Vane-type hydraulic variable camshaft timing system with lockout feature

Abstract: A camshaft (126) has a vane (160) secured to an end thereof for non-oscillating rotation therewith. The camshaft also carries a sprocket (132) that can rotate with the camshaft but oscillatable with respect to the camshaft. The vane has opposed lobes (160a, 160b) that are received in opposed recesses (132a, 132b), respectively, of the sprocket. The recesses have greater circumferential extent than the lobes to permit the vane and sprocket to oscillate with respect to one another, and thereby permit the camshaft to change in phase relative to a crankshaft whose phase relative to the sprocket is fixed by virtue of a chain drive extending therebetween. The camshaft phase tends to change in reaction to pulses that it experiences during its normal operation, and it is permitted to change only in a given direction, either to advance or retard, by selectively blocking or permitting the flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid, preferably engine oil, from the recesses by controlling the position of a spool within a valve body (192) of a control valve in response to a signal indicative of an engine operating condition from an engine control unit. The sprocket has a passage (252) extending therethrough the passage extending parallel to and being spaced from a longitudinal axis of rotation of the camshaft. A pin (250) is slidable within the passage and is resiliently urged by a spring (254) to a position where a free end of the pin projects beyond the passage. The vane carries a plate (168) with a pocket (168f), which is aligned with the passage in a predetermined sprocket to camshaft orientation. The pocket receives hydraulic fluid, and when the fluid pressure is at its normal operating level, there will be sufficient pressure within the pocket to keep the free end of the pin from entering the pocket. At low levels of hydraulic pressure, however, the free end of the pin will enter the pocket and latch the camshaft and the sprocket together in a predetermined orientation, until hydraulic pressure within the pocket returns to a suitable level to permit the camshaft to properly oscillate relative to the sprocket.

Description: This invention relates to a variable camshaft timing (VCT) system for an automotive engine in which the circumferential position of an engine camshaft is varied relative to the crankshaft, or to another camshaft of the engine, by controllably transferring hydraulic fluid between opposed operators that cooperatively act to reposition the camshaft. More particularly, this invention relates to a VCT system of the foregoing character in which the opposed hydraulic operators are in the form of a diametrically opposed spaced apart pair of lobes of a vane that is secured to the camshaft whose position is to be varied. U.S. Patents 5,002,023 (Butterfield and Smith) and 5,046,460 (Butterfield, Smith and Dembosky) describe various forms of VCT systems that utilize opposed hydraulic actuators in the form of opposed cylinders to circumferentially reposition an automotive engine camshaft relative to a crankshaft, or relative to another camshaft of the same engine, by controllably transferring pressurized engine lubricating oil from one of the hydraulic cylinders to the other. Further, as is disclosed in U. S. Patent 5,107,804 (Becker, Butterfield, Dembosky, and Smith), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, a VCT system using the principles of the aforesaid U.S. patents can be simplified in its mechanical and hydraulic aspects by using a vane with a diametrically spaced apart pair of lobes secured to the camshaft in combination with a surrounding housing that is oscillatable with respect to the camshaft, in place of the opposed hydraulic cylinders of the aforesaid patents. An arrangement in which the phase angle of an engine camshaft relative to that of the crankshaft is adjusted by hydraulic action against a series of vanes that are secured to the camshaft and are free to oscillate within chambers of a drive member that is driven in rotation by the crankshaft is also disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,858,572 (Shirai et al.). A vane-type hydraulically operated VCT system of the type described in the aforesaid U.S. Patent 5,107,804 relies on the presence of pressurized engine lubricating oil or other hydraulic fluid within the VCT system to function properly and predictably. This condition is achieved during normal engine operation, when engine lubricating oil is used as the hydraulic fluid within the VCT system, since adequate pressurization of the engine lubricating oil inherently result from the operation of the engine. However, when an automotive engine is shut off, the pressure on the engine lubricating oil soon drops, and the oil within a VCT system of the aforesaid type will normally drain back to the engine crankcase. Thus, upon the restarting of such an engine, the supply of engine lubricating oil within the VCT system is likely to be inadequate in volume or pressure to ensure its proper operation. During