JP4352338B2 - Valve timing control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a valve opening / closing timing control device for controlling the opening / closing timing of a valve in an internal combustion engine.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a vehicle equipped with a valve opening / closing timing control device that adjusts the opening / closing timing of a valve of an internal combustion engine in accordance with a driving state of the internal combustion engine such as an engine. The valve opening / closing timing control device is arranged coaxially so as to be rotatable relative to the driving side rotating member and an external rotor as a driving side rotating member that rotates synchronously with the crankshaft of the engine. It has an internal rotor as a driven side rotating member that rotates integrally with it. The outer rotor and the inner rotor form a fluid pressure chamber, and the fluid pressure chamber is divided into an advance chamber and a retard chamber by a vane. When the volume of the retard chamber is increased by supplying fluid, the first relative rotation phase of the inner rotor with respect to the outer rotor moves in the retard direction, and when the volume of the advance chamber is increased, the first relative rotation phase is increased. Move in the advance direction. In this way, the first relative rotation phase is controlled to an optimum phase according to the operating state of the engine.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a vane type valve opening / closing timing control device that controls the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor with respect to the external rotor by the pressure of a fluid such as engine oil in the same device configuration as described above. Are listed. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanical pump that uses the driving force of a crankshaft to supply and discharge fluid to and from an advance chamber and a retard chamber to control the first relative rotation phase. Or the valve timing control apparatus of the structure performed using an electric pump is described.

  Further, Patent Document 2 describes a valve opening / closing timing control device having a configuration in which the above-described fluid pressure chamber (advance angle chamber and retard angle chamber) is not provided, unlike the vane type. Specifically, the valve timing control device of Patent Document 2 includes a ring-shaped intermediate member between an outer rotor and an inner rotor, and a helical spline is formed on a contact surface between the intermediate member and the inner rotor. Yes. Then, the internal rotor is rotated by moving the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction of the internal rotor, and as a result, the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor with respect to the external rotor is changed. In Patent Document 2, hydraulic pressure is used to move the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction. However, an apparatus configuration in which the intermediate member is driven using air pressure or solenoid instead of hydraulic pressure can be assumed. .

JP-A-9-324613 JP-A-4-209907

When the valve opening / closing timing control device described in Patent Document 1 is used, sufficient fluid pressure is not rapidly supplied from a mechanical pump that uses the driving force of the crankshaft of the engine when the engine is started. That is, when the engine is started, the engine speed is low, and it takes time to fill the oil passage in the engine with a long time. Therefore, sufficient fluid pressure cannot be supplied to the fluid pressure chamber. In addition, when the engine is started, the temperature of the engine oil is low and the viscosity thereof is high. Therefore, generally, a low-power electric pump cannot supply high-viscosity engine oil with sufficient fluid pressure. That is, the valve opening / closing timing control device described in Patent Document 1 cannot control the first relative rotation phase when the engine is started.
However, in the valve opening / closing timing control device described in Patent Document 1, the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor with respect to the external rotor is locked so that the first relative rotational phase control may not be performed when the engine is started. Is provided so that the engine can be started at the lock phase. Then, after the engine is started, when the sufficient fluid pressure can be supplied, the first relative rotation phase is unlocked, and thereafter, the first relative rotation phase is controlled by the fluid pressure.

  However, the control of the lock phase used when starting the engine may be required. For example, depending on the environmental conditions at the time of engine start, valve opening / closing timing control may be required to achieve the objectives of engine startability, fuel consumption reduction, exhaust gas reduction, and vibration reduction. For example, in a cryogenic environment where it is difficult to start the engine, the intake valve closing timing is set to the bottom dead center of the piston in order to sufficiently suck in and compress the air-fuel mixture and raise the temperature to make it easy to ignite. It is preferable to set a close position. However, in the valve opening / closing timing control device described in Patent Document 1, the lock phase is a predetermined phase and cannot be changed. Therefore, the valve opening / closing timing control for achieving the above object cannot be performed. .

Further, in the valve opening / closing timing control device described in Patent Document 2, mechanical resistance of the meshing portion of the helical spline formed at the contact portion between the intermediate member and the internal rotor, and resistance due to the viscosity of the engine oil present there As a result, there is a problem that the conversion efficiency when converting the linear motion of the intermediate member into the rotational motion of the internal rotor is deteriorated. In addition, since the speed of the linear motion of the intermediate member is suppressed by the several resistances described above, there is a problem that the speed of the change in the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor relative to the external rotor cannot be increased.
Note that when the temperature of the engine oil increases and the viscosity of the engine oil decreases, the resistance of the meshed portion of the helical spline with the engine oil decreases. However, since torque fluctuations are always applied to the helical spline portion, there is a problem that a hitting sound is generated due to backlash of the helical spline.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to control the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor with respect to the external rotor even when the fluid pressure is not sufficient, and to provide a structural member. A valve opening / closing timing control device that does not cause a problem of sound hitting each other is provided.

In order to achieve the above object, the characteristic configuration of the valve timing control apparatus according to the present invention includes a drive-side rotating member that rotates synchronously with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, and
A driven-side rotating member that is coaxially disposed so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the driving-side rotating member, and rotates integrally with a camshaft for opening and closing the valve of the internal combustion engine;
A fluid pressure chamber formed by the drive side rotation member and the driven side rotation member, wherein the driven side rotation member of the driven side rotation member with respect to the drive side rotation member is supplied by supplying fluid from the fluid pressure chamber. A retarding chamber that moves one relative rotational phase in a retarding direction out of the directions of relative rotation, and an advance chamber that moves the first relative rotational phase in an advanceing direction out of the directions of the relative rotation;
A valve opening / closing timing control device comprising: a fluid supply / discharge section that supplies fluid to the advance chamber and the retard chamber and discharges fluid from the advance chamber and the retard chamber;
An intermediate member interposed in a part between the drive side rotation member and the driven side rotation member, rotatable in the same axis as the rotation axis of the driven side rotation member and movable along the rotation axis direction;
A locking mechanism capable of locking the second relative rotational phase of the intermediate member with respect to the driving side rotational member;
An actuator for moving the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction,
When the intermediate member moves along the rotation axis direction, the third relative rotation phase between the intermediate member and the driven side rotation member is changed,
The actuator unit moves the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction in a state where the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase, and changes the third relative rotation phase to change the first relative rotation phase. The relative rotational phase can be controlled,
The fluid supply / discharge portion can control the first relative rotation phase by supplying and discharging fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber in a state where the second relative rotation phase is unlocked. There is a point.

