Patent ID: 8360022

Claim:
A valve timing control apparatus comprising: a driving-side rotary member rotated in synchronism with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; a driven-side rotary member disposed coaxially with the driving-side rotary member and rotated in synchronism with a valve opening/closing cam shaft of the internal combustion engine; a fluid pressure chamber formed by the driving-side rotary member and the driven-side rotary member; a partitioning section provided in at least one of the driving-side rotary member and the driven-side rotary member for partitioning the fluid pressure chamber into an advanced angle chamber and a retarded angle chamber; a restricting member disposed in either one rotary member of the driving-side rotary member and the driven-side rotary member and capable of projecting/retracting relative to the other rotary member of the same; a restricting recess portion formed in the other rotary member for receiving the restricting member projected therein for restricting a relative rotational phase of the driven-side rotary member relative to the driving-side rotary member within a range from either one of a most advanced angle phase and a most retarded angle phase to a predetermined phase between the most advanced angle phase and the most retarded angle phase; a locking member disposed in said one rotary member provided with said restricting member and capable of projecting/retracting relative to said other rotary member; a locking recess portion formed in said other rotary member for receiving the locking member projected therein for locking the relative rotational phase of the driven-side rotary member to the driving-side rotary member to said predetermined phase; a communication passageway capable of feeding fluid releasing the restriction by the restricting member to the locking member and incapable of feeding fluid releasing the locking by the locking member to the restricting member; and said restricting member switching over said communication passageway to a communicating state or to a non-communicating state.