Abstract:
The relatively complex and expensive &#34;control valves&#34;, which are conventionally used in certain compression release engine brakes for such purposes as filling, isolating, and venting the high pressure portions of the hydraulic circuits in the engine brake, are eliminated and more direct means are provided for performing these functions. In brakes having a mechanism for resetting each slave piston, the high pressure portion of the circuit is filled through a selectively openable aperture in the slave piston. In brakes having a mechanism for automatically adjusting slave piston lash or for limiting (&#34;clipping&#34;) the forward stroke of the slave piston, high pressure circuit fill is provided through a simple check valve. In systems in which hydraulic fluid is temporarily displaced from the high pressure circuit, a simple accumulator is provided to store hydraulic fluid for quick refill. A single such accumulator may replace multiple control valves.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to compression release engine brakes, and more particularly to simplified hydraulic circuits for such apparatus. 
     An illustrative portion of a conventional compression release engine brake 10 of the general type shown in such references as Cavanagh U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,787, Meistrick et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,625, and Hu U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,290 (all incorporated by reference herein) is shown in FIG. 1. When the driver of the vehicle equipped with engine brake 10 wants the engine brake to operate, the driver closes vehicle dashboard switch 12 while fuel supply switch 14 is closed (signalling that the fuel supply to the internal combustion engine 100 associated with the engine brake is turned off) and while clutch switch 16 is also closed (signalling that the vehicle&#39;s drive train clutch is engaged). 
     When all of switches 12, 14, and 16 are thus closed, solenoid valve 30 is energized by current flow from vehicle battery 20 through fuse 22 and the above-mentioned switches. (Diode 24 helps prevent arcing when either of switches 14 and 16 opens.) When thus energized, solenoid valve 30 allows hydraulic fluid (typically engine lubricating oil) to flow through check valve 32 and conduit 34 into conduit 36. The hydraulic fluid in conduits 34 and 36 is generally at a relatively low pressure supplied by the lubricating oil circulating system of the engine. This relatively low pressure is sufficient to raise the spool 42 of control valve 40 to the position shown in FIG. 1 and to open the check valve 44 in that spool, as is also shown in FIG. 1. This allows low pressure hydraulic fluid to flow into conduit 50, slave piston cylinder 60, conduit 70, and master piston cylinder 80. 
     Before the engine brake is turned on, master piston return spring 84 holds master piston 82 up out of contact with the rocker lever linkage 110 that is disposed below master piston 82. (Rocker lever linkage 110 can be any suitable part of internal combustion engine 100 such as a fuel injector activating mechanism, an intake valve opening mechanism, or an exhaust valve opening mechanism of the engine.) However, when low pressure hydraulic fluid is supplied to master piston cylinder 80 as described in the preceding paragraph, the pressure of that fluid is sufficient to overcome the force of relatively weak spring 84, thereby forcing master piston 82 out into contact with rocker lever linkage 110 as shown in FIG. 1. Thereafter, each upward reciprocation of rocker lever linkage 110 causes master piston 82 to move upwardly, which causes a downward stroke of slave piston 62. Each downward stroke of slave piston 62 causes the slave piston to open at least one exhaust valve 120 in the engine cylinder associated with the slave piston. The timing of the upward strokes of rocker lever linkage 110 is such that exhaust valve 120 opens near top dead center of each compression stroke of the engine cylinder served by the exhaust valve. Accordingly, air compressed in that engine cylinder is released to the exhaust system of the vehicle and the engine does not recover the work of compressing that air during each subsequent &#34;power&#34; or expansion stroke of the engine cylinder. The engine therefore absorbs much more kinetic energy from the associated vehicle than it otherwise would, and the effectiveness of the engine in holding back or slowing down the vehicle is greatly increased. This prolongs the life of the vehicle&#39;s wheel brakes and improves vehicle operating safety. 
