Valve timing controller

Abstract

A valve timing controller includes a housing, a vane rotor, a bush fixed to the vane rotor so as to support the housing in a relatively rotatable state, a coil spring provided to the bush and a retainer contacting the coil spring at least one point in the cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis direction. The coil spring has a first end engaged with the vane rotor and a second end engaged with the housing. The retainer retains an axis of the coil spring to be kept parallel with the rotation axis direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A valve timing controller that opens and closes an intake valve and an exhaust valve by rotating a driven shaft using a driving force of a driving shaft of an internal combustion engine, the valve timing controller controlling open and close timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve by changing a rotation phase between the driving shaft and the driven shaft, the valve timing controller comprising:
 a housing rotating with one of the driving shaft and the driven shaft;   a vane rotor rotating with the other of the driving shaft and the driven shaft, the vane rotor having a vane accommodated in an accommodation chamber defined in the housing, a rotation phase of the vane rotor relative to the housing being changed using a pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied to a pressure chamber defined by partitioning the accommodation chamber with the vane;   a bush having a cylindrical shape and fixed to the vane rotor, the bush supporting the housing in a relatively rotatable state;   a coil spring provided to the bush and having a first end engaged with the vane rotor and a second end engaged with the housing, the coil spring generating a biasing torque biasing the vane rotor to rotate relative to the housing; and   a retainer contacting the coil spring at least one point in a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis direction, the retainer retaining an axis of the coil spring to be kept parallel with the rotation axis direction.   
     
     
         2 . The valve timing controller according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the retainer contacts the coil spring at plural points in the cross-section perpendicular to the rotation axis direction.   
     
     
         3 . The valve timing controller according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the retainer is located on an outer side of the coil spring in a radial direction.   
     
     
         4 . The valve timing controller according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the retainer is located on an inner side of the coil spring in a radial direction.   
     
     
         5 . The valve timing controller according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the retainer is integrally formed with the bush.   
     
     
         6 . The valve timing controller according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the retainer is fixed to the bush or the housing.