these conditions it is desirable to be able to automatically lock or latch the position of the phase adjusted camshaft relative to that of the crankshaft in a predetermined position, preferably in a cantered position between its fully advanced position and its fully retarded position, and to maintain the phase adjusted camshaft in such a locked or latched condition unless the pressure of the engine lubricating oil within the VCT system is adequately high to ensure normal, proper operation of the VCT system. EP 0799976, upon which the precharacterising clause of claim 1 is based, discloses a variable camshaft timing system comprising a crankshaft that is rotatable about an axis, a camshaft rotatable about a second axis, said axis being parallel to the axis, said camshaft being subject to torque reversals during the rotation thereof; a vane having at least one lobe, said vane being attached to said camshaft, being rotatable with said camshaft and being non-oscillatable with respect to said camshaft; a housing, said housing being rotatable with said camshaft and being oscillatable with respect to said camshaft, said housing having a least one recess, said at least one recess receiving said at least one lobe, said at least one lobe being oscillatable within said at least one recess; rotary movement transmitting means for transmitting rotary movement from the crankshaft to said housing; a passage formed in the housing which passage extends substantially parallel to and is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of rotation of the camshaft, a pin slidably positioned within said passage, said pin having an inner end and an outer end, and means resiliently acting on said inner end of said pin to urge said outer end of said pin outwardly from said passage; said vane having a plate secured thereto, said plate being rotatable with said vane and being non-rotatable with respect thereto, said plate having an inwardly facing pocket, said pocket being aligned with said passage in a predetermined position of said vane with respect to said housing and being adapted to receive said outer end of said pin in said predetermined position of said vane with respect to said housing to prevent oscillation of said housing with respect to said camshaft; said pocket being adapted to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid, when under normal pressurization, overcoming the effect of said means acting resiliently on said inner end of said pin and maintaining said outer end of said pin out of said pocket to permit oscillation of said housing with respect to said camshaft, the pin having a flat end which engages in the pocket, which is of cylindrical shape. According to the present invention, there is provided a variable camshaft timing system comprises a crankshaft that is rotatable about an axis, a camshaft rotatable about a second axis, said axis being parallel to the axis, said camshaft being subject to torque reversals during the rotation thereof; a vane having at least one lobe, said vane being attached to said camshaft, being rotatable with said camshaft and being non-oscillatable with respect to said camshaft; a housing, said housing being rotatable with said camshaft and being oscillatable with respect to said camshaft, said housing having a least one recess, said at least one recess receiving said at least one lobe, said at least one lobe being oscillatable within said at least one recess; rotary movement transmitting means for transmitting rotary movement from the crankshaft to said housing; a passage formed in the housing, which passage extends substantially parallel to and is spaced apart form the longitudinal axis of rotation of the camshaft, a pin slidably positioned within said passage, said pin having an inner end and an outer end, and means resiliently acting on said inner end of said pin to urge said outer end of said pin outwardly from said passage; said vane having a plate secured thereto, said plate being rotatable with said vane and being non-rotatable with respect thereto, said plate having an inwardly facing pocket, said pocket being aligned with said passage in a predetermined position of said vane with respect to said housing and being adapted to receive said outer end of said pin in said predetermined position of said vane with respect to said housing to prevent oscillation of said housing with respect to said camshaft; said pocket being adapted to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid, when under normal pressurization, overcoming the effect of said means acting resiliently on said inner end of said pin and maintaining said outer end of said pin out of said pocket to permit oscillation of said housing with respect to said camshaft, characterised in that the outer end of the pin is hemispherical in configuration and said pocket has an inner surface which is engaged by the outer end of the pin, said inner surface being of hemispherical configuration, the radius of curvature of the inner surface of the pocket being at least slightly greater than the radius of curvature of said outer end of said