Fast acting engine valve control with soft landing

摘要

This invention describes an engine valve control responsive to electrical signals from a controller to open and close valves. Power to move the valves comes from a conventional camshaft. A disabler spring is compressed by a cam lobe and held compressed by a first solenoid, and the valve is held from opening by a second solenoid. When the second solenoid releases the valve, a oscillation between the disabler spring and valve spring opens the valve and a third solenoid holds the valve open. The first solenoid then releases the disabler spring. When the third solenoid releases the valve spring, a oscillation of the two springs closes the valve with a soft landing and the second solenoid again holds the valve closed. The valve operation is very fast, independent of engine speed, and can be controlled over 270 crankshaft degrees. The solenoids, used for holding only, are very small and require little power. The camshaft runs at crankshaft speed. By disabling the cylinders during compression and expansion strokes, 4 stroke operation is used for gasoline motor operation. 2 stroke operation is used for compressor and air motor operation as a pneumatic hybrid.