Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European PatentBulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with theImplementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has beenpaid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).

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(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Date of publication and mention of the grant of the patent: 08.04.2009 Bulletin 2009/15

(21) Application number: 04769056.5

(22) Date of filing: 12.08.2004

(51) Int Cl.: �F01L 13/00 (2006.01)

(86) International application number: PCT/GR2004/000043

(87) International publication number: WO 2005/017324 (24.02.2005 Gazette 2005/08) �

(54) VARIABLE VALVE GEAR

VERSTELLBARE VENTILSTEUERUNG

COMMANDE DE SOUPAPES VARIABLE

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

(30) Priority: 18.08.2003 GR 200310035301.07.2004 GR 2004100263

(43) Date of publication of application: 06.09.2006 Bulletin 2006/36

(73) Proprietors: • Pattakos, Manousos

184 52 Nikea Piraeus (GR) �• Pattakos, John

184 52 Nikea Piraeus (GR) �• Pattakos, Emmanouel

184 52 Nikea Piraeus (GR) �

(72) Inventors: • Pattakos, Manousos

184 52 Nikea Piraeus (GR) �• Pattakos, John

184 52 Nikea Piraeus (GR) �• Pattakos, Emmanouel

184 52 Nikea Piraeus (GR) �

(56) References cited: EP- �A- 1 205 643 EP- �A- 1 243 765WO- �A- �02/103169 WO-�A- �03/008772WO- �A- �03/062609 DE-�A- 4 220 816DE- �A- 10 061 618 DE- �A- 19 825 308

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Description

�[0001] The invention provides a variable valve gearparticularly for internal combustion engines, in which acontrol cam of a camshaft acts, by way of a free camfollower, being supported on a rotatable control surface,to a valve to produce an adjustment of the valve stroke.The valve stroke can vary continuously from a maximumvalue to zero while the valve clearance is held un-changed.�[0002] The closest prior art is the patent applicationPCT/GR02/00035.�[0003] What a variable valve actuation system actuallyprovides is the permanently optimised breathing, andtherefore optimised combustion, at all revs and everyload: it extends the efficient rev range of an engine atlower and at higher rpm, upgrading the importance of thehigher revs.�[0004] The proposed variable valve gear comprisesfewer and simpler parts. It achieves reliability at higherrevs partly because its quickly moving parts are light andstrong and partly because the sliding between the coop-erating members is changed into rolling, thereby mini-mizing friction and wear. The modification of the presentstate of the art engine, which provides only two modesof operation with hydraulic control (US 6,470,841 patent)and which holds the world record of power concentrationamong mass production engines, into an infinite modesengine as shown in Fig 15, turns out to be a simplificationbecause many parts of the state of the art engine arethrown away, with the remaining parts becoming simpler,lighter and stronger, and because the control can be puremechanical. The control shafts’ rotation has proved inpractice easy and needs no assistance: a ’throttle’ cablecoming directly from the gas pedal is enough. Improvingthe best and simultaneously simplifying it, sounds good.�[0005] Despite its infinite modes of operation, it is amore reliable valve train system compared even to thesingle mode ones. When the engine operates at mediumto low revs or at partial load, which happens most of thetime and means short valve stroke and weak restoringforce due to only slightly compressed valve spring, theloads and the wear and the friction into the valve trainsystem become not just lower than in conventional, butmany times lower: the oscillating energy is linearly pro-portional to both, the restoring force and the valve stroke.�[0006] The proposed system can function without driveby wire and without additional supporting systems likevariable valve timing, servomotors, special central con-trol unit etc.�[0007] The proposed system is easy and cheap in con-trol. The rotation of a control shaft is a more simple andmore precise motion compared to the sliding of controlmembers along sliders, used in some of the prior art pat-ents.�[0008] In case of a sliding control shaft, like the onedescribed in US 5,373,818 patent, the valve lift and theduration the valve stays open vary necessarily together:

