Patent ID: 6752107
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
An apparatus for selectively enabling and disabling the operation of a charge valve of an internal combustion engine, comprising:a cam shaft having a rotation axis; a coupling cam and at least one valve cam each mounted to the cam shaft for rotation therewith, the coupling cam and the valve cam each having a cam profile comprising a follower displacing portion extending to the radially outermost location of the profile relative to the cam shaft rotation axis and a dwell portion at a lesser radial distance from the cam shaft rotation axis than the follower displacing portion; a swing lever having one portion supported on a component of the internal combustion engine; a contact lever movably mounted to the swing lever at a first location thereon spaced from the one portion of the swing lever; contact lever biasing means for biasing the contact lever into contact with the valve cam, the contact lever biasing means having one end connected to the swing lever and another end connected to the contact lever; a coupling member movably supported by the swing lever at a second location thereon spaced from the first location on the swing lever at which the contact lever is movably mounted, the coupling member including a bolt rotatably mounted in the swing lever and the coupling member being movable between a non-interfering position in which the contact lever, in response to engagement thereof by the follower displacing portion of the valve cam, moves, without interference from the coupling member, into contact with the swing lever to thereby impart a movement to the swing lever which enables the operation of the charge valve and a blocking position in which the coupling member blocks contact between the contact lever and the swing lever such that the contact lever cannot impart movement to the swing lever; coupling member biasing means for biasing the coupling member into contact with the coupling cam, the coupling member biasing means having one end connected to the swing lever and another end connected to the coupling member; and means for releasably maintaining the coupling member in its blocking position, the follower displacing cam profile portion of the valve cam and the follower displacing cam profile portion of the coupling cam being angularly offset from one another relative to the cam shaft rotation axis such that the follower displacing cam profile portion of the coupling cam displaces the coupling member from its non-interfering position into its blocking position during a rotating movement of the cam shaft during which the contact lever follows the dwell portion of the valve cam.