Patent ID: 7159551
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: F01L,F02D,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A valve control system for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder head having a plurality of intake and exhaust engine poppet valves for controlling the flow to and from a plurality of combustion chambers; a camshaft rotatably supported relative to said cylinder head for providing cyclical input motion in response to rotation of said camshaft; one of said engine poppet valves for each of said plurality of combustion chambers comprising a deactivating engine poppet valve and being operably associated with a valve end of a rocker arm, each of said rocker arms also including a fulcrum end disposed in engagement with a lash compensation device; each of said rocker arms includes a cam follower disposed intermediate said valve end and said fulcrum end and being operable to pivot about a fulcrum surface defined by said lash compensation device in response to said cyclical input motion, thus transmitting cyclical opening and closing motion to the respective one of said deactivating engine poppet valves; each of said lash compensation devices comprising a body member fixed relative to said cylinder head, a plunger assembly defining said fulcrum surface and being moveable relative to said body member, and a latch member moveable between a latched condition and an unlatched condition in which said plunger assembly is freely reciprocable relative to said body member; characterized by: (a) each of said plurality of lash compensation devices includes a spring member biasing said latch member toward one of said latched and unlatched conditions; (b) an elongated actuation member disposed adjacent each of said plurality of lash compensation devices and including a portion operable to move each of said plurality of said latch members toward the other of said latched and unlatched conditions, in response to actuating movement of said an actuation member.