ENGINE VALVE ASSEMBLY WITH VALVE CAN MOUNTABLE TO AN ENGINE
COVER
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
61/083,663, filed July 25, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to an engine valve assembly mountable to an engine
cover.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An electro-hydraulic system of valves typically controls inlet and exhaust
from engine cylinders, as well as the amount of valve lift, in a modern automotive engine.
Multiple valves are typically mounted to an engine cam cover. The cover is often of
complex topography and must accommodate a variety of other components. An electro-
hydraulic valve for an engine that fastens to the cam cover without interference from
other components and in an ergonomic manner is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An engine valve assembly is provided with a valve housing, also referred
to as a can or cover, that is configured to promote easy access to a fastener used for
fastening and removing the valve assembly from an engine cover. The valve assembly
may be a solenoid-type oil control valve assembly or other type of engine valve that
mounts to an engine cover, and the engine cover may be a cam cover, or any portion of
an engine block. The can has a first wall and a side wall that extends therefrom to
partially define an interior cavity with a cavity opening opposite the first wall. In some
embodiments, the first wall has a generally teardrop-shaped surface, as described in
detail herein. The first wall has a valve opening as well as a fastener opening that is
spaced from and aligned with the valve opening along the first wall. A valve body is
supported by the valve housing at least partially within the interior cavity, and may be
press-fit therein, in alignment with the valve opening. The valve housing is configured
to mount to the engine cover with the fastener inserted through the fastener opening to
extend through the interior cavity and fasten to the engine cover, with the valve body
extending into the engine cover. Separation of the fastener opening from the face of the
engine cover by the side wall makes the fastener more accessible for insertion and
removal, especially if the engine cover has unusual surface geometry or adjacent
components that would make access to a fastener opening closer to the engine cover
surface more difficult. Cans that have a teardrop-shaped surface may more easily fit in
available packaging space on the engine cover due to the tapered nature of the teardrop
shape.
[(10851 Some embodiments of the can have an opening in the sidewall, also
referred to as a window, through which an electrical connector connects with a valve
coil and extends for easy access with a mating connector. The window may be offered
in different positions on the sidewall for different embodiments, depending on specific
application needs. Different electrical connectors may be connected on cans with like
windows, as the window may permit connectors of various orientations.
[Q006f The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of
the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the
best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1A is a schematic perspective illustration of a first embodiment
of an engine oil control valve assembly having a first embodiment of a valve can;
FIGURE IB is a schematic top view of the valve can of Figure 1 A;
FIGURE 2 is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of the valve assembly
with valve can of Figure I, taken at the lines 2-2 of Figure 1 A;
FIGURE 3 is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of the valve assembly
with valve can of Figure 1A, taken at the lines 3-3 of Figure 1A and shown with a
fastener mounting the valve to an engine cam cover;
FIGURE 4 is a schematic perspective illustration of an alternative valve
can for use with the valve body of Figures 1A-3, including a window for electrical
connector access;
FIGURE 5 is schematic perspective illustration of a second embodiment
of an engine oil control valve assembly with the can of Figure 4 and a first embodiment
of an electrical connector extending laterally through the window;
FIGURE 6 is a schematic perspective illustration of a third embodiment of
an engine oil control valve assembly with the can of Figure 4 and a second embodiment
of an electrical connector extending at a skewed angle through the window;
FIGURE 7 is a schematic perspective illustration of a fourth embodiment
of an engine oil control valve assembly with the can of Figure 4 and a third embodiment
of an electrical connector extending through the window and vertically;
FIGURE 8 is a schematic perspective illustration of a fifth embodiment of
an engine oil control valve assembly with a third embodiment of a can and a fourth
embodiment of an electrical connector extending through the window and vertically;
FIGURE 9 is a schematic perspective illustration of a sixth embodiment
of an engine oil control valve assembly with a fourth embodiment of a can and a fifth
embodiment of an electrical connector extending through the window and vertically; and
FIGURE 10 is a schematic perspective illustration in fragmentary view
of the valve assembly of Figure 5 mounted to a second embodiment of an engine cam
cover.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like
components, Figure 1A shows an engine oil control valve assembly 10 including a valve
housing 12, also referred to as a can or cap, with a first wall 14 having a generally
teardrop-shaped faee 16. A v^lve body 17 extends from the can 12. The valve can 12
includes a side wall 18 extending from a periphery 20 of the first wall 14, generally
perpendicularly to the face 16. The valve body 17 is press-fit into an interior cavity 19
formed by the face 16 and side wall 18 (shown in Figure 2), through a cavity opening al
terminal end 21 of the side wall 18. The periphery 20 is shown most clearly in Figure
IB. A pole piece cover 22 shown in Figure 1A is removed in Figure IB to reveal a valve
opening 24 in the first wall 14. A fastener opening 26 is displaced laterally from the
valve opening 24 along the face 16.
[0JM-9] Referring to Figure 1B, the teardrop-shaped face 16 is determined by the
periphery 20, which has a first portion 28 extending from point A to point B that is
characterized by a first radius Rl centered at a center CI of the valve opening 24. The
periphery 20 also has a second portion 30 extending from point C to point D that is
characterized by a second radius R2 centered at a center C2 of the fastener opening 26. A
third portion 32 of the periphery connects the first portion 28 with the second portion 30,
as does an opposite fourth portion 34.
[1)020] Although the teardrop-shaped face 16 is established by the periphery 20
described above, other teardrop-shaped faces as well as faces that are not teardrop-shaped
and are established by different peripheries, are within the scope of the claimed
invention. In general, a "teardrop-shaped" face is a generally planar face with a
periphery that generally tapers from a larger rounded portion to a smaller rounded
portion.
[902-lf As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and as further described below, the can 12
of the engine oil control valve assembly 10 enables ease in fastening to an engine cover,
and more specifically, a cam cover 37 (shown in Figure 3) via a threaded fastener 38. As
used herein, an engine cover may be a cam cover. Referring to Figure 2, the engine oil
control valve assembly 10 includes an electrical coil 40 surrounded by a coil support
portion 42 (also referred to as a bobbin) of the valve body 17 and encapsulated in a coil
cover 43. The valve body 17 defines an armature chamber 44 in which a pole piece 46
is press-fit. An armature 48 is movable in the armature chamber 44 in response to
energizing of the coil 40. A main spring 49 biases the armature 48 away from the pole
piece. A flux collator SO (also referred, tp as a flux bracket) is supported adjacent the
coil 40 and armature 48 by a base portion 51 of the valve body 17. Electrical wiring for
energizing of the coil 40 may be connected with the coil 40 through wiring openings 41,
shown in Figures 1A and IB. Alternatively, an electrical connector may be mounted in a
fixed position to the side wall 18, accessing the coil 40 through the side wall 18.
[