Continuous variable valve lift apparatus and engine provided with the same

Abstract

A continuously variable valve lift apparatus may include a camshaft, a cam portion on which a cam is formed and into which the camshaft is inserted, a slider housing into which the cam portion is rotatably inserted and a position thereof is rotatable around a pivot shaft, a control portion configured to selectively push the slider housing to be rotated, a spring guide connected to the slider housing for elastically supporting the slider housing, a rotation deliverer configured to transmit rotation of the camshaft to the cam portion, an output portion rotatable around the pivot shaft and onto which a valve shoe is formed, and a valve unit configured to be driven by the valve shoe.

Claims

1. A continuously variable valve lift apparatus comprising: a camshaft; a cam portion including a cam, wherein the camshaft is inserted into the cam portion; a slider housing into which the cam portion is rotatably inserted and a position thereof is rotatable around a pivot shaft; a control portion selectively pushing the slider housing to be rotated; a spring guide connected to the slider housing for elastically supporting the slider housing; a rotation deliverer transmitting rotation of the camshaft to the cam portion; an output portion rotatable around the pivot shaft and onto which a valve shoe is formed; and a valve unit driven by the valve shoe.

2. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation deliverer comprises: a connecting pin connected to the camshaft; and a spiral bearing mounted to the cam portion and into which the connecting pin is inserted.

3. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 2, wherein the spiral bearing comprises: an outer wheel connected to a rotation housing formed to the cam portion; and an inner wheel rotatably connected to the outer wheel and in which the connecting pin is slidably disposed.

4. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bearing disposed between the cam portion and the slider housing.

5. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output portion comprises an output roller contacting the cam.

6. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control portion comprises: a slider lifter parallel to the camshaft; and a control lifter connected to the slider lifter and contacting the slider housing.

7. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a spring bracket connected to the pivot shaft; and a torsion spring connected to the spring bracket and configured for the output portion to be contacted by the cam.

8. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 7, wherein the spring guide comprises: a guide shaft connected to the spring bracket; a connecting bracket connecting the guide shaft with the slider housing; and a guide spring disposed between the guide shaft and the connecting bracket for elastically supporting the slider housing.

9. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve unit is a swing arm comprising a swing arm roller contacting the valve shoe and a valve.

10. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the slider housing is disposed as a pair rotatable around the pivot shaft; two rotation portions disposed within each slider housing of the pair are formed to the cam portion; the cam is formed to the cam portion as a pair; the output portion is disposed as a pair and contacts each cam; and the valve unit is configured as a pair and each valve unit includes a swing arm roller contacting each valve shoe of each output portion and a valve.

11. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rotation deliverer comprises: a connecting pin connected to the camshaft; and a spiral bearing mounted to a rotation housing formed between the cams, and into which the connecting pin is inserted, and wherein the spiral bearing comprises: an outer wheel connected to the rotation housing; and an inner wheel rotatably connected to the outer wheel and in which the connecting pin is slidably disposed.

12. The continuously variable valve lift apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a spring bracket to which the pivot shaft is rotatably connected, wherein the spring guide comprises: two guide shafts connected to the spring bracket; a connecting bracket connecting each slider housing and slidably connected to each guide shaft; and guide springs disposed between each guide shaft and the connecting bracket for elastically supporting each slider housing.

13. An engine comprising: a camshaft; a cam portion including a cam, wherein the camshaft is inserted into the cam portion; a slider housing into which the cam portion is rotatably inserted, and a position thereof is rotatable around a pivot shaft; a control portion selectively pushing the slider housing to be rotated; a spring guide connected to the slider housing for elastically supporting the slider housing; a rotation deliverer transmitting rotation of the camshaft to the cam portion; an output portion rotatable around the pivot shaft and on which a valve shoe is formed; and a valve unit driven by the valve shoe.

14. The engine of claim 13, wherein: the slider housing is disposed as a pair rotatable around the pivot shaft; two rotation portions disposed within each slider housing of the pair are formed to the cam portion; the cam is formed to inner side of the cam portion as a pair; the rotation deliverer is disposed between the cams; the output portion is disposed as a pair and contacts each cam; the valve unit is configured as a pair and each valve unit includes a swing arm roller contacting each valve shoe of each output portion and a valve.

15. The engine of claim 14, further comprising a spring bracket mounted to a cylinder head and to which the pivot shaft is rotatably connected, wherein the spring guide comprises: two guide shafts connected to the spring bracket; a connecting bracket connecting each slider housing and slidably connected to each guide shaft; and guide springs disposed between each guide shaft and the connecting bracket for elastically supporting each slider housing.

16. The engine of claim 14, wherein the rotation deliverer comprises: a connecting pin connected to the camshaft; and a spiral bearing mounted to the cam portion and into which the connecting pin is inserted therein, and wherein the spiral bearing comprises: an outer wheel connected to a rotation housing formed to the cam portion; and an inner wheel rotatably connected to the outer wheel and in which the connecting pin is slidably disposed.

