Patent ID: 7793630

Claim:
Switchable component for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, the switchable component comprising a hollow-cylindrical housing, having a borehole, an inner element having an outer shell that is moveable in an axial direction relative to the housing positioned in the borehole, at least one coupling element allocated to the inner element, the at least one coupling element is movable from a decoupled state for a zero or small lift, in which an outer end of the coupling element lies directly in front of an annular surface between the two hollow-cylindrical housing and the inner element and, in a coupled state for a full lift, engages, to overlap the annular surface in the borehole of the housing in some sections, with a driver surface in the housing, and a lost-motion spring is located between the housing and the inner element for forcing the housing and the inner element away from each other in the axial direction, the at least one coupling element comprises at least one sickle-shaped ratchet that can pivot outward in a radial direction and sits at least indirectly in an opening in the outer shell of the inner element and is connected indirectly or directly at one end in an articulated manner to the inner element, the driver surface in the borehole of the housing comprises either an annular groove or an annular groove segment that is provided in a circumferential section of a coupling area and the at least one coupling element can pivot outward in a coupling direction via a force of a mechanical spring and can also pivot inwardly in a decoupling direction, and a hydraulic medium is guided along the driver surface in front of an outer end of the at least one coupling element.