pin. The relationship between the hydraulic force that acts on the free end of the pin and the mechanical spring force that acts on its opposed end in the present invention, is such that the hydraulic force is substantially greater during all normal operating conditions of the engine and the mechanical force is greater only temporarily upon restarting of the engine. Thus, in a VCT system according to the present invention the camshaft is mechanically locked or latched in a predetermined phase relative to the crankshaft, preferably in a cantered phase between its fully advanced position and its fully retarded position, to ensure proper starting of the engine at a time when the VAT system could otherwise function unpredictably and unreliably because of inadequate hydraulic pressure within the system. Further, the VCT system according to the present invention prevents impacts between the VCT system components during and shortly after starting, when the system can be fully or partly filled with air and when such impacts could occur because of the compressibility of air and the sensitivity of a VCT system of the type described in the aforesaid U.S. Patent 5,107,804 to torque fluctuations during each rotation of the camshaft. Thus, the latching or locking feature of the VCT system of the present invention prevents such impacts, and the damage and noise resulting therefrom, by ensuring that no phase adjustment can occur until the VCT system is filled with pressurized fluid and the associated check valves can function properly to prevent hydraulic fluid transfer within the system except when desired to effect a change in camshaft phase angle. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vane-type hydraulic variable camshaft timing (VCT) system. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a VCT system of the foregoing character with a mechanical locking feature that will function to prevent changes in camshaft phase angle whenever the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the VCT system is inadequate to ensure its proper operation. Specifically it is an object of the present invention to provide a VCT system of the foregoing character that utilizes pressurized engine lubricating oil as the hydraulic medium, and incorporates a locking or latching feature to prevent changes in camshaft phase angle during and shortly after the restarting of the engine, when the pressure of the engine lubricating oil within the variable camshaft timing system is inadequate to ensure its proper operation. In order that the invention may be well understood, there will now be described an embodiment thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a camshaft with elements of an embodiment of a variable camshaft timing system applied thereto; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with a portion of the structure thereof removed to more clearly illustrate other portions thereof: Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2; Figure 6 is an end elevational view of an element of the variable camshaft timing system of Figures 1-5; Figure 7 is an elevational view of the element of Figure 6 from the opposite end thereof; Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the element of Figures 6 and 7; Figure 9 is an elevational view of the element of Figure 8 from the opposite side thereof; Figure 10 is a simplified schematic view of the variable camshaft timing arrangement of Figures 1-9; Figure 11 is a view generally similar to Figure 2 illustrating a variable camshaft timing system with a locking or latching feature according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention incorporated therein; and Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-12 of Figure 11. Refering to the drawings, Figures 1-10 illustrate a vane-type, hydraulic variable camshaft timing (VCT) system according to an embodiment of the aforesaid U.S. Patent an 5,107,804 in which a housing in the form of a sprocket 32 is oscillatingly journalled on a camshaft 26. The camshaft 26 may be considered to be the only camshaft of a single camshaft engine, either of the overhead camshaft type or the in block camshaft type. Alternatively, the camshaft 26 may be considered to be either the intake valve operating camshaft or the exhaust valve operating camshaft of a dual camshaft engine. In any case, the sprocket 32 and the camshaft 26 are rotatable together, and are caused to rotate by the application of torque to the sprocket 32 by an endless roller chain 38, shown fragmentarily, which is trained around the sprocket 32 and also around a crankshaft, not shown. As will be hereinafter described in greater detail, the sprocket 32 is oscillatingly journalled on the camshaft 26 so that it is oscillatable at least through a limited arc with respect to the camshaft 26 during the rotation of the camshaft, an action that will adjust the phase of the camshaft 26 relative to the crankshaft. An annular pumping vane 60 is fixedly positioned on the camshaft 26, the vane 60 having a diametrically opposed pair of radially outwardly projecting lobes 60a, 60b and