17. The engine of claim 14, further comprising a bearing disposed between the cam portion and the slider housing.

18. The engine of claim 14, wherein the control portion comprises: a slider lifter parallel to the camshaft; and a control lifter connected to the slider lifter and contacting the slider housing.

19. The engine of claim 18, further comprising a contact roller connected to the slider housing and contacting the control lifter.

20. The engine of claim 14, further comprising a torsion spring connected to the spring bracket and configured for the output portion to be contacted by the cam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a spiral bearing provided to the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a high lift mode of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a high lift mode of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(8) FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a low lift mode of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a low lift mode of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(10) FIG. 10 is a graph of a valve profile of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(11) FIG. 11 is a graph of pressure volume diagram of an engine provided to the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to the present invention.

(12) It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

(14) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.

(15) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a spiral bearing provided to a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according various embodiments of the present invention.

(16) Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, an engine 1 according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a cylinder head 10 and a continuous variable valve lift apparatus mounted to the cylinder head 10.

(17) The continuously variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention includes a camshaft 30, a cam portion 40 of which a cam 42 is formed thereto and the camshaft 30 is inserted into therein, a slider housing 60 of which the cam portion 40 is rotatably inserted therein and a position thereof is rotatable around a pivot shaft 52, a control portion 100 selectively pushing the slider housing 60 to be rotated, a spring guide 70 connected to the slider housing 60 for elastically supporting the slider housing 60, a rotation deliverer 46 transmitting rotation of the camshaft 30 to the cam portion 40, an output portion 50 rotatable around the pivot shaft 52 and of which a valve shoe 54 is formed thereto and a valve unit 200 configured to be driven by the valve shoe 54.

(18) The pivot shaft 52 is rotatably mounted to the cylinder head 10, and in the detailed description and claims, the cylinder head 10 is interpreted as including a cam carrier.

(19) The rotation deliverer 46 includes a connecting pin 32 connected to the camshaft 30 and a spiral bearing 80 mounted to the cam portion 40 and of which the connecting pin 32 is inserted therein.

(20) The spiral bearing 80 includes an outer wheel 84 connected to a rotation housing 48 formed to the cam portion 40 and an inner wheel 82 rotatably connected to the outer wheel 84 and of which the connecting pin 32 is slidably disposed therein.

(21) A bearing 62 is inserted between the cam portion 40 and the slider housing 60. Thus, rotation of the cam portion 40 may be easily performed. In the drawings, the bearing 62 is depicted as a needle bearing, however it is not limited thereto. On the contrary, various bearings such as a ball bearing, a roller bearing and so on may be applied thereto. A rotation portion 44 is formed to the cam portion 40 and the bearing 62 inserted between the rotation portion 44 and the slider housing 60.

(22) The output portion 50 includes an output roller 56 contacting to the cam 42. The rotation of the cam 42 is changed to swing motion of the output portion 50 around the pivot shaft 52.

(23) The control portion 100 includes a slider lifter 104 parallel to the camshaft 30 and a control lifter 102 connected to the slider lifter 104 and contacting to the slider housing 60.

(24) When a control motor or an actuator 106 rotates the slider lift 104, the control lifter 102 rotates the slider housing 60 around the pivot shaft 52. Thus a relative rotation center of the cam portion 40 with respect to the camshaft 30 is changed.

(25) The valve unit 200 may be a swing arm including a swing arm roller 202 contacting to the valve shoe 54 and a valve 204.

(26) A spring bracket 66 is connected to the pivot shaft 52 and a torsion spring 68 is connected to the spring bracket 66 for the output portion 50 to be contacted with the cam 42.

(27) The spring guide 70 included a guide shaft 72 connected to the spring bracket 66, a connecting bracket 74 connecting the guide shaft 72 with the slider housing 60 and a guide spring 76 disposed between the guide shaft 72 and the connecting bracket 74 for elastically supporting the slider housing 60.

(28) The slider housing 60 may be disposed as a pair rotatable around the pivot shaft 52, the rotation portion 44 disposed within the slider housing 60 may be formed as a pair, the cam 42 may be formed to the cam portion as a pair, the output portion 50 may be disposed as a pair and may contact to each cam 42 and the valve unit 200 may be a swing arm configured as a pair.

(29) That is, the rotation housing 48 is formed to a center of the cam portion 40, the rotation portions 44 are formed both ends of the cam portion 40 and the cams 42 are formed between the rotation housing 48 and each rotation portion 44.

(30) The guide shaft 72 may be disposed as a pair and connected to the spring bracket 66, the connecting bracket 74 connecting each slider housing 60 and slidably connected to each guide shaft 72.

(31) A rotation hole 61 is formed to the slider housing 60, a spring bracket hole 67 is formed to the spring bracket 66 and the pivot shaft 52 is inserted into the rotation hole 61 and the spring bracket hole 67.

(32) And a connecting hole 65 is formed to the slider housing 60 and the connecting bracket 74 connects each slider housing 60 through the connecting hole 65.