small lifts can be only combined to short duration, whilelong duration can be only combined to high valve lift. Atlow revs with heavy load an engine needs small lift andlong duration, impossible in such mechanisms becausethey arc based on ’scissor’ action: the valve at short liftsopens only by the tip of the nose of the cam lobe.�[0009] In WO 03/062609 A (TURNER JAMES WIL-LIAM GRIFFITH ; LOTUS CAR (GB)) 31 July 2003(2003-07-31), a pair of rocker arms 15 and 16, is neces-sary, as well as a lever 28. A roller 27 is rotatably mountedat one end of the lever 28. The roller 28 abuts both rockerarms 15 and 16 transferring the camming action from thecam 13 to the valve 10.�[0010] In comparison, the mechanism of the presentinvention comprises fewer moving parts. The roller isfree, i.e. it does not need any lever like 28 to hold it inplace. The instant position of the roller is defined not bya lever that holds it, but by the angular position of thecam lobe and of the control shaft. And the necessarycontrol surface 7, along which the roller rolls, is substan-tially immovable: it moves slowly and only when a differ-ent "valve lift profile" is desirable. As long as the engineoperates with a specific valve lift profile, the control sur-face 7 is kept immovable.�[0011] Similarly, in WO 03/008772 A (NAUMANNHERBERT ; THYSSENKRUPP AUTOMOTIVE AG(DE))) 30 January 2003 (2003-01-30), a secondary "rock-er arm" 2, having a properly shaped control surface 6-7on it, oscillates under the action of a rotating cam, whilethe primary "rocker arm" 8 is displaced by the secondaryrocker arm 2. I.e. the mechanism comprises necessarilyan oscillating "control surface" and additional parts.�[0012] In DE 198 25 308 A (BAYERISCHE MOTORENWERKE AG) 9 December 1999 (1999-12-09), the roller7 needs a lever 36 to hold it in place between the controlsurface 6 of the rocker arm 5 and the cam 14.�[0013] In EP 1 205 643 A (BATTLOGG STEFAN) 15May 2002 (2002-05-15), the arrangement of Figs 14 and15 uses a lever 11 holding a roller 15-20 at one end. Theroller rolls along the plane top surface of the tappet 17.�[0014] And with reference to the embodiment of Figs8 to 10 of the present invention, instead of having a leverlike the 11 of EP 1 205 643 A, the roller is free from anyconnection, and it is just trapped among the rotatableplane control surface 7, the top plane surface 8 of thetappet and the cam 2. Compared to the WO 03/062609A, to the WO 03/008772 A, to the DE 198 25 308 A andto the EP 1 205 643 A, in the present invention a controlcam displaces a roller; the roller, supported on the controlsurface of a moving rotatable control shaft, displaces thevalve actuator and the valve. The angular displacementof the control shaft defines the valve lift profile. The rolleris trapped between three surfaces, being in simultaneousabutment to all three of them: the rotating control cam,the moving rotatable control surface and the valve actu-ator.�[0015] In the present application the valve duration canbe substantially constant, no matter what the valve lift is.

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�[0016] Figs 1 to 7 show the basic idea.�[0017] Figs 8 to 10 show the case of flat bucket lifterand flat control surface.�[0018] In Fig 11 it is shown the case of cylindrical con-trol surface.�[0019] In Fig 12 a lever, swivelably coupled to the valveactuator, holds the roller, while in Figs 13 and 14 it is thecase of partially cylindrical roller.�[0020] Fig 15 shows the application in case of rockerarms.�[0021] Fig 16 shows the case of spherical roller andFig 17 is the valve stroke versus crank angle plot.�[0022] Figs 18 to 24 show the case of indirect activationof the roller by the cam lobe.�[0023] Fig 25 shows the application in case of sidecam, based on the mechanism of the closest prior art.�[0024] Figs 1 and 2 show the general form of the mech-anism for variable lift. A cam follower (6) is displaced bya control cam (2) of a camshaft (1), the cam follower (6),thrusting upon, or being supported by, a control surface(7), displaces the valve actuator (5) and the valve (4).The contact of the cam follower (6) with the valve actuator(5) occurs along a contact surface (8) on the valve actu-ator (5).�[0025] To change the valve lift, the control surface (7)is rotatable relatively to the casing, in general. In casethat the control surface is rotatable about a constant axis(9) of the casing, to keep the valve clearance constantor acceptably small at all valve lift range, the axis (9) ofrotation of the control surface (7) has to substantially co-incide with the axis of the cam follower (6) at the restposition, that is when the cam follower (6) is in touch toboth, the basic circle (3) of the control cam (2) and thecontrol surface (7). If the axis of the cam follower (6), atthe rest position, coincides with the axis (9) of the rotationof the control surface (7), then the clearance remainsconstant, whatever the profile of the control surface (7) is.�[0026] If the axis of the cam follower (6), at rest posi-tion, is offset relative the axis (9), then the valve clearancecan stay constant only for specific profile forms of thecontrol surface (7). More specifically, if the control sur-face (7) has an initial part of cylindrical form and its rota-tion axis (9) coincides to the axis of the cylindrical surface,then the valve clearance can stay constant as long asthe cam follower works in this initial cylindrical part of thecontrol surface (7). After the initial cylindrical part of thecontrol surface (7) it may follow another part along whichthe cam follower displaces the valve actuator, openingthe valve.�[0027] Fig 3 shows such a system. In the first row thevalve stroke is zero because the cam follower movesonly along the initial cylindrical part of the control surface(7) for all camshaft angles. In the second row the camfollower is displaced but the valve initially remains closedand only later the cam follower (6) starts displacing thevalve for a medium lift. In the third row the control surfaceis rotated around its axis, at the cross, and the cam fol-lower opens the valve for many degrees and for a long

