Enhanced permanent magnet electromagnetic actuator for an electronic valve actuation system of an engine

• US 20050279300A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Liang, Feng, Degner, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,426,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/90.110
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2009/2109 The armature being articulated perpendicularly to the coils axes
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2009/2148 using permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2301/00 Using particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2820/01 Absolute values
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 9/20 by electric means

Abstract

A valve actuator for actuating a valve in an internal combustion engine is disclosed, wherein the valve actuator includes at least one electromagnet having a coil wound about a core, at least one permanent magnet disposed at least partially within the core, and an actuating member disposed adjacent to the electromagnet, wherein the actuating member is coupled to a pivot and is configured to be pivotally moved by activation of the electromagnet to effect at least one of an opening and a closing of the valve.

Claims

1. A valve actuator for actuating a valve in an internal combustion engine, comprising:

at least one electromagnet having a coil wound about a core;

at least one permanent magnet disposed at least partially within the core; and

an actuating member disposed adjacent to the electromagnet, wherein the actuating member is coupled to a pivot and is configured to be pivotally moved by activation of the electromagnet to effect at least one of an opening and a closing of the valve.

2. The valve actuator of claim 1, wherein the actuating member has an elongate configuration with a first end and a second end, and is coupled to the pivot at a location adjacent the first end and is configured to contact a valve stem to actuate the valve at a location adjacent the second end.

3. The valve actuator of claim 1, wherein the core has a center pole, and wherein the permanent magnet is disposed at least partially within the center pole.

4. The valve actuator of claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet is at least partially angled relative to an axial direction of the coil.

5. The valve actuator of claim 1, wherein a plurality of permanent magnets are disposed at least partially within the core.

6. The valve actuator of claim 5, wherein each permanent magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets is at least partially angled relative to an axial direction of the coil.

7. The valve actuator of claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet is positioned between the coil and the actuating member.

8. The valve actuator of claim 7, wherein the permanent magnet contacts the coil.

9. The valve actuator of claim 1, wherein the electromagnet is a first electromagnet and is configured to effect the opening of the valve, further comprising a second electromagnet configured to effect the closing of the valve.

10. The valve actuator of claim 9 wherein the permanent magnet is a first permanent magnet, further comprising a second permanent magnet disposed at least partially within the second electromagnet.

11. The valve actuator of claim 9, wherein the actuating member is positioned between the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet.

12. A valve actuator for actuating a valve in an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a first electromagnet, wherein the first electromagnet includes a first coil wound around a first core;

a first permanent magnet positioned at least partially within the first core;

a second electromagnet, wherein the second electromagnet includes a second coil wound around a second core;

a second permanent magnet positioned at least partially within the second core; and

an actuating member disposed at least partially between the first and second electromagnets, wherein the actuating member is coupled to a pivot and is configured to be pivotally moved by activation of the first electromagnet to open the valve, and to be pivotally moved by activation of the second electromagnet to close the valve.

13. The valve actuator of claim 12, wherein the each core has a center pole, wherein the first permanent magnet is disposed within the center pole of the first core, and wherein the second permanent magnet is disposed within the center pole of the second core.

14. The valve actuator of claim 12, wherein the first permanent magnet is angled with respect to an axial direction of the first coil, and wherein the second permanent magnet is angled with respect to an axial direction of the second coil.

15. The valve actuator of claim 12, wherein a plurality of permanent magnets are disposed at least partially within each core.

16. The valve actuator of claim 15, wherein at least one permanent magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets in the first core is at least partially angled relative to an axial direction of the first coil.

17. The valve actuator of claim 12, wherein the first permanent magnet is positioned between the first coil and the actuating member, and wherein the second permanent magnet is positioned between the second coil and the actuating member.

18. The valve actuator of claim 17, wherein the first permanent magnet contacts the first coil, and wherein the second permanent magnet contacts the second coil.

19. A valve actuator for actuating a valve in an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an electromagnet including a coil wound around a core;

an actuating member disposed adjacent to the electromagnet, wherein the actuating member is coupled to a pivot and is configured to be pivotally moved when an electric current is passed through the coil to effect at least one of an opening and a closing of the valve; and

a permanent magnet disposed at least partially within the core, wherein at least a portion of the permanent magnet is positioned at an angle to an axial direction of the coil.

20. The valve actuator of claim 19, wherein a plurality of permanent magnets are disposed at least partially within the core.

21. The valve actuator of claim 20, wherein each permanent magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets is at least partially angled relative to an axial direction of the coil.