Hydraulic capsule for hydraulic lash adjustment

Abstract

A rocker arm assembly includes an engine brake capsule assembly. The engine brake capsule assembly movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The engine brake capsule assembly comprises a body comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber. The engine brake capsule assembly further comprises a plunger disposed partially within the lower chamber, wherein the plunger comprises an external shoulder disposed on a side of the plunger, and a locking pin configured to extend into the lower chamber and engage with the external shoulder of the plunger. The engine brake capsule assembly further comprises an actuation pin disposed within the upper chamber and extending down into an internal housing disposed within the lower chamber and a check ball valve assembly disposed within the plunger configured to selectively enable a hydraulic fluid into an internal chamber of the plunger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rocker assembly, comprising:
 a rocker arm comprising a valve end; and   an engine brake capsule assembly disposed at the valve end, the engine brake capsule assembly movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position the engine brake capsule assembly does not engage a valve bridge, and in the extended position the engine brake capsule assembly selectively engages the valve bridge to open a first exhaust valve, the engine brake capsule assembly comprising:
 a body comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber; 
 a plunger disposed partially within the lower chamber, wherein the plunger comprises an external shoulder disposed on a side of the plunger; 
 a locking pin configured to extend into the lower chamber and engage with the external shoulder of the plunger; 
 an actuation pin disposed within the upper chamber and extending down into an internal housing disposed within the lower chamber, wherein the plunger is disposed around the internal housing and configured to translate with respect to the internal housing; and 
 a check ball valve assembly disposed within the plunger configured to selectively enable a hydraulic fluid into an internal chamber of the plunger, wherein the check ball valve assembly is further configured to seat against a bottom end of the internal housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The rocker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rocker arm further comprises a central bore configured to receive a rocker shaft, wherein the rocker shaft is disposed through the central bore of the rocker arm. 
     
     
         3 . The rocker assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the rocker arm further comprises:
 a first oil channel configured to provide fluid communication between the upper chamber and the central bore; and   a second oil channel configured to provide fluid communication between a space and the central bore, the space being defined by the plunger and the locking pin.   
     
     
         4 . The rocker assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising an oil control valve configured to provide a flow of the hydraulic fluid through the first oil channel and through the second oil channel. 
     
     
         5 . The rocker assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the rocker arm further comprises a third oil channel configured to provide fluid communication between the lower chamber and the central bore. 
     
     
         6 . The rocker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engine brake capsule assembly further comprises a first spring disposed within the internal chamber configured to bias the plunger downwards in the extended position. 
     
     
         7 . The rocker assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the engine brake capsule assembly further comprises a second spring disposed within the upper chamber configured to bias the actuation pin downwards to unseat the check ball valve assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The rocker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the internal housing comprises one or more ports configured to allow fluid communication between the lower chamber and the internal chamber of the plunger. 
     
     
         9 . The rocker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rocker arm further comprises a cam end opposite to the valve end, the cam end comprising a roller configured to engage with an engine brake cam lobe of a camshaft. 
     
     
         10 . A valvetrain assembly, comprising:
 a first exhaust valve;   a second exhaust valve; and   a dual exhaust valve rocker arm assembly configured to selectively open the first exhaust valve and the second exhaust valve, the dual exhaust valve rocker arm assembly comprising:
 a first rocker arm comprising a valve end; and 
 an engine brake capsule assembly disposed at the valve end, the engine brake capsule assembly movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein in the retracted position the engine brake capsule assembly does not engage a valve bridge, and in the extended position the engine brake capsule assembly selectively engages the valve bridge to open the first exhaust valve, the engine brake capsule assembly comprising:
 a body comprising a lower chamber and an upper chamber; 
 a plunger disposed partially within the lower chamber, wherein the plunger comprises an external shoulder disposed on a side of the plunger; 
 a locking pin configured to extend into the lower chamber and engage with the external shoulder of the plunger; 
 an actuation pin disposed within the upper chamber and extending down into an internal housing disposed within the lower chamber, wherein the plunger is disposed around the internal housing and configured to translate with respect to the internal housing; and 
 a check ball valve assembly disposed within the plunger configured to selectively enable a hydraulic fluid into an internal chamber of the plunger, wherein the check ball valve assembly is further configured to seat against a bottom end of the internal housing. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first rocker arm further comprises a central bore configured to receive a rocker shaft, wherein the rocker shaft is disposed through the central bore of the first rocker arm. 
     
     
         12 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first rocker arm further comprises:
 a first oil channel configured to provide fluid communication between the upper chamber and the central bore; and   a second oil channel configured to provide fluid communication between a space and the central bore, the space being defined by the plunger and the locking pin.   
     
     
         13 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising an oil control valve configured to provide a flow of the hydraulic fluid through the first oil channel and through the second oil channel. 
     
     
         14 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first rocker arm further comprises a third oil channel configured to provide fluid communication between the lower chamber and the central bore. 
     
     
         15 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the engine brake capsule assembly further comprises a first spring disposed within the internal chamber configured to bias the plunger downwards in the extended position. 
     
     
         16 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the engine brake capsule assembly further comprises a second spring disposed within the upper chamber configured to bias the actuation pin downwards to unseat the check ball valve assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the internal housing comprises one or more ports configured to allow fluid communication between the lower chamber and the internal chamber of the plunger. 
     
     
         18 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first rocker arm further comprises a cam end opposite to the valve end, the cam end comprising a roller configured to engage with an engine brake cam lobe of a camshaft. 
     
     
         19 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a second rocker arm configured to engage both the first exhaust valve and the second exhaust valve through the valve bridge. 
     
     
         20 . The valvetrain assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising the valve bridge operatively associated with the first exhaust valve and the second exhaust valve.