Patent ID: 7210439

Claim:
A switching element for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, the switching element comprising: an outer part and an inner element that is axially displaceable in a bore therein, wherein the outer part and the inner element each have at least one receptacle aligned with each other in an axially separated relative position achieved by a lost motion spring, wherein one or more movable coupling means for coupling the inner element with the outer part are applied in one of the receptacles toward the other receptacle in their positions relative to one another, wherein a first upper stop for defining the relative position is applied between the inner element and the outer part, and wherein a hydraulic lash adjuster with a pressure piston is installed in the inner element, which pressure piston is fixed against moving axially out of the inner element by a second upper stop, wherein each of the upper stops is at least one annular element forming a retaining ring and the upper stops are arranged on top of each other in the bore of the outer part, wherein as seen when looking into the bore of the outer part, a lower one of the retaining rings forms the second upper stop and a first one of the retaining rings, located above it, forms the first upper stop, wherein variable-thickness first and constant-thickness second retaining rings are provided at assembly of the retaining rings, and wherein at least part of a retaining ring stack formed by those retaining rings contacts a stop forming an annular shoulder of the bore with the first retaining ring out of the bore.