Patent ID: 7757645

Claim:
A variable valve system for an internal combustion engine, the engine having first and second engine valves in either an intake side or an exhaust side of each cylinder, the variable valve system comprising: a drive shaft rotated by a crankshaft of the engine; a drive cam integrally mounted on the drive shaft; first and second swing cams mounted on the first and second engine valves, respectively; a valve lift mechanism for converting a rotational movement of the drive cam into swing movements of the first and second swing cams so as to open and close the first and second engine valves; and a control mechanism for controlling the operating position of the valve lift mechanism so as to vary the valve lifts of the first and second engine valves continuously in accordance with engine operating conditions, wherein the valve lifts of the first and second engine valves are different from each other when the control mechanism performs minimum lift control on the valve lift mechanism to control the valve lifts of the first and second engine valves to minimum lifts.