According to the above characteristic configuration, the actuator unit moves the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction in a state where the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase, and sets the third relative rotation phase. The first relative rotational phase can be controlled by changing. The fluid supply / discharge unit controls the first relative rotation phase by supplying and discharging the fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber while the second relative rotation phase is unlocked. It is configured to be possible.
Therefore, even when the fluid pressure cannot be sufficiently supplied to the advance chamber and the retard chamber from the fluid supply / discharge portion, such as when the internal combustion engine is started, the second relative rotation phase is set. In the locked state, the first relative rotation phase of the driven side rotation member with respect to the drive side rotation member can be controlled to a preferable phase. On the other hand, when the fluid can be supplied from the fluid supply / discharge section to the advance chamber and the retard chamber, the supply / discharge of the fluid to the advance chamber and the retard chamber can be performed in the state where the second relative rotational phase is unlocked. And the first relative rotational phase can be controlled to a preferred phase.

In addition, while the fluid supply / discharge portion supplies and discharges fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber and controls the first relative rotation phase, the intermediate member with respect to the drive side rotation member The second relative rotation phase is unlocked, and the relative rotation between the drive side rotation member and the intermediate member becomes free. As a result, torque fluctuations are not applied between the driving side rotating member and the intermediate member and between the driven side rotating member and the intermediate member, so that no hitting sound is generated between these members.
As described above, by properly using the actuator unit and the fluid supply / discharge unit, the first relative rotational phase of the driven side rotating member with respect to the driving side rotating member is controlled regardless of the operating state of the internal combustion engine, the fluid viscosity, and the like. The internal combustion engine can be started and operated at a preferred first relative rotational phase.

  Another characteristic configuration of the valve timing control apparatus according to the present invention is that a helical spline is formed at a contact portion between the intermediate member and the driven side rotation member.

  According to the above characteristic configuration, since the helical spline is formed at the contact portion between the intermediate member and the driven side rotating member, the linear movement along the rotation axis direction of the intermediate member is caused to follow the driven side rotating member. The third relative rotational phase can be changed by converting into a relative rotational motion between the intermediate member and the intermediate member. Further, when starting an internal combustion engine where the temperature of fluid such as engine oil is low, the viscosity of the fluid is high, so that the fluid acts as a damper with respect to the helical spline. As a result, even if torque fluctuation is applied to the helical spline portion, no loud sound is generated.

  In another characteristic configuration of the valve timing control device according to the present invention, the intermediate member has a convex portion protruding outward in the radial direction of the rotation shaft, and the drive-side rotation member includes the intermediate member. When rotating around the rotation axis with respect to the drive side rotation member, a rotation restricting portion that abuts on the convex portion and restricts the rotation of the intermediate member is provided.

  According to the above characteristic configuration, even if the relative rotation between the drive-side rotation member and the intermediate member becomes free by releasing the lock, the change range of the second relative rotation phase can be limited. it can. Accordingly, the second relative rotation phase can be prevented from being relatively rotated far away from the lock phase when the drive side rotation member and the intermediate member are locked. As a result, when the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase between the driving side rotation member and the intermediate member again, it becomes easy to readjust the second relative rotation phase to the lock phase.

In order to achieve the above object, the characteristic configuration of the valve timing control apparatus according to the present invention includes a drive-side rotating member that rotates synchronously with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, and
A driven-side rotating member that is coaxially disposed so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the driving-side rotating member, and rotates integrally with a camshaft for opening and closing the valve of the internal combustion engine;
A fluid pressure chamber formed by the drive side rotation member and the driven side rotation member, wherein the driven side rotation member is connected to the drive side rotation member by supplying a fluid out of the fluid pressure chambers. A retarding chamber that moves one relative rotational phase in a retarding direction out of the directions of relative rotation, and an advance chamber that moves the first relative rotational phase in an advanceing direction out of the directions of the relative rotation;
A valve opening / closing timing control device comprising: a fluid supply / discharge section that supplies fluid to the advance chamber and the retard chamber and discharges fluid from the advance chamber and the retard chamber;
An intermediate ring and a sub-rotor interposed in a part between the driving side rotating member and the driven side rotating member;
A lock mechanism capable of locking the second relative rotation phase of the sub-rotor with respect to the drive-side rotation member;
An actuator unit that moves the intermediate ring along the rotation axis direction, and
The intermediate ring is rotatable coaxially with the rotation axis of the driven side rotation member and movable along the rotation axis direction.
When the intermediate ring moves along the rotation axis direction, the third relative rotation phase between the driven side rotation member and the sub rotor is changed,
The actuator unit moves the intermediate ring along the rotation axis direction in a state where the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase, and changes the third relative rotation phase to change the first relative rotation phase. The relative rotational phase can be controlled,
The fluid supply / discharge portion can control the first relative rotation phase by supplying and discharging fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber in a state where the second relative rotation phase is unlocked. There is a point.

According to the above characteristic configuration, the actuator unit moves the intermediate ring along the direction of the rotation axis in a state where the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase, and sets the third relative rotation phase. The first relative rotational phase can be controlled by changing. The fluid supply / discharge unit controls the first relative rotation phase by supplying and discharging the fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber while the second relative rotation phase is unlocked. It is configured to be possible.
Therefore, even when the fluid pressure cannot be sufficiently supplied to the advance chamber and the retard chamber from the fluid supply / discharge portion, such as when the internal combustion engine is started, the second relative rotation phase is set. In the locked state, the first relative rotation phase of the driven side rotation member with respect to the drive side rotation member can be controlled to a preferable phase. On the other hand, when the fluid can be supplied from the fluid supply / discharge section to the advance chamber and the retard chamber, the supply / discharge of the fluid to the advance chamber and the retard chamber can be performed in the state where the second relative rotational phase is unlocked. And the first relative rotational phase can be controlled to a preferred phase.

In addition, while the fluid supply / discharge unit supplies and discharges fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber and controls the first relative rotation phase, the sub-rotor with respect to the drive-side rotation member is controlled. The second relative rotation phase is unlocked, and the relative rotation between the drive side rotation member and the sub-rotor becomes free. As a result, torque fluctuations are not applied between the driving side rotating member and the sub-rotor, between the sub-rotor and the intermediate ring, and between the intermediate ring and the driven side rotating member. Will not occur.
As described above, by properly using the actuator unit and the fluid supply / discharge unit, the first relative rotational phase of the driven side rotating member with respect to the driving side rotating member is controlled regardless of the operating state of the internal combustion engine, the fluid viscosity, and the like. The internal combustion engine can be started and operated at a preferred first relative rotational phase.

