Variable lobe cam mechanism
First Claim
1. A continuously variable lobe cam mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of valves in an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a camshaft having first and second oppositely directed and independently pitched slots running generally longitudinally to said camshaft on the periphery thereof;
a cam member having a cam surface and mounted on said camshaft for rotation therewith, said cam member adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said camshaft and comprising first and second cooperating cam bodies which are maintained in fixed axial position with respect to one another, each of said cam bodies being axially fixed with respect to one another and forming a portion of said cam surface and each of said cam bodies being adapted for independent limited rotational movement in opposite directions relative to said camshaft in respone to longitudinal movement of said camshaft relative to said cam bodies, each of said cam bodies further having a generally cylindrical bore extending therethrough;
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Accused Products
Abstract
A continuously variable cam mechanism designed to change the opening and closing characteristics of the cam operated intake and exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine as a function of engine speed. A cam on the camshaft is split into two adjacent cam pieces forming a single effective cam. The two cam pieces rotate around the camshaft in opposite directions to enlarge or reduce the profile of the combined cam lobe. Each cam piece carries a track follower which engages one of two oppositely directed spiral tracks carried by the camshaft, so that as the camshaft is made to move longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal position of the cam pieces, as a function of engine speed, the cam pieces are rotated about the camshaft in opposite directions.
28 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A continuously variable lobe cam mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of valves in an internal combustion engine comprising:
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a camshaft having first and second oppositely directed and independently pitched slots running generally longitudinally to said camshaft on the periphery thereof; a cam member having a cam surface and mounted on said camshaft for rotation therewith, said cam member adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said camshaft and comprising first and second cooperating cam bodies which are maintained in fixed axial position with respect to one another, each of said cam bodies being axially fixed with respect to one another and forming a portion of said cam surface and each of said cam bodies being adapted for independent limited rotational movement in opposite directions relative to said camshaft in respone to longitudinal movement of said camshaft relative to said cam bodies, each of said cam bodies further having a generally cylindrical bore extending therethrough; - View Dependent Claims (3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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2. first and second following means connected respectively with first and second cam bodies and being respectively slidably disposed in said first and second slots to provide opposing relative rotations of said cam bodies upon movement of said first and second following means within the respective first and second slots said first and second following means extending inwardly from the surface of said cylindrical bore of its respective first and second cam body for engagement with said first and second slot;
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rotational drive means operatively attached to said camshaft; and means operatively attached to said camshaft for moving said camshaft longitudinally with respect to said cam member as a function of the rotational speed of said camshaft. - View Dependent Claims (4, 6, 8)
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Specification