ACTUATOR AND VARIABLE VALVE GEAR OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH THE ACTUATOR APPLIED THERETO

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an actuator capable of easily rotating a control shaft to a desired position when an engine is stopped by easily rotating an output shaft. SOLUTION: By rotating a ball screw shaft 45 by an electric motor 36 and linearly moving a ball nut 46 in the axial direction in order to control rotation of the control shaft 32, the valve lift amount of an intake valve is variably controlled. When the engine is stopped, by rotating a first spur gear 60 and a second spur gear 61 by spring force of a torsion spring 62 of a rotation-providing mechanism 39, the ball screw shaft 45 is rotated in one direction. The ball nut 46 is moved to a right-most position in the axial direction, namely, in the direction for controlling the intake valve to the maximum lift amount, and the valve lift amount of the intake valve is automatically controlled to the maximum lift appropriate for starting. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT