Patent ID: 8381694
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
1. An engine valve controller including an outer cylinder part to which a driving force of a crankshaft of an engine is transmitted, an inner cylinder part disposed relatively rotatable at an inner peripheral side of the outer cylinder part, and coaxially connected to a camshaft that opens and closes an intake valve or an exhaust valve of the engine, an intermediate member formed in a cylindrical shape and a part of which is freely slidably connected to the outer cylinder part, and disposed on an outer periphery of the inner cylinder part freely movably along an axial direction of the inner cylinder part, a position control mechanism that controls a position in an axial direction of the intermediate member according to an operation condition of the engine, and a phase adjustment mechanism that variably adjusts a phase between a sprocket on an outer periphery of the outer cylinder part and the camshaft according to a position in the axial direction of the intermediate member, wherein the inner cylinder part and the intermediate member are connected to each other via the phase adjustment mechanism, the position control mechanism displaces the intermediate member in the axial direction in a current carrying state, and prevents, in a non-current carrying state, to a torque input from the sprocket on the outer periphery of the outer cylinder part or the camshaft to the intermediate member, an axial displacement of the intermediate member resulting from the torque input, the phase adjustment mechanism includes a pin fixed to the intermediate member and a part of which is protruded from an inner periphery of the intermediate member toward the outer periphery of the inner cylinder part and a guide groove formed spirally on the outer periphery of the inner cylinder part as a groove that guides the pin from a position corresponding to a most advanced angle phase to a position corresponding to a most retarded angle phase, and the pin moves within the guide groove according to an axial displacement of the intermediate member, to impart a force resulting from the axial displacement of the intermediate member to the guide groove as a force for a circumferential displacement of the inner cylinder part, and converts, in response to an axial displacement of the intermediate member, the axial displacement of the intermediate member to a circumferential displacement of the inner cylinder part, wherein the position control mechanism includes a first ramp formed, at one axial end side of an outer periphery of the intermediate member, in a direction inclined with respect to a line perpendicular to a central axis of the intermediate member and along a circumferential direction, a second ramp formed, at the other axial end side of the outer periphery of the intermediate member, in a direction inclined in an opposite direction to the first ramp with respect to a line perpendicular to a central axis of the intermediate member and along a circumferential direction, a plurality of rotary drums disposed, with the first ramp and the second ramp interposed therebetween, separated from each other on the outer peripheral side of the intermediate member, and rotatably disposed around the inner cylinder part, a plurality of electromagnetic clutches that generate an electromagnetic force at an advance angle and a retard angle, stop generating an electromagnetic force in other cases, impart a rotating force to one of the rotary drums at the advance angle, and at the retard angle, impart a rotating force to the other of the rotary drums, and a roller that is freely rotatably disposed at a section between the one rotary drum and the other rotary drum of the outer periphery of the intermediate member, and rotates receiving a rotating force from the one rotary drum or the other rotary drum, and on an opposed surface side of the one rotary drum to the other rotary drum, a third ramp that is engageable with the first ramp and for pressing the first ramp toward the camshaft is formed, and on an opposed surface side of the other rotary drum to the one rotary drum, a fourth ramp that is engageable with the second ramp and for pressing the second ramp in a direction to separate from the camshaft is formed.