A phase adjuster is disclosed herein that has improvements for a number of features thereby improving the functionality of the phase adjuster and/or simplifying the manufacturing or assembly process for the phase adjuster. The phase adjuster includes an input gear and an input shaft connected to the input gear such that the input shaft is rotationally connected to the input gear and configured to be axially displaced. A piston plate is integrally formed with the input shaft. An output gear hub is operatively connected to the input shaft via the piston plate, and an output gear ring is connected to the output gear hub.

A hydraulic fluid control valve (HFCV) configured to recirculate an existing hydraulic fluid from a first hydraulic actuation chamber to a second hydraulic actuation chamber is provided. The HFCV includes a selectively movable spool assembly having an outer annulus, at least one one-way valve arranged within the outer annulus, and an inner fluid chamber configured to receive and deliver the exiting hydraulic fluid to one or both of either a sump or one of the first or second hydraulic actuation chambers. The at least one one-way valve moves in an axial direction and the outer annulus serves as an axial motion stop for the at least one one-way valve.

A spring retainer for a camshaft phaser is provided that includes an axially extending portion and a disk portion. The disk portion has an axially extending retention tab that is formed integrally therewith. The axially extending portion includes a torsional fixing region configured to torsionally attach a bias spring to the spring retainer. In a first installed position, the retention tab is spaced apart from a straight side of the bias spring. In a second rotationally slipped position, the retention tab is configured to be engaged with the straight side of the bias spring. The spring retainer can be utilized as a timing wheel that is configured to cooperate with a camshaft position sensor to provide an angular position of a camshaft.

A variable camshaft timing (VCT) system includes an independent camshaft phaser, receiving input from a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, having an output coupled to one of an inner concentric camshaft or an outer concentric camshaft; and a dependent camshaft phaser, coupled to the other of the inner concentric camshaft or the outer concentric camshaft, comprising a half-Oldham link configured to permit radial movement of the inner concentric camshaft relative to the outer concentric camshaft in one radial direction and at least one pivotable arm configured to permit radial movement of the inner concentric camshaft relative to the outer concentric camshaft in another, different radial direction.

The valve timing control unit includes a valve timing control mechanism that includes a driving rotary body, a driven rotary body, an electric motor and a deceleration gear each for setting the relative rotational phase of the driving rotary body and the driven rotary body, and a phase sensor unit that detects the actual phase of the driving rotary body and the driven rotary body. The valve timing control unit includes a controller that controls the electric motor to reduce a phase difference between the actual phase and a target phase, and the controller includes a swing controller that swings the target phase in vicinity of the target phase when the target phase is maintained and the actual phase having a fluctuation amount is held in a holding region, in which the fluctuation amount is less than a preset value.

Provided are: a rear plate 13 enclosing an axial end opening of a housing body; a lock pin 30 configured to travel forward and backward in a slide hole formed in a first vane of a vane member; and an annular lock-hole-forming part 31 press-fitted to a retaining hole 13c in an inner end surface of the rear plate, forming a lock hole 32 therein. A projection 35 having a flat distal end surface 35a is formed at one circumferential end side of an inner peripheral surface of the lock-hole-forming part, and recesses 37, 37 continuous with the inner peripheral surface of the lock hole are formed on corresponding sides of the projection in the circumferential direction of the lock hole. This ensures smooth engagement of the locking pin in the lock hole, and enables smooth supply and drainage of hydraulic pressure to and from the lock hole.

A sprocket assembly which is either driven by a drive chain or which drives the drive chain includes a hub centered about a sprocket axis and defining a hub radially outer surface; a plurality of sprocket teeth extending radially outward from the hub; and a cushion ring assembly adjacent to the plurality of sprocket teeth and circumferentially surrounding the hub radially outer surface. The cushion ring assembly includes a cushion ring adjacent to the plurality of sprocket teeth and circumferentially surrounding the hub radially outer surface; the cushion ring being resilient and compliant. The cushion ring assembly also each includes a retention ring which is partially embedded within the cushion ring and which engages the hub radially outer surface in an interference fit, the retention ring providing axial and radial retention of the cushion ring to the hub.

A control valve includes a valve housing extending along a longitudinal axis. The valve housing defines an inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port. In addition, the control valve includes a spool guide disposed inside the valve housing and a flow guide belt disposed around the spool guide. The flow guide belt is disposed inside the valve housing. The control valve further includes a spool movably disposed in the spool guide. The spool can move relative to the valve housing along the longitudinal axis between a first spool position and a second spool position. The first outlet port is in fluid communication with the inlet port when spool is disposed in the first spool position.

A friction shim is configured to generate a frictional force between a first shim contact surface of the friction shim and a shaft end surface of a driven shaft and a frictional force between a second shim contact surface of the friction shim and an opposing surface of a second rotatable body after installation of a valve timing regulator to the driven shaft. A contact member has a first member contact surface configured to contact the shaft end surface. The contact member is installed to the second rotatable body such that the first member contact surface contacts the shaft end surface before occurrence of contact of the first shim contact surface to the shaft end surface at a time of installing the valve timing regulator to the driven shaft.

At a time of a startup in a non-lock state (at the time of a next startup in a case where an internal combustion engine is stopped in a non-lock state in which a VCT phase is not locked in an intermediate lock phase), it is determined whether or not the engine can be started up by most delayed startup processing. In a case where it is determined that the engine can be started up by the most delayed startup processing, the most delayed startup processing is performed. In this most delayed startup processing, the engine is cranked in a high rotation range not less than a specified rotation speed and a fuel injection and an ignition are started in a state in which the VCT phase is controlled to a vicinity of the most delayed phase (most delayed phase or within a specified range from the most delayed phase) to thereby start up the engine. In this way, at the time of the startup in the non-lock state, the engine can be quickly started up without locking the VCT phase.