Patent Publication Number: US-7712443-B2

Title: Switchable cam follower of a valve train of an internal combustion engine

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a switchable cam follower of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, having an outer lever and having an inner lever which is arranged between the side walls of said outer lever, which inner lever has between its arms a roller, which is mounted on a journal, as a mating running face for a lifting cam, with a rest for a gas-exchange valve being intrinsic to the cam follower at an underside at one end, and a pivot bearing being intrinsic to the cam follower at an underside at the other end, with the levers at one of the ends running on a common axle and having, at an end remote from the axle, longitudinally extending receptacles which are aligned with one another in the cam base circle, with a coupling means being arranged in at least one of the receptacles, which coupling means, for coupling the levers, is movable in sections into the opposite receptacle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In order to produce an aligned position of receptacles for coupling means in the cam base circle in levers which are already known from the prior art, a respective outer lever has a stop which engages in the manner of a bracket under the corresponding inner lever approximately in the region of the transverse central plane. On account of the necessary transition radii of said bracket-like stop from the arms of the outer lever as viewed in the transverse direction, a cam follower of said type has to be of relatively wide construction, since the inner lever cannot come into contact with an upper side of the transverse bracket in the radii region. If, nevertheless, there is contact in the region of the radii, unnecessarily high material loading is to be expected. States can also occur in which there is not sufficient alignment of the coupling means with respect to the opposite receptacle, with the result that coupling cannot be realized. 
   Secondly, it is obvious that, on account of the transverse bracket which engages over the underside of the inner lever, the cam follower is of unnecessarily deep construction. Here, problems can occur with free movement in the region of the cylinder head. 
   It is also disadvantageous that the journal for the roller as a mating running surface must be calked in the inner lever or fastened to the inner lever in some other way. This increases the production expenditure. In addition, the roller with journal cannot be disassembled again after the initial fastening. A disassembly would however be desirable for servicing purposes or in the event of a pairing of pre-sorted rollers for play adjustment. 
   OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the invention to create a cam follower of the above-mentioned generic type, in which the described disadvantages are eliminated. 
   ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECT 
   According to the invention, said object is achieved in that the journal is mounted in a “floating” fashion in the inner lever and, with one extension each, extends marginally beyond the arms of the inner lever, with upper sides of the extensions bearing, in the coupled state, against undersides of stop faces which are formed on inner faces of the side walls of the outer lever. 
   The above-described disadvantages are therefore eliminated. The scope of protection of this invention also relates to solutions for switchable drag levers in which what is known as “transverse locking” is applied. On account of the internal stop measures which preferably proceed in one piece from inner faces of side walls of the outer lever, the above-mentioned bracket-like stop which engages under the inner lever can be dispensed with. The journal for the roller is accordingly of marginally wider design than the inner lever, so that the upper sides thereof bear in a simple fashion against undersides of the stop faces in the coupled state. Alignment of the receptacles for the coupling means is therefore provided in the cam base circle. At the same time, said stop measures can realize a freedom of movement of the mating running face of the inner lever in the cam base circle in relation to its cam. As a result of the latter measure, structural redundancy is avoided and, at the same time, base circle friction is reduced. 
   The term “floating” is intended to mean an arrangement of the journal in the corresponding receptacle in the inner lever which dispenses with any form of fastening. The journal is therefore self-centering by way of its outer end sides against inner faces of the side walls of the outer lever. 
   Undersides of the stop faces, which can, if appropriate, also be formed separately, are expediently realized so as to be complementary to upper sides of the journal. 
   Instead of the “lifting switchover means” provided as a cam follower, it is also possible for a “lifting switch-off means” to be provided, that is to say, in the decoupled state, the lever parts would not cause the gas exchange valve to open. 
   The stop faces expediently project only marginally inward from the inner faces of the side walls of the outer lever. In further refinement of the invention, it is additionally provided that the stop faces proceed in one piece from upper sides of the side walls of the outer lever. Said stop faces can also be formed in one piece with mating running faces for low-lift cams, which mating running faces can be embodied as sliding faces, so that a T-shaped or T-like profile is provided in cross section in said region. It is however also provided to arrange the stop faces to be deeper at a distance from said upper sides. 
   The scope of protection also encompasses a solution in which rollers as mating running faces are likewise applied to the outer lever, or in which rollers as mating running faces are provided only on the outer lever, and the inner lever is provided with a sliding face. 
