EP0147209A2 — Phasing device for machinery applications

Claim 1

Independent Claim 166 words

An infinitely variable phase adjuster comprising a rotatable member (21) adapted to be driven in rotation from a drive shaft in a fixed angular relationship therewith, a further member (22) connectible to drive a further shaft (26) in a fixed angular relationship therewith and drive transmission means (92, 93, 20) connected to drive said further member in rotation from said rotatable member, said drive transmission means (92, 93, 20) including a pressure fluid operable member (20) displaceable axially with respect to said rotatable member and said further member and rotatable therewith and cam means (89) adapted progressively to rotate said further member relative to said rotatable member with axial displacement of said axially displaceable member relative thereto characterised in that the cam means comprises radially directed, helically twisted, drive transmitting surfaces (91 1 ) on said pressure fluid operable member (20) arranged in confronting, drive transmitting relation with corresponding helically twisted, drive transmitting surfaces (92') on one of said rotatable (21) and further (20) members respectively.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 166 words

An infinitely variable phase adjuster comprising a rotatable member (21) adapted to be driven in rotation from a drive shaft in a fixed angular relationship therewith, a further member (22) connectible to drive a further shaft (26) in a fixed angular relationship therewith and drive transmission means (92, 93, 20) connected to drive said further member in rotation from said rotatable member, said drive transmission means (92, 93, 20) including a pressure fluid operable member (20) displaceable axially with respect to said rotatable member and said further member and rotatable therewith and cam means (89) adapted progressively to rotate said further member relative to said rotatable member with axial displacement of said axially displaceable member relative thereto characterised in that the cam means comprises radially directed, helically twisted, drive transmitting surfaces (91 1 ) on said pressure fluid operable member (20) arranged in confronting, drive transmitting relation with corresponding helically twisted, drive transmitting surfaces (92') on one of said rotatable (21) and further (20) members respectively.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 54 words

A phase adjuster as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive transmission means comprises further radially directed, axially straight, drive transmitting surfaces (90') on said pressure fluid operable member arranged in confronting, drive transmitting relation with corresponding, axially straight drive transmitting surfaces (93') on the other of said rotatable and further members respectively.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

A phase adjuster as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which there are not less than three, and not more than about six, of said drive transmitting surfaces (91', 90') on said pressure fluid operable member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

A phase adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim in which a clearance gap is provided between the respective confronting drive transmission surfaces for the feeding of hydraulic fluid under pressure therebetween.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

A phase adjuster as claimed in claim 4 in which said clearance gap is of the order of .006mm to .05mm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 44 words

A phase adjuster as claimed in claim 4 or 5 in which the hydraulic fluid is supplied through one of said clearance gaps via a restrictor (23') and is exhausted from a fluid filled space downstream of said gap through a further restrictor (21').

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

A phase adjuster as claimed in any preceding claim in which the pressure fluid operable member (20) is a moulding of resilient plastics material.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 230 words

An internal combustion piston engine having an infinitely variable phase adjuster drivably interconnecting a drive shaft of the engine with a driven shaft (26) of the engine, the phase adjuster comprising a rotatable member (21) connected to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft in a predetermined fixed angular relationship therewith, a further member (22) connected to drive the driven shaft (26) in a fixed angular relationship therewith, drive transmission means (92, 93, 20) connected to drive said further member (22) in rotation from said rotatable member (21), said drive transmission means. including a pressure fluid operable member (20) displaceable axially with respect to said rotatable member (21) and said further member (22) and rotatable therewith, and means (89) adapted progressively to rotate said further member relative to said rotatable member with axial displacement of said axially displaceable member relative thereto, valve means (217) operable to admit fluid under pressure to, and exhaust fluid under pressure from, said pressure fluid operable member (20) to cause displacement of said member in opposite axial directions respectively, means (230, 230', 218, 218') for sensing the relative angular positions of the driving and driven shafts respectively, and control means (87) responsive to said sensing means and to at least one engine operating parameter for operating said valve means to shift the angular phase relationship of the driving and driven shafts in accordance therewith.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 230 words

An internal combustion piston engine having an infinitely variable phase adjuster drivably interconnecting a drive shaft of the engine with a driven shaft (26) of the engine, the phase adjuster comprising a rotatable member (21) connected to be driven in rotation by the drive shaft in a predetermined fixed angular relationship therewith, a further member (22) connected to drive the driven shaft (26) in a fixed angular relationship therewith, drive transmission means (92, 93, 20) connected to drive said further member (22) in rotation from said rotatable member (21), said drive transmission means. including a pressure fluid operable member (20) displaceable axially with respect to said rotatable member (21) and said further member (22) and rotatable therewith, and means (89) adapted progressively to rotate said further member relative to said rotatable member with axial displacement of said axially displaceable member relative thereto, valve means (217) operable to admit fluid under pressure to, and exhaust fluid under pressure from, said pressure fluid operable member (20) to cause displacement of said member in opposite axial directions respectively, means (230, 230', 218, 218') for sensing the relative angular positions of the driving and driven shafts respectively, and control means (87) responsive to said sensing means and to at least one engine operating parameter for operating said valve means to shift the angular phase relationship of the driving and driven shafts in accordance therewith.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 88 words

An engine as claimed in claim 8 in which the valve means is arranged to admit fluid under pressure to, and exhaust fluid from, a "lock" volume (56) of fluid on one side of said pressure fluid operable member (20) bounded in part by a surface area (b) of said pressure fluid operable member, the pressure fluid operable member in part defining with an opposite and smaller surface area (c), a pressure fluid space (57) from which pressure fluid is leaked to low pressure through restriction means (89).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

An engine as claimed in claim 9 in which said pressure fluid space (57) houses a spring (212) which acts on said pressure fluid operable member (20) to urge the member in the direction to reduce said "lock" volume.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 77 words

An engine as claimed in any one of claims 8, 9 or 10 in which said drive shaft is the crankshaft and said driven shaft is either an exhaust camshaft (26) or an inlet camshaft (26') of the engine, the other camshaft being arranged to be driven in fixed phase relation with the crankshaft and said sensing means (230, 230', 218, 218') comprises means for sensing the relative angular positions of the inlet and exhaust camshafts respectively.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 48 words

An engine as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 in which said sensing means comprises inductive transducer means (218, 218') engaging the respective shafts and responsive to the passage of a slot (230 or 230') in the surface of the shaft past the transducer means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

An engine as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12 in which the valve mean's (217) comprises respective high pressure and low pressure solenoid valves operable to communicate said "lock" volume (56) with high pressure and low pressure fluid.

Phasing device for machinery applications

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