  Another characteristic configuration of the valve timing control device according to the present invention is that a helical spline is formed in a contact portion between the intermediate ring and the sub-rotor, and a contact portion between the intermediate ring and the driven side rotating member. A spline is formed along the rotation axis.

  According to the above characteristic configuration, since the helical spline is formed at the contact portion between the intermediate ring and the sub-rotor, the linear movement along the rotational axis direction of the intermediate ring is caused by relative movement between the intermediate ring and the sub-rotor. The third relative rotational phase can be changed by converting into rotational motion. Further, when the fluid viscosity is high at the start of the internal combustion engine, the fluid viscosity plays a role of a damper with respect to the helical spline, so that a large hitting sound is not generated in the helical spline. Further, when the viscosity of the fluid is lowered, torque fluctuation is not applied to the helical spline, so that a large hitting sound is not generated in the helical spline.

  Another characteristic configuration of the valve opening / closing timing control device according to the present invention is that a spline along the rotation shaft is formed at a contact portion between the intermediate ring and the sub-rotor, and the intermediate ring, the driven side rotation member, A helical spline is formed at the contact portion between the two.

  According to the above characteristic configuration, since the helical spline is formed at the contact portion between the intermediate ring and the driven side rotating member, linear movement along the rotation axis direction of the intermediate ring is performed between the driven side rotating member and the intermediate ring. The third relative rotational phase can be changed by converting into a relative rotational motion with the ring. Further, when starting an internal combustion engine where the temperature of fluid such as engine oil is low, the viscosity of the fluid is high, so that the fluid acts as a damper with respect to the helical spline. As a result, even if torque fluctuation is applied to the helical spline portion, no loud sound is generated.

  Another characteristic configuration of the valve timing control device according to the present invention is that the sub-rotor has a convex portion that protrudes radially outward of the rotating shaft, and the driving-side rotating member is driven by the sub-rotor. When rotating around the rotation axis with respect to the side rotation member, a rotation restricting portion that abuts on the convex portion and restricts the rotation of the sub-rotor is provided.

  According to the above characteristic configuration, even if the relative rotation between the drive-side rotating member and the sub-rotor becomes free by releasing the lock, it is possible to limit the change range of the second relative rotation phase. . Therefore, the second relative rotation phase is not far away from the lock phase when the driving side rotation member and the sub-rotor are locked. As a result, when the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase between the drive side rotation member and the sub-rotor again, it is easy to readjust the second relative rotation phase to the lock phase.

  Another characteristic configuration of the valve opening / closing timing control device according to the present invention is that the change range of the first relative rotation phase by changing the third relative rotation phase by the actuator unit is the first range of the fluid supply / discharge unit. It is in the point which exists in the change range of 1 relative rotational phase.

  According to the above characteristic configuration, since the change range of the third relative rotation phase by the actuator unit may be small, the actuator unit can be made small. As a result, the increase in size of the internal combustion engine due to the provision of the actuator portion can be suppressed. In addition, since the operation time of the actuator section is shorter than the operation time of the fluid supply / discharge section, the product life of the actuator section can be extended.

<First Embodiment>
The configuration of the valve timing control apparatus of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device according to the first embodiment. This valve opening / closing timing control device includes a valve control mechanism unit V, a fluid supply / discharge unit F, and an actuator unit ACT described below. And can be divided into FIG. 2 is a top view of the arm 14 and the like constituting the actuator unit ACT. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control apparatus in the AA section of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control apparatus in the BB section of FIG. Hereinafter, the valve control mechanism unit V, the fluid supply / discharge unit F, and the actuator unit ACT will be described with reference to FIGS.

<Valve control mechanism>
The valve control mechanism V is disposed coaxially so as to be rotatable relative to the external rotor 30 and the external rotor 30 as a drive side rotating member that rotates synchronously with a crankshaft (not shown) of an engine (internal combustion engine). And an internal rotor 40 as a driven side rotating member that rotates integrally with the camshaft 1 for opening and closing the valve. Further, a fluid pressure chamber 45 is formed by the outer rotor 30 and the inner rotor 40. The fluid pressure chamber 45 is partitioned into a retard chamber 47 and an advance chamber 46 by a vane 49 disposed inside. The vane 49 is inserted into a vane groove 48 formed in the internal rotor 40. When the volume of the retard chamber 47 is increased by supplying the fluid, the relative rotation phase of the inner rotor 40 with respect to the outer rotor 30 (hereinafter referred to as “first relative rotation phase”) is changed in the direction of the relative rotation. When the volume of the advance chamber 46 is increased by moving in the retard direction (S1 direction in FIG. 4), the first relative rotation phase of the inner rotor 40 with respect to the outer rotor 30 is the advance direction of the relative rotation directions. (S2 direction in FIG. 4).

The internal rotor 40 is integrally assembled with the tip of the camshaft 1 that is supported so as to rotate integrally with the cylinder head of the engine. Further, a protruding portion 40 a is formed at one end of the inner rotor 40 along the rotation axis X so as to protrude on the opposite side to the camshaft 1.
The external rotor 30 includes a front plate 31, a sub-housing 32, a housing 33, a timing sprocket 36 integrally formed on the outer periphery of the housing 33, and a rear plate 34, which are connected by a screw 35. Integrated. The outer rotor 30 is externally mounted on the inner rotor 40. A power transmission member 37 such as a timing chain or a timing belt is installed between the timing sprocket 36 and a gear attached to the crankshaft of the engine.
In the following description, the front rotor 31, the sub-housing 32, the housing 33 and the rear plate 34 that are integrated using the screw 35 will be described as the external rotor 30. However, when the external rotor 30 represents the front plate 31, it is described as “external rotor 30 (31)”, and when the external rotor 30 represents the sub-housing 32, it is described as “external rotor 30 (32)”. When the housing 33 is represented, it is described as “external rotor 30 (33)”.

An intermediate ring 50 and a sub-rotor 53 are interposed in a part between the outer rotor 30 (31, 32) and the inner rotor 40.
The intermediate ring 50 is a member provided in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 40 a of the internal rotor 40, and moves in the working space 43 between the external rotor 30 (31, 32) and the internal rotor 40. Specifically, a spline 51 is formed on a part of the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate ring 50 along the direction of the rotation axis X, and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 40 a of the inner rotor 40 is formed on the rotation axis X. Splines 41 are formed along the direction. And both are assembled | attached so that the spline 51 of the intermediate | middle ring 50 and the spline 41 of the internal rotor 40 may mesh | engage. As a result, the intermediate ring 50 can rotate coaxially with the rotation axis X of the inner rotor 40 and can move in the Y1 direction and the Y2 direction along the direction of the rotation axis X.

