초록 ▼

A valve control synchronizing apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling opening and closing operations of an engine valve includes a synchronizing pin assembly selectively transferring pivoting movement from one or both of first and second adjacent rocker arms to a central rocker a

A valve control synchronizing apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling opening and closing operations of an engine valve includes a synchronizing pin assembly selectively transferring pivoting movement from one or both of first and second adjacent rocker arms to a central rocker arm. The synchronizing pin assembly is received in a bore defined through the central rocker arm and at least partially into each of the first and second rocker arms. The synchronizing pin assembly bridges between the first rocker arm and the central rocker arm to transfer pivoting movement of the first rocker arm to the central rocker arm and bridges between the second rocker arm and the central rocker arm to transfer pivoting movement from the second rocker arm to the central rocker arm.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A valve control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling opening and closing operations of an engine valve, the valve control apparatus comprising: a central rocker arm pivotally supported on a rocker shaft, pivoting movement of said central rocker arm imparting linear movement

1. A valve control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling opening and closing operations of an engine valve, the valve control apparatus comprising: a central rocker arm pivotally supported on a rocker shaft, pivoting movement of said central rocker arm imparting linear movement to the engine valve for opening and closing the engine valve;a first adjacent rocker arm pivotally supported on said rocker shaft on a first side of said central rocker arm;a second adjacent rocker arm pivotally supported on said rocker shaft on a second, opposite side of said central rocker arm;a plurality of cams rotatably driven in synchronism with rotation of the engine, said plurality of cams including: a first cam arranged to pivotally move said first adjacent rocker arm about said rocker shaft according to a first cam profile of said first cam, anda second cam arranged to pivotally move said second adjacent rocker arm about said rocker shaft according to a second cam profile of said second cam;a dual synchronizing pin for selectively synchronizing pivoting movement of said central rocker arm to at least one of said first adjacent rocker arm and said second adjacent rocker arm, said dual synchronizing pin having a first state wherein pivotal movement of said first adjacent rocker arm, which corresponds to said first cam, is transferred to said central rocker arm, a second state wherein pivotal movement of said second adjacent rocker arm, which corresponds to said second cam, is transferred to said central rocker arm, and a third state wherein no pivotal movement is transferred from either said first adjacent rocker arm or said second adjacent rocker arm; anda first auxiliary pin operably associated with said first rocker arm and a second auxiliary pin operably associated with said second rocker arm, said dual synchronizing pin being disposed between and axially aligned with said first and second auxiliary pins. 2. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 further including: a cam shaft having said first and second cams disposed thereon, said cam shaft rotatably driven by the engine to rotate said first and second cams in synchronism with the engine, respective engagement between said first and second cams and said first and second adjacent rocker arms transferring rotational movement of said cam shaft into pivoting movement of said first and second rocker arms. 3. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said third state is an idle state wherein no rotation of said cam shaft is transferred into pivoting movement of said central rocker arm such that no linear movement is imparted to the engine valve. 4. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second cam profile is configured to optimize performance of the engine during high RPM operation of the engine. 5. The valve control apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first cam profile is configured to optimize performance of the engine during at least one of engine starting and low RPM operation of the engine. 6. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of cams further includes: a third cam arranged to pivotally move said central rocker arm about said rocker shaft according to a third cam profile of said third cam when said synchronizing device is in said third state. 7. The valve control apparatus of claim 6 wherein movement of said central rocker arm corresponds to at least one of said first cam profile and said third cam profile when said synchronizing pin is in said first state and corresponds to at least one of said second cam profile and said third cam profile when said synchronizing pin is in said second state. 8. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dual synchronizing pin is movably disposed within a bore defined in said central, first and second rocker arms for selectively connecting said central rocker arm to either said first adjacent rocker arm or said second adjacent rocker arm. 9. The valve control apparatus of claim 8 wherein said dual synchronizing pin has an adjustable axial length. 10. The valve control apparatus of claim 8 wherein said bore has an axis oriented generally parallel to said rocker shaft and movement of said synchronizing pin within said bore occurs along said axis to selectively connect said central rocker arm to either of said first adjacent rocker arm for synchronized pivotal movement therewith or said second adjacent rocker arm for synchronized pivotal movement therewith. 11. The valve control apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said first auxiliary pin received within a first portion of said bore defined in said first rocker arm, wherein said first auxiliary pin is movable between an actuated position wherein said first auxiliary pin is received in said first portion and a third portion of said bore defined in said central rocker arm to synchronize movement of said first rocker arm and said central rocker arm with one another and a nonactuated position wherein said first auxiliary pin is received in said first portion but removed from said third portion; andsaid second auxiliary pin received within a second portion of said bore defined in said second rocker arm, wherein said second rocker arm pin is movable between an actuated position wherein said second auxiliary pin is received in said second portion and said third portion to synchronize movement of said second rocker arm and said central rocker arm with one another and a nonactuated position wherein said second auxiliary pin is received in said second portion but removed from said third portion. 12. The valve control apparatus of claim 11 wherein said dual synchronizing pin is received in said third portion of said bore, which is defined through said central rocker arm, an axial length of said dual synchronizing pin matching an axial length of said third portion when said dual synchronizing pin is in said third state to prevent said first and second auxiliary pins from protruding into said third portion from said first and second portions, said axial length of said dual synchronizing pin less than said axial length of said third portion when said dual synchronizing pin is in said first state to allow said first auxiliary pin to extend into said third portion and when said dual synchronizing pin is in said second state to allow said second auxiliary pin to extend into said third portion. 