stroke. A system like this provides variable valve lift, var-iable duration, variable timing and constant valve clear-ance. It operates similarly to the system described in US5,373,818 patent, and it is just simpler.�[0028] The control surface (7) can be mounted on arotatable shaft, which is parallel to the camshaft, in orderto avoid intermediate members, sliders, the lash betweencooperating members, the room for placing all them andtheir extra mass and cost. In systems like these, the pres-ence of additional variable valve timing system is a ne-cessity, as well as a central control unit for coordinatingthe subsystems involved. Fig 4 shows at right the mech-anism of Fig 3 with a roller rotatably mounted on the valveactuator (5), and the contact surface (8) being the pe-riphery of this roller.�[0029] Figs 6 and 7 show the system applied on a val-ue. The control surface (7) is rotatable about the axis atthe cross. If the two curves (7) and (8) are ’parallel’, whichmeans that the cam follower can move in the space be-tween (7) and (8) without displacing the surface (8), thenthe lift is zero. As the surface (7) is rotated, as shown inthe light, the displacement of the cam follower, from thecontrol cam, displaces the surface (8) and the valve ac-tuator (5), opening the valve. By rotating the control sur-face (7) more, the resulting valve lift increases.�[0030] If the zero valve stroke or the small valve strokesarc desirable, then there is a way to derive the controlsurface (7) from the surface (8) of the valve actuator, andvice versa, shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 5 the contact surface(8) is randomly selected. The cam follower is movedalong the surface (8), in touch with surface (8), derivingthe corresponding surface (7), as shown in the right. Us-ing spherical instead of cylindrical cam follower, they canbe created pairs of control surface / contact surface hav-ing ’proper grooves’ on them, similar to those in ball bear-ings, as shown in Fig 16.�[0031] It is obvious that there are infinite pairs of controlsurface (7) / contact surface (8) appropriate to providecontinuously variable valve strokes starting from zero,with constant duration, constant timing of valve openingand closing and constant clearance along all valve liftrange.�[0032] Fig 8 shows the system in case where both con-trol surface (7) and contact surface (8) are plane surfac-es, i.e. the simplest possible profiles.�[0033] When the control surface (7) becomes parallelto the top plane surface (8) of the bucket lifters, the liftbecomes zero. As the control surface (7) becomes morevertical to the plane defined by axis (9) and camshaftaxis, the valve lift increases. The clearance is constant.The valve opening duration is constant. The timing ofvalve opening and value closing is constant. Fig 17 showsthe valve displacement, vertical axis, versus crankshaftrotation angle, horizontal axis. The left set of curves areof the exhaust valves, while the right set of curves arefor the intake valves. The curves were taken for controlsurface rotation of 65, 33, 18, 8, 3 and 1 degrees. Thevalves open and close at substantially constant crank-