  The sub-rotor 53 is a member provided in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate ring 50. Specifically, a helical spline 54 is formed on a part of the inner peripheral surface of the sub-rotor 53, and a helical spline 52 is formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate ring 50. Then, both are assembled so that the helical spline 54 of the sub-rotor 53 and the helical spline 52 of the intermediate ring 50 are engaged with each other. As a result, when the intermediate ring 50 moves along the direction of the rotation axis X (Y1 direction and Y2 direction), the sub-rotor 53 and the intermediate ring 50 rotate relative to each other about the rotation axis X. In this embodiment, when the intermediate ring 50 moves in the Y1 direction, the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40 come into contact with each other so that the intermediate rotor 50 and the inner rotor 40 rotate in the advance direction (the S2 direction in FIGS. 3 and 4). Helical splines 52 and 54 are formed in the portion. In the present embodiment, the relative rotational phase between the inner rotor 40 and the sub-rotor 53 is referred to as a third relative rotational phase.

  Between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53, a lock mechanism 70 capable of locking the relative rotational phase of the sub-rotor 53 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) (hereinafter referred to as “second relative rotational phase”) is provided. It has been. The lock mechanism 70 includes a lock pin 56 and a spring 57. The external rotor 30 (32) has a lock pin sliding hole 58 in which the lock pin 56 can slide. The lock pin 56 is urged radially inward by a spring 57 provided in the lock pin sliding hole 58 facing the radially inner side of the external rotor 30 (32). Further, the sub-rotor 53 is formed with a lock pin accommodation hole 59 that can accommodate the tip of the lock pin 56. When the lock pin 56 protruding from the external rotor 30 (32) side is fitted into the lock pin receiving hole 59 on the sub-rotor 53 side, the second relative rotational phase of the sub-rotor 53 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) is locked. It becomes locked.

  Further, the radially inner side of the lock pin accommodation hole 59 of the sub-rotor 53 functions as a lock release oil chamber 42 in which supply and discharge of the lock release oil is performed as will be described later. As a result, the unlocking oil is discharged from the unlocking oil chamber 42 when the lock pin sliding hole 58 of the external rotor 30 (32) and the lock pin receiving hole 59 of the sub-rotor 53 are facing each other. Then, the lock pin 56 urged by the spring 57 is fitted into the lock pin accommodation hole 59 so that the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 are locked, and the lock release oil chamber 42 receives the lock release oil. Is supplied, the lock pin 56 is pushed toward the lock pin sliding hole 59 and the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 are unlocked. Thus, the second relative rotational phase when the lock pin sliding hole 58 of the external rotor 30 (32) and the lock pin accommodation hole 59 of the sub-rotor 53 are facing each other can be called a lock phase. As will be described later, the lock phase at the start of the engine is set so that the opening and closing timing of the engine valve can provide a smooth startability of the engine.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sub-rotor 53 has a convex portion 55 that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. The sub-housing 32 moves when the outer rotor 30 and the sub-rotor 53 rotate relative to each other around the rotation axis X so that the second relative rotation phase between the outer rotor 30 and the sub-rotor 53 changes. A recess 38 serving as a space for defining That is, when the side portions 55a and 55b of the convex portion 55 come into contact with the rotation restricting portions 38a and 38b of the concave portion 38, the rotation of the sub-rotor 53 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) is restricted. Further, in the present embodiment, when the side portion 55a of the convex portion 55 comes into contact with the rotation restricting portion 38a, the lock pin sliding hole 58 of the external rotor 30 (32) and the lock pin accommodation hole 59 of the sub-rotor 53 face each other. It is configured. That is, when the side portion 55a of the convex portion comes into contact with the rotation restricting portion 38a, the second relative rotation phase becomes the lock phase. Accordingly, when the side portion 55a of the convex portion comes into contact with the rotation restricting portion 38a, the relative rotational speed between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 temporarily becomes zero, and at that time, the lock pin 56 accommodates the lock pin. A time margin necessary for fitting into the hole 59 is provided.

<Fluid supply / discharge section>
As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid supply / discharge part F includes an oil pan 5 that stores engine oil, a pump 6, and a solenoid-type fluid control valve (OCV) 8. Then, supply / discharge of engine oil as hydraulic oil to the advance chamber 46 and the retard chamber 47 is executed via the advance passage 2 and the retard passage 3. On the downstream side of the pump 6 of the fluid supply / discharge section F, a solenoid type fluid control valve that changes the spool position by controlling the amount of current supplied from the electronic control unit ECU 7 and supplies and discharges engine oil at a plurality of ports. (OCV) 8 is provided. The advance passage 2 and the retard passage 3 are connected to a predetermined port of the OCV 8. That is, the supply / discharge of the fluid to / from the fluid pressure chamber 45 (advance chamber 46 and retard chamber 47) and the supply / discharge of the fluid to / from the unlocking oil chamber 42 are performed using the solenoid type OCV8.

  The pump 6 controlled by the ECU 7 is connected to an oil pan 5 that stores engine oil. The pump 6 is at least one of a mechanical pump that operates by obtaining its drive from the engine, and an electric pump that operates by receiving electric power. The mechanical pump can be used mainly when supplying hydraulic oil and unlocking oil to the advance chamber 46, the retard chamber 47, and the unlocking oil chamber 42 while the engine is rotating. On the other hand, the electric pump generally has a small output, but is mainly used when the engine is not rotating and hydraulic oil and unlocking oil cannot be supplied from the mechanical pump. However, if the viscosity of the engine oil is high because the temperature of the engine oil is low, such as when the engine is started, the required amount of hydraulic oil may not be supplied.

As described above, the fluid supply / discharge unit F that supplies and discharges hydraulic oil changes the relative positions of the vane 49 in the fluid pressure chamber 45 by changing the volumes of the advance chamber 46 and the retard chamber 47. The first relative rotational phase of the inner rotor 40 with respect to the outer rotor 30 (33) is controlled. At this time, the first relative rotation phase when the volume of the advance chamber 46 is maximized is defined as the most advanced angle phase, and the first relative rotation phase when the volume of the retard chamber 47 is maximized is defined as the most retarded angle phase. To do.
Further, the fluid supply / discharge part F supplies and discharges engine oil as unlocking oil to the unlocking oil chamber 42 via the unlocking oil passage 4. As a result, the locking mechanism 70 locks and unlocks the phase between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53.
Thus, the engine oil corresponds to the “fluid” of the present invention.

