Patent Application
20200063610
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to improvements in an engine valve. In More particularly, the present vertical sliding valve arm is activated by the camshaft to close the corresponding valve and a valve spring to open the valve.
The current way to close an engine valve is to use a spring. This is not desirable because of the dynamic motion in engines, which may cause spring wear and various valve train problems that lead to poor power transmission and poor fuel consumption rates. Valve float is one of the valve train problems and refers to the inability of the valve lifter to properly follow the contour of the camshaft when the engine is operating at high speeds. Since the valve actuation is not aligned with the shape of the camshaft lobe, this may result in catastrophic failure or engine damage if the closing valve makes contact with the piston. The other consequences are valve spring harmonics and vibrations that cause the valve to bounce on its seat while trying to open and close. Pivoting rocker arm and valve spring failure is another common malady in high-performance racing engines. Therefore, it is advantageous to employ engine valve actuation that does not require pivoting rocker arms and valve springs for valve closure.
This present invention eliminates or minimizes these problems by using the camshaft lobe at its peak to close the engine valve with positive linkage through the pushrod. Valve float is minimized along with the chance of a piston hitting the engine valve as a result of an engine valve staying open for too long due to weak or malfunctioning valve springs. Another benefit of this invention is more precise valve timing events with custom ground valve float refers to a scenario where the valve actuation is not aligned with the shape of the camshaft lobe and may result in catastrophic failure if the closing valve makes contact with the piston. Pivoting rocker arm and valve spring failure is another common malady in high-performance racing engines. Therefore, it is advantageous to employ valve actuation that does not require pivoting rocker arms and valve springs for valve closure
One approach is to use springless valves known as desmodromic valves. Desmodromic valve systems use extra cam lobes on the camshaft to close the valves via pivoting rocker arms. Springs are thereby eliminated and the potential for valve float or broken springs is removed. However, desmodromic valves are costly, labor-intensive, and difficult to mass produce.
One such desmodromic design is U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,261. The lifter in this patent provides additional support and is offset. This requires the lifter for the rocker arm to be at a 90-degree angle, which in turn requires extensive modification to an existing cylinder block to position the lifter at a 90-degree angle to the camshaft. The intermediate rocker is caused to oscillate on its free-turning support shaft.
The present invention uses a vertical sliding valve arm activated by the camshaft to close the corresponding valve and a valve spring to open the valve. This is in contrast to conventional engines, which use the camshaft lobes to open a valve and the valve spring to close it. The present invention comprises in part a retrofitting system requiring little machine work on an existing engine.
The vertical sliding valve arm relates to cylinder valve actuation occurring within internal combustion engines or motors whereby valve springs and pivot rocker arms are the standard for causing, in part, cylinder valve closing. The vertical sliding valve arm eliminates the common pivot-type rocker arm and reverses the use of the valve spring whereas the camshaft lobes activate a sliding valve arm to close the engine valve instead of opening it and the valve spring is used to push open the valve instead of closing it.
It is therefore an object of the vertical sliding valve arm to eliminate the conventional pivot rocker arm to achieve valve actuation and relatedly, to eliminate the problems associated with valve float in high rpm motors.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to reduce or eliminate stress valve train components.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to reduce friction on engine components.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to improve fuel consumption rates.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to decrease the reciprocation weight off the camshaft and drive gears, and valve train.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to decrease valve spring pressures resulting in less wear on engine components.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to use more precise valve timing on the camshaft lobe profiles.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to reduce or eliminate valve train parts breakage due to valve float.
It is another object of the vertical sliding valve arm to introduce a new camshaft profile that will upon it, apex or peak close the engine valves instead of opening them.
The characteristics and utilities of the vertical sliding valve arm described in this summary and the detailed description below are not all inclusive. Many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art given the following detailed description.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
In this respect, by explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the description. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may be utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the description be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.
The vertical sliding valve arm uses a vertical sliding valve arm activated by the camshaft to close an engine valve and a valve spring to open the valve. In one non-limiting example, the invention may be configured as illustrated in
Sliding arm 2 is connected to engine valve 10 by valve locks 35 housed in cavity 25 of sliding arm 2. Therefore, as sliding arm 2 rises, it closes engine valve 10 and compresses valve spring 13. As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate, it moves to the base or the lowest point of its lobe, allowing pushrod 7 to lower and allowing the compressed valve spring 13 to expand, pushing down on the sliding arm 2 and lowering the attached valve 10 to an open position. As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate, it repeats the cycle again. The engine's oil passing through the pushrod flows through passage 5 to lubricate the bushing 18 on the sliding arm post 3. This arrangement makes it practically impossible to float engine valves at high rpm, and impossible for the engine valve 10 to strike and damage the engine pistons as a result of the valve float. Thus, the spring no longer closes the valve the way it does in a conventional type valve train engine. Instead, it is closed through the positive force of the pushrod 7 to the sliding arm 2 in this invention.
As the sliding arm 2 rises, the sliding arm 2 closes valve 10 and compresses valve spring 13. As the camshaft continues to rotate, the camshaft moves to the base or lowest point of the lobe, allowing the sliding arm 2 to lower and allowing compressed valve spring 13 to expand, and push down on the sliding arm 2 and lower the attached valve 10 to an open position. As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate it repeats the cycle again.
As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate, it moves to the base or the lowest point of its lobe, allowing pushrod 7 to lower and allowing the compressed valve spring 13 to retract, pulling down on the sliding arm 2 and lowering the attached valve 10 to an open position. As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate it, repeats the cycle again. The engine's oil passing through the pushrod 7 via the valve lifter 8 flows through passage 5 and into bushing 18 to lubricate it. This arrangement makes it practically impossible to “float” at high engine rpm, and impossible for the valve to strike and damage the engines pistons. “Valve float” or valves staying open for too long due to valve spring oscillations or weak valve spring function. Because the engine valves 10 are no longer opened by the camshaft and closed by the valve springs as in a conventional engine, valve float is avoided. Instead, the valves with this invention are closed by the positive force of the pushrod to the sliding arm.
As sliding arm 2 rises, it lifts attached valve 10 and closes valve 10 on valve seat in cylinder head 6. As the camshaft continues to rotate, it moves to the low point of its lobe and the lifter 8 descends and lifter 8 is lowered and compressed air in cylinder 38 begins to decompress, thus putting pressure on piston rod 41. The pressure forces sliding arm 2 down. Lowering pushrod 7 and lifter 8 while staying in contact with the lobes on camshaft 9 while the engine lowers to the open position in cylinder head 6.
The air in the cylinder 38 over time may lose air due to air leakage so an auxiliary air supply via an air pump may be required for replenishing the air that would enter supply line 37. Pressure is regulated by regulator/relief valve 39 and air may be drawn in through supply line 37 and check valve 36.
As sliding arm 2 rises, it causes engine valve 10 to close on its seat in cylinder head 6. As the camshaft continues to rotate to the base or the lowest point of its lobe, pushrod 7 starts to descend down and the valve spring 13 begins to decompress, forcing pivot arm 2 and roller slide arm pivot roller 45 to cause pushrod 7 to lower on lifter 8 while lowering engine valve 10 to an open position in cylinder head 6. The different lengths between the pivot roller 45 and trunnion roller 33 could be varied. This ratio of leverage can be varied to give a mechanical advantage to the amount of lift to engine valve 10, similar to the pivot rocker arm rations commonly used on conventional engines. As the camshaft continues to rotate, the above-mentioned cycle occurs again.
As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate to the base or the lowest point of its lobe, pushrod 7 starts to descend down and valve spring 13 begins to decompress, forcing pushrod 7 to lower on lifter 8 while also lowering engine valve 10 to an open position in the cylinder head 6. The length between the pushrod contact point of sliding arm 2 and the pivot roller 45 on the pivot arm 2 could be varied. This ratio of leverage can be varied to give a mechanical advantage to the movement engine valve 10, similar to the pivot rocker arm ratios commonly used on engines. As the camshaft continues to rotate, it repeats the above-mentioned cycle again.
As the camshaft 9 continues to rotate to the base or the lowest point of the its lobe, pushrod 7 starts to descend down and valve spring 13 begins to decompress, forcing pushrod 7 to lower on lifter 8 while also lowering engine valve 10 to an open position in the cylinder head 6. The length between the pushrod contact of sliding arm 2 and the pivot roller 43 on the pivot arm 42 could be varied. This ratio of leverage can be varied to give a mechanical advantage to the movement of engine valve 10, similar to the pivot rocker arm ratios commonly used on engines. As the camshaft continues to rotate, the above-mentioned cycle repeats again.
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings without departing from the spirit and the scope of the description. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternate embodiments are also included within the scope of the disclosure. In these alternate embodiments, functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. Not all steps are required in all embodiments.
Thus, specific embodiments of a vertical sliding valve arm have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 15/731,275 filed May 16, 2017, that claims priority to provisional application 62/391,072 filed Apr. 18, 2016, and provisional application Ser. No. 62/391,982 filed May 16, 2016, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62391072 | Apr 2016 | US | |
| 62391982 | May 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15731275 | May 2017 | US |
| Child | 16673870 | US |
