Patent ID: 6345596
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
Engageable cam follower (1) for acting on an element of a valve train of an internal combustion engine or an engageable lifter element for a rocker-arm type of cam follower in the valve train of an internal combustion engine, comprising a thin-walled hollow cylindrical housing (2) having a borehole (3) with a cylindrical inner wall, an internal element (4) axially movable with respect to the housing (2) positioned in the borehole (3), the housing (2) and the internal element (4) each including a radial borehole (13, 10) aligned in a relative position to each other, and at least one piston (11) located in the radial borehole (10) of the internal element (4) having a front end (14) that is movable toward the radial borehole (13) of the housing (2) for coupling the internal element (4) with the housing (2) in the relative position, the cylindrical inner wall of the borehole (3) has a substantially flattened area (15) in an area of a mouth of the radial borehole (13) of the housing (2) that extends in a longitudinal direction of the cam follower (1) or lifter element, so that the mouth of the radial borehole (13) has a circular geometry in the flattened area (15) and the front end (14) of the piston (11) engages in the borehole (13) substantially across an entire width of the piston (11) and the borehole (13) upon entry into the borehole (13) to couple the internal element (4) with the housing (2).