  The unlocking oil chamber 42 communicates with an unlocking oil passage 4 formed in the internal rotor 40, and the unlocking oil passage 4 branches off from the advance passage 2. When engine oil as unlocking oil is supplied to the unlocking oil chamber 42, the lock pin 56 is retracted toward the sub housing 32, and relative rotation between the sub housing 32 (external rotor 30) and the sub rotor 53 is performed. The locked state is released. Conversely, when the unlocking oil is no longer supplied to the unlocking oil chamber 42 and the lock pin 56 protrudes toward the subrotor 53 by the spring 57, the relative rotation between the subhousing 32 (external rotor 30) and the subrotor 53 is locked. The At this time, since the unlocking oil passage 4 is configured to be branched from the advance passage 2, if the unlocking oil is not supplied to the unlocking oil chamber 42, the hydraulic oil is not supplied to the advance chamber 46. . Therefore, the state where the sub housing 32 (external rotor 30) and the sub rotor 53 are locked is a state where the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor 40 with respect to the external rotor 30 is the most retarded phase.

  In the configuration of the valve timing control apparatus as described above, when the crankshaft of the engine is driven to rotate, the rotational power is transmitted to the timing sprocket 36 via the power transmission member 37. As a result, the external rotor 30 (33) having the timing sprocket 36 is rotationally driven along the rotational direction S shown in FIG. 4, for example, and the internal rotor 40 is rotationally driven along the rotational direction S. The camshaft 1 rotates, and a cam provided on the camshaft 1 pushes down an intake valve or an exhaust valve of the engine to open the valve.

  The ECU 7 stores and stores the optimum relative rotational phase corresponding to the operating state of the engine in its memory, and with respect to the operating state (for example, engine speed, cooling water temperature, etc.) detected separately, The optimum relative rotational phase can be recognized. Then, the ECU 7 generates and outputs a control command for controlling the actual first relative rotational phase so that the optimum first relative rotational phase is adapted to the operating state of the engine. Further, the ECU 7 is configured to incorporate ignition key ON / OFF information, information from an oil temperature sensor for detecting engine oil temperature, and the like.

<Actuator section>
The actuator unit ACT has a mechanism for moving the intermediate ring 50 in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction along the direction of the rotation axis X. The actuator unit ACT is configured to convert the rotational motion of the motor 11 into a linear motion along the rotational axis X of the intermediate ring 50 using the electric motor 11 controlled by the ECU 7 as a drive source. That is, the actuator unit ACT is configured using the motor 11, the worm gear 13, the arm 14, the operating ring 19, and the bearing 20.

The worm gear 13 is provided at an end portion of the motor rotation shaft 12, and a gear inclined with respect to the rotation direction of the motor rotation shaft 12 is formed.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arm 14 is configured to be bifurcated so as to sandwich the operating ring 19 in a both-sided state. The fulcrum boss 17 is used to connect to the engine cover 10. Therefore, the arm 14 can swing around the fulcrum boss 17 as a swing center.
A gear 16 that meshes with the worm gear 13 is formed on the arm head 15 at one end of the arm 14. Therefore, when the worm gear 13 rotates with the rotation of the motor 11, the arm 14 meshing with the worm gear 13 swings around the fulcrum boss 17 as a swing center. At this time, the swinging direction of the arm 14 changes according to the rotation direction of the motor 11. An actuating ring 19 is connected to the other end portion where the arm head 15 is formed in a double-sided manner via a pin 18. The operating ring 19 is connected to the intermediate ring 50 via the bearing 20. As described above, a configuration in which the intermediate ring 50 linearly moves in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction when the motor 11 rotates is obtained.
The bearing 20 is connected coaxially to the intermediate ring 50 on the inner peripheral side thereof and is connected to the operating ring 19 on the outer peripheral side thereof. As a result, the intermediate ring 50 is connected to the operating ring 19 in a freely rotatable state.

  By configuring the valve control mechanism unit V and the actuator unit ACT as described above, when the motor 11 rotates, the intermediate ring 50 linearly moves in the Y1 direction or the Y2 direction. When the intermediate ring 50 moves in the Y1 direction, the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40 rotate in the advance direction (the direction S2 in FIGS. 2 and 3) with respect to the sub-rotor 53, whereby the inner rotor 40 and the sub-rotor 53 are rotated. The third relative rotational phase between the two changes. Further, when the intermediate ring 50 moves in the Y2 direction, the third relative rotational phase changes as the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40 rotate in the retarding direction (direction S1 in FIGS. 3 and 4) with respect to the sub-rotor 53. To do.

  In FIG. 5, the third relative rotational phase is changed by operating the motor 11 with the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 being locked by the lock mechanism 70, whereby the external rotor 30 and the internal rotor 40 are changed. It is a sectional side view of the valve timing control apparatus explaining the state which changed the 1st relative rotation phase between these. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device in the CC section of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device in the DD section of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, by operating the motor 11, the intermediate ring 50 is moved in the Y1 direction. At this time, since the outer rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 are locked by the locking mechanism 70, the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40 are advanced with respect to the sub-rotor 53 and the outer rotor 30 (32) (see FIG. 7 (S2 direction). Although not shown, when the intermediate ring 50 moves in the Y2 direction, the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40 rotate in the retarding direction (S1 direction in FIG. 7) with respect to the sub-rotor 53 and the outer rotor 30 (32). To do.
As described above, in the valve opening / closing timing control device according to the present invention, in the locked state where the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 are locked, the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor 40 with respect to the external rotor 30 is It can be adjusted only by mechanical force from the actuator unit ACT. In the unlocked state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 by the lock mechanism 70 is released, the sub-rotor 53 can freely rotate with respect to the external rotor 30 (32). Accordingly, even when the intermediate ring 50 moves in the Y1 direction and the Y2 direction when in the unlocked state, only the sub-rotor 53 rotates, and the first relative rotational phase does not change.

  Thus, in the unlocked state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 is released, torque fluctuations are not applied to the helical splines 52 and 54 between the intermediate ring 50 and the sub-rotor 53. Therefore, a large hitting sound does not occur in the helical splines 52 and 54. On the other hand, even if the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 are locked, if the engine oil has a high viscosity at the start of the engine, the engine oil with respect to the helical splines 52 and 54 is used. Since the viscosity of the material plays the role of a damper, no large hitting sound is generated in the helical splines 52 and 54.

