Damped valve controller

Abstract

A damping assembly for an engine valve, the engine valve being an intake/exhaust valve, the engine valve admitting/exhausting a fluid mixture into/from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine includes damping apparatus having a damping chamber being selectively in fluid communication with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and being in fluid communication with a substantially ambient actuating fluid reservoir and being operably coupled to the engine valve. The chamber is floodable with a volume of actuating fluid, venting of actuating fluid from the chamber being selectively restricted. The restriction imparts a force to the engine valve acting to moderate engine valve landing speed during a closing stroke of the engine valve. A method of control is further included.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A damping assembly for an engine valve, the engine valve being an intake/exhaust valve, the engine valve admitting/exhausting a fluid mixture into/from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 damping apparatus having a damping chamber being selectively in fluid communication with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and being in fluid communication with an actuating fluid vent and being operably coupled to the engine valve, the chamber being floodable with a volume of actuating fluid, venting of actuating fluid from the chamber being selectively restricted, the restriction imparting a force transmittable to the engine valve and acting to moderate engine valve landing speed during a closing stroke of the engine valve.    
     
     
         2 . The damping assembly of  claim 1  wherein a control valve is operably, fluidly coupled to the chamber for selectively porting actuating fluid to the chamber and venting actuating fluid from the chamber.  
     
     
         3 . The damping assembly of  claim 1  wherein the chamber is in fluid communication with a drive piston, the drive piston being operably coupled to the engine valve.  
     
     
         4 . The damping assembly of  claim 3  wherein the control valve is independently operably fluidly couplable to a drive piston drive surface.  
     
     
         5 . The damping assembly of  claim 1 , a damping ball being disposed in the chamber, a damping ball clearance acting to restrict the venting flow of actuating fluid from the chamber.  
     
     
         6 . The damping assembly of  claim 5  wherein at least a portion of the actuating fluid vented from the chamber transits the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         7 . The damping assembly of  claim 5  wherein the damping ball is free to float in the chamber.  
     
     
         8 . The damping assembly of  claim 3  wherein actuating fluid ported into the chamber generates a force on a damping ball hemisphere that is transmittable to the drive piston tending to translate the drive piston in an opening stroke.  
     
     
         9 . The damping assembly of  claim 1  wherein the engine valve has a known full closing stroke, the damping apparatus acting to moderate engine valve landing speed proximate the end of the closing stroke.  
     
     
         10 . The damping assembly of  claim 4  wherein drive piston translation acts to effect independent fluid coupling of the control valve to the drive surface.  
     
     
         11 . The damping assembly of  claim 10  wherein venting of actuating fluid from the independent fluid coupling is substantially unrestricted.  
     
     
         12 . The damping assembly of  claim 10  wherein venting of actuating fluid is restricted to venting form the chamber once the drive piston has sealed off the independent fluid coupling.  
     
     
         13 . A damping assembly for an engine valve, the engine valve being an intake/exhaust valve, the engine valve admitting/exhausting a fluid mixture into/from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 damping apparatus having a damping chamber being selectively in fluid communication with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and being in fluid communication with an actuating fluid vent and being operably coupled to the engine valve, the chamber being floodable with a volume of actuating fluid, venting of actuating fluid from the chamber being selectively restricted, the restriction imparting a force transmittable to the engine valve and acting to moderate engine valve landing speed during a opening stroke of the engine valve.    
     
     
         14 . The damping assembly of  claim 13  wherein a control valve is operably, fluidly coupled to the chamber for selectively porting actuating fluid to the chamber and venting actuating fluid from the chamber.  
     
     
         15 . The damping assembly of  claim 13  wherein the chamber is in fluid communication with a return pin, the return pin being operably coupled to the engine valve.  
     
     
         16 . The damping assembly of  claim 15  wherein the control valve is independently operably fluidly couplable to a return pin actuating surface.  
     
     
         17 . The damping assembly of  claim 13 , a damping ball being disposed in the chamber, a damping ball clearance acting to restrict the venting flow of actuating fluid from the chamber.  
     
     
         18 . The damping assembly of  claim 17  wherein at least a portion of the actuating fluid vented from the chamber transits the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         19 . The damping assembly of  claim 17  wherein the damping ball is free to float in the chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The damping assembly of  claim 16  wherein actuating fluid ported into the chamber generates a force on a damping ball hemisphere that is transmittable to the return pin tending to translate the return pin in a closing stroke.  
     
     
         21 . The damping assembly of  claim 13  wherein the engine valve has a known full opening stroke, the damping apparatus acting to moderate engine valve landing speed proximate the end of the opening stroke.  
     
