Valve timing control system

• US 7,793,629 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ikihara, Tadao, Imaizumi, Tatsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion; Thomas E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bernstein; Daniel A
• Application Number:
  US12/050,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20080230025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 123/90.15, 123/90.17
• US Class Current: 123/90.17
• 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 2820/01 Absolute values

Abstract

A valve enables and disables communication of a bypass passage, which extends from a fluid supply passage and bypasses at least one fluid control valve, to at least one of a retarding passage and an advancing passage connected to a valve timing mechanism. An ECU controls the valve to enable the communication of the bypass passage to the at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage when a temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature. The ECU controls the valve to disable the communication of the bypass passage to the at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A valve timing control system provided in a drive force transmission system, which transmits a drive force from a driving shaft of an internal combustion engine to a driven shaft that is driven to open and close at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the engine, the valve timing control system controlling opening and closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve and comprising:

a valve timing mechanism that controls a rotational phase of the driven shaft relative to the driving shaft according to a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in at least one retarding chamber of the valve timing mechanism and a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in at least one advancing chamber of the valve timing mechanism;

at least one fluid control valve that is connected to a fluid supply passage and a fluid drain passage at a first side of the at least one fluid control valve and is connected to a retarding passage communicated with the at least one retarding chamber and an advancing passage communicated with the at least one advancing chamber at a second side of the at least one fluid control valve, wherein the at least one fluid control valve controls a communication state of the retarding passage and the advancing passage relative to the fluid supply passage and the fluid drain passage;

a communication control valve that enables and disables communication of a bypass passage, which extends from the fluid supply passage and bypasses the at least one fluid control valve, to at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage; and

a bypass control means for controlling the communication control valve, wherein the bypass control means controls the communication control valve to enable the communication of the bypass passage to the at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage when a temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature, and the bypass control means controls the communication control valve to disable the communication of the bypass passage to the at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

2. The valve timing control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication control valve is a bypass opening and closing valve that is provided in the bypass passage to open and close the bypass passage;

the bypass control means controls the bypass opening and closing valve to open the bypass passage when the temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined temperature; and

the bypass control means controls the bypass opening and closing valve to close the bypass passage when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

3. The valve timing control system according to claim 2, wherein when the temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined temperature at time of starting the engine, the bypass control means sets an open time period of the bypass passage by controlling the bypass opening and closing valve based on the temperature at the time of starting the engine.

4. The valve timing control system according to claim 1, further comprising a connection opening and closing valve that is provided in a connection passage, which connects between the retarding passage and the advancing passage, to open and close the connection passage, wherein:

the communication control valve is a bypass opening and closing valve that is provided in the bypass passage to open and close the bypass passage;

the bypass passage connects one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage to the fluid supply passage;

the bypass control means is also for controlling opening and closing of the connection opening and closing valve, wherein the bypass control means control the bypass opening and closing valve and the connection opening and closing valve to open the bypass passage and the connection passage when the temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined temperature, and the bypass control means controls the bypass opening and closing valve and the connection opening and closing valve to close the bypass passage and the connection passage when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

5. The valve timing control system according to claim 4, wherein when the temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined temperature at time of starting the engine, the bypass control means sets an open time period of the bypass passage and an open time period of the connection passage by controlling the bypass opening and closing valve and the connection opening and closing valve based on the temperature at the time of starting the engine.

6. The valve timing control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication control valve is a switch valve that is provided in a connection between the bypass passage and a connection passage, which connects between the retarding passage and the advancing passage;

the switch valve is changeable between;

a first operational position, at which the switch valve opens the connection passage and communicates between the connection passage and the bypass passage; and

a second operational position, at which the switch valve closes the connection passage and disconnects communication between the connection passage and the bypass passage; and

the bypass control means places the switch valve in the first operational position when a temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature, and the bypass control means places the switch valve in the second operational position when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

7. The valve timing control system according to claim 6, wherein when the temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined temperature at time of starting the engine, the bypass control means sets a time period for placing the switch valve in the first operational position based on the temperature at the time of starting the engine.

8. The valve timing control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one fluid control valve includes first and second fluid control valves;

the first fluid control valve includes;

a first housing that includes a plurality of openings, which are communicated with the fluid supply passage, the fluid drain passage, the retarding passage and the advancing passage, respectively;

a first valve member that is reciprocably received in the first housing to control the communication state of the retarding passage and the advancing passage relative to the fluid supply passage and the fluid drain passage according to a position of the first valve member in a reciprocating direction of the first valve member; and

a first solenoid driving arrangement that drives the first valve member in the reciprocating direction of the first valve member;

the second fluid control valve includes;

a second housing that includes a plurality of openings, which are communicated with the fluid supply passage, the fluid drain passage, the retarding passage and the advancing passage, respectively;

a second valve member that is reciprocably received in the second housing to control the communication state of the retarding passage and the advancing passage relative to the fluid supply passage and the fluid drain passage according to a position of the second valve member in a reciprocating direction of the second valve member; and

a second solenoid driving arrangement that drives the second valve member in the reciprocating direction of the second valve member; and

a seal length between the second valve member and an inner peripheral wall of the second housing in the second fluid control valve is shorter than a seal length between the first valve member and an inner peripheral wall of the first housing in the first fluid control valve.

