Control valve of a device for changing the relative angular position of a camshaft with respect to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine

• US 8,733,306 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co.KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Draheim, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Eshete, Zelalem
• Application Number:
  US13/583,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20120325169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 123/90.15, 123/90.17, 123/90.31, 137/625.25
• 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 2001/34433 Location oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8667 Reciprocating valve

Abstract

A control valve (1) of a device (2) for changing the relative angular position of a camshaft (3) with respect to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, wherein, in a region (4) facing the camshaft (3), the control valve (1) includes a fluid line (5) for supplying fluid under pressure and wherein, in an axial central region (6), the control valve (1) includes two fluid lines (7, 8) for supplying and removing fluid under pressure to at least two hydraulic chambers. The hydraulic chambers are operatively arranged between a drive element (9) and the camshaft (3) in order to set a defined relative rotational position between the drive element (9) and the camshaft (3). In a region (10) facing away from the camshaft (3) the control valve (1) has a fluid line (11) for removal of fluid to a tank. In order to reduce wear on the device, according to the invention the fluid line (11) for removing fluid in a preferably hollow-cylindrical section (12) of the control valve (1) is in the form of at least one recess extending through the preferably hollow-cylindrical section (12) to an outside (13) of the section (12).

Claims

1. Control valve of a device for changing a relative angular position of a camshaft with respect to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, the control valve comprising:

a valve housing with a control piston movable within a bore in the valve housing, and in an area facing the camshaft, a supply fluid line for feeding fluid under pressure into the valve housing, in an axial middle area, two working fluid lines in the valve housing for feeding fluid under pressure to and for discharging fluid under pressure from at least two hydraulic chambers operatively arranged between a drive element and the camshaft, in order to adjust a defined relative rotational position between the drive element and the camshaft, and in an area facing away from the camshaft, a discharge fluid line for discharging fluid to a tank, the discharge fluid line is constructed for discharging the fluid in a hollow cylindrical section of the valve housing and is formed as at least one recess extending in a radial direction and through the hollow cylindrical section of the valve housing to an outside of the section.

2. Control valve according to claim 1, wherein the discharge fluid line is formed as at least one borehole in the valve housing for discharging the fluid.

3. Control valve according to claim 1, wherein the discharge fluid line is formed by several recesses, distributed around a periphery of the hollow cylindrical section.

4. Control valve according to claim 1, wherein the discharge fluid line is formed as at least one recess in the valve housing that extends at an angle (α

) relative to an axial direction.

5. Control valve according to claim 4, wherein the angle (α

) is between 30° and

60°

.

6. Control valve according to claim 1, wherein in the hollow cylindrical section of the valve housing, the control piston is contacted on an end thereof facing away from the camshaft by a rotor tappet of an actuator.

7. Control valve according to claim 6, wherein the actuator is constructed as an electromagnet.

8. Control valve according to claim 6, wherein a longitudinal axis of the recess meets an end face of the actuator.

9. Control valve according to claim 1, wherein the control valve is provided in a central screw and is arranged with a threaded section in a threaded borehole in the camshaft.