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shaft angles, and although the angular overlap remainsuncharged, the actual overlap is radically changed alongwith the maximum valve lift. From the working mediumpoint of view the actual overlap depends on how muchtime the intake and the exhaust stay both opened andon how easily exhaust and intake communicate duringthis time.�[0034] The constant duration and timing make the con-trol of the engine easy, with the rotation of the controlsurface (7) as the basic variable. The control surface (7),thanks to the action of the normal valve springs, returnsto its ’idling’ position when it is left free. In the simplestcase, the accelerator pedal can rotate, by a mere string,the control surface (7) increasing the valve lift, so per-mitting more mixture to enter the cylinder, which is similarcontrol with the rotation of the throttle valve of the con-ventional spark ignition engines.�[0035] To minimize the friction, instead of a roller camfollower rolling or sliding on the cam lobe (2) and on thecontrol surface (7) and on the contact surface (8), a com-bined roller cam follower can be used as the one shownin Fig 9. The central pin rolls on a plane surface machinedon the control shaft, the middle ring rolls on the controlcam and the two side rings rolls on the top surface of thebucket lifter.�[0036] Fig 10 shows the case of common cam followeractivating a pair of valves. The control surface is plane,the internal pin of the cam follower rolls on the flat controlsurface mounted on the control shaft, the middle ring rollson the control cam, and each one of the side rings rollingon a plane top valve actuator activates one valve. At leftit is for short valve stroke and at the right for long valvestroke. In the middle it is shown the control shaft fromdifferent points of view and the cam follower exploded.�[0037] Bcsides the simple and lightweight construc-tion, the system is short and comprises few components.The rollers are easily found in the market while the controlshafts are easier to make with plane control surfaces.�[0038] Figs 11 and 15 show another embodiment ofthe system described, with cylindrical control surface (7).In Fig 11 the cam follower (6) rolls or slides on the controlcam, on the control surface (7) and on the contact surface(8) which is the periphery of a roller. For lower friction theroller (6), as shown in Fig 15, has an internal pin rollingon the cylindrical control surface (7) while the middle ringrolls on the control cam and the two side rings roll on theroller (8) of the rocker arm.�[0039] In the previous analysis the cam follower is ac-tually free. This means that there is no need for rockerarms or levers to hold it in place. The cam follower istrapped among the control cam, the control surface andthe contact surface. The cam follower is kept in placeaxially by appropriate cross section form of the controlshaft, of the contact surface and of the camshaft.�[0040] If the control surface (7) or the contact surface(8) are of cylindrical form, which actually means they keepthe cam follower in a constant distance from an axis, tokeep the cam follower in a constant distance from an

axis, the cylindrical surface can be substituted by a properlever swiveling about an axis as shown in Fig 12.�[0041] If the control surface (7) or the contact surface(8) are of constant curvature, the cam follower can beonly partially cylindrical or spherical, as shown in Figs 13and 14.�[0042] Fig 15 shows the application of the mechanismof Fig 11 in the case of a rocker arm valve actuator drivinga pair of valves. The internal pin of the cam follower rollson a cylindrical surface machined on the control shaft,while the external ring of the cam follower rolls on thecontrol cam and rolls also on a roller rotatably mountedon the rocker arm, to lower the friction.�[0043] At zero valve lift, used to deactivate somevalves or cylinders, and at short valve strokes a springmechanism to hold the cam follower in contact to thecontrol cam can be added.�[0044] For securing the cam follower in position, es-pecially at extreme positions, the control surface or thecontact surface or the casing can be properly modifiedto act as stopper.�[0045] In caste of immovable control shaft, that is incase the control shaft is replaced by a thrust wall, anddespite the resulting unique mode of operation, the valvetrain system is actually improved: if the control shaft atthe right side of Fig 8 is kept immovable, the bucket liftervalve actuator can be minimized in side, weight andstrength because it never comes in contact to the camlobe, and because the thrust loads are taken before it.�[0046] In the side camshaft arrangement shown in Fig18 and 19, the cam lobe 2 displaces the bucket lifter 33and the pushrod 34. The pushrod 34, in turn, displacesa first rocker arm 35. The first rocker arm 35 displaces afree roller 6, which in turn displaces a second rocker arm5, which finally displaces the valve 4. Depending on therotation angle of a control shaft 7, the stroke of the valve4 varies continuously, while the valve clearance remainsconstant.�[0047] The mechanism operates as the previously de-scribed mechanisms with the difference that the cam lobedoes not displaces directly the free roller but indirectly,through a linkage, a lever, etc.�[0048] Compared to the side cam shaft arrangementshown in Fig 20 and 21, the arrangement of Fig 18 and19 is preferable, as explained in the following.�[0049] It initially conveys on the cylinder head, i.e.close to the valve, the complete or ’full amplitude’ camlobe action as a wide oscillation of the first rocker armand only then the mechanism with the free roller modifiesthe cam lobe action into a long or shorter stroke of thevalve, depending on the angular position of the controlshaft. On the contrary, the arrangement of Fig 20 and21, with the free roller directly activated by the cam lobe,cannot be so precise at short lifts, exactly where the pre-cision is required, because the in- �between joints and theelasticity of the members involved to convey the camlobe action to the cylinder head, cannot transfer accu-rately short lifts to the valve, for instance lifts of 0.2 to 0.3