  Next, the fluid supply / discharge portion F is operated in a state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 by the lock mechanism 70 is released, so that the first between the external rotor 30 and the internal rotor 40 is operated. A description will be given of changing the relative rotational phase. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line AA of FIG. 5 in a state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 by the lock mechanism 70 is released.

  In the unlocked state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 is released by the lock mechanism 70, the hydraulic oil is supplied to the advance chamber 46 by the fluid supply / discharge portion F, whereby the external rotor 30 (33 The first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor 40 with respect to () changes in the advance direction (direction S2 in FIG. 8). At this time, the intermediate ring 50 and the sub-rotor 53 connected to the inner rotor 40 also rotate in the advance direction. Although not shown, by supplying hydraulic oil to the retard chamber 47 by the fluid supply / discharge section F, the first relative rotational phase of the inner rotor 40 with respect to the outer rotor 30 (33) is retarded (direction S1 in FIG. 8). To change.

  In the valve opening / closing timing control device of the present embodiment, the ECU 7 controls the actuator unit ACT before the second relative rotational phase of the sub-rotor 53 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) is locked by the lock mechanism 70, for example, during engine stop control. Is operated in advance to return the third relative rotational phase between the inner rotor 40 and the sub-rotor 53 to the initial phase. This is because the sub-rotor 53 can freely rotate before the external rotor 30 (32) and the sub-rotor 53 are locked, so that no load is applied to the helical splines 52 and 54.

  As described above, in the valve opening / closing timing control apparatus according to the first embodiment, the ECU 7 determines a preferable valve opening / closing timing in consideration of the temperature of the engine oil and the like when starting the engine. The first relative rotational phase is controlled. When the viscosity of the engine oil is high, the first relative rotational phase of the internal rotor 40 relative to the external rotor 30 cannot be changed in the advance direction or the retard direction depending on the hydraulic oil supplied by the fluid supply / discharge unit F. Even if it exists, the 1st relative rotation phase of the internal rotor 40 with respect to the external rotor 30 can be changed by the actuator part ACT unrelated to the level of the viscosity of the engine oil. Then, using the actuator unit ACT, the first relative rotational phase is changed to a preferable starting phase and the engine is started. Then, when the viscosity of the engine oil becomes low, the fluid supply / discharge unit F is used. The first relative rotational phase can be controlled.

  Further, in the valve timing control apparatus of the first embodiment, the first relative rotation phase by changing the third relative rotation phase between the internal rotor 40 and the sub-rotor 53 by the actuator unit ACT using the motor 11. Is within the change range of the first relative rotation phase by the fluid supply / discharge portion F. That is, since the change range of the third relative rotation phase by the actuator unit ACT may be small, the actuator unit ACT can be downsized. In particular, the length of the intermediate ring 50 along the direction of the rotation axis X can be shortened. As a result, the increase in size of the engine due to the provision of the actuator unit ACT can be suppressed. The actuator unit ACT operates mainly when the engine is started, and is shorter than the operation time of the fluid supply / discharge unit F. Therefore, the product life of the actuator unit ACT can be extended. As described above, the actuator unit ACT is not always used during the operation of the engine, and therefore can be configured using an inexpensive brush motor.

Second Embodiment
The valve timing control apparatus of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the intermediate ring 50 and the sub-rotor 53 described in the first embodiment are configured as one intermediate member 60.
FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the valve timing control apparatus of the second embodiment. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line EE of FIG. The valve opening / closing timing control apparatus according to the second embodiment can also be broadly divided into a valve control mechanism V, an actuator ACT, and a fluid supply / discharge part F. Among these, the valve control mechanism V differs in configuration from the valve opening / closing timing control device of the first embodiment.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the valve timing control apparatus of the second embodiment will be described, but the description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment will be omitted.

  The valve control mechanism V according to the second embodiment has an external rotor 30 as a drive side rotating member that rotates synchronously with a crankshaft (not shown) of an engine (internal combustion engine), and a relative rotation with respect to the external rotor 30. An internal rotor 40 as a driven side rotating member that is arranged coaxially so as to rotate integrally with the camshaft 1 for opening and closing the valve is configured. Further, a fluid pressure chamber 45 is formed by the outer rotor 30 and the inner rotor 40. The configurations of the outer rotor 30, the inner rotor 40, and the fluid pressure chamber 45 are the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, for example.

  In the valve opening / closing timing control apparatus of the second embodiment, a single intermediate member 60 is interposed in a part between the outer rotor 30 (31, 32) and the inner rotor 40. The intermediate member 60 is a member provided in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 40 a of the internal rotor 40, and the intermediate member 60 is movable along the direction of the rotation axis X of the internal rotor 40. At one end of the intermediate member 60 on the camshaft 1 side, a flange portion 60a bent outward in the radial direction is formed. A helical spline 61 is formed on a part of the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate member 60, and a helical spline 63 is formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the protruding portion 40 a of the internal rotor 40. And both are assembled | attached so that the helical spline 61 of the intermediate member 60 and the helical spline 63 of the internal rotor 40 may mesh | engage. The intermediate member 60 is configured such that the flange 60a can move along the rotation axis X in the space of the unlocking oil chamber 64 between the outer rotor 30 (32) and the protruding portion 40a of the inner rotor 40. . As a result, when the intermediate member 60 moves along the direction of the rotation axis X, the intermediate member 60 and the internal rotor 40 rotate relative to each other about the rotation axis X. In the present embodiment, when the intermediate member 60 moves in the Y1 direction, the contact portion between the two is helical so that the inner rotor 40 rotates in the advance direction (the S2 direction in FIGS. 10 and 11) with respect to the intermediate member 60. Splines 61 and 63 are formed. In the present embodiment, the relative rotational phase between the inner rotor 40 and the intermediate member 60 is referred to as a third relative rotational phase.

  Between the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60, a lock mechanism 71 capable of locking the relative rotational phase of the intermediate member 60 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) (hereinafter referred to as “second relative rotational phase”). Is provided. The lock mechanism 71 has a plate-like lock key 66 and a spring 67. The outer rotor 30 (32) is formed with a lock key sliding groove 68 in which the lock key 66 can slide inward in the radial direction. The lock key 66 is urged radially inward by a spring 67 provided in the lock key sliding groove 68 facing the radially inner side of the outer rotor 30 (32). In addition, a lock key receiving groove 69 that can receive the distal end portion of the lock key 66 is formed in the flange portion 60 a of the intermediate member 60. When the lock key 66 protruding from the external rotor 30 (32) side is fitted into the lock key receiving groove 69 on the intermediate member 60 side, the second relative rotational phase of the intermediate member 60 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) is locked. Will be locked.

