Claims
- 1. A deactivation hydraulic valve lifter, comprising:an elongate lifter body having a substantially cylindrical inner wall, said inner wall defining at least one annular pin chamber therein, said lifter body having a lower end configured for engaging a cam of an engine; an elongate pin housing including a substantially cylindrical pin housing wall and pin housing bottom, said pin housing wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said pin housing bottom defining a radially directed pin bore therethrough, said pin housing being substantially concentrically disposed within said inner wall of said lifter body such that said outer surface of said pin housing wall is adjacent to at least a portion of said inner wall of said lifter body; a plunger having a substantially cylindrical plunger wall, said plunger wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said plunger being substantially concentrically disposed within said pin housing such that and outer surface of said plunger wall is adjacent to at least a portion of said inner surface of said pin housing wall; a deactivation pin assembly disposed at least partially within said pin bore, said deactivation pin assembly including two pin members, said pin members biased radially outward relative to each other, at least a portion of each said pin member being disposed within a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber to thereby couple said lifter body to ad pin housing , said pin members being configured for moving toward each other when said at least one annular pin chamber is pressurized, thereby retracting said pin members from within a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber and decoupling said lifter body from said pin housing; an elongate spring tower including a substantially cylindrical tower wall, said tower wall having a first end and a flanged end, said spring tower being substantially concentrically disposed relative to said pin housing, said first end of said tower wall being coupled to said inner surface of said pin housing wall, said cylindrical tower wall extending axially from within said pin housing wall a predetermined distance above a top end of said lifter body, and a lost motion spring having a first end and a second end, said first end engaging said flanged end of said spring tower, said second end associated with said top end of said lifter body, said lost motion spring being compressed between said top end of said lifter body and said flanged end of said spring tower, said lost motion spring configured for exerting a force in a first axial direction upon said lifter body and in a second axial direction upon said spring tower, said first axial direction being opposite to said second axial direction.
- 2. The deactivation hydraulic value lifter of claim 1, wherein said lifter body defines at least one control port therethrough, each said at least one control port in fluid communication with a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber, each of said at least one control port configured for having a flow of pressurized fluid injected therethrough and into a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber, the pressurized fluid pushing each said pin member from within a corresponding one of said at least one pin chamber to thereby retract said pin members and decouple said lifter body from said pin housing.
- 3. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, wherein said at least one annular pin chamber comprises a contiguous annular pin chamber extending around a circumference of said cylindrical inner wall of said lifter body.
- 4. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, wherein each said pin member includes a respective front surface and a respective rear surface, each said front surface being disposed radially outward of a corresponding rear surface relative to said pin housing, a pin spring interconnecting said rear surfaces of each said pin member, said pin spring biasing each said pin member radially outward relative to said pin housing such that each respective front surface is disposed within a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber to thereby couple said lifter body to said pin housing.
- 5. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 4, wherein each said pin member is substantially cylindrical.
- 6. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 4, wherein each respective front face of each said pin member defines a stepped flat.
- 7. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 4, wherein each respective front face has a first radius of curvature, said inner wall of said lifter body having a second radius of curvature, said first radius of curvature being substantially equal to said second radius of curvature.
- 8. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 4, wherein each said pin member includes a respective stop groove, each said stop groove extending a predetermined distance from a respective said rear bore of a respective said pin member toward a respective said front face of a respective said pin member.
- 9. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, wherein said bottom end of said spring tower includes at least one pair of diametrically opposed tabs formed thereon, said tabs extending radially outward from said bottom end of said spring tower, said inner surface of said pin housing wall defining at least one upper annular groove therein, said tabs being disposed within a respective one of said at least one upper annular groove to thereby couple said spring tower to said pin housing.
- 10. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, wherein said bottom end of said spring tower comprises a beveled edge, a ring groove being disposed proximate to said beveled edge intermediate said beveled edge and said flanged end, said inner surface of said pin housing wall defining an upper annular groove therein, a resiliently expandable retaining ring being disposed within said upper annular groove, said beveled edge being configured for expanding said retaining ring, said retaining ring being configured for engaging said ring groove of said spring tower to thereby couple said spring tower to said pin housing.
- 11. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, wherein said lost motion spring comprises a coil spring, said coil spring being disposed around an outside surface of said tower wall.
- 12. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, further comprising a spring seat, said spring seat comprising a substantially cylindrical collar portion and a substantially cylindrical flange portion, a spring seat orifice defined by said spring seat, said flange portion being disposed on said upper end of said lifter body, said collar portion being disposed substantially concentrically within said lifter body adjacent an upper end of said pin housing such that said spring seat orifice is substantially concentric with said lifter body and said pin housing, said spring seat orifice surrounding a portion of an outer surface of said tower wall, said second end of said lost motion spring engaging said flange portion of said spring seat.
- 13. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 12, wherein said collar portion of said spring seat is disposed within said lifter body, said collar portion having a length and a first end, said length extending in an axial direction relative to said lifter body, said first end contacting said pin housing, said length determining the axial position of said pin housing relative to said lifter body when said lifter body is coupled to said pin housing.