13. The valve control apparatus of claim 12 wherein pressurized hydraulic fluid selectively moves said first auxiliary pin, said second auxiliary pin and said dual synchronizing pin to change said dual synchronizing pin to one of said first, second and third states, said hydraulic fluid forced into said first portion between said first auxiliary pin and an end face of said first rocker arm defining said first portion to move said first auxiliary pin into said third portion to change said dual synchronizing pin into said first state, and said hydraulic fluid forced into said second portion between said second auxiliary pin and an end face of said second rocker arm defining said second portion to move said second auxiliary pin into said third portion to change said dual synchronizing pin into said second state. 14. The valve control apparatus of claim 13 wherein said dual synchronizing pin includes: a first dual pin member adjacent said first auxiliary pin; anda second dual pin member adjacent said second auxiliary pin, said first and second dual pin members collapsing toward one another when said hydraulic fluid is forced into said first portion to allow movement of said first auxiliary pin into said third portion and when said hydraulic fluid is forced into said second portion to allow movement of said second auxiliary pin into said third portion, and said hydraulic fluid forced into said third portion between said first and second dual pin members to force apart said first and second dual pin members from one another to expand an axial length of said dual synchronizing pin and change said dual synchronizing pin into said third state. 15. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dual synchronizing pin includes: a first dual pin member and a second dual pin member, both movably disposed within a bore defined in said central, first and second rocker arms, said first and second dual pin members collapsing toward one another when said synchronizing pin is in either of said first and second states and moving away from one another when said synchronizing pin is in said third state to prevent transfer of said pivotal moment from either of said first and second rocker arms to said central rocker arm. 16. The valve control apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of said first and second dual pin members includes a base portion having a plurality of legs, said legs of said first dual pin member extending toward said second dual pin member and said legs of said second dual pin member extending toward said first dual pin member, said legs of said first and second dual pin members radially interlocked with one another. 17. The valve control apparatus of claim 15 wherein one of said first and second dual pin members includes an extending portion telescopingly received in a sleeve portion of the other of said first and second dual pin members. 18. The valve control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dual synchronizing pin includes: a first dual pin member and a second dual pin member, both axially movable relative to one another within a bore defined in said central, first and second rocker arms, wherein said first and second dual pin members each have outer axial faces facing respective bore axial ends and inner axial faces facing one another, hydraulic fluid directed between said inner axial faces of said first and second dual pin members to move said first and second dual pin members axially apart from one another. 19. The valve control apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first dual pin member extends into said first rocker arm when said dual synchronizing pin is in said first state, said second dual pin member extends into said second rocker arm when said synchronizing pin is in said second state, and neither said first dual pin member or said second dual pin member extends into said first rocker arm or said second rocker arm when said synchronizing pin is in said third state. 20. A valve control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for controlling engine valve opening and closing operations, comprising: a central rocker arm pivotally supported for imparting linear movement to at least one engine valve;a first rocker arm pivotally supported adjacent a first side of said central rocker arm for imparting linear movement to said at least one engine valve via said central rocker arm;a second rocker arm pivotally supported adjacent a second, opposite side of said central rocker arm for imparting linear movement to said at least one engine valve independent of said first rocker arm and via said central rocker arm; anda synchronizing pin assembly for selectively transferring pivoting movement of one or both of said first rocker arm and said second rocker arm to said central rocker arm, wherein said synchronizing in assembly includes a dual in having an adjustable axial length and having a first dual pin member axially aligned with and selectively connected to a second dual pin member, and further including a pair of auxiliary pins flanking said first and second dual pin members for selectively bridging between said first rocker arm and said central rocker arm, selectively bridging between said second rocker arm and said central rocker arm, and selectively bridging between neither of said first rocker arm and said central rocker arm or said second rocker arm and said central rocker arm. 21. The valve control apparatus of claim 20wherein movement of said second rocker arm is directed by a second cam having a second cam profile and movement of said first rocker arm is directed by a first cam having a first cam profile, said synchronizing pin assembly received in a bore defined through said central rocker arm and at least partially into each of said first and second rocker arms, said synchronizing pin assembly selectively bridging between said first rocker arm and said central rocker arm to transfer pivoting movement of said first rocker arm to said central rocker arm and selectively bridging between said second rocker arm and said central rocker arm to transfer pivoting movement from said second rocker arm to said central rocker arm. 22. The valve control apparatus of claim 20 wherein movement of each of said central rocker arm, said first rocker arm and said second rocker arm is directed by a single cam. 23. The valve control apparatus of claim 22 wherein a cam follower portion of said central rocker arm is nested in closely spaced relation between cam follower portions of said first and second rocker arms. 24. A method for synchronizing rocker arms of an engine valve in an internal combustion engine, comprising: providing a central rocker arm flanked by two adjacent rocker arms for imparting linear movement to the engine valve;moving the engine valve according to pivotal movement of the central rocker arm;selectively transferring pivotal movement from one of the adjacent rocker arms to the central rocker arm through a synchronizing pin assembly having a dual synchronizing pin having an adjustable axial length;providing the synchronizing pin assembly in a single axial extending bore defined by a first portion extending at least partially through one rocker arm, a second portion extending at least partially through the other rocker arm and a third portion extending through said central rocker arm; andselectively transferring pivotal movement from the other of the adjacent rocker arms to the central rocker arm through the dual synchronizing pin.