     The engine brake shown in FIG. 1 includes a so-called &#34;reset&#34; feature like that shown in above-mentioned Cavanagh U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,787. In particular, slave piston return stop screw 90 contains a vertically reciprocable plunger (not visible in FIG. 1, but an analogous plunger 224 is shown in FIG. 3 and described in more detail below). The bottom of the plunger initially covers the upper end of a vertical passageway 64a in slave piston 62. The lower end of passageway 64a communicates with a transverse passageway 64b in the slave piston. Transverse passageway 64b communicates with a branch 38 of conduit 36. 
     During each downward stroke of slave piston 62, the plunger in screw body 90 initially follows the slave piston down, thereby keeping passageway 64a closed. However, when the pressure in slave piston cylinder 60 drops to a certain level (because exhaust valve 120 has opened and the pressure in the associated engine cylinder has accordingly decreased), the plunger in screw body 90 is raised by an associated spring (not shown in FIG. 1 but analogous to spring 232 in subsequently described FIG. 3). This allows relatively high pressure hydraulic fluid to flow from slave piston cylinder 60 via passageway 64a/b, thereby allowing exhaust valve return spring(s) 122 and slave piston return springs 66 to produce a return stroke of slave piston 62. Such resetting of slave piston 62 prior to the return stroke of master piston 82 may be desirable for such purposes as ensuring that exhaust valves 120 are closed when the normal exhaust valve opening mechanism 130 of engine 100 next produces an exhaust valve opening. This avoids abrupt discontinuities in exhaust valve motion that could result from operation of mechanism 130 while exhaust valves 120 are already somewhat open due to downward displacement of slave piston 62. 
     The high pressure hydraulic fluid that escapes from the master piston/slave piston (&#34;MP/SP&#34;) circuit when passageway 64a/b opens is accumulated under control valve spool 42, which is consequently displaced upwardly from the position shown in FIG. 1. This additional upward motion of spool 42 further compresses spring 46 and also compresses much stronger spring 48 in control valve 40. When master piston 82 subsequently performs its return stroke, the accumulated hydraulic fluid is immediately returned to the MP/SP circuit as a result of springs 46 and 48 forcing spool 42 down to the position shown in FIG. 1 and the concurrent opening of check valve 44. 
     When compression release engine braking is no longer desired, the driver of the vehicle opens switch 12. This de-energizes solenoid valve 30, thereby allowing hydraulic fluid to drain from conduit 36 via the bottom of the solenoid valve. When conduit 36 is thus de-pressurized, spring 46 urges control valve spool 42 down. This allows the MP/SP circuit to vent over the top of spool 42. With the MP/SP circuit thus vented, spring 84 can raise master piston 82 out of contact with rocker lever linkage 110. All compression release engine brake operations therefore cease. 
     Several variations of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 are known. For example, above-mentioned Meistrick et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,625 shows apparatus in which the slave piston reset mechanism is combined with a mechanism for automatically adjusting the &#34;lash&#34; (i.e., the cold-engine clearance C between the slave piston and the engine mechanism on which the slave piston acts during engine braking). Another known variation is the so-called &#34;clip valve&#34; which limits the downward stroke of the slave piston (e.g., by releasing high pressure hydraulic fluid as through passageway 64a/b after the slave piston has travelled down a predetermined amount). A form of such a clip valve is shown in above-mentioned Hu U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,290. Except for modifications of elements 62 and 90 (or modifications in the vicinity of those elements), all of these variations are typically constructed in the general way shown in FIG. 1. 
     From the foregoing it will be seen that, in systems of the various types described above, control valve 40 performs a relatively large number of functions. These are (1) providing a passageway for filling the MP/SP circuit, (2) isolating the MP/SP circuit from the low pressure portion of the circuit (e.g., conduit 36) during braking, (3) exhausting the MP/SP circuit when braking is no longer desired, (4) setting the minimum oil pressure in the MP/SP circuit for brake operation (i.e., as a result of the preload force in the spring of check valve 44 and in spring 46), (5) preventing premature movement of the slave piston (i.e. by movement of spool 42 up from the position shown in FIG. 1 to disconnect conduit 36 from conduit 50 in the event of excessive hydraulic pressure in conduit 36), and (6) accumulating hydraulic fluid temporarily displaced from the MP/SP circuit (e.g., when the above-described slave piston reset or clip valve operation occurs). 
