Abstract:
The invention relates to a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine which operates on the four-stroke cycle, having a crankcase and having at least one cylinder which is arranged in said crankcase and in which a piston is guided by a crankshaft, having at least one cylinder head which closes off the cylinder and the inlet and outlet ducts of which are controlled by at least in each case one inlet and outlet valve loaded by a valve spring, which inlet and outlet valves can be actuated by transmission elements driven by a camshaft, and having a hydraulic valve play compensating element (5) which is installed in at least one of the transmission elements or in a component, which is installed in the transmission element, between the camshaft and at least one inlet and/or outlet valve, which hydraulic valve play compensating element has a working piston (8), a cylinder housing (7) which interacts with the working piston (8), a restoring spring (18) which is installed in between, and a check valve which delimits a high-pressure chamber (19) and the valve closing body (12) of which corresponds to a valve seat (11) on the working piston (8), wherein the valve closing body (12) has a partial spherical surface (13) in the region of the valve seat (11), and wherein the ratio of the diameter of the working piston (8) to twice the radius of the partial spherical surface (13) is ≤ 2.
Abstract:
The liquid is sealed in the lash adjuster 1OOA so that the volume 'V1' of the gas, in the reservoir chamber 1OA when the lash adjuster IOOA is being produced and the plunger 2A protrudes from the body, is equal to or more than 1.24 times as great as the sum of the volume 'Vo1' of the liquid discharged from the high-pressure chamber 11 when the plunger 2A moves downward, and the increase 'Vo2' in the volume of the liquid that expands, due to heat, when the temperature of the gas in the reservoir chamber is increased from the production temperature to the maximum use temperature, and the ratio of 'V1' to 'Vo1 + Vo2' is equal to or higher than a ratio, which is derived based on the production temperature and the maximum use temperature, when the inner pressure of the lash adjuster 100A increases by 500 kPa at maximum.
Abstract:
A hydraulic lash adjuster (17;61;81) in which the body (19) defines a body bore (39) extending over substantially the entire axial length of the body, thus making it possible to finish the bore (39) by a more accurate process, such as honing. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, there is a cylindrical member (71) disposed in the lower portion of the body bore (39) cooperating to define a leakdown clearance (39,71S, to isolate side load on the plunger (25) from the leakdown. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, there is both the leakdown clearance (23S,39) between the body bore and the plunger (23) and the leakdown clearance (39,71S) between the body bore and the cylindrical member (71), the leakdown flow rate of FIG. 3 being variable if the body and the cylindrical member (71) comprise dissimilar metals, having different coefficients of thermal expansion.
Abstract:
A valve train with a hydraulic lifter in an engine, and a method of configuring a hydraulic lifter of an engine, are disclosed. The valve train includes a valve, a cam, and at least one coupling component. The valve train further includes the hydraulic lifter, which has a nominal length and is coupled at least indirectly between the valve and the cam by way of the at least one coupling component. The valve train additionally includes a mechanism for varying the nominal length of the hydraulic lifter so that the nominal length is substantially closer to a minimum length of the hydraulic lifter than to a maximum length of the hydraulic lifter.
Abstract:
A hydraulic lash adjuster of the type including a ball plunger (61) defining a passage (63), or a body portion (85) defining a passage (87). A metering valve is disposed in the passage, and in accordance with the invention (FIGS. 2-4), a shank portion (77) of the metering pin (73) defines a metering passage (81). During normal operation, pressure in the low pressure chamber (21) biases the metering pin (73) upward, to a position in which fluid can flow from the chamber (21), through the metering passage (81), to the external surface (71) of the ball plunger (61). When pressure in the chamber (21) is very low, or negative, a head portion (75) is disposed against a seat (69) in the manner of a check valve. The up and down movement of the pin (73) prevents the metering passage (81) from becoming plugged with contaminants.
Abstract:
A roller cam follower (10, 110, 210, 54) for an internal combustion engine. The cam follower includes a roller assembly (16, 116, 216, 316) consisting of an insert member (34, 134, 234, 334) formed of a conformable plastic material and an axleless roller (36, 336) received in a cavity formed in the insert, the material of the insert closely conforming to the contour of the roller. Various adaptations of the inventive cam follower structure are shown; including a light weight mechanical valve lifter (10), a hydraulic lash adjuster (110), a rocker arm (54) and a mechanical direct acting tappet (210); all of which include means (44, 144, 244, 344) for conducting oil from the exterior of the cam follower to the roller cavity.
Abstract:
In an internal combustion engine utilizing hydraulic valve lifters, a source of pressurized oil at a higher than normally expected pressure is supplied thereto. The source utilizes the engine lubricating oil from the engine sump or crank case and the spent oil from the hydraulic lifters is returned to the engine crank case. The oil delivered to the lifter galley is derived from either an engine oil pump which produces a higher pressure oil flow then conventionally desired for normal engine operation, a separate or oil pump oil pumps especially for the valve galley. The pressure setting of the oil output from either pump is determined by the engine RPM, ie. higher pressure with higher engine RPM or from pump speed if an electricly operated separate pump is employed. The exact oil pressure level delivered to the valve galley or to individual valve galleys is determined by an on board computer (engine controller) monitoring the manifold pressure, engine RPM and throttle position so that the hydraulic lifter plunger is always in contact with the valve stem regardless of engine RPM or pump motor speed and variable and different amounts oil pressure and resulting valve lift can be achieved at various selected locations on the valve lift curve created by the valve's camshaft lobe. Variable high oil pressure is supplied only to the lifters to selectively alter their normal degree of valve lift at any location along the valve's cam operating curve while the remaining oil delivery areas of the engine operate at their conventional or normally expected oil pressure levels. In event of a failure of normal engine oil pump operation when a second auxiliary pump for galley delivery is used, an electric value is provided to channel oil from the auxiliary pump to the engine areas requiring lubrication.