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mm.�[0050] It is also a matter of accessibility and of lack ofspace. Upgrading a side cam engine, for instance a Veceight, according Fig 18 an 19, all modifications concernexclusively the cylinder head, where there is easy ac-cess, plenty of space to install the new components andsome ready supporting means, like pivot shaft, for therocker arms and the control shaft. On the contrary theupgrade of a side cam engine according Fig 20 and 21needs serious modification of the block, while the spaceand the accessibility in the camshaft area are not thedesirable.�[0051] As shown in Fig 22 to 24 the mechanism canbe applied in overhead camshaft arrangements too, of-fering more freedom to the designer, for instance the useof common overhead camshaft for intake and exhaust.�[0052] All arrangements proposed in the closest priorart can be modified similarly: in the present invention, themember mentioned in the closest prior art as the camfollower is displaced not directly by the cam lobe but in-directly through a lever or a linkage, as in Fig 25, wherethe version with the swivelably coupled levers of the clos-est prior art is applied on a side cam engine.�[0053] The system is applicable in every poppet valveengine.�[0054] Although the invention has been described andillustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that thesame is by way of illustration and example, and is not tobe taken by way of limitation.�Figures 16, 17, 20, 21 and 25 are not related to the claims.

Claims

1. A variable valve gear comprising at least:�

a casing;a cam (2) mounted on a camshaft (1) for rotationtherewith;a valve (4);a roller (6);a valve actuator (5) for displacing said valve (4),said valve actuator (5) isdisplaced by said roller (6);a control surface (7);characterized in that:the control surface (7) is angularly displaceableabout an axis (9) of the casing;the control surface (7) substantially moves onlywhen a different valve stroke is desirable;the roller (6) is arranged among the cam (2), thecontrol surface (7) and the valve actuator (5) insubstantially simultaneous abutment with allthree of them;the roller (6) is displaced along the control sur-face (7) under the camming action of the cam (2);and the valve (4) is displaced by the valve actu-ator (5) at a stroke which is variable depending

on the angular displacement of the control sur-face (7);

2. A variable valve gear according to claim 1,characterized in that: �

the roller (6) is a substantially free roller trappedamong the cam (2), thecontrol surface (7) and the valve actuator �(5).

3. A variable valve gear according to claim 1 for oper-ation with variable valve duration, characterized inthat: �

the control surface (7) comprises an initial lostmotion part followed by an activation part;the initial lost motion part substantially is a sur-face of revolution whose axis coincides the axis(9) about which the control surface (7) is angu-larly displaceable;the axis (9) about which the control surface (7)is angularly displaceable and the axis of the roll-er (6) are substantially offset to each other when,with the valve (4) closed, the roller (6) is in touchto the basic circle region of the cam (2).

4. A variable valve gear according to claim 1, charac-terized in that:�

the axis (9), about which the control surface (7)is angularly displaceable, substantially coin-cides to the axis of the roller (6) when, with thevalve (4) closed, the roller (6) is in contact to thebasic circle of the cam (2).

5. A variable valve gear according to claim 1,characterized in that: �

the control surface (7) and the surface (8) on thevalve actuator (5) along which the roller (6) con-tacts the value actuator (5) are plane or cylindri-cal.

6. A variable valve gear comprising at least:�

a cam (2) mounted on a camshaft (1) for rotationtherewith;a valve (4);a valve actuator (51) for displacing said valve(4);an angularly displaceable control surface (71);a roller (61);a lever (100);characterized in that:the control surface (71) substantially moves onlywhen a different valve stroke is desirable;the roller (61) is mounted at one end (101) ofthe lever (100);

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the lever is swivelably coupled, at its other end(102), to the valve actuator (51), with the swiveljoint being a substantially non- �moving swiveljoint on the valve actuator (51);the roller (61) is aranged among the cam (2) andthe control surface (71) in substantially simulta-neous abutment with both of them;the roller (61) is displaced along the control sur-face (71) under the camming action of the cam(2);the valve actuator (51) is displaced by the roller(61), via the lever (100);and the valve (4) is displaced by the valve actu-ator (51) at a stroke which is variable dependingon the angular displacement of the control sur-face (71).

