JP2001098909A - Valve timing control device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a valve opening / closing timing control device so that a phase change angle and the number of vanes are not restricted by a lock mechanism. SOLUTION: A plate member of a housing member 30 is
One side surface is composed of a rear thin plate 33 that closes the opening of the housing body 31 and a rear thick plate 34 that is joined to the other side of the rear thin plate. A receiving groove 34b that opens on the other side surface and opens radially inward is provided, and a lock key 61 that is urged radially inward is received in the receiving groove 34b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a valve opening / closing timing control device (valve timing adjusting device for an internal combustion engine) used for controlling the opening / closing timing of an intake valve or an exhaust valve in a valve train of an internal combustion engine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A driven shaft (camshaft) for opening and closing at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine from a drive shaft (crankshaft) of the internal combustion engine is one of such valve opening / closing timing control devices. A housing member provided in a driving force transmission system for transmitting a driving force to the driving member, and integrally rotating with a driving shaft (or a driven shaft); and a pair of shoe portions provided in the housing member being rotatable relative to each other by a hub portion. A rotor member that is assembled and forms an advance oil chamber and a retard oil chamber in the housing member at the vane portion and rotates integrally with the driven shaft (or the drive shaft), and the initial phase of the housing member and the rotor member A lock mechanism that regulates the relative rotation of the housing member and the rotor member, controls the supply and discharge of hydraulic oil to the advance oil chamber and the retard oil chamber, and controls the lock and unlock of the lock mechanism. There are those with a hydraulic circuit, for example, shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-60508.

In the valve timing control apparatus disclosed in this publication, a lock mechanism is slidably mounted in a housing hole provided in a vane portion of a rotor member in an axial direction of a camshaft, and has a tapered tapered end. A lock pin formed in a shape, a taper hole provided in the housing member and capable of taper-fitting the tip of the lock pin in an initial phase of the housing member and the rotor member, and a spring for urging the lock pin toward the taper hole A lock mechanism consisting of the following is adopted, and the tip of the lock pin is taperedly fitted into the tapered hole in the initial phase of the housing member and the rotor member,
The relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted, and the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is allowed in a state where the tip of the lock pin is retracted from the tapered hole.

[0004]

However, in the valve timing control apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the lock pin is provided in the vane portion, so that the lock pin is provided in the vane portion in which the lock pin is provided. It is necessary to be formed thicker in the circumferential direction than the vane portion not provided. Therefore, not only the variable control region of the valve opening / closing timing is restricted due to the restriction of the phase conversion angle, but also the number of vanes is restricted, which contributes to the improvement of the responsiveness of the valve timing control device. There was a problem.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a valve opening / closing timing control device in which the lock mechanism does not limit the phase conversion angle and the number of vanes.
The subject.

[0006]

The technical measures taken to solve the above-mentioned problems include a driving force for transmitting a driving force from a driving shaft of an internal combustion engine to a driven shaft for opening and closing at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve. A housing member provided on the transmission system and integrally rotating with the drive shaft or the driven shaft; and a pair of shoe portions provided on the housing member, which are rotatably mounted on the pair of shoe portions and have a vane portion inside the housing member. A rotor member that forms an advance oil chamber and a retard oil chamber and rotates integrally with the driven shaft or the drive shaft; and the housing member and the rotor member at an initial phase of the housing member and the rotor member. A lock mechanism that regulates relative rotation, and a hydraulic circuit that controls supply and discharge of hydraulic oil to and from the advance oil chamber and the retard oil chamber and controls locking and unlocking of the lock mechanism. A housing member has the shoe portion that slides on an outer peripheral surface of the rotor member, and is joined to a cylindrical member having at least one axial end opened, and one end of the cylindrical member so as to close the opening. And an annular plate member, wherein the lock mechanism is provided in the plate member.

In the above means, the plate member is rotatably supported on the inner periphery thereof by the rotor member, and the lock mechanism is slidably mounted on the plate member, and And a lock recess formed in the rotor member and enclosing the distal end of the lock member in the initial phase so as to be immovable in the circumferential direction. desirable.

[0008] In this case, the plate member is provided with a first side which closes an opening of the cylindrical member.
A second plate joined to the other side of the plate and the first plate
It is preferable that the second plate is provided with a groove that opens on the other side of the first plate and that opens radially inward, and that the lock member is accommodated in the groove.

[0009]

In the valve timing control apparatus according to the present invention, since the lock mechanism is provided in the plate member, there is no need to make the vane portion thick in the circumferential direction unlike the conventional apparatus. It is possible to prevent the lock mechanism from limiting the phase conversion angle and the number of vanes. For this reason, the circumferential thickness of the vane portion can be reduced, and as a result, the phase conversion angle can be increased and the variable control area of the valve timing control device can be increased, and the number of vane portions can be increased. And the responsiveness of the valve timing control device can be improved.

Further, the lock mechanism is provided on the second side of the housing member.
When a lock member having a rectangular cross section accommodated in a groove formed in the plate and a recess formed in the rotor member and capable of accommodating a tip end of the lock member, the second plate of the lock member and Since the contact area with the rotor member can be increased, the strength of the lock mechanism can be improved. Further, since the strength of the lock mechanism can be improved, the size can be reduced, and the valve timing control device can be reduced in size.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The valve opening / closing timing control device according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 includes a rotor member 20 integrally mounted on a tip end portion of a camshaft 10,
And a torsion spring S interposed between the housing member 30 and the rotor member 20 and constantly biasing the rotor member 20 to the advance side with respect to the housing member 30. A stopper mechanism A for defining an initial phase (most retarded position) and a most advanced position of the housing member 30 and the rotor member 20, and a lock mechanism for restricting relative rotation between the housing member 30 and the rotor member 20 in the initial phase. B, and a hydraulic circuit C that controls the supply and discharge of hydraulic oil to and from the advance oil chamber R1 and the retard oil chamber R2, and controls the locking and unlocking of the lock mechanism B.

The camshaft 10 is an intake valve (not shown).
The cam has a well-known cam (not shown) that opens and closes, and is rotatably supported by a cylinder head 40 of the internal combustion engine, and includes therein an advance passage 11 and a retard passage that extend in the axial direction of the camshaft 10. 12 are provided. Advance angle passage 11
Is a radial passage 13, an annular passage 14, and a connection passage P1.
Through a connection port 101 of the control valve 100. The retard passage 12 is connected to a connection port 102 of the control valve 100 via a radial passage 15, an annular passage 16, and a connection passage P2. The radial passage 1
The annular passages 3, 15 and the annular passage 16 are formed in the camshaft 10, and the annular passage 14 is formed between the camshaft 10 and the step portion of the cylinder head 40.

The control valve 100 constitutes a hydraulic circuit C by an oil pump 110, an oil reservoir 120, etc., and can move the spool 140 to the left in FIG. 1 against the spring 105 by energizing the solenoid 103. In the non-energized state, the supply port 106 connected to the oil pump 110 driven by the internal combustion engine communicates with the connection port 102, and the connection port 101 communicates with the discharge port 107 connected to the oil reservoir 120. As described above, when the first set current is supplied,
06 and the discharge port 107 are connected to the connection ports 101 and 102, respectively.
So that the communication with the supply port 106 is interrupted by the second set current larger than the first set current.
Communicates with the connection port 101 and the connection port 1
02 is configured to communicate with the discharge port 107.

Therefore, when the solenoid 103 is energized, hydraulic oil is supplied from the oil pump 110 to the retard passage 12, and hydraulic oil is discharged from the advance passage 11 to the oil reservoir 120. In the energized state, the operating oil is stored in the advance passage 11 and the retard passage 12. In the energized state of the second set current, the operating oil is supplied from the oil pump 110 to the advance passage 11 and the retard passage 12 is supplied. The hydraulic oil is discharged from the oil reservoir 120 to the oil reservoir 120.

The rotor member 20 includes a main rotor 21 and
The main rotor 21 is composed of a stepped cylindrical front rotor 22 and a stepped cylindrical rear rotor 23 integrally assembled before and after (left and right in FIG. 1). The central bores of the rotors 21, 22, 23, which are integrally fixed and whose front ends are closed by the heads of the bolts 50, communicate with an advance passage 11 provided in the camshaft 10.

The main rotor 21 includes a front rotor 22
And a hub part 21 to which the rear rotor 23 is coaxially mounted
a, and four vane portions 21b extending radially outward from the hub portion 21a and defining four advanced oil chambers R1 and retarded oil chambers R2 in the housing member 30. Advancing oil chamber R1 and retarding oil chamber R are provided at the radially outer end of vane portion 21b.
Seal members 24 for sealing between the two are assembled respectively.

A radial passage at the hub portion 21a of the main rotor 21 communicates with the advance passage 11 through a central bore at the radial inner end and communicates with the advance oil chamber R1 at the radial outer end. 21c are provided, an axial passage 21d communicating with the retard passage 12, and a passage 21d at the radial inner end.
There are provided four radial passages 21e each communicating with d and communicating with the retard oil chamber R2 at the radially outer end.

Two of the four axial passages 21d are opposed to each other.
Each of the pieces (shown in the upper left and lower right portions of FIGS. 4 to 6) penetrates the main rotor 21 in the axial direction, and has an axial passage 23 a and an annular passage 23 b provided in the rear rotor 23 (FIGS. 1 and 3). 2) (see upper right and lower left in FIGS. 4 to 6).
Is opened only on the front side of the main rotor 21 and communicates with an axial passage 21d penetrating through a pair of arc-shaped communication grooves 22a (see FIGS. 1 and 5) formed on the rear surface of the front rotor 22. . The axial hole 21f shown in the upper part of FIGS. 4 to 6 is for attaching a pin (not shown) connecting the main rotor 21 and the front rotor 22.

The housing member 30 includes a housing body (cylindrical member) 31, a front plate 32, a rear thin plate (first plate) 33, a rear thick plate (second plate) 34, and these integrated. And a sprocket 34a is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the rear thick plate 34. As is well known, the sprocket 34a
It is connected to a timing chain (not shown) and is configured to transmit a driving force from a crankshaft.

The housing body 31 has two pairs of four shoe portions 31a projecting radially inward.
A hub portion 21a of the main rotor 21 is supported at a radially inner end of 1a via a seal member 36 so as to be relatively rotatable. The front plate 32 and the rear thin plate 33
At the opposite end faces in the axial direction, the outer circumferential surface of the hub portion 21ao of the main rotor 21 in the axial direction, the entire axial end surface of each vane portion 21b, and the entire axial end surface of each seal member 36 are slidably contacted. I have.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the rear thick plate 34 opens to the front side and opens radially inward, and the front opening opens to the rear thin plate 33 (FIG. 7).
The hub 34c has a receiving groove 34b which is closed by an inner peripheral edge only by an imaginary line. The hub 34c is rotatably supported by the inner periphery of the hub 34c on the outer periphery of the rear rotor 23. The lock key 61 is provided in the accommodation groove 34b.
And a lock spring 62 are assembled.

The lock key 61 is formed in a rectangular cross section, and is constantly urged with its inner end portion 61a directed toward the outer periphery of the hub portion 23c of the rear rotor 23. Lock key 6
A groove 61b is formed on the outside in the radial direction, and is open to the front side and radially outward to accommodate a part of the lock spring 62. The outer end of the accommodation groove 34b has a through hole 34d.
(See FIGS. 1 and 3) to ensure quick radial movement of the lock key 61.

