US Patent 7357108 Valve-operating mechanism

A valve operating system for an engine that includes a piston that reciprocates along a piston axis. The valve operating system includes a valve member that is movable along a valve axis between a first position and a second position and a crankshaft that is rotatable about a crank axis. A cam member includes a substantially non-planar non-cylindrical surface and a cam profile superimposed thereon. A drive linkage interconnects the cam member and the crankshaft such that the cam member rotates in response to rotation of the crankshaft. A rocker arm is engaged with the valve member and the cam profile to move the valve member in response to rotation of the cam member.