Control valve for an apparatus for variable setting of the control times of gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine

• US 20070095315A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Group USA Incorporated (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: BAYRAKDAR, Ali, HOPPE, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/90.17
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/34 characterised by the provision of means for changing the timing of the valves without changing the duration of opening and without affecting the magnitude of the valve lift
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/344 changing the angular relationship between crankshaft and camshaft, e.g. using helicoidal gear
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/3442 using hydraulic chambers with variable volume to transmit the rotating force
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34426 Oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/3443 Solenoid driven oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34433 Location oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/3444 Oil filters
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0402 for linearly sliding valves, e.g. spool valves
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0442 with proportional solenoid allowing stable intermediate positions
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/041 Removal or measurement of solid or liquid contamination, e.g. filtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86767 Spool

Abstract

The invention relates to a control valve (20) for an apparatus (1) for the variable setting of the control times of gas exchange valves (110, 111) of an internal combustion engine (100), having a valve housing (22) of hollow configuration which has at least one inflow connection (P), at least one outflow connection (T) and at least two working connections (A, B), and having a control plunger (35). In order to retain relatively high flexibility in the design of the control valve components (22, 35) and to simplify the connection of the control valve (20) to the surrounding construction (3), it is proposed to arrange a pressure medium guide insert (27) of hollow configuration within the valve housing (22), and to form at least one pressure medium channel (34) which extends substantially in the axial direction, the pressure medium guide insert (27) engaging around the pressure medium channel (34) at least partially, the pressure medium channel (34) communicating with at least one of the connections (A, B, P, T) and, via a radial opening (33b-d), with the interior of the pressure medium guide insert (27), and the control plunger (35) being arranged within the pressure medium guide insert (27).

Claims

1. A control valve for an apparatus for the variable setting of the control times of gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine comprising:

a valve housing of hollow configuration,

which has at least one inflow connection, at least one outflow connection and at least two working connections, and

having a control plunger, wherein

a pressure medium guide insert of hollow configuration is arranged within the valve housing, and at least one pressure medium channel is formed which extends substantially in the axial direction,

the pressure medium guide insert engaging around the pressure medium channel at least partially,

the pressure medium channel communicating with at least one of the connections and, via a radial opening, with the interior of

the pressure medium guide insert, and

the control plunger being arranged within the pressure medium guide insert.

2. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the external dimensions of the pressure medium guide insert are adapted to the internal dimensions of the valve housing, and in that the pressure medium channel is formed at the interface between the valve housing and the pressure medium guide insert.

3. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is fastened to a camshaft by means of a central screw, and the valve housing is configured in one piece with the central screw.

4. The control valve of claim 2, wherein the at least one pressure medium channel is configured as a depression on an inner circumferential surface of the valve housing, an outer circumferential surface of the pressure medium guide insert delimiting the pressure medium channel radially inward, and the interior of the pressure medium guide insert communicating with the pressure medium channel via a radial opening which is formed on said pressure medium guide insert.

5. The control valve as claimed in of claim 2, wherein the at least one pressure medium channel is configured as a depression on an outer circumferential surface of the pressure medium guide insert, an inner circumferential surface of the valve housing delimiting the pressure medium channel radially outward, and the pressure medium channel communicating with the interior of the pressure medium guide insert via a radial opening which is formed on said pressure medium guide insert.

6. The control valve as claimed in of claim 2, wherein the pressure medium guide insert comprises at least one inner and one outer sleeve-shaped component, and in that the at least one pressure medium channel is configured as a slot in a wall of the outer sleeve-shaped component of the pressure medium guide insert, an inner circumferential surface of the valve housing delimiting the pressure medium channel radially outward and the inner sleeve-shaped component of the pressure medium guide insert delimiting the pressure medium channel radially inward, and the pressure medium channel communicating with the interior of the pressure medium guide insert via a radial opening which is formed on the inner sleeve-shaped component.

7. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the pressure medium guide insert is configured in one piece and from steel.

8. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the pressure medium guide insert is configured in one piece and from plastic.

9. The control valve of claim 6, wherein the inner sleeve-shaped component is manufactured separately with respect to the outer sleeve-shaped component and is connected to the latter by means of a force-transmitting or form-fitting connection or an adhesive bond.

10. The control valve of claim 6, wherein the outer sleeve-shaped component is manufactured as an injection molded part and the inner sleeve-shaped component is configured as an insert component which is encapsulated by the outer sleeve-shaped component during the injection molding process of the latter.

11. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the pressure medium channel connects the inflow connection to the interior of the pressure medium guide insert.

12. The control valve of claim 11, wherein a nonreturn valve is arranged within the control valve upstream of the pressure medium channel.

13. The control valve of claim 11, wherein a filter element is arranged within the control valve upstream of the pressure medium channel.

14. The control valve of claim 12, wherein the nonreturn valve has a closing body which is loaded with a force by a spring element, the spring element being supported on a spring bearing which is configured in one piece with the pressure medium guide insert.

15. The control valve of claim 12, wherein the nonreturn valve has a closing body which is loaded with a force by a spring element, a spring bearing and a valve seat, at least the spring bearing or the valve seat being configured as a component which is separate from the pressure medium guide insert.

16. The control valve of claim 1, wherein a plunger compression spring element is provided which loads the control plunger with a force in an axial direction, said plunger compression spring element being supported on a plunger spring bearing which is configured in one piece with the pressure medium guide insert.

17. The control valve of claim 1, wherein a plunger compression spring element is provided which loads the control plunger with a force in an axial direction, said plunger compression spring element being supported on a plunger spring bearing which is configured separately from the pressure medium guide insert.

18. The control valve of claim 1, wherein both a plunger spring bearing and a spring bearing which is configured in one piece with the former are provided.

19. The control valve of claim 12 wherein the filter element and/or parts of the nonreturn valve are/is connected to the pressure medium guide insert with a material-to-material fit.

20. The control valve of claim 1, wherein the pressure medium guide insert is arranged within the valve housing in a stationary manner with respect to the valve housing.

21. The control valve of claim 20, wherein form-fitting means are provided on the pressure medium guide insert and on the valve housing, which form-fitting means serve to fix the pressure medium guide insert axially with respect to the valve housing and/or to fix it in a stationary manner in the circumferential direction.