On the outer periphery of the hub portion 23c of the rear rotor 23,
As shown in FIG. 7, a lock recess 23f capable of accommodating the distal end portion 61a of the lock key 61 in the initial phase (the most retarded position) so as to be immovable in the circumferential direction is formed. Lock recess 23f
A radial through hole 23h communicating with the advance passage 11 at the radial inner end is opened at the bottom of the lock key 6. When hydraulic oil is supplied from the advance passage 11 through the through hole 23h, the lock key 6 is closed.
7 is pushed outwardly against the lock spring 62 and retracts to the position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 7, and when the hydraulic oil is discharged to the advance passage 11 through the through hole 23h, the lock key is pressed. 61 is pushed toward the lock recess 23 f by the urging force of the lock spring 62, and the distal end 6 of the lock key 61 is pressed.
1a is fitted and accommodated in the lock recess 23f.

In this embodiment, a groove extending in the axial direction is formed on the inner periphery of the rear thick plate 34, and a knock key 70 is press-fitted and fixed in the groove. The radial inner end of the knock key 70 protrudes from the inner periphery of the rear thick plate 34, and extends in the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the hub portion 23 c of the rear rotor 23 to form a free concave portion 23 d formed in an arc shape.
The housing member 30 and the rotor member 20 are accommodated in a state where relative rotation is allowed. A stopper surface 23e that defines the initial phase is formed at one circumferential end of the free recess 23d by contact with the radial inner end of the knock key 70. Also, at the other circumferential end of the free recess 23d,
Second stopper surface 23 that defines the maximum relative rotation amount (most advanced position) of rotor member 20 with respect to housing member 30
g is formed facing the stopper surface 23e.

In this embodiment configured as described above, at the time of starting the internal combustion engine, the oil pump 110 driven by the start of the internal combustion engine operates the advance passage 11 and the retard passage 12 via the control valve 100. When the oil is not supplied, as shown in FIG. 7, the lock key 61 is fitted and housed in the lock recess 23f by the urging force of the lock spring 62.

Therefore, even if a positive / negative reversal torque is generated on the camshaft 10 when the intake valve is driven, the relative rotation of the rotor member 20 with respect to the housing member 30 is restricted by the lock key 61. No relative rotational vibration is generated, and the generation of a tapping sound due to the rotational vibration is prevented. When the control valve 100 is in the non-energized state shown in FIG.
From the point in time when hydraulic oil is supplied from the valve 10 to the retard passage 12 via the control valve 100 and the hydraulic oil is supplied toward the retard oil chamber R2, the rotor member 2 is driven by the oil pressure in the retard oil chamber R2.
The relative rotation between the housing member 30 and the housing member 30 is restricted.

In this state, when the solenoid 103 of the control valve 100 is switched from the non-energized state to the energized state of the second set current, the supply port 106 is connected to the connection port 101.
And the connection port 102 is connected to the discharge port 1
The hydraulic fluid is supplied to the advance passage 11 and the hydraulic oil is discharged from the retard passage 12 to the oil reservoir 120. Therefore, hydraulic oil is supplied from the advance passage 11 to the lock recess 23f through the through hole 23h of the rear rotor 23, and hydraulic oil is supplied from the advance passage 11 to the advance oil chamber R1 through the passage 21c of the main rotor 21. And the passages 21e and 21d of the main rotor 21 from the retard oil chamber R2.
Hydraulic oil is discharged to the retard passage 12 through the passage.

Therefore, the operating oil supplied to the lock recess 23f causes the lock key 61 to lock the lock spring 6
7 to move outward from the solid line position to the imaginary line position in FIG. 7 and move the rotor member 20 clockwise in FIG. 4 by the hydraulic oil supplied to the advance oil chamber R1. To rotate relative to the housing member 30 from the most retarded position toward the advanced side. The relative rotation of the rotor member 20 with respect to the housing member 30
This can be performed until the second stopper surface 23g formed in the above and the radial inner end of the knock key 70 come into contact with each other.

