An apparatus includes a valve and an actuator. The valve has a portion movably disposed within a valve pocket defined by a cylinder head of an engine. The valve is configured to move relative to the cylinder head a distance between a closed position and an opened position. The portion of the valve defines a flow opening that is in fluid communication with a cylinder of an engine when the valve is in the opened position. The actuator is configured to selectively vary the distance between the closed position and the opened position.

A method for retracting a partially extended pin of a sliding camshaft actuator having first and second pins being selectively actuatable by adjacent first and second magnetic field generating coils includes determining if the first or the second pin is partially extended after engine ignition. A partially extended first pin is retracted with flux linkage created by the second magnetic field generating coil being coupled unto the first magnetic field generating coil, and a partially extended second pin is retracted with flux linkage created by the first magnetic field generating coil being coupled unto the second magnetic field generating coil.

An opposed-piston engine includes an engine block, at least two intake valves, and at least two exhaust valves. The engine block includes a first center section and a second center section. The first center section defines a first cylinder half bore having a first longitudinal axis and a first open end. The second center section defines a second cylinder half bore having a second longitudinal axis and a second open end. The second longitudinal axis is offset from the first longitudinal axis. The first and second open ends overlap to form and opening therebetween that places the first and second cylinder half bores in fluid communication with one another to form a single cylinder. The intake valves are arranged at the first open end of the first cylinder half bore. The exhaust valves are arranged at the second open end of the second cylinder half bore.

A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine includes a cam, a transmission mechanism, a first variable device that controls the transmission mechanism to continuously change at least a maximum lift amount of a lift curve indicating a lift amount of a valve that corresponds to a rotation angle of the internal combustion engine, and a second variable device that controls the transmission mechanism to continuously change at least an operation angle of the lift curve. When the lift curve lies in any condition within a predetermined range that covers all or part of a variable range of the lift curve, an absolute value of a ratio of a maximum lift amount variation to an operation angle variation for a slight change from the condition caused by the first variable device is larger than that for a slight change from the condition caused by the second variable device.

A shift gate for a sliding cam system may include at least two shift grooves for engagement of at least one actuator pin. The two shift grooves run against a direction of rotation and transform from a first inlet portion for the actuator pin into a second outlet portion for the actuator pin. The two shift grooves cross one another in an intersection region between the two portions. In the intersection region, the two shift grooves each have a maximum axial shift stroke that is greater than half a total axial shift stroke, in particular a slide travel, of the shift gate.

A composite structure includes: a cover plate having a countersunk hole and a plate side fitting hole; a bearing plate having a screw hole and a screw side fitting hole located opposite from the plate side fitting hole through the screw hole; and a plate screw component including a screw part engaged with the screw hole, and a plate side fitting part and a screw side fitting part respectively fitted with the plate side fitting hole and the screw side fitting hole to be in alignment with each other. A difference a in diameter between the plate side fitting hole and the plate side fitting part, a difference b in diameter between the screw side fitting hole and the screw side fitting part, and an effective difference c in diameter between the screw hole and the screw part satisfy a dimensional relation of a<c and b<c.

A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine includes an outer arm, an inner arm, a switching device that switches between a coupled state and a non-coupled state, and a lost motion spring. The lost motion spring has an extending portion extending from the outside of the space to the inside of the space. The extending portion has a contact portion that is in contact with the inner arm in the space and being configured to swing in conjunction with swinging of the inner arm. A through-hole is formed in a vertically intermediate portion of the outer arm such that connecting portions are provided at vertically opposite sides of the through-hole, and a portion of the extending portion, a swinging amount of which is smaller than that of the contact portion, passes through the through-hole that allows the portion to swing therein.

A harmonic drive (1), including a wave generator (8), a flexible, externally toothed gear component (14), in particular in the form of a flex ring, which can be deformed by said wave generator, and at least one internally toothed gear component (4, 5) that meshes with the flexible, externally toothed gear component (14). The flexible, externally toothed gear component (14) has a non-circular basic shape in relation to its mechanically non-loaded state.

Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine equipped with a cam switching device including a cam groove provided on the outer peripheral surface of a camshaft and an electromagnetic solenoid type actuator capable of protruding, toward the camshaft, an engagement pin that is engageable with the cam groove. The control device is configured, in causing the cam switching device to perform a cam switching operation, to perform energization of the actuator such that the engagement pin is seated on a forward outer peripheral surface, and to more lower, when an electric current (coil current) flowing through the actuator as a result of the energization is greater, an average electric voltage per unit time applied to the actuator in protruding the engagement pin toward the cam groove from the forward outer peripheral surface.

A switchable rocker arm is provided having first and second arms. The first arm has a first outer end and a first inner end and the second arm has a second outer end a second inner end, with the first and second outer ends contacting a respective one of a cam or a valve. One of the first and second inner ends includes an opening with a ring gear and the other includes at least one support for a planet gear that engages the ring gear. A sun gear is located on a rocker shaft and engages the planet gear. A locking mechanism is switchable from a locked position, in which the sun gear is rotationally fixed to the rocker shaft to transfer a cam lift to the valve via the gear ratio provided in the sun, planet, and ring gear arrangement, and a release position, in which the sun gear is rotatable on the rocker shaft so no cam lift is transferred.