being attached to an enlarged end portion 26a of the camshaft 26 by bolts 62 that pass through the vane 60 into the end portion 26a. In that regard, the camshaft 26 is also provided with a thrust shoulder 26b (Figure 3 ) to permit the camshaft to be accurately positioned relative to an associated engine block, not shown. The pumping vane 60 is also precisely positioned relative to the end portion 26a by a dowel pin 64 that extends therebetween. The lobes 60a, 60b are received in radially outwardly projecting recesses 32a, 32b, respectively, of the sprocket 32, the circumferential extent of each of the recesses 32a, 32b being somewhat greater than the circumferential extent of the vane lobe 60a, 60b that is received in such recess to permit limited oscillating movement of the sprocket 32 relative to the vane 60. The recesses 32a, 32b are closed around the lobes 60a, 60b, respectively, by spaced apart, transversely extending annular plates 66, 68 (Figure 3) that are fixed relative to the vane 60, and, thus, relative to the camshaft 26, by bolts 70, which extend from one to the other through the same lobe, 60a or 60b. Further, the inside diameter 32c of the sprocket 32 is sealed with respect to the outside diameter of the portion 60d of the vane 60, that is between the lobes 60a, 60b, and the tips of the lobes 60a, 60b of the vane 60 are provided with seal receiving slots 60e, 60f, respectively. Thus each of the recesses 32a, 32b of the sprocket 32 is capable of sustaining hydraulic pressure, and within each recess 32a, 32b the portion on each side of the lobe 60a, 60b, respectively, is capable of sustaining hydraulic pressure. The functioning of the structure of the embodiment of Figures 1-9, as thus far described, may be understood by reference to Figure 10. Hydraulic fluid, illustratively in the form of engine lubricating oil, flows into the recesses 32a, 32b by way of a common inlet line 82. The inlet line 82 terminates at a juncture between opposed check valves 84 and 86 that are connected to the recesses 32a, 32b, respectively, by branch lines 88, 90, respectively. The check valves 84, 86 have annular seats 84a, 86a, respectively, to permit the flow of hydraulic fluid through the check valves 84, 86 into the recesses 32a, 32b, respectively. The reverse flow of hydraulic fluid through the check valves 84, 86, is blocked by floating balls 84b, 86b, respectively, which are urged against the seats 84a, 86a by springs 84c, 86c, respectively. The check valves 84, 86, thus, permit the initial filling of the recesses 32a, 32b and provide for a continuous supply of make-up hydraulic fluid to compensate for leakage therefrom. Hydraulic fluid enters the line 82 by way of a spool valve 92, which is incorporated within the camshaft 26, and hydraulic fluid is returned to the spool valve 92 from the recesses 32a, 32b by return lines 94, 96, respectively. The spool valve 92 is made up of a cylindrical member 98 and a spool 100 is slidable to and fro within the member 98. The spool 100 has cylindrical lands 100a and 100b on opposed ends thereof, and the lands 100a and 100b, which fit snugly within the member 98, are positioned so that the land 100b will block the exit of hydraulic fluid from the return line 96, or the land 100a will block the exit of hydraulic fluid from the return line 94, or the lands 100a and 100b will block the exit of hydraulic fluid from both the return lines 94 and 96, as is shown in Figure 10, where the camshaft 26 is being maintained in a selected position relative to the crankshaft of the associated engine. The position of the spool 100 within the member 98 is influenced by an opposed pair of springs 102, 104, which act on the ends of the lands 100a, 100b, respectively. Thus, the spring 102 resiliently urges the spool 100 to the left, in the orientation illustrated in Figure 10, and the spring 104 resiliently urges the spool 100 to the right in such orientation. The position of the spool 100 within the member 98 is further influenced by a supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid within a portion 98a of the member 98, on the outside of the land 100a, which urges the spool 100 to the left. The portion 98a of the member 98 receives its pressurized fluid (engine oil) directly from the main oil gallery ("MOG") 130 of the engine, and this oil is also used to lubricate a bearing 132 in which the camshaft 26 of the engine rotates. The control of the position of the spool 100 within the member 98 is in response to hydraulic pressure within a control pressure cylinder 134 whose piston 134a bears against an extension 100c of the spool 100. The surface area of the piston 134a is greater than the surface area of the end of the spool 100 that is exposed to hydraulic pressure within the portion 98, and is preferably twice as great. Thus, the hydraulic pressures that act in opposite directions on the spool 100 will be in balance when the pressure within the cylinder 134 is one-half that of the pressure within the portion 98a. This facilitates the control of the position of the spool 100 in that, if the springs 102 and 104 are