Dual Camshaft Phase Control Assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure employs a pair of camshafts for intake valves. A first phase controller is installed at a first end of the first intake camshaft connecting to a crankshaft. A second phase controller is installed at a second end of the first intake camshaft connecting to a second intake camshaft. Each phase controller can advance or retard phase angles to modify intake valve timing and intake valve lift. This set up is duplicated for the exhaust valves to modulate exhaust valve timing and exhaust valve lift. First and second camshafts are connected via a series of levers, which merge rotational outputs of both camshafts into one. The phase controllers can be differential gear sets, epicyclical gear sets, or a combination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual camshaft phase control assembly comprising:
 a crankshaft;   a first camshaft;   a second camshaft extending parallel to the first camshaft;   a first phase controller coupled to the crankshaft and a first end of the first camshaft, the first phase controller further comprises a first differential gear system comprising a first pair of input/output gears, a first spider gear, and a first control gear driven via a first actuator configured to advance or to retard a phase relation of the first camshaft with respect to the crankshaft;   a second phase controller coupled to a second end of the first camshaft and a second end of a second camshaft, the second phase controller further comprises a second differential gear system comprising a second pair of input/output gears, a second spider gear, and a second control gear driven via a second actuator configured to advance or to retard a phase relation of the second camshaft with respect to the first camshaft; and   means to combine rotational output of first camshaft lobes and second camshaft lobes respectively coupled to the first and second camshafts.   
     
     
         2 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first pair of input/output gears comprise bevel gears configured to transmit torque from the crankshaft to the first camshaft, the spider gear and the first control gear comprise bevel gears configured to mesh with the first pair of input/output gears; and the first actuator is driven by a first control module in communication with an electronic control unit. 
     
     
         3 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first input gears, the first differential gear system, the first actuator, and the first control module are arranged in series along a common rotational axis with the first camshaft. 
     
     
         4 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first control module drives the output gear of the first differential gear system via a first spur gear. 
     
     
         5 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second pair of input/output gears comprise bevel gears configured to transmit torque from the first camshaft to the second camshaft, the spider gear and the second control gear comprise bevel gears configured to mesh with the second pair of input/output gears; and the second actuator is driven by a second control module in communication with an electronic control unit. 
     
     
         6 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second input gears, the second differential gear system, the second actuator, and the second control module are arranged in series along a common rotational axis with the second camshaft. 
     
     
         7 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second control module drives the output gear of the second differential gear system via a second spur gear. 
     
     
         8 . A dual camshaft phase control assembly comprising:
 a crankshaft;   a first camshaft;   a second camshaft extending parallel to the first camshaft;   a first phase controller coupled to the crankshaft and a first end of the first camshaft, the first phase controller further comprises a first epicyclical gear system comprising a first sun gear meshing with a first plurality of planet gears so as to transmit torque from the crankshaft to the first camshaft, a first ring gear configured to encapsulate and mesh with the first plurality of planet gears, and a first spur gear configured to drive the first ring gear so as to advance or to retard a phase relation of the first camshaft with respect to the crankshaft;   a second phase controller coupled to a second end of the first camshaft and a second end of a second camshaft, the second phase controller further comprises a second epicyclical gear system comprising a second sun gear meshing with a second plurality of planet gears so as to transmit torque from the first camshaft to the second camshaft, a second ring gear configured to encapsulate and mesh with the second plurality of planet gears, and a second spur gear configured to drive the second ring gear so as to advance or to retard a phase relation of the second camshaft with respect to the first camshaft; and   means to combine rotational output of first camshaft lobes and second camshaft lobes respectively coupled to the first and second camshafts.   
     
     
         9 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first spur gear is driven by a first control module in communication with an electronic control unit. 
     
     
         10 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first sun gear shares a common rotational axis with the first camshaft. 
     
     
         11 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second spur gear is driven by a second control module in communication with an electronic control unit. 
     
     
         12 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second sun gear shares a common rotational axis with the second camshaft. 
     
     
         13 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft and the first camshaft are coupled via a belt. 
     
     
         14 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the means to combine rotational output of the first and the second camshaft lobes comprises:
 a plurality of levers each with a corresponding camshaft lobe of the first camshaft lobes and a corresponding camshaft lobe of the second camshaft lobes, respectively; and   a lever protrusion configured to drive an engine valve.   
     
     
         15 . The dual camshaft phase control assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of levers, arranged at a pre-determined interval apart from one another, operating in conjunction with the first and the second camshafts lobes so as to drive a plurality of engine valves via corresponding lever protrusions. 
     
     
         16 . A method to modulate phase relations of dual camshafts comprising:
 coupling a first phase controller to a crankshaft and a first end of the first camshaft, the first phase controller further comprises an epicyclical gear system comprising a first sun gear meshing with a first plurality of planet gears so as to transmit torque from the crankshaft to the first camshaft, a first ring gear configured to encapsulate and mesh with the first plurality of planet gears, and advancing or retarding a phase relation of the first camshaft with respect to the crankshaft by driving a first spur gear meshed with the first ring gear;   coupling a second phase controller to a second end of the first camshaft and a second end of a second camshaft, the second phase controller further comprises a differential gear system comprising a pair of input/output gears, a spider gear, and a control gear; and   
       advancing or retarding a phase relation of the second camshaft with respect to the first camshaft by driving an actuator meshed with the control gear; and
 combining rotational output of first camshaft lobes and second camshaft lobes respectively coupled to the first and second camshafts. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method to modulate phase relations of dual camshafts of  claim 16 , wherein the first spur gear driving the first ring gear receives instructions from a first control module in communication with an electronic control unit. 
     
     
         18 . The method to modulate phase relations of dual camshafts of  claim 16 , wherein the first sun gear shares a common rotational axis with the first camshaft. 
     
     
         19 . The method to modulate phase relations of dual camshafts of  claim 16 , wherein the pair of input/output gears, the actuator, and the control gear of the differential gear system are arranged in a serial fashion sharing a common rotational axis with the second camshaft. 
     
     
         20 . The method to modulate phase relations of dual camshafts of  claim 16 , wherein the output gear of the differential gear system is driven by a second spur gear in communication with an electronic control unit.