- 14. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 1, wherein said pin housing defines at least one stop pin aperture therein, said at least one stop pin aperture being substantially perpendicular to said pin bore, said at least one stop pin aperture extending form said outer surface of said pin housing wall into said pin bore, said at least one stop pin aperture terminating within said pin bore, a stop pin being disposed within each of said at least one stop pin aperture and extending at least partially into said pin bore, each said stop pin being configured for limiting the radially inward motion of said pin members.
- 15. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 14, wherein each said stop pin is configured for preventing rotation of a corresponding one of said pin members.
- 16. The deactivation hydraulic valve lifter of claim 14, wherein each said pin member includes a respective front face and a respective rear bore, each said front face being disposed radially outward of a corresponding rear bore relative to said pin housing, each said pin member including a respective stop groove, each said stop groove extending a predetermined distance from a respective said rear bore of a respective said pin member toward a respective said front face of a respective said pin member, a respective said stop pin being disposed within a corresponding one of each said stop groove.
- 17. An internal combustion engine, comprising:a deactivation hydraulic valve lifter, including: an elongate lifter body having a substantially cylindrical inner wall, said inner wall defining at least one annular pin chamber therein, said lifter body having a lower end configured for engaging a cam of the engine; an elongate pin housing including a substantially cylindrical pin housing wall and pin housing bottom, said pin housing wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said pin housing bottom defining a radially directed pin bore therethrough, said pin housing concentrically disposed within said inner wall of said lifter body such that said outer surface of said pin housing wall is adjacent to at least a portion of said inner wall of said lifter body; a plunger having a substantially cylindrical plunger wall, said plunger wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said plunger being concentrically disposed within said pin housing such that said outer surface of said plunger wall is adjacent at least a portion of said inner surface of said pin housing wall; a deactivation pin assembly disposed at least partially within said pin bore, said deactivation pin assembly including two pin members, said pin members biased radially outward relative to each other, at least a portion of each said pin member being disposed within a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber to thereby couple said lifter body to said pin housing, said pin nearness being configured for moving toward each other when said at least one annular pin chamber is pressurized, thereby retracting said pin members from within a respective one of said at least one annular pin chamber and decoupling said lifter body from said pin housing; an elongate spring tower including a cylindrical tower wall, said tower wall having a first end and a flanged end, said spring tower concentrically disposed relative to said pin housing, said first end being coupled to said inner surface of said pin housing, said cylindrical tower wall extending axially from within said pin housing wall a predetermined distance above a top end of said lifter body; and a lost motion spring having a first end and a second end, said first end engaging said flanged end of said spring tower, said second end associated with said top end of said lifter body, said lost motion spring configured for exerting an upward force on said flanged end of said spring tower and a downward force on said lifter body.
- 18. The internal combustion engine of claim 17, wherein said at least one annular pin chamber comprises a contiguous annular pin chamber extending around a circumference of said cylindrical inner wall of said lifter body.
- 19. The internal combustion engine of claim 17, wherein each said pin member includes a respective front surface and a respective rear surface, each said front surface being disposed radially outward of a corresponding rear surface relative to said pin housing, a pin spring interconnecting said rear surfaces of each said pin member, said pin spring biasing each said pin member radially outward relative to said pin housing such that each respective front surface is disposed within a corresponding one of said at least one annular pin chamber to thereby couple said lifter body to said pin housing.
- 20. The internal combustion engine of claim 19, wherein each said pin member is substantially cylindrical.
- 21. The internal combustion engine of claim 19, wherein each respective front face of each said pin member defines a stepped flat.
- 22. The internal combustion engine of claim 19, wherein each respective front face has a first radius of curvature, said inner wall of said lifter body having a second radius of curvature, said first radius of curvature being substantially equal to said second radius of curvature.
- 23. The internal combustion engine of claim 19, wherein each said pin member includes a respective stop groove, each said stop groove extending a predetermined distance from a respective said rear bore of a respective said pin member toward a respective said front face of a respective said pin member.
- 24. The internal combustion engine of claim 17, wherein said deactivation hydraulic valve lifter further comprises a spring seat, said spring seat including a cylindrical collar portion and a cylindrical flange portion, a spring seat orifice defined by said spring seat, said flange portion being disposed on said upper end of said lifter s body, said collar portion being disposed concentrically within said lifter body adjacent an upper end of said pin housing such that said spring seat orifice is substantially concentric with said lifter body and said pin housing, said spring seat orifice surrounding a portion of an outer surface of said tower wall, said second end of said lost motion spring engaging said flange portion of said spring seat.
- 25. The internal combustion engine of claim 24, wherein said collar portion has a length and a first end, said length extending in an axial direction relative to said lifter body, said first end contacting said pin housing, said length determining the axial position of said pin housing relative to said lifter body when said lifter body is coupled to said pin housing.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/607,071, filed Jun. 29, 2000 and entitled Valve Lifter Assembly for Selectively Deactivating a Cylinder, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/141,985, filed Jul. 1, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (12)