Patent ID: 8915220
Filing Date: 2014-12-23
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
1. A finger follower apparatus to effect opening of an engine valve, comprising: a first member including first and second opposite ends, the first member being pivotally fixed at the first end and operatively engaged with the engine valve at the second end; a second member slidably engaged with the first member and carrying a first roller engaged with a cam, said second member having a control surface which when cooperatively engaged with a second roller of a valve actuator in response to said cam rotation establishes a valve lift profile for the engine valve, wherein the control surface comprises an arcuate surface; the valve lift actuator comprising a linear actuator rigidly mounted to the engine and having an extendable biasing arm connected at a distal end to the second roller, the biasing arm including a biasing member between the linear actuator and a retention plate, wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the biasing arm in a first direction toward the first member; the linear actuator selectively engaging the second roller with the control surface and selectable to linearly translate the biasing arm between a fully extended position in the first direction toward the first member and a fully retracted position in an opposite second direction away from the first member to enable continuously variable adjustment of a peak magnitude of lift during an opening profile for the engine valve, comprising a locking device selectively activated to prevent slidable motion between the first member and the second member causing the first member and the second member to jointly pivot about the first end to actuate the engine valve in the high-lift mode, wherein the control surface becomes disengaged from the second roller of the valve lift actuator as the cam lobe peak directly engages the cam roller of the second member, the first and second members, including the cam roller, jointly pivot about the first end and the engine valve is displaced from the closed position.