(33) A roller hole 63 is formed to the slider housing 60 and a contact roller 64 contacting to the control lifter 102 is connected to the roller hole 63 through a roller pin 77.

(34) The spring bracket 66 includes a bracket shaft 71 and the torsion springs 68 are connected to the bracket shaft 71. And a shaft hole 73 is formed to the guide shaft 72 and the bracket shaft 71 is connected to the shaft hole 73.

(35) Connecting bracket holes 75 are formed to the connecting bracket 74 and the guide shafts 72 are slidably inserted into the connecting bracket holes 75.

(36) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a high lift mode of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a high lift mode of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.

(37) FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a low lift mode of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along lineof FIG. 1 showing operations in a low lift mode of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.

(38) Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 9, operations of the continuously variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described.

(39) As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, when the rotation centers of the camshaft 30 and the cam portion 40 are coincident, the valve 204 realizes a predetermined valve lift profile.

(40) According to engine operation states, the ECU transmits control signals to control motor or actuator 106 of the control portion 100 to change the relative position of the slider housing 60.

(41) As shown FIG. 6 and in FIG. 7, for example, in high lift mode requiring high power, the slider lifter 104 rotates in an anticlockwise direction according to the operation of the control portion 100, and the slider housing 60 rotates in a clockwise direction around the pivot shaft 52 according to elastic force of the guide spring 76.

(42) Then the rotation centers of the camshaft 30 and the cam portion 40 are not coincident, the rotation of the camshaft 30 is transmitted to the cam portion 40 through the connecting pin 32 and the spiral bearing 80.

(43) Since the relative rotation of the cam 42 is changed, the output portion 50 relatively rotates in a clockwise direction around the pivot shaft 52.

(44) Since the output portion 50 relatively rotates in the clockwise direction around the pivot shaft 52, the contacting position of the valve shoe 54 to the swing arm roller 202 are changed to the right direction.

(45) As shown FIG. 8 and in FIG. 9, for example, in low lift mode requiring low power, the slider lifter 104 rotates in a clockwise direction according to the operation of the control portion 100, and the slider housing 60 rotates in an anticlockwise direction around the pivot shaft 52.

(46) Then the rotation centers of the camshaft 30 and the cam portion 40 are not coincident, the rotation of the camshaft 30 is transmitted to the cam portion 40 through the connecting pin 32 and the spiral bearing 80.

(47) Since the relative rotation of the cam 42 is changed, the output portion 50 relatively rotates in an anticlockwise direction around the pivot shaft 52.

(48) Since the output portion 50 relatively rotates in the counterclockwise direction around the pivot shaft 52, the contacting position of the valve shoe 54 to the swing arm roller 202 are changed to the left direction.

(49) In the various embodiments of the present invention, according to the relative position of the slider housing 60 with respect to the camshaft 30, the rotation center of the cam 42 is changed and thus a contacting position of the output roller 56 and the cam 42 is changed. Thus, when the operation mode of the continuously variable valve lift apparatus is changed to the low lift mode, valve closing timing may be advanced.

(50) Also, since the contacting position of the swing arm roller 202 and the valve shoe 54 is changed, the valve lift is adjusted.

(51) FIG. 10 is a graph of a valve profile of a continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention.

(52) A high lift profile A or a low lift profile B of the valve 204 may be performed according to the relative rotation center of the cam 42 with respect to the camshaft 30, relative positions of the camshaft 30 and the output roller 56 and the contacting position of the valve shoe 54 and the swing arm roller 202.

(53) While only the high lift profile A and the low lift profile B are shown in FIG. 10, however it is not limited thereto. The relative position of the slider housing 60 may perform various valve profiles.

(54) As shown in FIG. 10, comparing to a valve duration C of a general continuously variable valve lift apparatus in the low lift mode, a valve duration D of the continuously variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention may be reduced.

(55) And valve closing time may be advanced comparing to valve closing time of the general continuously variable valve lift apparatus in the low lift mode due to contacting position change of the cam 42 and the output roller 56. Thus, pumping lose may be reduced and enhancement of fuel consumption may be realized.

(56) FIG. 11 is a graph of pressure volume diagram of an engine of the exemplary continuous variable valve lift apparatus.

(57) As shown in FIG. 11, an engine provided with a continuous variable valve lift apparatus may reduce pumping loss F comparing to pumping loss E of an engine without a continuous variable valve lift apparatus.

(58) However, the continuously variable valve lift apparatus may reduce valve duration and advance valve closing time so that may reduce pumping loss G and may enhance fuel economy.

(59) The continuous variable valve lift apparatus according to various embodiments of the present invention may be reduced in size and thus the entire height of a valve train may be reduced.

(60) Since the continuous variable valve lift apparatus may be applied to an existing engine without excessive modification, thus productivity may be enhance and production cost may be reduced.

(61) For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms upper or lower, inner or outer and etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

(62) The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.