Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Magnets and electromagnets – With magneto-mechanical motive device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-05
2003-05-20
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Magnets and electromagnets
With magneto-mechanical motive device
C251S129150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06566990
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator and a valve-open-close mechanism used mainly in an automotive internal combustion engine.
Conventional electromagnetic actuators and valve-open-close mechanism are disclosed e.g. in Japanese patent publication 11-93629. Referring to
FIG. 1
, which shows one embodiment of this invention, an electromagnetic actuator
4
includes a pair of electromagnets
6
,
7
each made up of a stator
5
and a coil
18
that are opposed to each other with a gap
10
therebetween. An armature
3
is disposed in the gap
10
so as to be reciprocable between two electrotromagnets
6
,
7
. A first stem
15
for transmitting the movement of the armature
3
from the other electromagnet
6
toward the one electromagnet
7
to a valve
9
for opening and closing a valve of an internal combustion engine is provided on one surface of the armature, namely, at the side where there is the electromagnet
7
.
With this electromagnetic actuator, since the armature
3
is moved between the two electromagnets
6
and
7
, it has to be made from a ferromagnetic material. Thus, for the armature
3
, an iron-family or a steel-family magnetic material is ordinarily used. Since the first stem
15
is usually integral with the armature
3
, an iron-family or steel-family material is used for the first stem
15
, too.
Thus, because an iron-family or steel-family heavy material is used for both the armature
3
and the first stem
15
, they have an influence on the driving power consumption of the electromagnetic actuator as inertia weight during operation. Thus, if such an electromagnetic actuator is used in an automobile, it will have a direct influence on the fuel consumption.
An object of the present invention is to reduce the weight of an electromagnetic actuator and a valve-open-close mechanism used in an internal combustion engine by forming its stems from a lighter material than conventional.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, by forming the first stem
15
from a lighter material than conventional, it is possible to reduce the total weight of the combination of the armature
3
and the first stem
15
, reduce the driving power consumption for the electromagnetic actuator as the inertia weight during operation, and reduce the fuel consumption if this is used in an automobile.
That is to say, a pair of electromagnets
6
,
7
formed of stators
5
and coils
18
are opposed to each other with a gap
10
therebetween; an armature
3
is disposed in the gap
10
so that the armature
3
is reciprocable between one electromagnet
7
and the other electromagnet
6
by driving the electromagnets
6
and
7
; a first stem
15
for transmitting the movement of the armature
3
from the other electromagnet
6
toward the one electromagnet
7
to a valve
9
of an internal combustion engine is inserted in a guide hole
22
formed in the stator
5
of the electromagnet
7
; and the first stem
15
is formed of a lighter material than the armature
3
.
Also, the electromagnetic actuator as described above is housed in a housing
8
which is mounted to an internal combustion engine body
19
by fixing members; a valve
9
for communicating an intake port
25
or an exhaust port
26
of the internal combustion engine with a combustion chamber
27
or shutting them off from each other is provided in the internal combustion engine body
19
; the tip of the first stem
15
of the electromagnetic actuator is brought into abutment with the tip of the valve
9
so that by moving the armature
3
from the electromagnet
6
toward the electromagnet
7
, the first stem
15
opens the valve
9
by pushing it; in order to impart a biasing force for carrying out a valve-closing operation to the valve, a retainer
13
is provided on the valve
9
, and a first return spring
2
is mounted between the retainer
13
and the internal combustion engine body
19
; by inserting a second stem
14
in a guide hole
22
provided in the stator
5
of the other electromagnet
6
, it is detachably brought into contact with a surface of the armature
3
on the side not coupled to the first stem
15
; and a retainer
13
′ is provided on the second stem
14
, and a second return spring
1
for imparting a biasing force in the direction in which the second stem
14
pushes the armature
3
is mounted between the retainer
13
′ and the housing
8
.
Since a light material compared with an iron-family or a steel-family member, which has a specific weight of 7 to 8, is used as the first stem
15
, it is possible to reduce the total weight of an electromagnetic actuator for an internal combustion engine and an electronic valve-open-close mechanism for an internal combustion engine, and reduce the driving power consumption for the electromagnetic actuator as the inertial weight during operation.
Also, by coupling the armature
3
and the first stem
15
by slidable coupling, joining or mecahnical fastening, as in the case in which the stem and the armature are of iron or steel material and they are integral, the first stem
15
can transmit the movement of the armature
3
to the valve
9
of the internal combustion engine.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5022357 (1991-06-01), Kawamura
patent: 5076222 (1991-12-01), Kawamura
patent: 5119772 (1992-06-01), Kamamura
patent: RE34591 (1994-04-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5752308 (1998-05-01), Maley et al.
patent: 6182646 (2001-02-01), Silberstein et al.
patent: 6184767 (2001-02-01), Pischinger et al.
patent: 0922520 (1999-06-01), None
patent: 1004755 (2000-05-01), None
European Search Report dated Aug. 2, 2001.
Matsunuma Kenji
Nishioka Takao
Oyama Hitoshi
Sogabe Kouichi
Donovan Lincoln
Itami Works of Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
McDermott & Will & Emery
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