Further, the unlocking oil chamber 64 on the radially inner side of the lock key 66 is used not only as a space in which the intermediate member 60 can move as described above, but also as a space in which the unlocking oil is supplied and discharged. . Then, as shown in FIG. 10, when the lock key sliding groove 68 of the external rotor 30 (32) and the lock key receiving groove 69 of the intermediate member 60 are facing each other, the lock release oil chamber 64 When the unlocking oil is discharged, the lock key 66 is fitted into the lock key receiving groove 69 and the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 are locked. When unlocking oil is supplied to the unlocking oil chamber 64, the lock key 66 is pushed toward the lock key sliding groove 68, and the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 are unlocked. It becomes a state. Thus, the second relative rotational phase when the lock key sliding groove 68 of the external rotor 30 (32) and the lock key receiving groove 69 of the intermediate member 60 are facing each other can be called a lock phase.
A seal member 62 is provided on the portion of the front plate 31 that contacts the intermediate member 60 so that the unlocking oil does not leak to the outside of the external rotor 30.

  However, as shown in FIG. 9, the thickness D60 of the flange portion 60a of the intermediate member 60 in the direction of the rotation axis X is formed to be thinner than the thickness D66 of the lock key 66. Therefore, even if the lock key 66 is fitted in the lock key receiving groove 69 of the intermediate member 60, the intermediate member 60 can move in the Y1 direction and the Y2 direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the intermediate member 60 has a convex portion 65 that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the rotation axis X. The sub-housing 32 is movable when the outer rotor 30 and the intermediate member 60 are rotated relative to each other around the rotation axis X so that the second relative rotation phase between the outer rotor 30 and the intermediate member 60 changes. It has the recessed part 38 used as the space which prescribes | regulates a range. That is, when the rotation restricting portions 38a and 38b of the concave portion 38 come into contact with the side portions 65a and 65b of the convex portion 65, the rotation of the intermediate member 60 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) is restricted. Further, in the present embodiment, when the side portion 65a of the convex portion 65 contacts the rotation restricting portion 38a, the lock key sliding groove 68 of the external rotor 30 (32) and the lock key receiving groove 69 of the intermediate member 60 face each other. It is constituted as follows. That is, when the side part 65a of the convex part 65 contacts the rotation restricting part 38a, the second relative rotational phase becomes a lock phase. Accordingly, when the side portion 65a of the convex portion comes into contact with the rotation restricting portion 38a, the relative rotational speed between the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 temporarily becomes zero, and at that time, the lock key 66 is locked. A time margin necessary for fitting into the receiving groove 69 is provided.

  As described above, in the valve timing control apparatus according to the present invention, the ECU 7 performs the first relative rotation of the internal rotor 40 with respect to the external rotor 30 in the locked state in which the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 are locked. The phase can be adjusted only by a mechanical force from the actuator unit ACT. In the unlocked state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 by the lock mechanism 71 is released, the intermediate member 60 can freely rotate with respect to the external rotor 30 (32). Therefore, even if the intermediate member 60 moves in the Y1 direction and the Y2 direction in the unlocked state, the first relative rotational phase does not change.

  Thus, in the unlocked state in which the lock between the outer rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 is released, torque fluctuations are applied to the helical splines 61 and 63 between the intermediate member 60 and the inner rotor 40. Therefore, a large hitting sound does not occur in the helical splines 61 and 63. On the other hand, even if the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 are locked, if the engine oil has a high viscosity at the time of starting the engine, the engine is in relation to the helical splines 61 and 63. Since the viscosity of the oil plays the role of a damper, no large hitting sound is generated in the helical splines 61 and 63.

  Next, the fluid supply / discharge portion F is operated in a state where the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 by the lock mechanism 71 is released, so that the external rotor 30 (33) and the internal rotor 40 The changing of the first relative rotational phase between them will be described. FIG. 11 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device in the EE cross section of FIG. 9 in a state where the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 by the lock mechanism 71 is released.

  In the unlocked state in which the lock between the external rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 by the lock mechanism 71 is released, the hydraulic oil is supplied to the advance chamber 46 by the fluid supply / discharge portion F, whereby the external rotor 30 ( 33) the first relative rotational phase of the inner rotor 40 changes in the advance direction (direction S2 in FIG. 11). At this time, the intermediate member 60 connected to the internal rotor 40 also rotates in the advance direction. Although not shown, by supplying hydraulic oil to the retard chamber 47 by the fluid supply / discharge section F, the first relative rotational phase of the inner rotor 40 with respect to the outer rotor 30 (33) is retarded (direction S1 in FIG. 11). To change.

  Further, in the valve opening / closing timing control device of the present embodiment, the ECU 7, for example, during engine stop control, before the second relative rotational phase of the intermediate member 60 with respect to the external rotor 30 (32) is locked by the lock mechanism 71, Actuator part ACT is operated beforehand and the 3rd relative rotation phase between internal rotor 40 and intermediate member 60 is returned to the initial phase. This is because the intermediate member 60 can freely rotate before the outer rotor 30 (32) and the intermediate member 60 are locked, and thus the helical splines 61 and 63 are not loaded.

  Furthermore, also in the valve timing control apparatus of the second embodiment, the first relative rotation by changing the third relative rotational phase between the inner rotor 40 and the intermediate member 60 by the actuator unit ACT using the motor 11. The change range of the rotation phase is configured to be within the change range of the first relative rotation phase by the fluid supply / discharge unit F. That is, since the change range of the third relative rotation phase by the actuator unit ACT may be small, the actuator unit ACT can be downsized. In particular, the length of the intermediate member 60 along the direction of the rotation axis X can be shortened. As a result, the increase in size of the engine due to the provision of the actuator unit ACT can be suppressed. The actuator unit ACT operates mainly when the engine is started, and is shorter than the operation time of the fluid supply / discharge unit F. Therefore, the product life of the actuator unit ACT can be extended. As described above, the actuator unit ACT is not always used during the operation of the engine, and therefore can be configured using an inexpensive brush motor.

<Another embodiment>
<1>
In the above embodiment, the case where the electric motor 11 is used as the drive source of the actuator unit ACT has been described, but other drive sources may be used. For example, the intermediate ring 50 or the intermediate member 60 may be linearly moved by combining air pressure, a solenoid, and a spring.

<2>
In the first embodiment, the helical splines 52 and 54 are formed at the contact portion between the intermediate ring 50 and the sub-rotor 53, and the splines 51 and 41 are formed at the contact portion between the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40. However, the configuration may be modified. For example, a spline along the rotation axis X is formed at the contact portion between the intermediate ring 50 and the sub-rotor 40, and a helical spline is formed at the contact portion between the intermediate ring 50 and the inner rotor 40. Also good.

