Patent ID: 7398750

Claim:
A valve drive mechanism for actuating a valve of an internal combustion engine, the valve drive mechanism comprising: a camshaft rotated by a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine; a cam coupled to the camshaft; a swing member support shaft positioned substantially in parallel to the camshaft; a swing member supported for pivotal motion on the swing member support shaft and configured to be actuated for reciprocal motion by the cam, wherein the swing member includes a cam surface comprising a base circle portion and a lift portion and wherein a width of the base circle portion of the cam surface is smaller than a width of the lift portion of the cam surface, and a variable valve timing mechanism that is configured to varying a lift amount of an intake valve or an exhaust valve of the internal combustion engine; wherein the variable valve mechanism comprises a movable cam abutment portion that contacts the cam to transmit a drive force from the cam to the swing member and the swing member comprises a guide portion that is configured to guide the cam abutment portion in a certain direction and wherein the drive force from the cam is transmitted to the guide portion through the cam abutment portion to cause the swing member to pivot on the rocking shaft.