Variable valve device for internal combustion engine

Abstract

A variable valve device for an internal combustion engine comprises a first switching oil passage which is formed along an axial direction in one of a rocker shafts, the first rocker arm being switched to the first mode by applying oil pressure to a first rocker arm through the first switching oil passage, and a second switching oil passage which is formed along an axial direction in the other rocker shaft, a second rocker arm being switched to the first mode by applying oil pressure to the second rocker arm through the second switching oil passage. The first switching oil passage and the second switching oil passage are formed in a ladder shape in which the first switching oil passage and the second switching oil passage communicate via a plurality of relay oil passages.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a V-type engine equipped with a variable valve device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a variable valve system of a left bank of the engine;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a ladder-shaped oil passage of the variable valve device in the variable valve system;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a variable valve device for one cylinder which is mounted on the left bank;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which a rocker shaft cap is disconnected from the variable valve device;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the variable valve device when viewed from an arrow A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the rocker shaft cap taken on line F-F of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a layout of various cams of a camshaft;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing an inlet-side (low-speed) rocker arm shown in FIG. 6, taken along line B-B shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an inlet-side (high-speed) rocker arm shown in FIG. 6, taken along line C-C shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is sectional view showing an exhaust-side rocker arm shown in FIG. 6, taken along line D-D shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is sectional view showing a non-lift cam shown in FIG. 6, taken along line E-E shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an inlet-side arm rocker structure;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state in which the inlet-side arm rocker structure is taken apart;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an exhaust-side arm rocker structure;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the exhaust-side arm rocker structure is taken apart;

FIG. 17 is a view explaining an operating mode of the variable valve device;

FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the variable valve device when viewed from an arrow X of FIG. 4;

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a state in which only the rocker shaft cap is left; and

FIG. 20 is a plan view showing a main part of a variable valve device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A variable valve device for an internal combustion engine comprising: a camshaft which is rotatably provided in a body of an internal combustion engine;a pair of rocker shafts which is arranged next to the camshaft;an inlet valve which is driven by rotation of the camshaft;an exhaust valve which is driven by the rotation of the camshaft;a first hydraulic rocker arm which is rockably supported by one of the rocker shafts, and is able to switch drive of one of the inlet valve and the exhaust valve at least between a normal drive state and a first mode which is different from the normal drive state;a second hydraulic rocker arm which is rockably supported by the other rocker shaft, and is able to switch drive of the other of the inlet valve and the exhaust valve at least between the normal drive state and the first mode which is different from the normal drive state;a first switching oil passage which is formed along an axial direction in one of the rocker shafts, the first rocker arm being switched to the first mode by applying oil pressure to the first rocker arm through the first switching oil passage; anda second switching oil passage which is formed along an axial direction in the other rocker shaft, the second rocker arm being switched to the first mode by applying oil pressure to the second rocker arm through the second switching oil passage,a plurality of relay oil passages communicating the first switching oil passage and the second switching oil passage, the first switching oil passage, the second switching oil passage, and the relay passages being formed in a ladder shape.

2. The variable valve device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of rocker shafts is fixed to the internal combustion engine by a rocker shaft cap having a shape in which the rocker shaft cap spreads across the rocker shafts, and the relay oil passage is formed in the rocker shaft cap.

3. The variable valve device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a third switching oil passage which is formed next to the first switching oil passage in at least one of the rocker shafts, the first rocker arm being switched to a second mode by applying the oil pressure to the first rocker arm through the third switching oil passage, the second mode being different from the normal drive state and the first mode.

4. The variable valve device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein an inlet cam and an exhaust cam are provided in the camshaft, the inlet cam driving the inlet valve while abutting the first rocker arm, the exhaust cam driving the exhaust valve while abutting the second rocker arm, and a plurality of pushers are arranged in the rocker shaft cap, the pushers suppressing the first rocker arm and the second rocker arm against the cams with elastic force.

5. The variable valve device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein the inlet cam includes a low-speed inlet cam and a high-speed inlet cam, the first rocker arm includes:an inlet valve drive rocker which drives the inlet valve;a pair of inlet cam follower rockers which follow the low-speed and high-speed inlet cams, respectively; andan inlet switching unit which is able to perform switching between the normal drive state and second mode and the first mode, displacement of the low-speed inlet cam being transmitted to the inlet valve drive rocker through one of the inlet cam follower rockers up to a predetermined revolution speed range of the internal combustion engine in the normal drive state, displacement of the high-speed inlet cam being transmitted to the inlet valve drive rocker through the other inlet cam follower rocker while the transmission is disconnected from one of the inlet cam follower rockers from a high engine revolution speed range exceeding the predetermined revolution speed range in the second mode, the cam displacement being not transmitted from the low-speed and high-speed inlet cam follower rockers to the inlet valve drive rocker in the first mode,the second rocker arm includes:an exhaust valve drive rocker which drives the exhaust valve;a pair of exhaust cam follower rockers which follow the exhaust cam; andan exhaust switching unit which is able to perform switching between the normal drive state and the first mode, displacement of the exhaust cam being transmitted to the exhaust valve drive rocker through the exhaust cam follower rocker in the normal drive state, the transmission being disconnected from the exhaust valve drive rocker in the first mode, anda pusher which presses one of the inlet cam follower rockers is arranged while brought closer to a fixing point of the rocker shaft cap rather than a pusher which presses the exhaust cam follower rocker.

6. The variable valve device for an internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of pushers are provided in the rocker shaft cap, the pushers pressing one of the inlet cam follower rockers, the other inlet cam follower rocker, and the exhaust cam follower rocker against the low-speed inlet cam, the high-speed inlet cam, and the exhaust cam with elastic force, respectively, and the pusher which presses one of the inlet cam follower rockers is arranged while brought closer to a fixing point of the rocker shaft cap rather than the pushers which press the other inlet cam follower rocker and the exhaust cam follower rocker.