Patent ID: 6883477

Claim:
An apparatus for deactivating an engine valve in an engine component comprising: an engine component having a sleeve cavity and an upper chamber formed therein along a common axis, said sleeve cavity and said upper chamber being connected by a fluid flow passage; an accumulator sleeve mounted for sliding movement along said axis in said sleeve cavity; a follower piston retained in an interior of said sleeve for sliding movement along said axis, said follower piston adapted to be moved in response to contact with a cam; an upper piston mounted for sliding movement along said axis in said upper chamber, said upper piston being adapted to activate an engine valve; a spool valve disposed in said passage, said spool valve being in a normally open position to permit fluid flow through said passage between said sleeve cavity and said upper chamber; and means for selectively actuating said spool valve between a closed position preventing fluid flow through said passage and said open position, whereby when said sleeve cavity, said passage and said upper chamber are filled with fluid, movement of said follower piston along said axis causes corresponding movement of said upper piston for activating a valve when said spool valve is in said open position and causes opposite movement of said accumulator sleeve and no movement of said upper piston for deactivating the valve when said spool valve is in said closed position.