balanced, the spool 100 will remain in its null or centered position, as illustrated in Figure 10, with less than full engine oil pressure in the cylinder 134, thus allowing the spool 100 to be moved in either direction by increasing or decreasing the pressure in the cylinder 134, as the case may be. The pressure within the cylinder 134 is controlled by a solenoid 106, preferably of the pulse width modulated type, (PWM), in response to a control signal from an electronic engine control unit (ECU) 108, shown schematically, which may be of conventional construction. With the spool 108 in its null position when the pressure in the cylinder 134 is equal to one-half the pressure in the portion 198a, as heretofore described, the on-off pulses of the solenoid 106 will be of equal duration; by increasing or decreasing the on duration relative to the off duration, the pressure in the cylinder 134 will be increased or decreased relative to such one-half level, thereby moving the spool 100 to the right or to the left, respectively. The solenoid 106 receives engine oil from the engine oil gallery 130 through an inlet line 140 and selectively delivers engine oil from such source to the cylinder 134 through a supply line 138. As is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cylinder 134 may be mounted at an exposed end of the camshaft 26 so that the piston 134a bears against an exposed free end 100c of the spool 100. In this case, the solenoid 106 is preferably mounted in a housing 134b that also houses the cylinder 134a. Make-up oil for the recesses 32a, 32b of the sprocket 32 to compensate for leakage therefrom is provided by way of a small, internal passage 120 within the spool 100, from the passage 98a to an annular space 98b of the cylindrical member 98, from which it can flow into the inlet line 82. A check valve 122 is positioned within the passage 120 to block the flow of oil from the annular space 98b to the portion 98a of the cylindrical member 98. The vane 60 is alternatingly urged in clockwise and counterclockwise directions by the torque pulsations in the camshaft 26 and these torque pulsations tend to oscillate the vane 60, and, thus, the camshaft 26, relative to the sprocket 32. However, in the Figure 10 position of the spool 100 within the cylindrical member 98, such oscillation is prevented by the hydraulic fluid within the recesses 32a, 32b of the sprocket 32 on opposite sides of the lobes 60a, 60b, respectively, of the vane 60, because no hydraulic fluid can leave either of the recesses 32a, 32b, since both return lines 94, 96 are blocked by the position of the spool 100, in the Figure 10 condition of the system. If, for example, it is desired to permit the camshaft 26 and the vane 60 to move in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the sprocket 32, it is only necessary to increase the pressure within the cylinder 34 to a level greater than one-half that in the portion 98a of the cylindrical member. This will urge the spool 100 to the right and thereby unblock the return line 94. In this condition of the apparatus, counterclockwise torque pulsations in the camshaft 26 will pump fluid out of a portion of the recess 32a and allow the lobe 62a of vane 60 to move into the portion of the recess which has been emptied of hydraulic fluid. However, reverse movement of the vane will not occur as the torque pulsations in the camshaft become oppositely directed unless and until the spool 100 moves to the left, because of the blockage of fluid flow through the return line 96 by the land 100b of the spool 100. While illustrated as a separate closed passage in Figure 10, the periphery of the vane 60 has an open oil passage slot, element 60c in Figures 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8, which permits the transfer of oil between the portion of the recess 32a on the right side of the lobe 60a and the portion of the recess 32b on the right side of the lobe 60b, which are the non-active sides of the lobes 60a, 60b; thus, counterclockwise movement of the vane 60 relative to the sprocket 32 will occur when flow is permitted through return line 94 and clockwise movement will occur when flow is permitted through return line 96. Further, the passage 82 is provided with an extension 82a to the non-active side of one of the lobes 60a, 60b, shown as the lobe 60b, to permit a continuous supply of make-up oil to the non-active sides of the lobes 60a, 60b for better rotational balance, improved damping of vane motion, and improved lubrication of the bearing surfaces of the vane 60. The elements of the structure of Figures 1-9 that correspond to the elements of Figure 10, as described above, are identified in Figures 1-9 by the reference numerals that were used in Figure 10, it is being noted that the check valves 84 and 86 are disc-type check valves in Figures 1-9 as opposed to the ball type check valves of Figure 10. While disc-type check valves are preferred for the embodiment of Figures 1-9, it is to be understood that other types of check valves can also be used. In the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12, the