     
         22 . The damping assembly of  claim 17  wherein return pin translation acts to effect independent fluid coupling of the control valve to a return pin actuating surface.  
     
     
         23 . The damping assembly of  claim 22  wherein venting of actuating fluid from the independent fluid coupling is substantially unrestricted.  
     
     
         24 . The damping assembly of  claim 22  wherein venting of actuating fluid is restricted to venting from the chamber once the return pin has sealed off the independent fluid coupling.  
     
     
         25 . A damping assembly for an engine valve, the engine valve being an intake/exhaust valve, the engine valve admitting/exhausting a fluid mixture into/from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 return damping apparatus having a first damping chamber being selectively in fluid communication with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and being in fluid communication with a substantially ambient actuating fluid vent and being operably coupled to the engine valve, the chamber being floodable with a volume of actuating fluid, venting of actuating fluid from the chamber being selectively restricted, the restriction imparting a force transmittable to the engine valve and acting to moderate engine valve landing speed during a closing stroke of the engine valve: and    opening damping apparatus having a second damping chamber being selectively in fluid communication with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and being in fluid communication with a substantially ambient actuating fluid vent and being operably coupled to the engine valve, the second chamber being floodable with a volume of actuating fluid, venting of actuating fluid from the second chamber being selectively restricted, the restriction imparting a force transmittable to the engine valve and acting to moderate engine valve landing speed during a opening stroke of the engine valve.    
     
     
         26 . The damping assembly of  claim 25  wherein a control valve is operably, fluidly coupled to the first chamber for selectively porting actuating fluid to the first chamber and venting actuating fluid from the first chamber.  
     
     
         27 . The damping assembly of  claim 25  wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with a drive piston, the drive piston being operably coupled to the engine valve.  
     
     
         28 . The damping assembly of  claim 27  wherein the control valve is independently operably fluidly couplable to a drive piston drive surface.  
     
     
         29 . The damping assembly of  claim 25 , a damping ball being disposed in the first chamber, a damping ball clearance acting to restrict the venting flow of actuating fluid from the first chamber.  
     
     
         30 . The damping assembly of  claim 29  wherein at least a portion of the actuating fluid vented from the first chamber transits the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         31 . The damping assembly of  claim 29  wherein the damping ball is free to float in the first chamber.  
     
     
         32 . The damping assembly of  claim 27  wherein actuating fluid ported into the first chamber generates a force on a damping ball hemisphere that is transmittable to the drive piston tending to translate the drive piston in an opening stroke.  
     
     
         33 . The damping assembly of  claim 25  wherein the engine valve has a known full closing stroke, the damping apparatus acting to moderate engine valve landing speed proximate the end of the closing stroke.  
     
     
         34 . The damping assembly of  claim 28  wherein drive piston translation acts to effect independent fluid coupling of the control valve to the drive surface.  
     
     
         35 . The damping assembly of  claim 34  wherein venting of actuating fluid from the independent fluid coupling is substantially unrestricted.  
     
     
         36 . The damping assembly of  claim 34  wherein venting of actuating fluid is restricted to venting form the first chamber once the drive piston has sealed off the independent fluid coupling.  
     
     
         37 . The damping assembly of  claim 36  wherein a control valve is operably, fluidly coupled to the second chamber for selectively porting actuating fluid to the second chamber and venting actuating fluid from the second chamber.  
     
     
         38 . The damping assembly of  claim 36  wherein the second chamber is in fluid communication with a return pin, the return pin being operably coupled to the engine valve.  
     
     
         39 . The damping assembly of  claim 38  wherein the control valve is independently operably fluidly couplable to a return pin actuating surface.  
     
     
         40 . The damping assembly of  claim 36 , a second damping ball being disposed in the second chamber, a second damping ball clearance acting to restrict the venting flow of actuating fluid from the second chamber.  
     
     
         41 . The damping assembly of  claim 40  wherein at least a portion of the actuating fluid vented from the second chamber transits the second damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         42 . The damping assembly of  claim 40  wherein the second damping ball is free to float in the second chamber.  
     
     
         43 . The damping assembly of  claim 39  wherein actuating fluid ported into the second chamber generates a force on a second damping ball hemisphere that is transmittable to the return pin tending to translate the return pin in an closing stroke.  
     
     
         44 . The damping assembly of  claim 25  wherein the engine valve has a known full opening stroke, the second damping apparatus acting to moderate engine valve landing speed proximate the end of the opening stroke.  
     
