System and method for providing hydraulic valve lash compensation for electrically actuated internal combustion engine poppet valves

The present description relates to a system and method for providing hydraulic lash adjustment for an internal combustion engine having at least one electrically actuated poppet valve.

A system for assembling a hydraulically dampened electrical valve actuator to the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,253. This patent describes an electrical valve actuator having an armature return spring and hydraulic lash adjuster located on different sides of the valve actuator armature plate. The valve actuator appears to be built into the cylinder head above a poppet valve. Individual actuator components are inserted into the cylinder head piece by piece and bolted to cylinder head flanges to anchor the assembled actuators in place.

The above-mentioned system can also have several disadvantages. For example, if the valve actuator is in need of inspection, the entire valve actuator has to be disassembled from the cylinder head. Further, the design has inherently high mass because the valve return spring requires that the armature extend beyond the armature plate, thereby increasing the armature inertia and limiting the actuator response. Further still, because the actuator appears to be installed in pieces, it may be difficult to ensure concentricity between the actuator armature, the hydraulic lash adjuster, and the valve stem.

The inventor herein has recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and has developed a system and method that offers substantial improvements.

One embodiment of the present description includes a system for mounting an electrical valve actuator to an internal combustion engine, the system comprising: an electrical actuator for operating a poppet valve that controls flow to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine; a cylinder head having at least a poppet valve for directing flow into a cylinder of said internal combustion engine; and a guide block located between said electrical actuator and said cylinder head, said guide block comprising a lash adjuster bore beginning at a first face of said guide block and ending at a location that is at least partially through said guide block, said lash adjuster bore diameter sized to allow the body of a hydraulic lash adjuster to slide through said lash adjuster bore in an axial direction, said lash adjuster bore aligned with a coaxially situated counter bore that extends from said lash adjuster bore to a second face of said guide block. This system overcomes at least some disadvantages of the above-mentioned system.

The assembly of electrical valve actuators to cylinder heads of an internal combustion engine can be improved by using a guide block. A guide block can be designed such that a counter bore in the block acts as a pilot during assembly of electric valve actuators to cylinder heads. As a result, the pilot structure improves concentricity between subassemblies (e.g., valve actuators and cylinder heads) and allows components to be separately assembled and then brought together as desired. Further, subassemblies can reduce the time necessary to inspect valve actuators. In addition, a counter bored guide block also allows the electrical actuator to be designed such that the armature plate and stem form a T structure and reduce the overall mass of the valve actuator.

The present description can provide several advantages. For example, the above-mentioned system can reduce valve actuator and valve stem wear by improving concentricity between moving parts. Further, a guide block can act as an enabler toward reducing actuator mass, thereby leading to improved valve actuator response time. Further still, a guide block can reduce assembly time of subassemblies by providing an efficient means for locating and fastening electrical actuators to a cylinder head.

The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages described herein will be more fully understood by reading an example of an embodiment, referred to herein as the Detailed Description, when taken alone or with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an engine having electrically actuated valves, and its control system;

FIG. 2a is a flowchart of an example method for assembling an electrically actuated valve to a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine;

FIG. 2b is a flowchart of an alternative example method for assembling an electrically actuated valve to a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine;

FIG. 3a is a schematic of an example valve actuator guide block positioned before attachment to an internal combustion cylinder head;

FIG. 3b is a schematic of an electrical valve actuator before assembled to an internal combustion engine cylinder head by way of a guide block;

FIG. 3c is a schematic of an electrical valve actuator after assembly to an internal combustion engine cylinder head;

FIG. 4a is a schematic of an example of an alternate guide block that is attached to the electrical valve actuator before the electrical actuator in attached to the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine;

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Previous Patent Application:
Sliding mode control apparatus and adjusting method
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Valve actuating system
Industry Class:
Internal-combustion engines

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