various elements are identified by 3 digit reference numerals when an element of the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12 corresponds to an element of the embodiment of Figures 1-10; the last 2 digits of the element of the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12 are the reference numerals for the corresponding element of the embodiment of Figures 1-10 and the first digit is 1 digit higher than that of the corresponding element of the embodiment of Figures 1-10. Thus in the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12, there is provided a variable camshaft timing (VCT) system in which a housing in the form of a sprocket 132 is oscillatingly journalled on a camshaft 126. The camshaft 126 may be considered to be the only camshaft of a single camshaft engine, either of the overhead camshaft type or the in block camshaft type. Alternatively, the camshaft 126 may be considered to be either the intake valve operating camshaft or the exhaust valve operating camshaft of a dual camshaft engine. In any case, the sprocket 132 and the camshaft 126 are rotatable together, and are caused to rotate by the application of torque to the sprocket 132 by an endless roller chain 138, shown fragmentarily, which is trained around the sprocket 132 and also around a crankshaft, not shown. As will be hereinafter described in greater detail, the sprocket 132 is oscillatingly joumalled on the camshaft 126 so that it is oscillatable at least through a limited arc with respect to the camshaft 126 during the rotation of the camshaft, an action that will adjust the phase of the camshaft 126 relative to the crankshaft. An annular pumping vane 160 is fixedly positioned on the camshaft 126, the vane 160 having a diametrically opposed pair of radially outwardly projecting lobes 160a, 160b and being attached to an enlarged end portion 126a of the camshaft 126 by bolts 162 that pass through the vane 160 into the end portion 126a. The lobes 160a, 160b are received in radially outwardly projecting recesses 132a, 132b, respectively, of the sprocket 132, the circumferential extent of each of the recesses 132a, 132b being somewhat greater than the circumferential extent of the vane lobe 160a, 160b that is received in such recess to permit limited oscillating movement of the sprocket 132 relative to the vane 160. The recesses 132a, 132b are closed around the lobes 160a, 160b, respectively, by spaced apart, transversely extending annular plates 166, 168 that are fixed relative to the vane 160, and, thus, relative to the camshaft 126, by bolts 170 which extend from one to the other through the same lobe, 160a or 160b. Further, the inside diameter 132c of the sprocket 132 is sealed with respect to the outside diameter of the portion 160d of the vane 160 that is between the lobe 160a, 160b, and the tips of the lobes 160a, 160b of the vane 160 are provided with seal receiving slots 160e, 160f, respectively, which are adapted to sealingly engage the diametrical surface 132d within each of the recesses 132a, 132b. Thus, each of the recesses 132a, 132b of the sprocket 132 is capable of sustaining hydraulic pressure, and within each recess 132a, 132b the portion on each side of the lobe 160a, 160b, respectively, is capable of sustaining hydraulic pressure. The annular plate 168 is provided with a plurality of radial projections 168a-168e non evenly spaced around its exterior to permit a position sensor, not shown, to determine the circumferential position of the plate 168 and the vane 160 based on the spacing detected between an adjacent pair of such projections during a sensing step. The VCT system of the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12 is provided with a spool valve 192 and check valves 184, 186, which correspond in structure and function to the spool valve 92 and the check valves 84, 86, respectively, of the embodiment of Figures 1-10. During times of low hydraulic fluid pressure within the sprocket 132, for example, during and shortly after the restarting of the engine incorporating such VCT system in the case of a VCT system that is operated by pressurized engine lubricating oil, the vane 160 is positively latched to the sprocket 132 by a pin 250 that is slidable to and fro within a passage 252 in the sprocket 132, the passage 252 being spaced from and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of rotation of the camshaft 126. The pin 250 has an outer or leading end 250a that is hemispherical in shape, and the opposed end of the pin 250 is acted on by a compression spring 254 that is trapped within the passage by a retainer 256 to bias the end 250a of the pin 250 outwardly from the passage 252. The advance of the pin 250 outwardly from the passage 252 is limited by the plate 168, which rotates with the vane 160, as heretofore described. The plate 168 has an externally projecting bulge 168f, which defines an inwardly facing pocket 168g of hemispherical configuration, whose radius of curvature is somewhat greater than that of the end 250a of the pin 250. The pocket 168g is axially aligned with the passage 