Patent ID: 7591256

Claim:
An exhaust gas recirculation apparatus for an internal combustion engine ( 1 ), in particular in a motor vehicle, having an exhaust gas recirculation line ( 9 ) which can be connected at the inlet end to an exhaust gas system ( 4 ) of an internal combustion engine ( 1 ) and at the exhaust end to a fresh gas system ( 3 ) of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), having an exhaust gas recirculation valve ( 12 ) arranged in the exhaust gas recirculation line ( 9 ) for adjusting an exhaust gas recirculation rate by varying the flow-through cross section of the exhaust gas recirculation line ( 9 ), whereby the exhaust gas recirculation valve ( 12 ) is designed so that it adjusts the respective exhaust gas recirculation rate in a predetermined operating state of the exhaust gas recirculation apparatus ( 5 ) by alternately increasing and decreasing and/or opening and blocking the flow-through cross section of the exhaust gas recirculation line ( 9 ) at predetermined or regulated switching points in time; and wherein a safety valve ( 17 ) for blocking the exhaust gas recirculation line ( 9 ) as needed is arranged in the exhaust gas recirculation apparatus ( 9 ) upstream from the exhaust gas recirculation valve ( 12 ).