Patent ID: 7204217
Filing Date: 2007-04-17
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
1. A hydraulic camshaft adjuster ( 1 ) for a camshaft of an internal combustion engine, comprising an inner body ( 3 ) disposed in an outer body ( 4 ) forming a housing having side walls ( 5 ) connected fixedly for rotation with the camshaft and having at least one counter-vane ( 3 . 1 ), the outer body ( 4 ) being mounted rotatably with respect to the inner body ( 3 ) and having at least one vane structure( 4 . 1 , 4 . 2 ), which, between the two side walls ( 5 ), together forms at least one hydraulic fluid pressure chamber ( 9 ), said outer body ( 4 ) being driven by an engine crankshaft, and at least one hydraulically controlled locking mechanism ( 10 ) for selectively locking and releasing the inner body ( 3 ) with respect to the outer body ( 4 ), said locking mechanism comprising at least one bolt ( 11 ) guided in an opening ( 12 ) in the inner body ( 3 ) such that it can extend into a locking guide slot ( 16 ) in one of the two covers ( 5 ), an axially acting spring element ( 2 ) for biasing the bolt ( 11 ) toward the locking guide slot ( 16 ), said bolt being disengageable from the guide slot ( 16 ) counter to the force of the axially acting spring ( 2 ) by the pressure force of the hydraulic fluid, said hydraulically controlled mechanism ( 10 ) being designed in such a way that the bolt ( 11 ) has a release position in which the bolt is radially displaced out of alignment with the locking guide slot ( 16 ) which release position is largely independent of hydraulic fluid pressure and of hydraulic fluid leakage.