Variable valve timing control apparatus

Abstract

A variable valve timing control apparatus, includes a housing rotating in synchronization with a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine, an inner rotor arranged coaxially with the housing and rotatable relative to the housing, a driven shaft, an intermediate member arranged between the inner rotor and the driven shaft and rotating in synchronization with the inner rotor and the driven shaft, a first hydraulic fluid passage, an inner room formed between the driven shaft and the inner rotor and constituting a portion of the first hydraulic fluid passage, a second hydraulic fluid passage, a passage formed in the intermediate member and constituting a portion of the second hydraulic fluid passage, and a contact portion at which an axial surface of the intermediate member is entirely in contact with the inner rotor between the first hydraulic fluid passage and the second hydraulic fluid passage.

1 . A variable valve timing control apparatus, comprising:
 a housing rotating in synchronization with a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine and including an outer rotor;   an inner rotor arranged coaxially with the housing and rotatable relative to the housing;   a driven shaft to which the rotation of the inner rotor is transmitted;   an intermediate member arranged between the inner rotor and the driven shaft along a rotational axis of the driven shaft and rotating in synchronization with the inner rotor and the driven shaft;   a first hydraulic fluid passage;   an inner room formed between the driven shaft and the inner rotor and constituting a portion of the first hydraulic fluid passage;   a second hydraulic fluid passage;   a passage formed in the intermediate member and constituting a portion of the second hydraulic fluid passage; and   a contact portion at which an axial surface of the intermediate member is entirely in contact with the inner rotor between the first hydraulic fluid passage and the second hydraulic fluid passage along the rotational axis.   
     
     
         2 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member is made of a material having a linear expansion coefficient that is close to or equal to a linear expansion coefficient of a material of the driven shaft rather than a linear expansion coefficient of a material of the inner rotor. 
     
     
         3 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a hydraulic fluid is supplied to an outer circumferential side of the driven shaft and is supplied via the intermediate member through the second hydraulic fluid passage to the inner rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a hydraulic fluid is supplied to an outer circumferential side of the driven shaft and is supplied via the intermediate member through the second hydraulic fluid passage to the inner rotor. 
     
     
         5 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driven shaft and the intermediate member are made of iron materials and the inner rotor is made of an aluminum material. 
     
     
         6 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the driven shaft and the intermediate member are made of iron materials and the inner rotor is made of an aluminum material. 
     
     
         7 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the driven shaft and the intermediate member are made of iron materials and the inner rotor is made of an aluminum material. 
     
     
         8 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein a timing sprocket is arranged at the outer rotor and a bearing portion supporting the timing sprocket is arranged at the intermediate member. 
     
     
         9 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a timing sprocket is arranged at the outer rotor and a bearing portion supporting the timing sprocket is arranged at the intermediate member. 
     
     
         10 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a timing sprocket is arranged at the outer rotor and a bearing portion supporting the timing sprocket is arranged at the intermediate member. 
     
     
         11 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to the cam shaft and the intermediate member is press-fitted to the cam shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to the cam shaft and the intermediate member is press-fitted to the cam shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to the cam shaft and the intermediate member is press-fitted to the cam shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to the cam shaft and the intermediate member is press-fitted to the cam shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to a bolt screwed with the cam shaft, and
 wherein a portion of a control valve switching connection and disconnection between the first hydraulic fluid passage and the second hydraulic fluid passage is accommodated within the bolt.   
     
     
         16 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to a bolt screwed with the cam shaft, and
 wherein a portion of a control valve switching connection and disconnection between the first hydraulic fluid passage and the second hydraulic fluid passage is accommodated within the bolt.   
     
     
         17 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to a bolt screwed with the cam shaft, and
 wherein a portion of a control valve switching connection and disconnection between the first hydraulic fluid passage and the second hydraulic fluid passage is accommodated within the bolt.   
     
     
         18 . The variable valve timing control apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the driven shaft corresponds to a bolt screwed with the cam shaft, and
 wherein a portion of a control valve switching connection and disconnection between the first hydraulic fluid passage and the second hydraulic fluid passage is accommodated within the bolt.