9. The valve timing control system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a supply opening and closing valve that opens and closes a portion of the fluid supply passage connected to the second fluid control valve; and

a supply control means for controlling the supply opening and closing valve, wherein supply control means opens the supply opening and closing valve to communicate the fluid supply passage to the second fluid control valve when the temperature is equal to or less than the predetermined temperature, and the supply control means closes the supply opening and closing valve to disable the communication of the fluid supply passage to the second fluid control valve when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

10. The valve timing control system according to claim 1, wherein the valve timing mechanism includes:

a housing that is rotated integrally with one of the driving shaft and the driven shaft and includes at least one receiving chamber, each of which is formed within a predetermined angular range in a rotational direction of the housing; and

a vane rotor that is rotated together with the other one of the driving shaft and the driven shaft and includes at least one vane, each of which is received in a corresponding one of the at least one receiving chamber to divide the receiving chamber into a retarding chamber and an advancing chamber, wherein the vane rotor is rotated in a retarding side or an advancing side relative to the housing according to a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in the retarding chamber and a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in the advancing chamber.

11. The valve timing control system according to claim 10, wherein:

one of the housing and the vane rotor includes an engaging hole;

the other one of the housing and the vane rotor includes an engaging member, which is reciprocably received in the other one of the housing and the vane rotor;

when the engaging member is engaged into the engaging hole, rotation of the vane rotor relative to the housing is limited; and

the engaging member is removable from the engaging hole by a fluid pressure of working fluid supplied from at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage.

12. A valve timing control system provided in a drive force transmission system, which transmits a drive force from a driving shaft of an internal combustion engine to a driven shaft that is driven to open and close at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the engine, the valve timing control system controlling opening and closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve and comprising:

a valve timing mechanism that controls a rotational phase of the driven shaft relative to the driving shaft according to a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in at least one retarding chamber of the valve timing mechanism and a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in at least one advancing chamber of the valve timing mechanism;

a first fluid control valve that is connected to a fluid supply passage and a fluid drain passage at a first side of the first fluid control valve and is connected to a retarding passage communicated with the at least one retarding chamber and an advancing passage communicated with the at least one advancing chamber at a second side of the first fluid control valve, wherein the first fluid control valve includes;

a first housing that includes a plurality of openings, which are communicated with the fluid supply passage, the fluid drain passage, the retarding passage and the advancing passage, respectively;

a first valve member that is reciprocably received in the first housing to control a communication state of the retarding passage and the advancing passage relative to the fluid supply passage and the fluid drain passage according to a position of the first valve member in a reciprocating direction of the first valve member; and

a first solenoid driving arrangement that drives the first valve member in the reciprocating direction of the first valve member; and

a second fluid control valve that is connected to the fluid supply passage and the fluid drain passage at a first side of the second fluid control valve and is connected to the retarding passage and the advancing passage at a second side of the second fluid control valve, wherein the second fluid control valve is placed in parallel with the first fluid control valve and includes;

a second housing that includes a plurality of openings, which are communicated with the fluid supply passage, the fluid drain passage, the retarding passage and the advancing passage, respectively;

a second valve member that is reciprocably received in the second housing to control the communication state of the retarding passage and the advancing passage relative to the fluid supply passage and the fluid drain passage according to a position of the second valve member in a reciprocating direction of the second valve member; and

a second solenoid driving arrangement that drives the second valve member in the reciprocating direction of the second valve member, wherein a seal length between the second valve member and an inner peripheral wail of the second housing in the second fluid control valve is shorter than a seal length between the first valve member and an inner peripheral wall of the first housing in the first fluid control valve.

13. The valve timing control system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a supply opening and closing valve that opens and closes a portion of the fluid supply passage connected to the second fluid control valve; and

a supply control means for controlling the supply opening and closing valve, wherein supply control means opens the supply opening and closing valve to communicate the fluid supply passage to the second fluid control valve when a temperature is equal to or less than a predetermined temperature, and the supply control means closes the supply opening and closing valve to disable the communication of the fluid supply passage to the second fluid control valve when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

14. The valve timing control system according to claim 12, wherein the valve timing mechanism includes:

a housing that is rotated integrally with one of the driving shaft and the driven shaft and includes at least one receiving chamber, each of which is formed within a predetermined angular range in a rotational direction of the housing; and

a vane rotor that is rotated together with the other one of the driving shaft and the driven shaft and includes at least one vane, each of which is received in a corresponding one of the at least one receiving chamber to divide the receiving chamber into a retarding chamber and an advancing chamber, wherein the vane rotor is rotated in a retarding side or an advancing side relative to the housing according to a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in the retarding chamber and a fluid pressure of working fluid exerted in the advancing chamber.

15. The valve timing control system according to claim 14, wherein:

one of the housing and the vane rotor includes an engaging hole;

the other one of the housing and the vane rotor includes an engaging member, which is reciprocably received in the other one of the housing and the vane rotor;

when the engaging member is engaged into the engaging hole, rotation of the vane rotor relative to the housing is limited; and

the engaging member is removable from the engaging hole by a fluid pressure of working fluid supplied from at least one of the retarding passage and the advancing passage.