     Control valve 40 is a relatively complex and expensive component of the engine brake. Moreover, the typical engine brake requires several such control valves. The control valves also tend to be a major contributor to high pressure leakage because high pressure hydraulic fluid from the MP/SP circuit can leak both upwardly and downwardly past spool 42 when it is in the position shown in FIG. 1. Such leakage tends to decrease the efficiency of motion transfer from the master piston to the slave piston. 
     In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to improve and simplify the hydraulic circuitry of compression release engine brakes. 
     It is a more particular object of this invention to eliminate the control valves employed in compression release engine brakes such as those described above, while maintaining all the functionality provided by such valves. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in accordance with the principles of the invention by replacing the conventional control valves in compression release engine brakes with simpler and more direct means for filling, isolating, and venting the high pressure MP/SP hydraulic circuits in the brakes. In brakes having a mechanism for resetting the slave piston, each MP/SP circuit is filled with hydraulic fluid through a selectively openable aperture in the associated slave piston. In brakes having (1) mechanisms for automatically reducing slave piston lash during operation of the engine brake, or (2) mechanisms for limiting the total motion of the slave pistons, each MP/SP circuit is filled with hydraulic fluid through a simple check valve. In systems where hydraulic fluid is temporarily displaced from the MP/SP circuits (e.g., during reset or clip valve mechanism operation), a simple hydraulic fluid accumulator is used to store that hydraulic fluid for quick refill of the MP/SP circuits. Moreover, one such accumulator may serve several MP/SP circuits in the brake, thereby making it possible to replace several control valves with a single accumulator. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view of an illustrative portion of a typical prior art compression release engine brake. Portions of a conventional internal combustion engine associated with the engine brake are also shown in FIG. 1, as is a simplified schematic diagram of a conventional control circuit for the engine brake. 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a first illustrative embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partly sectional view of portions of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 4 is another view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating alternative embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of typical prior art engine brake apparatus for serving several cylinders of an associated internal combustion engine. 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing how the apparatus of FIG. 5 can be modified in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 show a first illustrative embodiment of the invention in which the engine brake is equipped with a slave piston reset mechanism that is not combined with an automatic lash adjustment mechanism. Elements in FIGS. 2 and 3 that are the same as or substantially similar to elements shown in FIG. 1 have the same reference numbers used in FIG. 1. These elements will not be described again in detail. Elements in FIGS. 2 and 3 that are new or significantly different from anything shown in FIG. 1 have reference numbers in the 200 series in FIGS. 2 and 3. This discussion will focus on these new or significantly different elements. 
     In accordance with this invention, the reset mechanism 220 used in engine brake 210 is modified as shown in FIG. 3 to permit extra push-in travel of plunger 224 into screw body 222. In addition, upper spring 226 is provided with a preload which allows hydraulic fluid at approximately engine lubricating oil pressure (acting on the bottom 230 of plunger 224 above passageway 64a) to lift plunger 224 off the recessed top 68 of slave piston 62. (Upper spring 226 is much weaker than lower spring 232 and cannot by itself compress spring 232.) 
     By way of additional explanation of the construction and operation of the reset mechanism shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the engine brake is off, slave piston return springs 66 push the recessed upper surface 68 of slave piston 62 up against the bottom of screw body 222. This raises plunger 224 slightly from the position shown in FIG. 3 relative to screw body 222. Spring 226 is also then slightly more compressed than is shown in FIG. 3. The bottom 230 of plunger 224 occludes the upper end of passageway 64a. 
     When the engine brake is turned on, hydraulic fluid at approximately engine lubricating oil pressure fills conduits 36 and 38 in FIG. 2 and therefore also fills passageway 64a/b. Because of the property of spring 226 mentioned above, the hydraulic fluid in passageway 64a is able to lift the bottom of plunger 224 off the recessed top 68 of slave piston 62. This allows hydraulic fluid to flow from passageway 64a/b into the MP/SP circuit associated with slave piston 62, thereby filling that circuit as is required to commence reciprocations of the master and slave pistons. When the MP/SP circuit is full, plunger 224 re-closes the upper end of passageway 64a. 