   The proposed lost motion spring is of relatively compact construction. In addition, as a result of contact of its one leg against an upper side of a transverse web of the outer lever in the decoupled state, an “unscrewing prevention mechanism” for the inner lever in the cylinder head direction is created, in such a way that the journal cannot get lost. 
   Instead of the rotary leg spring as a lost motion spring, it is also possible, if appropriate, to use coil pressure springs or the like. Consideration is given in particular to a spherical cap as a pivot bearing for the cam follower. The cam follower can be mounted on a head of a hydraulic or mechanical support element by means of said spherical cap. Also conceivable and provided if appropriate, however, is an arrangement of the cam follower on a pivot axle or the like. 
   One particularly expedient variant of a supply of hydraulic medium to the cam follower in order to move the coupling device in at least one direction is provided when the hydraulic medium is conducted via the head of the support element, the pivot bearing and a short hydraulic medium duct directly into the receptacle for the coupling means. Here, the cam follower can be provided so as to be either mechanically locked or mechanically unlocked in the unpressurized state. 
   It is possible, if appropriate, for further means for acting on the at least one piston as coupling means to also be provided on the cam follower according to the invention, for example a means which is hydraulic at both sides, an electromagnetic means, a magnetic means and the like. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is expediently explained in more detail on the basis of the drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a longitudinal section through a cam follower according to the invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows a longitudinal section through the outer lever of said cam follower and 
       FIG. 3  shows a cross section through the cam follower in the region of its journal in the direction of the rest for the gas-exchange valve. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   The figures disclose a switchable cam follower  1  for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. Said cam follower  1  has an outer lever  3 . Mounted between side walls  2  of the outer lever  3  is an inner lever  4 . Said inner lever  4  has two spaced-apart arms  7 , between which runs a roller as a mating running face  6  for a high-lift cam. Said roller is in this case mounted by means of rolling bodies on a journal  5  which runs in a “floating” manner, that is to say not fastened, in the inner lever  4 . 
   The outer lever  3  has, on an underside  8  at one end  11 , a pivot bearing  12  which is embodied as a spherical cap. By means of said pivot bearing  12 , said outer lever  3  can be mounted, so as to be pivotably movable, on a head of a for example hydraulic support element. At the other end  9 , the outer lever  3  has, on the underside  8 , a transverse web  25  with a rest  10  for a gas-exchange valve. If appropriate, the cam follower  1  can also be designed to serve to open a plurality of equivalent gas exchange valves. 
   It can also be seen that the outer lever  3  has, above the pivot bearing  12 , a receptacle  13  which runs in the longitudinal direction here. Seated in this receptacle  13  in the decoupled state is a for example piston-like coupling means  15 . Arranged at the other end  9  is an axle  12   a  on which the levers  3 ,  4  run so as to be pivotably movable relative to one another. 
   As is illustrated in particular in  FIG. 3 , a rotary leg spring  22  as a lost motion spring is arranged on the axle  12   a  within the arms  7  of the inner lever  4 . The at least one leg  23  (see also  FIG. 1 ) of said rotary leg spring  22  is in this case supported on an upper side  24  of said transverse web  25 . The other leg  26  of said rotary leg spring  22  acts against a transverse beam  27  of the inner lever  4 . A return of the inner lever  4  into its decoupled state on its high-lift cam is thereby ensured. 
   It can also be seen (see in particular  FIG. 3 ) that upper sides  20  of the side walls  2  of the outer lever  3 , at least in the region of a center, project outward in the manner of segments so as to form sliding faces as mating running faces  21  for cams. Said mating running faces  21  form stop faces  18  which project in sections and slightly inward from inner faces  19  of the side walls  2 . 
   The journal  5  projects with its extensions  15   a  at both ends slightly beyond the arms  7  of the inner lever  4 . In order to create an aligned position of the receptacle  13  with respect to a receptacle  14  on an underside of the inner lever  4 , upper sides  16  of the extensions  15   a  of the journal  5  bear against complementary undersides  17  of the stop faces  18 , with a coupling in a bore likewise being conceivable here. As it passes through the cam base circle, the mating running face  6 , which is embodied as a roller, of the inner lever  4  is out of contact with the cam, with the above-mentioned mating running faces  21  on the outer lever  3  being supported against their cams. 
   LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 
   
       
         1  Rocker arm 
         2  Side wall 
         3  Outer lever 
         4  Inner lever 
         5  Journal 
         6  Mating running face 
         7  Arm 
         8  Underside 
         9  End 
         10  Rest 
         11  End 
         12  Pivot bearing 
         12   a  Axle 
         13  Receptacle 
         14  Receptacle 
         15  Coupling means 
         15   a  Extension 
         16  Upper side 
         17  Underside 
         18  Stop face 
         19  Inner face 
         20  Upper side 
         21  Mating running face 
         22  Rotary leg spring 
         23  Leg 
         24  Upper side 
         25  Transverse web 
         26  Leg 
         27  Transverse beam 
         28  Hydraulic medium duct