When the solenoid 103 of the control valve 100 is switched from the second set current energized state to the first set current energized state, the supply port 106 and the discharge port 10
7, the communication between the connection ports 101 and 102 is interrupted, and the hydraulic oil is stored in the advance passage 11 and the retard passage 12. Therefore, the hydraulic oil is stored in the advance oil chamber R1 and the retard oil chamber R2. The housing member 30 of the rotor member 20
Is in a state where the relative rotation with respect to is restricted.

When the solenoid 103 of the control valve 100 is switched from the energized state of the first set current to the non-energized state, the supply port 106 communicates with the connection port 102 and the connection port 101 communicates with the discharge port 107. The hydraulic oil is supplied to the retard passage 12, and the hydraulic oil is discharged from the advance passage 11 to the oil reservoir 120. For this reason, the passage 21 of the main rotor 21
Hydraulic oil is supplied to the retard passage R2 through d and 21e,
Hydraulic oil is discharged from the advance oil chamber R1 to the advance passage 11 through the passage 21c of the main rotor 21.

Therefore, the rotor member 20 is pushed in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4 by the hydraulic oil supplied to the retard oil chamber R2, and rotates relative to the housing member 30 toward the retard side. The relative rotation of the rotor member 20 with respect to the housing member 30 is possible until the stopper surface 23e formed on the rear rotor 23 and the radial inner end of the knock key 70 abut. At this time, since hydraulic oil can be discharged from the lock recess 23f to the advance passage 11, the rear rotor 2
When the rotor member 20 is relatively rotated with respect to the housing member 30 to the most retarded position where the stopper surface 23e formed on the inner surface 3 and the radial inner end of the knock key 70 contact each other, the lock key 6
1 is pushed by the lock spring 62, and the distal end portion 61a of the lock key 61 is fitted and accommodated in the lock recess 23f.

As is apparent from the above description, in this embodiment, the relative rotation position of the rotor member 20 with respect to the housing member 30 is controlled to the most retarded position by controlling the energization state of the solenoid 103 of the control valve 100. To the most advanced position, the valve opening / closing timing at the time of driving the internal combustion engine can be appropriately adjusted. When the internal combustion engine is stopped, the energization state of the solenoid 103 is controlled such that the tip portion 61a of the lock key 61 is fitted and housed in the lock recess 23f.

In the present embodiment, the lock mechanism B is connected to the accommodation groove 3 formed in the rear thick plate 34.
A lock key 61 having a rectangular cross section, which is slidably housed in the inner wall 4b and whose tip 61a is constantly urged radially inward by a lock spring 62, and an inner periphery of the rear thick plate 34, which can be relatively rotated. A lock recess 23f formed on the outer periphery of the rear rotor 23 to be supported. For this reason, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the vane portion 21b in the circumferential direction unlike the conventional device, so that it is possible to prevent the lock mechanism B from limiting the phase conversion angle and the number of the vane portions 21b. For this reason, the circumferential thickness of the vane portion 21b can be reduced, and as a result, the phase conversion angle can be increased and the variable control area of the valve timing control device can be increased, and the vane portion 21b can be increased. And the responsiveness of the valve timing control apparatus can be improved.

Further, by using the lock key 61 having a rectangular cross section, the contact area between the lock key 61 and the accommodation groove 34b and the lock recess 23f can be increased, and the lock mechanism B, the rear thick plate 34, the rear rotor 23 can be improved in strength. As a result, the rear thick plate 34 and the rear rotor 23 can be reduced in size, and the valve opening / closing timing control device can be reduced in size.

Further, in the conventional valve timing control device, since the lock member is provided in the vane portion, the vane portion in which the lock member is provided is compared with the vane portion in which the lock member is not provided. It is necessary to be formed thick in the circumferential direction, and imbalance occurs when the rotor member rotates. Further, since a tapered hole is also formed in the housing member, an imbalance similarly occurs. As a result, during the operation of the internal combustion engine, these imbalances cause vibrations, which may resonate with other components of the internal combustion engine and generate abnormal noise. In order to solve these problems, for example, in order to eliminate imbalance of the rotor member, the vane portion provided with the lock member is balanced with the vane portion symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor member. It is possible. However, this requires design considerations such as adding mass by increasing the thickness of the symmetrical vane portion, and as a result, the weight of the valve timing control device increases and the phase conversion angle increases. Will be restricted.

