Internal combustion engine with variable valve actuation

Claim 1

Internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve for each cylinder, each provided with respective spring means biassing the valve to the closed position, for controlling the communication between the respective intake and exhaust conduits and the combustion chamber, a camshaft for actuating the intake and exhaust valves of the engine cylinders through respective tappets, each intake valve and each exhaust valve being driven by a cam of said camshaft, wherein at least one of said tappets drives the respective intake or exhaust valve, against the action of said biassing spring means, through the interposition of hydraulic means including a chamber of fluid under pressure, said chamber of fluid under pressure being adapted to be connected through a solenoid valve to an outlet channel, in order to uncouple the valve from the respective tappet and cause a quick closing of the valve, under the action of the respective biassing spring means, said hydraulic means further comprises a piston associated with the stem of the valve and slidably mounted within a guiding cylinder, said piston facing a variable volume chamber defined thereby within said guiding cylinder, said variable volume chamber being in communication with the chamber of fluid under pressure through a connecting aperture formed at one end of said guiding cylinder, said piston having an end nose adapted to be introduced within said connecting aperture during the final portion of the travel of the piston corresponding to the closing of the valve, for reducing a communication port between said variable volume chamber and said chamber of fluid under pressure, so as to brake the travel of the valve in proximity of its closed position, wherein said engine comprises means for providing an additional communication between said variable volume chamber and said chamber of fluid under pressure, so as to eliminate or reduce the braking effect at the end of the closing travel of the valve, wherein said means for providing the above mentioned additional communication between the variable volume chamber and the chamber of fluid under pressure comprises a valve element movable between a first position in which it provides said communication and a second position in which this communication is interrupted, and wherein said valve element is rotatably mounted within a cavity where two conduits open, respectively communicated to said variable volume chamber and said chamber of fluid under pressure, said valve element defining a passage adapted to come into communication with both said conduits when the valve element is in its first position, and said valve element being rotatable about an axis offset and orthogonal with respect to an axis of said piston.