Automotive use
In 1958 Porsche made application for a German Patent, also applied for and published as British Patent GB861369 in 1959. The Porsche patent used an oscillating cam driven via a push/pull rod from an eccentric shaft or swash plate. The cam was Desmodromic having opening and closing cam surfaces which operated the valve by a bifurcated rocker and ball joint. Being Desmodromic meant there was no valve spring. The cam pivot was adjustable for height, as the push/pull rod length was constant this rotated the cam so the lift and duration increased. A compensating link moved the rocker pivot to match the cam's position. The adjustment of the cam pivot could be by mechanical linkage to a screw thread, hydraulic from engine driven pump with spill valve or from a engine speed governor. At present it is unknown if any working prototype was ever made.
Fiat was the first auto manufacturer to patent a functional automotive variable valve timing system which included variable lift. Developed by Giovanni Torazza in the late 1960s, the system used hydraulic pressure to vary the fulcrum of the cam followers (US Patent 3,641,988).[3] The hydraulic pressure changed according to engine speed and intake pressure. The typical opening variation was 37%.
In September 1975, General Motors (GM) patented a system intended to vary valve lift. GM was interested in throttling the intake valves in order to reduce emissions. This was done by minimizing the amount of lift at low load to keep the intake velocity higher, thereby atomizing the intake charge. GM encountered problems running at very low lift, and abandoned the project.
Alfa Romeo was the first manufacturer to use a variable valve timing system in production cars (US Patent 4,231,330).[3] The 1980 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 L had a mechanical VVT system in SPICA fuel injected cars sold in the United States. Later this was also used in the 1983 Alfetta 2.0 Quadrifoglio Oro models as well as other cars. The system was engineered by Ing Giampaolo Garcea in the 1970s.[4]
Honda's REV motorcycle engine employed on the Japanese market-only Honda CBR400F in 1983 provided a technology base for VTEC.
In 1986,[citation needed] Nissan developed their own form of VVT with the VG30DE(TT) engine for their MID4 Concept. Nissan chose to focus their NVCS (Nissan Valve-Timing Control System) mainly on torque production at low to medium engine speeds, because, the vast majority of the time, automobile engines will not be operated at extremely high speeds. The NVCS system can produce a smooth idle and high amounts of torque at low to medium engine speeds. The VG30DE engine was first used in the 300ZX (Z31) 300ZR model in 1987. It was the first production car to use electronically controlled VVT technology. In 1987 Nissan also sold the Gloria, Leopard, and Cedric, all of which could come powered by the VG20DET engine which also utilized Nissans NVCS valve timing system.
The next step was taken in 1989 by Honda with the VTEC system. Honda had started production of a system that gives an engine the ability to operate on two completely different cam profiles, eliminating a major compromise in engine design. One profile designed to operate the valves at low engine speeds provides good road manners, low fuel consumption and low emissions output. The second is a high lift, long duration profile and comes into operation at high engine speeds to provide an increase in power output. The VTEC system was also further developed to provide other functions in engines designed primarily for low fuel consumption. The first VTEC engine Honda produced was the B16A which was installed in the Integra, CRX, and Civic hatchback available in Japan and Europe. In 1991 the Acura NSX powered by the C30A became the first VTEC equipped vehicle available in the US. VTEC can be considered the first "cam switching" system and is also one of only a few currently in production.
In 1991, Clemson University researchers patented the Clemson Camshaft which was designed to provide continuously variable valve timing independently for both the intake and exhaust valves on a single camshaft assembly. This ability makes it suitable for both pushrod and overhead cam engine applications.[5]
In 1992, Porsche introduced VarioCam its 968 model which provided continuously variable valve timing for the intake valves.
In 1992, BMW introduced the VANOS system. Like the Nissan NVCS system it could provide timing variation for the intake cam in steps (or phases), the VANOS system differed in that it could provide one additional step for a total of three. Then in 1996 the Double Vanos system was introduced which significantly enhances emission management, increases output and torque, and offers better idling quality and fuel economy. Double Vanos was the first system which could provide electronically controlled, continuous timing variation for both the intake and exhaust valves.
Ford began using Variable Cam Timing in 1998 for the Ford Sigma engine and the Ford Zetec engine. .................... etc
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