     During each forward stroke of master piston 82, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in slave piston cylinder 60 is greatly increased. This high pressure hydraulic fluid acts on the upwardly facing surfaces 228a and 228b of plunger 224, while the downwardly facing lower surface 230 of the plunger continues to see only relatively low pressure hydraulic fluid in passageway 64a. Accordingly, there is a net downward hydraulic force on plunger 224 which is sufficient to cause plunger 224 to move down with slave piston 62, thereby compressing spring 232 and keeping the upper end of passageway 64a closed. 
     Shortly after slave piston 62 has opened the exhaust valve(s) 120 in the associated engine cylinder, the pressure in that engine cylinder begins to drop. This causes the hydraulic fluid pressure in slave piston cylinder 60 to drop, thereby decreasing the net downward hydraulic force on plunger 224. Spring 232 is then able to lift plunger 224 off the recessed top 68 of slave piston 62 and to restore plunger 224 to the position relative to screw body 222 that is shown in FIG. 3. As soon as plunger 224 is thus lifted off the top of slave piston 62, high pressure hydraulic fluid can flow from the MP/SP circuit via passageway 64a/b. This allows slave piston 62 to reset as described above in connection with FIG. 1. The hydraulic fluid that flows from the MP/SP circuit during this reset operation is accumulated by hydraulic accumulator 240 (FIG. 2). In particular, the plunger 242 of accumulator 240 is raised against the downward force of spring 244 to accumulate this temporarily displaced fluid under plunger 242. 
     At the end of its reset stroke, slave piston 62 again comes to rest against the lower end of screw body 222. When master piston 82 subsequently performs its return stroke, accumulator 240 refills the MP/SP circuit by forcing the accumulated hydraulic fluid back through passageway 64a/b. This refilling hydraulic fluid flow again raises plunger 224 off the top 68 of slave piston 62. 
     When the engine brake is turned off, the slave piston performs one final downward stroke during which the reset mechanism operates as described above to release hydraulic fluid from the MP/SP circuit. Because conduit 36 is now vented by de-energized solenoid valve 30, the MP/SP circuit is not refilled when master piston 82 would otherwise perform its next return stroke. Accordingly, reciprocation of pistons 82 and 62 ceases and the engine brake stops functioning. 
     It should be noted that, as compared to FIG. 1, the hydraulic circuitry of FIG. 2 is simplified in several respects. Conduit 50 in FIG. 1 is eliminated in FIG. 2. Complex control valve 40 in FIG. 1 is replaced by much simpler hydraulic accumulator 240 in FIG. 2, and indeed one such accumulator 240 may take the place of two or more control valves 40. (This latter point is discussed in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6.) The high pressure leakage that may be present with control valve 40 is eliminated by using accumulator 240 instead. 
     Although the circuit of FIG. 2 is thus much simpler than the circuit of FIG. 1, all the functionality associated with control valve 40 is preserved in FIG. 2. The MP/SP circuit is filled through passageway 64a/b with the cooperation of the modified reset mechanism. The reset mechanism acts as a check valve for isolating the MP/SP circuit from the low pressure circuit (including conduits 36 and 38) until the reset operation begins. The reset mechanism also exhausts the MP/SP circuit via de-energized solenoid valve 30 when engine braking is no longer desired. The minimum oil pressure in the MP/SP circuit is set by the preload force of spring 226. Premature motion of the slave piston is limited to the extent of the amount by which plunger 224 can protrude from screw body 222 prior to the plunger contacting spring 232. During the reset event the displaced hydraulic fluid is temporarily stored in accumulator 240. 
     FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention which is suitable for use when mechanism 320 is a combined reset and automatic lash adjusting mechanism (e.g., as in Meistrick et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,625) or a clip valve mechanism (e.g., as in Hu U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,290). (Again, elements in FIG. 4 that are the same as or substantially similar to elements in any of the above-described FIGS. have the same reference numbers and are not described again in connection with FIG. 4. Only elements that are new or substantially different from previously described elements have new reference numbers (in the 300 series) in FIG. 4. 
