical, but may be
of a variety of configurations. Disposed within each bore 61 is a
latching element 63, and in the subject embodiment, the latching
members 63 are identical, and thus may be interchangeable.
Preferably, the latching elements 63 are hollow to receive therein
a single compression spring 65. With the bores 61 arranged
diametrically, a single spring 65 is sufficient to bias both
latching elements 63 radially outward toward a latched condition
(as shown in FIG. 3).
[0033] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 together, the outer body
member 17 defines, by way of example only, a pair of ports 67, at
least one of which is in communication with the engine oil passage
23 (see FIG. 1). The ports 67 open into an annular, internal groove
69, the groove 69 forming an annular latch surface 71 (see FIG. 4).
Each of the latching elements 63 includes a latch portion 73, each
of which is generally half-circular (see FIG. 5), and each of which
includes on its underside, a generally flat, planar stop surface
75. Each latch portion 73 includes a radially outer end surface 77,
which in the subject embodiment, has about the same radius of
curvature as the adjacent annular, internal groove 69.
[0034] Those skilled in the art will understand that the ports 59
are in communication with a relatively constant source of
preferably low pressure lubrication oil, whereas the ports 67 are
in communication with a separate fluid source. The fluid source
with which the ports 67 are in communication is a source of a
control fluid pressure which can be controlled between a relatively
low pressure (FIG. 3) and a relatively higher pressure (FIG.
2).
[0035] Referring now primarily to FIG. 4, each latching element 63
defines a flat 79, which is preferably perpendicular to the planar
stop surface 75. Adjacent each flat 79, the inner body member 19
defines a vertical bore 80, and into each bore 80, after the
latching elements 63 are in place in the bores 61, a pin 81 is
pressed in and is disposed closely spaced apart from the flat 79,
as shown in FIG. 4. The pins 81 serve two primary functions, one of
which is to retain the latching elements 63 within the bores 61 as
the inner body member 19 is handled during assembly of the entire
deactivator assembly 15. The other function is to maintain the
rotational orientation of each latching element 63 within its bore
61, as shown in FIG. 5, so that both of the planar stop surfaces 75
will always remain substantially parallel to the annular latch
surface 71.
[0036] As a result of the above-described parallel relationship of
the surfaces 71 and 75, the inner body member 19 can have any
rotational orientation within the outer body member 17, and proper
latching will still occur, which is one important aspect of the
present invention. In other words, although in FIG. 4 the latch
portion 73 is shown as disposed adjacent the ports 67, such is not
necessary, and the inner body member 19 could be inserted within
the outer body member 17 at any relative rotational orientation.
Another result of the parallel relationship of the surfaces 71 and
75 is that any forces exerted on the deactivator assembly 15 are
taken up by the face-to-face engagement of the two planar stop
surfaces 75 and the annular latch surface 71, rather than by a
cylindrical member within a circular opening (line-to-line contact)
as was known in the prior art.
[0037] When it is desired to deactivate the engine poppet valve 33
from the latched condition shown in FIG. 3, an appropriate signal
is transmitted to the engine oil pressure system, increasing the
oil pressure in the engine oil passage 23. The increased oil
pressure is communicated through one of the ports 67, filling the
annular, internal groove 69 with pressurized fluid. The pressurized
fluid contacts the end surfaces 77 of the latch portions 73,
biasing the latching elements 63 from the latched condition shown
in FIG. 3 toward an unlatched condition as shown in FIG. 4, with
the stop surfaces 75 retracted and out of engagement with the
annular latch surface 71. With the latching elements 63 in their
unlatched condition, the inner body member 19 may be moved by
external forces (as explained previously) from its fully extended
position as shown in FIG. 3 to its fully retracted position as
shown in FIG. 2, thus introducing lost motion into the valve gear
train.
[0038] As is typical in the valve deactivator art, mode
transitions, either from the latched condition to the unlatched
condition, or vice versa, occur only when the cam 37 is on the base
circle portion. As is well known to those skilled in the art, mode
transitions are accomplished only on base circle in order that the
mode change occurs while the valve deactivator assembly 15, and
more specifically, the latching mechanism, is not under load. For
example, in FIG. 3, even though the valve deactivator assembly 15
is in the latched condition, when the cam 37 has its base circle
portion engaging the follower 35, the latching elements 63 can
easily be slid from the latched condition shown to the unlatched
condition. However, after the cam 37 rotates to the position shown
in FIG. 1, there is sufficient downward force on the ball plunger
21, and thus on the inner body member 19, such that the frictional
engagement force between the annular latch surface 71 and the stop
surfaces 75 would be enough such that the latching elements 63
could not be biased radially inward to their unlatched positions,
except perhaps with substantially higher fluid pressure. Those
skilled in the art will understand that such fluid pressures of the
type which would be required are generally not available and would
probably not be desirable.
[0039] Referring now primarily to FIGS. 6 through 8, there is
illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention in which
elements which are the same or very similar to those in the primary
embodiment bear the same reference numeral, plus "100", and new
elements bear reference numerals in excess of "180". Thus, the
embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is a deactivating roller follower
assembly, generally designated 115 including an outer body member
117, an inner body member 119 (see also FIG. 7) and a plunger
element 121. Mounted for rotation relative to the lower end of the
outer body member 117 is a roller member 181 which, as is well know
to those skilled in the art, engages the cam profile on the cam
shaft. There are two purposes for illustrating the alternative
embodiment of FIGS. 6 through 8. The first is to show the latching
mechanism of the present invention in a different type of
deactivator assembly (i.e., FIGS. 6 through 8 relate to a push rod
type valve gear train). Secondly, the alternative embodiment
illustrates a different arrangement for orienting the latching
elements 163 within the bores 161, so that the planar stop surfaces
will always remain substantially parallel to the annular latch
surface, as was described in connection with the primary
embodiment.
[0040] Referring now primarily to FIGS. 7 and 8, it may be seen
that the inner body member 119 includes a relatively larger
diameter portion 183 which defines, toward its lower end (right end
in FIGS. 6 and 7) an annular groove 185. The annular groove
intersects both of the diametrically arranged bores 161. Received
within the annular groove 185 is a wire ring orientation member 187
which is shown in FIG. 8, but which may take any one of a number of
shapes and configurations, within the scope of the present
invention. What is important about the orientation member 187 is
that it extends across each of the bores 161 in such a way that the
planar stop surfaces 175 defined by the latching elements 163
engage the orientation member 187. As a result, any rotation of the
latching members 163 within the bores 161 will be prevented, and
the proper rotational orientation of the latching members 163 will
be insured and yet, the orientation member 187 may be removed
quickly and easily for purposes of service or repair, in a
non-destructive manner.
[0041] The invention has been described in great detail in the
foregoing specification, and it is believed that various
alterations and modifications of the invention will become apparent
to those skilled in the art from a reading and understanding of the
specification. It is intended that all such alterations and
modifications are included in the invention, insofar as they come
within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *