A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine
includes a housing having a housing body and shoes protruding from an
inner circumferential surface of the housing body to define actuation
spaces therebetween, a vane rotor disposed in the housing and having a
rotor body and vanes protruding from an outer circumferential surface of
the rotor body to divide the actuation spaces into circumferentially
alternating first and second hydraulic chambers, a plurality of spring
units arranged in at least either the first hydraulic chambers or the
second hydraulic chambers to bias the vane rotor in a rotational
direction with respect to the housing, and a rotation restriction
mechanism capable of restricting a relative rotation of the housing and
the vane rotor to prevent the shoes and the vanes from contact with each
other within the hydraulic chambers in which the spring units are
arranged.