On the other hand, also in the present embodiment, the rear thick plate 34 is unbalanced, but this unbalance is caused by the accommodation groove 3 for accommodating the lock key 61, for example.
A recess or a notch is provided at an axially symmetric portion of the rear thick plate 34 where the 4b is formed, or an axially symmetric rear thin plate 33 is formed at the portion of the rear thick plate 34 where the accommodation groove 34b is formed. By providing a notch in the valve, it is possible to solve the problem without increasing the weight of the valve timing control device and restricting the maximum value of the phase conversion angle.

In the present embodiment, the present invention is implemented to control the opening / closing timing of an intake valve (not shown). However, the present invention can be implemented to control the opening / closing timing of an exhaust valve. It is.

Further, in the above embodiment, the present invention is implemented such that the rotor member 20 is mounted on the camshaft 10 side and the housing member 30 is mounted on the crankshaft side. The present invention can be implemented such that the housing member is mounted on the camshaft side while being mounted on the crankshaft side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line 1-1 in FIG. 3 showing an embodiment of a valve timing control apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the valve timing control apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the valve timing control apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 from which the sprocket shown in FIG. 1 is omitted.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line -4.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1 omitting the sprocket and the front rotor shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 from which the sprocket shown in FIG. 1 is omitted.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line -6.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 camshaft (driven shaft) 20 rotor member 21 main rotor 21a main rotor hub 21b vane 22 front rotor 23 rear rotor 23c rear rotor hub 23f lock recess 23h through hole 30 housing member 31 housing body (cylindrical member) 31a Shoe part 32 Front plate 33 Rear thin plate (first plate) 34 Rear thick plate (second plate) 34b Housing groove (groove) 34c Hub part of rear thick plate 61 Lock key (lock member) 62 Lock spring 100 Control valve 110 Oil pump 120 Oil reservoir R1 Advance oil chamber R2 Delay oil chamber B Lock mechanism C Hydraulic circuit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A driving force transmission system for transmitting driving force from a driving shaft of an internal combustion engine to a driven shaft that opens and closes at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and rotates integrally with the driving shaft or the driven shaft. A housing member and a pair of shoe portions provided on the housing member are relatively rotatably assembled to form an advance oil chamber and a retard oil chamber in the housing member at a vane portion, and the driven shaft or A rotor member that rotates integrally with a drive shaft, a lock mechanism that regulates relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member in an initial phase of the housing member and the rotor member, the advance oil chamber, and the retard angle A hydraulic circuit that controls the supply and discharge of hydraulic oil to and from the oil chamber and controls locking and unlocking of the lock mechanism, wherein the housing member slides on an outer peripheral surface of the rotor member. A valve opening / closing timing comprising a cylindrical member having a cylindrical portion and having at least one axial end opened, and an annular plate member joined to one end of the cylindrical member so as to close the opening. In the control device,
A valve timing control device, wherein the lock mechanism is provided in the plate member. 2. The plate member is rotatably supported on the inner periphery thereof by the rotor member, and the lock mechanism is slidably mounted on the plate member and attached to the rotor member. A lock member having a rectangular cross section to be urged, and a lock recess formed in the rotor member and capable of accommodating the distal end portion of the lock member in the initial phase so as to be immovable in the circumferential direction. Item 4. The valve timing control apparatus according to Item 1. 3. The plate member comprises: a first plate having one side surface closing an opening of the cylindrical member; and a second plate joined to the other side surface of the first plate. 3. The valve opening / closing timing control according to claim 2, wherein a groove is formed in the plate and opens on the other side surface of the first plate and opens inward in the radial direction, and the lock member is accommodated in the groove. apparatus.