     
         45 . The damping assembly of  claim 28  wherein return pin translation acts to effect independent fluid coupling of the control valve to a return pin actuating surface.  
     
     
         46 . The damping assembly of  claim 45  wherein venting of actuating fluid from the independent fluid coupling is substantially unrestricted.  
     
     
         47 . The damping assembly of  claim 45  wherein venting of actuating fluid is substantially restricted to venting from the second chamber once the return pin has sealed off the independent fluid coupling.  
     
     
         48 . A method of control for a valve, comprising: 
 fluidly coupling a selectively actuatable controller with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and with a substantially ambient actuating fluid reservoir; and    controlling closing landing speed of the valve by: 
 a. operably coupling a chamber to the valve;  
 b. selectively independently porting actuating fluid to the chamber; and  
 c. selectively restricting actuating venting actuating fluid from the chamber, the restricting imparting a force to the valve acting to moderate valve closing landing speed.  
   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  including fluidly communicating the chamber with a drive piston and operably coupling the drive piston to the valve.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48  including disposing a ball in the chamber, forming a damping ball clearance between the damping ball and a chamber wall, and restricting the venting flow from the chamber by means of the damping ball clearance.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  including venting at least a portion of the actuating fluid through the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  including generating a force on a damping ball hemisphere by actuating fluid ported into the chamber, transmitting the force to the drive piston, and thereby driving the drive piston in an opening stroke.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48 , the valve having a known full closing stroke, including moderating valve closing speed proximate the end of the closing stroke.  
     
     
         54 . A method of control for a valve, comprising; 
 fluidly coupling a selectively actuatable controller with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and with a substantially ambient actuating fluid reservoir; and    controlling closing landing speed of the valve by: 
 a. operably coupling a chamber to the valve;  
 b. selectively independently porting actuating fluid to the chamber; and  
 c. selectively restricting actuating venting actuating fluid from the chamber, the restricting imparting a force to the valve acting to moderate valve opening landing speed.  
   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54  including fluidly communicating the chamber with a return pin and operably coupling the return pin to the valve.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54  including disposing a ball in the chamber, forming a damping ball clearance between the damping ball and a chamber wall, and restricting the venting flow from the chamber by mean of the damping ball clearance.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56  including venting at least a portion of the actuating fluid through the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56  including generating a force on a damping ball hemisphere by actuating fluid ported into the chamber, transmitting the force to the return pin, and thereby driving the return pin in an closing stroke.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 54 , the valve having a known full opening stroke, including moderating valve closing speed proximate the end of the opening stroke.  
     
     
         60 . A method of control for a valve, comprising: 
 fluidly coupling a selectively actuatable controller with a source of pressurized actuating fluid and with a substantially ambient actuating fluid reservoir;    controlling closing landing speed of the valve by: 
 a. operably coupling a chamber to the valve;  
 b. selectively independently porting actuating fluid to the chamber; and  
 c. selectively restricting actuating venting actuating fluid from the chamber, the restricting imparting a force to the valve acting to moderate valve closing landing speed; and  
   controlling opening landing speed of the valve by: 
 a. operably coupling a second chamber to the valve;  
 b. selectively independently porting actuating fluid to the second chamber; and  
 c. selectively restricting actuating venting actuating fluid from the second chamber, the restricting imparting a force to the valve acting to moderate valve opening landing speed.  
   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  including fluidly communicating the chamber with a drive piston and operably coupling the drive piston to the valve.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60  including disposing a ball in the chamber, forming a damping ball clearance between the damping ball and a chamber wall, and restricting the venting flow from the chamber by mean of the damping ball clearance.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61  including venting at least a portion of the actuating fluid through the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 62  including generating a force on a damping ball hemisphere by actuating fluid ported into the chamber, transmitting the force to the drive piston, and thereby driving the drive piston in an opening stroke.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 60 , the valve having a known full closing stroke, including moderating valve closing speed proximate the end of the closing stroke.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 60  including fluidly communicating the second chamber with a return pin and operably coupling the return pin to the valve.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 60  including disposing a ball in the second chamber, forming a damping ball clearance between the damping ball and a second chamber wall, and restricting the venting flow from the second chamber by mean of the damping ball clearance.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67  including venting at least a portion of the actuating fluid through the damping ball clearance under all operating conditions.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 67  including generating a force on a damping ball hemisphere by actuating fluid ported into the chamber, transmitting the force to the return pin, and thereby driving the return pin in an closing stroke.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 60 , the valve having a known full opening stroke, including moderating valve closing speed proximate the end of the opening stroke.