<3>
In the said embodiment and said another embodiment, it is comprised so that the 3rd relative rotational phase between the internal rotor 40 (intermediate ring 50) and the subrotor 53 may change by using a helical spline, or the intermediate member 60 The third relative rotational phase between the rotor and the inner rotor 40 is changed. However, the third relative rotational phase may be changed using another mechanism different from the helical spline. Specifically, a conversion mechanism that converts the linear motion of the intermediate ring 50 (or the intermediate member 60) into the relative rotational motion of a member in contact with the intermediate ring 50 (or the intermediate member 60) may be provided.

Side sectional view of the valve timing control device of the first embodiment Top view of actuator 1 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line AA of FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line BB in FIG. Side sectional view of the valve timing control apparatus for explaining a state in which the first relative rotation phase is changed FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line CC of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line DD in FIG. Cross-sectional view of the valve timing control device in the AA section of FIG. 5 in the unlocked state Side sectional view of the valve timing control apparatus of the second embodiment FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the valve opening / closing timing control device taken along the line EE of FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the valve timing control device in the EE cross section of FIG. 9 in the unlocked state.

Explanation of symbols

1 Camshaft 30 External rotor (drive side rotating member)
38a Rotation restricting portion 38b Rotation restricting portion 40 Internal rotor (driven rotation member)
41 spline 45 fluid pressure chamber 46 advance angle chamber 47 retard angle chamber 50 intermediate ring 51 spline 52 helical spline 53 subrotor 54 helical spline 55 convex portion 60 intermediate member 61 helical spline 63 helical spline 65 convex portion 70 lock mechanism 71 lock mechanism ACT actuator Part F Fluid supply / exhaust part X Rotating shaft

Claims (8)

A drive-side rotating member that rotates synchronously with the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine;
A driven-side rotating member that is coaxially disposed so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the driving-side rotating member, and rotates integrally with a camshaft for opening and closing the valve of the internal combustion engine;
A fluid pressure chamber formed by the drive side rotation member and the driven side rotation member, wherein the driven side rotation member of the driven side rotation member with respect to the drive side rotation member is supplied by supplying fluid from the fluid pressure chamber. A retarding chamber that moves one relative rotational phase in a retarding direction out of the directions of relative rotation, and an advance chamber that moves the first relative rotational phase in an advanceing direction out of the directions of the relative rotation;
A valve opening / closing timing control device comprising: a fluid supply / discharge section that supplies fluid to the advance chamber and the retard chamber and discharges fluid from the advance chamber and the retard chamber;
An intermediate member interposed in a part between the drive side rotation member and the driven side rotation member, rotatable in the same axis as the rotation axis of the driven side rotation member and movable along the rotation axis direction;
A locking mechanism capable of locking the second relative rotational phase of the intermediate member with respect to the driving side rotational member;
An actuator for moving the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction,
When the intermediate member moves along the rotation axis direction, the third relative rotation phase between the intermediate member and the driven side rotation member is changed,
The actuator unit moves the intermediate member along the rotation axis direction in a state where the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase, and changes the third relative rotation phase to change the first relative rotation phase. The relative rotational phase can be controlled,
The fluid supply / discharge portion can control the first relative rotation phase by supplying and discharging fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber in a state where the second relative rotation phase is unlocked. A valve timing control device.   The valve opening / closing timing control device according to claim 1, wherein a helical spline is formed at a contact portion between the intermediate member and the driven side rotating member. The intermediate member has a protrusion that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the rotating shaft,
The drive-side rotation member has a rotation restricting portion that abuts on the convex portion and restricts rotation of the intermediate member when the intermediate member rotates about the rotation axis with respect to the drive-side rotation member. The valve opening / closing timing control apparatus according to 1 or 2. A drive-side rotating member that rotates synchronously with the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine;
A driven-side rotating member that is coaxially disposed so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the driving-side rotating member, and rotates integrally with a camshaft for opening and closing the valve of the internal combustion engine;
A fluid pressure chamber formed by the drive side rotation member and the driven side rotation member, wherein the driven side rotation member is connected to the drive side rotation member by supplying a fluid out of the fluid pressure chambers. A retarding chamber that moves one relative rotational phase in a retarding direction out of the directions of relative rotation, and an advance chamber that moves the first relative rotational phase in an advanceing direction out of the directions of the relative rotation;
A valve opening / closing timing control device comprising: a fluid supply / discharge section that supplies fluid to the advance chamber and the retard chamber and discharges fluid from the advance chamber and the retard chamber;
An intermediate ring and a sub-rotor interposed in a part between the driving side rotating member and the driven side rotating member;
A lock mechanism capable of locking the second relative rotation phase of the sub-rotor with respect to the drive-side rotation member;
An actuator unit that moves the intermediate ring along the rotation axis direction, and
The intermediate ring is rotatable coaxially with the rotation axis of the driven side rotation member and movable along the rotation axis direction.
When the intermediate ring moves along the rotation axis direction, the third relative rotation phase between the driven side rotation member and the sub rotor is changed,
The actuator unit moves the intermediate ring along the rotation axis direction in a state where the lock mechanism locks the second relative rotation phase, and changes the third relative rotation phase to change the first relative rotation phase. The relative rotational phase can be controlled,
The fluid supply / discharge portion can control the first relative rotation phase by supplying and discharging fluid to and from the advance chamber and the retard chamber in a state where the second relative rotation phase is unlocked. A valve timing control device.   The helical spline is formed in the contact part between the said intermediate ring and the said subrotor, and the spline along the said rotating shaft is formed in the contact part between the said intermediate ring and the said driven side rotation member. The valve opening / closing timing control device described.   The spline along the said rotating shaft is formed in the contact part between the said intermediate ring and the said subrotor, and the helical spline is formed in the contact part between the said intermediate ring and the said driven side rotation member. The valve opening / closing timing control device described. The sub-rotor has a protrusion that protrudes radially outward of the rotating shaft,
The drive-side rotation member has a rotation restricting portion that abuts on the convex portion and restricts the rotation of the sub-rotor when the sub-rotor rotates around the rotation axis with respect to the drive-side rotation member. The valve timing control apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 6.   The range of change of the first relative rotation phase by changing the third relative rotation phase by the actuator unit is within the range of change of the first relative rotation phase by the fluid supply / discharge unit. The valve opening / closing timing control device according to any one of claims.

Images