7. A variable valve gear comprising at least:�

a casing;a cam (2) mounted on a camshaft (1) for rotationtherewith;a valve (4);a valve actuator (5) for displacing said valve (4);an angularly displaceable, about an axis (9) ofsaid casing, control surface (7);a rocker (35) comprising a surface (37), the rock-er (35) is driven by the cam (2) to pivot in anoscillatory manner;a roller (6);characterized in that:the control surface (7) substantially moves onlywhen a different valve stroke is desirable;the roller (6) is arranged among the surface (37),the control surface (7) and the valve actuator (5)in simultaneous abutment with all three of them;the surface (37) of the rocker (35), under thecamming action of the cam (2), displaces theroller (6) along the control surface (7);the valve actuator (5) is displaced by the roller(6);and the valve (4) is displaced by the valve actu-ator (5) at a stroke which is variable dependingon the angular displacement of the control sur-face (7).

8. A variable valve gear according to claim 7, charac-terized in that; �

the rocker (35) is connected to a first end of apush rod (34) which has a second end whichengages the cam (2).

Patentansprüche

1. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung, welche mindestensbeinhaltet:�

ein Gehäuse;einen Nocken (2), welcher an einer Nockenwelle(1) angebracht ist zur Rotation damit;ein Ventil (4);eine Rolle (6);einen Ventilantrieb (5) zur Verschiebung des ge-nannten Ventils (4), wobei der genannte Ventil-antrieb (5) durch die genannte Rolle (6) verscho-benwird;eine Steuerfläche (7);dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:die Steuerfläche (7) winkelmäßig zu einer Achse(9) des Gehäuses verschiebbar ist;die Steuerfläche (7) quasi nur bewegt wird,wenn ein unterschiedlicher Ventilhub erwünschtist;die Rolle (6) zwischen dem Nocken (2), derSteuerfläche (7) und dem Ventilantrieb (5) der-art angeordnet ist, dass sie quasi alle drei gleich-zeitig berührt;die Rolle (6) unter dem Wirkungskreis des Nok-kens (2) entlang der Steuerfläche (7) verscho-ben wird;und das Ventil (4) durch den Ventilantrieb (5)um einen Hub verschoben wird, welcher varia-bel ist und von der winkelmäßigen Verschie-bung der Steuerfläche (7) abhängt.

2. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung gemäß Anspruch 1,dadurchgekennzeichnet, dass:�

es sich bei der Rolle (6) um eine quasi freie Rollehandelt, welche zwischen dem Nocken (2), derSteuerfläche (7) und dem Ventilantrieb (5) ein-gekeilt ist.

3. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung nach Anspruch 1 fürden Betrieb mit variabler Ventilöffnungsdauer, da-durch gekennzeichnet, dass: �

die Steuerfläche (7) ein initiales Leerlaufele-ment beinhaltet, gefolgt von einem Aktivierungs-element;das initiale Leerlaufelement quasi eine Umdre-hungsfläche ist, deren Achse sich mit derjenigenAchse (9) überschneidet, entlang derjenigen dieSteuerftäche (7) winkelmäßig verschiebbar ist;die Achse (9), entlang derjenigen die Steuerflä-che (7) winkelmäßig verschiebbar ist und dieAchse der Rolle (6) quasi versetzt zueinanderangeordnet sind, wenn die Rolle (6) sich bei ge-schlossenem Ventil (4) in Berührung mit demGrundkreisbereich des Nokkens (2) befindet.

4. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung nach Anspruch 1, da-durch

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gekennzeichnet, dass:�

die Achse (9), entlang derjenigen die Steuerflä-che (7) winkelmäßig verschiebbar ist, sich quasimit der Achse der Rolle (6) überschneidet, wenndie Rolle (6) sich bei geschlossenem Ventil (4)in Berührung mit dem Grundkreisbereich desNockens (2) befindet.

5. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung nach Anspruch 1, da-durchgekennzeichnet, dass: �

die Steuerfläche (7) und die Fläche (8) auf demVentilantrieb (5) entlang derjenigen die Rolle (6)den Ventilantrieb (5) berührt, flach oder zylin-derförmig sind.

6. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung, welche mindestensbeinhaltet:�

einen Nocken (2), an einer Nockenwelle (1)montiert, zur Drehung damit; ein Ventil (4);einen Ventilantrieb (51) zur Verschiebung desgenannten Ventils (4);eine winkelmäßig verschiebbare Steuerfläche(71);eine Rolle (61);einen Hebel (100);dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:die Steuerfläche (71) quasi nur bewegt wird,wenn ein unterschiedlicher Ventilhub erwünschtist;die Rolle (61) an einem Ende (101) des Hebels(100) montiert ist;der Hebel an seinem anderen Ende (102)schwenkbar an den Ventilantrieb (51) gekoppeltist, wobei es sich bei dem Drehgelenk quasi umein nichtdrehbares Drehgelenk auf dem Ventil-antrieb (51) handelt;die Rolle (61) sich zwischen dem Nocken (2)und der Steuerfläche (71) befindet, und beidequasi gleichzeitig berührt;die Rolle (61) unter dem Wirkungskreis des Nok-kens (2) entlang der Steuerfläche (71) verscho-ben wird;der Ventilantrieb (51) durch die Rolle (61) mittelsdes Hebels (100) verschoben wird;und das Ventil (4) durch den Ventilantrieb (51)bei variablem Hub, welcher von der winkel mä-ßigen Verschiebung der Steuerfläche (71) ab-hängt, verschoben wird.

7. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung, welche mindestensbeinhaltet:�

ein Gehäuse;einen Nocken (2), welcher an einer Nockenwelle

(1) angebracht ist, zur Rotation damit;ein Ventil (4);ein Ventilantrieb (5) zur Verschiebung des ge-nannten Ventils (4);eine winkelmäßig zu einer Achse (9) des ge-nannten Gehäuses verschiebbare Steuerfläche(7);einen Kipphebel (35) einschließlich einer Fläche(37), wobei der Kipphebel (35) vom Nocken (2)gesteuert wird, um sich oszillierend zu drehen;eine Rolle (6);dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:die Steuerfläche (7) quasi nur bewegt wird,wenn ein unterschiedlicher Ventilhub erwünschtist;die Rolle (6) zwischen der Fläche (37), der Steu-erfläche (7) und dem Ventilantrieb (5) derart an-geordnet ist, dass sie quasi alle drei gleichzeitigberührt;die Fläche (37) des Kipphebels (35) unter demWirkungskreis des Nockens (2) die Rolle (6) ent-lang der Steuerfläche (7) verschiebt;der Ventilantrieb (5) durch die Rolle (6) verscho-ben wird;und das Ventil (4) durch den Ventilantrieb (5)um einen Hub verschoben wird, welcher varia-bel ist und von der winkelmäßigen Verschie-bung der Steuerfläche (7) abhängt;

8. Eine variable Ventilsteuerung nach Anspruch 7, da-durchgekennzeichnet, dass:�

der Kipphebel (35) mit einem ersten Ende einerStößelstange (34) verbunden ist, welche überein zweites Ende verfügt, welches den Nocken(2) betätigt.

Revendications

1. Une commande à soupapes variable, contenant aumoins:�

un boîtier;une came (2) montée sur un arbre à cames (1)pour une rotation aveccelui-�ci;une soupape (4);un galet (6);un actionneur de soupapes (5) pour déplacerladite soupape (4), ledit actionneur de soupapes(5) étant déplacé par le galet (6);une gouverne (7);caractérisé en ce que:la gouverne (7) est angulairement déplaçable lelong d’un axe (9) du boîtier;la gouverne (7) ne bouge que dans le cas ou

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une course de soupape différente est souhaitée;le galet (6) se situe entre la came (2), la gouver-ne (7) et l’actionneur de soupapes (5) de façonà entrer en contact avec les trois éléments si-multanément;le galet (6) se déplace le long de la gouverne(7) sous le rayon d’action de la came (2);et que la soupape (4) est déplacée par l’action-neur de soupapes (5) à une course variable dé-pendant du déplacement angulaire de la gou-verne (7).

2. Une commande à soupapes variable selon la reven-dication 1,caractérisée en ce que: �

le galet (6) est quasiment un galet libre clavetéentre la came (2), la gouverne (7) et l’actionneurde soupapes (5).

