Patent ID: 7159548

Claim:
A variable valve actuating apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an intake valve timing control device to vary a center phase of an intake valve operation angle of the engine; an exhaust valve timing control device to vary a center phase of an exhaust valve operation angle of the engine; an intake valve operation angle control device to vary an intake valve operation angle of the engine; a malfunction detecting device to sense a condition to detect a malfunction of the exhaust valve timing control device; and a fail-safe control device to adjust an intake valve opening timing of the engine at or after an exhaust valve closing timing of the engine, upon detection of the malfunction of the exhaust valve timing control device, by operating at least one of the intake valve timing control device and the intake valve operation angle control device; wherein the fail-safe control device is configured to inhibit a fail-safe operation responsive to the malfunction of the exhaust valve timing control device when the internal combustion engine is operated in a high engine load region.