Patent ID: 6138620
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
A valve operating system in an internal combustion engine, comprising an electric actuator which enables a force to be applied in a valve-opening direction to an engine valve that is biased in a valve-closing direction by a spring, wherein said actuator is connected to one of components of a force transmitting means capable of transmitting a force provided by a valve operating cam provided on a cam shaft to the engine valve, so that said engine valve can receive the force from said electric actuator in said valve-opening direction independently of the force provided by said valve operating cam in said valve opening direction, and can be be driven in a lift amount obtained by addition of a lift amount of said engine valve based on a cam profile of said valve operating cam and a lift amount of said engine valve based on the operation of said actuator wherein said components of said force transmitting means are: an inner ring which is turnable about an axis parallel to said cam shaft; am outer ring which is turnable about the same axis as of said inner ring and surrounds said inner ring; and a carrier on which planetary rotors disposed between said inner and outer rings are carried for rotation about axes parallel to the axis of said inner and outer rings, said carrier being turned in operative association with a revolving movement of said planetary rotors around said inner ring, a first one of said components being connected to said engine valve, a second one of said components being operatively connected to said valve operating cam, and said actuator being connected to a third one of said components.