3. Une commande à soupapes variable selon la reven-dication 1, pour le fonctionmement avec une duréed’ouverture des soupapes variable,�caractérisée en ce que: �

la gouverne (7) comprend un élément initial demouvement à vide suivi par un élément d’acti-vation;l’élément initial de mouvement à vide est quasi-ment une surface de révolution dont l’axe se re-coupe avec l’axe (9) le long duquel la gouverne(7) est angulairement déplaçable;l’axe (9) le long duquel la gouverne (7) est an-gulairement déplaçable etl’axe du galet (6) sont quasiment décalés l’unpar rapport à l’autre, dans le cas ou, la soupape(4) étant fermée, le galet (6) entre en contactavec la section circulaire basique de la came (2).

4. Une commande à soupapes variable selon la reven-dication 1,caractérisée en ce que :�

l’axe (9) le long duquel la gouverne (7) est an-gulairement déplaçable, se recoupe avec l’axedu galet (6) dans le cas ou, la soupape (4) étantfermée, le galet (6) entre en contact avec la sec-tion circulaire basique de lacame (2).

5. Une commande à soupapes variable selon la reven-dication 1,caractérisée en ce que: �

la gouverne (7) et la surface (8) sur l’actionneurde soupapes (5) le long duquel le galet (6) entreen contact avec l’actionneur de soupapes (5)sont plates ou cylindriques.

6. Une commande à soupapes variables, contenant aumoins:�

une came (2) montée sur un arbre à cames (1)pour une rotation avec celui-�ci;une soupape (4);un actionneur de soupapes (51) pour déplacerladite soupape (4);une gouverne (71) angulairement déplaçable;un galet (61);un levier (100);

caractérisé en ce que: �

la gouverne (71) ne bouge que dans le cas ouune course des soupapes différente est souhai-tée;le galet (61) est monté sur une extrémité (101)du levier (100);le levier est monté pivotant à son autre extrémité(102), à l’actionneur de soupapes (51), le jointtournant sur l’actionneur de soupapes (51) étantun joint tournant immobile;le galet (61) se situe entre la came (2) et la gou-verne (71) de façon à entrer en contact avec lesdeux éléments simultanément;le galet (61) se déplace le long de la gouverne(71) sous le rayon d’action de la came (2);l’actionneur de soupapes (51) est déplacé parle galet (61) par l’intermédiaire du levier (100);et la soupape (1) est déplacée par l’actionneurde soupapes (51) à une course variable dépen-dant du déplacement angulaire de la gouverne(71).

7. Une commande à soupapes variable, contenant aumoins :�

un boîtier;une came (2) montée sur un arbre à cames (1)pour une rotation avec celui-�ci;une soupape (4);un actionneur de soupapes (5) pour déplacerladite soupape (4);une gouverne (7) déplaçable angulairement lelong d’un axe (9) dudit boîtier;une languette à bascule (35) et une surface (37)incluse, la languette à bascule (35) étant com-mandée par la came (2), afin de pivoter de ma-nière oscillatoire;un galet (6);caractérisé en ce que :la gouverne (7) ne bouge que dans le cas ouune course des soupapes différente est souhai-tée;le galet (6) se situe entre la surface (37), la gou-

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verne (7) et l’actionneur de soupapes (5) de fa-çon à entrer en contact avec les trois élémentssimultanément;la surface (37) de la languette à bascule (35),sous le rayon d’action de la came (2), déplacele galet (6) le long de la gouverne (7);l’actionneur de soupapes (5) est déplacé par legalet (6);et la soupape (4) est déplacée par l’actionneurde soupapes (5) à une course variable dépen-dant du déplacement angulaire de la gouverne(7).

8. Une commande à soupapes variable, selon la re-vendication 7, contenant au moins:�

une languette à bascule (35), connectée à unepremière extrémité d’une tige de culbuteur (34)qui possède une deuxième extrémité et qui en-gage la came (2).

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REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader’s convenience only. It does not form part of the Europeanpatent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot beexcluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description

• GR 0200035 W [0002]• US 6470841 B [0004]• US 5373818 A [0008] [0027]• WO 03062609 A [0009] [0014]

• WO 03008772 A [0011] [0014]• DE 19825308 A [0012] [0014]• EP 1205643 A [0013] [0014] [0014]