252 in a predetermined position of the vane 160 relative to the sprocket 132, preferably when each of the lobes 160a, 160b is positioned at the midpoint of its range of travel within its recess 132a, 132b, respectively. Thus, the spring 254 is free to drive the end 250a of the pin 250 into the pocket 168g of the plate 168 when the passage 252 and the pocket 168g are in alignment. However, the pocket 168g is in communication with the engine oil or other hydraulic fluid that is being used in the VCT system of this embodiment through a passage 132e in the sprocket 132, and when this hydraulic fluid is under pressure, as it will be during normal operation of the engine, hydraulic pressure within the pocket 168g will keep all portions of the pin 250 within the passage 252, to thereby permit oscillation of the vane 160 relative to the sprocket 132 as directed by an engine controller corresponding to the engine control unit 108 of the embodiment of Figures 1-10, or otherwise. In this way, the pin 250 will automatically function to latch or lock the position of the vane 160 relative to the sprocket 132 only during periods of low system hydraulic pressure when the vane 160 could otherwise behave erratically because of inadequate hydraulic pressure to ensure its proper operation. Such a condition could . otherwise lead to undesired impacts between the lobes 160a, 160b of the vane 160 and the surfaces of the recesses 132a, 132b, respectively, of the sprocket 132 in which they are received, with excessive noise and impact damage possibly resulting therefrom.

Claims: A variable camshaft timing system comprises a crankshaft that is rotatable about an axis, a camshaft (126) rotatable about a second axis, said axis being parallel to the axis, said camshaft(126) being subject to torque reversals during the rotation thereof; a vane (160) having at least one lobe, said vane (160) being attached to said camshaft, being rotatable with said camshaft and being non-oscillatable with respect to said camshaft; a housing (132), said housing (132) being rotatable with said camshaft (126) and being oscillatable with respect to said camshaft (126), said housing (132) having a least one recess (132a,132b), said at least one recess (132a,132b) receiving said at least one lobe (160a,160b), said at least one lobe being oscillatable within said at least one recess (132a,132b); rotary movement transmitting means (138) for transmitting rotary movement from the crankshaft to said housing; a passage (252) formed in the housing (132), which passage (252) extends substantially parallel to and is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of rotation of the camshaft (126), a pin (250) slidably positioned within said passage, said pin (250) having an inner end and an outer end (250a), and means (254) resiliently acting on said inner end of said pin to urge said outer end of said pin outwardly from said passage; said vane (160) having a plate (168) secured thereto, said plate (168) being rotatable with said vane (160) and being non-rotatable with respect thereto, said plate (168) having an inwardly facing pocket (168f), said pocket being aligned with said passage (252) in a predetermined position of said vane with respect to said housing and being adapted to receive said outer end (250a) of said pin in said predetermined position of said vane (160) with respect to said housing (132) to prevent oscillation of said housing with respect to said camshaft; said pocket (168f) being adapted to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid, when under normal pressurization, overcoming the effect of said means (254) acting resiliently on said inner end of said pin (250) and maintaining said outer end (250a) of said pin (250) out of said pocket (168f) to permit oscillation of said housing (132) with respect to said camshaft (126), characterised in that the outer end (250) of the pin (250) is hemispherical in configuration and said pocket (168f) has an inner surface (168g) which is engaged by the outer end (250) of the pin (250), said inner surface (168g) being of hemispherical configuration, the radius (250a) of curvature of the inner surface of the pocket (168f) being at least slightly greater than the radius of curvature of said outer end of said pin (250). A variable camshaft timing system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each, lobe (160a,160b) divides the or each recess (132a,132b) into two portions, each of said first portion and said second portion of the or each recess (132a,132b) being capable of sustaining hydraulic pressure. A variable camshaft timing system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vane (160) has first and second circumferentially spaced apart lobes and said housing (132) has first and second spaced apart recesses (132a,132b) in which said first and second lobes respectively engage so as to prevent oscillating movement of said lobes within said recesses.

Inventors: MARKLEY GEORGE L, MARKLEY, GEORGE L.
Applicants: BORG WARNER INC, BORGWARNER INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F01L1
IPC codes: F01L1