     Because mechanism 320 in FIG. 4 is a combined reset and lash adjusting mechanism or a clip valve mechanism, it is not possible to fill or refill the MP/SP circuit through passageway 64a/b because the plunger protrusions of these types of mechanisms 320 is not retractable into the surrounding screw body during the braking cycle. Thus in FIG. 4 the MP/SP circuit is filled or refilled through a separate fill check valve 350 connected between conduit 36 and slave piston cylinder 60 (or any other convenient point in the MP/SP circuit). 
     Although the complex control valve 40 of FIG. 1 is replaced in FIG. 4 by relatively simple hydraulic accumulator 240 and fill check valve 350, the full functionality of the control valve is again preserved in FIG. 4. Fill check valve 350 provides a passageway for filling the MP/SP circuit. Isolation of the MP/SP circuit occurs when the plunger of mechanism 320 seats over the top of passageway 64a/b and fill check valve 350 is closed by circuit pressurization when master piston 82 begins its forward stroke. When engine braking is no longer desired, the MP/SP circuit is exhausted through passageway 64a/b and not subsequently refilled because conduit 36 is vented via de-energized solenoid valve 30. Minimum hydraulic fluid pressure for engine brake operation is set by the preload force of the spring 354 acting on the ball 352 of check valve 350. If mechanism 320 is a combined reset and automatic lash adjusting mechanism, premature slave piston motion is limited to the extent of the plunger reset protrusion as described above in connection with FIG. 2. On the other hand, if mechanism 320 is a clip valve mechanism, overall slave piston motion is limited by the clip plunger protrusion. Accumulator 240 accumulates hydraulic fluid that is temporarily displaced from the MP/SP circuit. Again in FIG. 4 a single accumulator 240 may perform the accumulation function for two or more control valves 40 in the engine brake as will now be described in more detail in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the previously mentioned point that (in connection with other features of this invention) one hydraulic accumulator 240 can serve several MP/SP circuits in an engine brake and thereby eliminate or help to eliminate several complex control valves 40 required in prior art brakes. In the typical prior art engine brake assembly 400 shown in FIG. 5 solenoid valve 30 supplies low pressure hydraulic fluid via conduit 36 to three MP/SP circuits 410a, 410b, and 410c. Each of MP/SP circuits 410 includes a master piston 82a, b, or c, a Slave piston 62a, b, or c, and a control valve 40a, b, or c. Each control valve 40 supplies low pressure hydraulic fluid to the conduit 70a, b, or c linking the associated master and slave pistons. The hydraulic fluid return conduit 38a, b, and c from each slave piston 62 is also shown. FIG. 5 makes it clear that in prior art engine brake assembly 400 one relatively complex and expensive control valve 40 is required for each MP/SP circuit. 
     FIG. 6 shows modification of the apparatus of FIG. 5 in accordance with the present invention. Although FIG. 6 shows MP/SP circuits 510a, 510b, and 510c like the one shown in FIG. 2, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that MP/SP circuits 510 can alternatively be constructed as shown in FIG. 4. In engine brake assembly 500 one relatively simple hydraulic accumulator 240 in fluid communication with conduit 36 performs the hydraulic fluid accumulation function for all three MP/SP circuits 510a, b, and c. Slave pistons 62a, b, and c in FIG. 6 operate as described above in connection with FIG. 2, and the associated FIG. 6 conduits 38a, b, and c are bi-directional, as is also described above in connection with FIG. 2. In other respects the apparatus of FIG. 6 is like the apparatus of FIG. 5. It will therefore be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 5 and 6 how one hydraulic accumulator 240 can be used in accordance with this invention to help displace several complex control valves 40 in an engine brake. 
     It will be understood that the foregoing is only illustrative of the principles of the invention and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, reset mechanisms, combined reset and lash adjusting mechanisms, and clip valve mechanisms other than those specifically mentioned above can be used if desired. Concurrently filed, commonly assigned application Ser. No. 315,123, (Docket No. DP-155), also incorporated by reference herein, shows another illustrative combined reset and lash adjusting mechanism that can be used.