A variable length connecting rod includes: a connecting rod body; an eccentric member which can swivel with respect to the connecting rod body and in which the effective length of the variable length connecting rod is changed when swiveled; a first piston mechanism making the eccentric member swivel in one direction when hydraulic fluid is fed; a second piston mechanism making the eccentric member swivel in the opposite direction when hydraulic fluid is fed; and a flow direction changing mechanism switching flow directions of hydraulic fluid between the first and second piston mechanisms. The first piston mechanism and second piston mechanism are formed so that a first cylinder volume defined by a stroke length of the first piston and a cross-sectional area of the first cylinder is equal to a second cylinder volume defined by a stroke length of the second piston and a cross-sectional area of the second cylinder.

Methods and systems for optimizing fuel economy and maintaining particulate emissions below a threshold of an engine system in a vehicle. An engine system has port fuel injection, direct injection, variable compression ratio, and independent compression/expansion. A processor predicts settings for the four systems that optimize for a fuel economy that is maximized. A particulate rate of the engine system is computed based on the settings. A determination is made of whether the particulate rate is below a threshold. When the particulate rate is below the threshold, command signals are delivered to actuators of the systems to move to the settings. When the threshold is exceeded, the settings are revised to maintain the particulate below the threshold while optimizing for fuel economy.

An endless band drive system having a variable center distance between the drive pulley and the driven pulley also has a rotatable control shaft and an endless band guide, where the guide is positioned by the rotatable control shaft for maintaining a slackless endless band with change of pulley center distance. Rotation of the control shaft pivots the endless band guide thereby maintaining a slackless endless band with change of the pulley center distance. Preferably, the rotatable control shaft also provides means for adjusting the center distance between the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The present invention provides a slackless endless band system for a variable compression ratio engine having a variable center distance between the drive pulley mounted on the crankshaft and the driven pulley mounted on the camshaft. The system provides slackless operation of the endless band at two or more compression ratio values.

A variable compression ratio internal combustion engine comprises a crankshaft and a connecting rod. The connecting rod comprises a connecting rod body, a first hydraulic cylinder, a first hydraulic piston, a second hydraulic cylinder, a second hydraulic piston, a linking member, a hydraulic oil path, and a spool between a first operating position permitting supply of hydraulic oil from the second hydraulic cylinder to the first hydraulic cylinder, and a second operating position permitting supply of hydraulic oil from the first hydraulic cylinder to the second hydraulic. The variable compression ratio internal combustion engine further comprises a biasing member arranged inside the crank pin and biasing the spool so as to selectively switch a position of the spool between the first operating position and the second operating position.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle engine to reduce engine knock and increase fuel efficiency by reducing hydrocarbon breakthrough. In one example, a method may include adjusting a compression ratio of a variable compression engine in response to hydrocarbon breakthrough above a threshold from a fuel vapor canister of an evaporative emissions system.

An actuating device (11) is provided for changeover valves (10) of an internal combustion engine having an adjustable compression ratio. Each changeover valve (10) is used to control a hydraulic oil flow in hydraulic chambers of an eccentric adjusting device of a respective connecting rod (1) of the internal combustion engine. Each changeover valve (10) has a pick-off element (12) that can be actuated by the actuating device (11). The actuating device (11) has a selector fork (13) for each changeover valve (10) and hence for each pick-off element (12) to be actuated. The selector forks are secured on a support structure (14) and can be moved from a first selection position into a second selection position against the restoring force of a return element (22), and wherein the restoring force of the return element (22) moves the selector forks (13) automatically in the direction of the first selection position.

An actuating device (11) is provided for changeover valves (10) of an internal combustion engine having an adjustable compression ratio. Each changeover valve (10) is used to control a hydraulic oil flow in hydraulic chambers of an eccentric adjusting device of a respective connecting rod (1) of the internal combustion engine. Each changeover valve (10) has a pick-off element (12) that can be actuated by the actuating device (11). The actuating device (11) has a selector fork (13) for each changeover valve (10) and hence for each pick-off element (12) to be actuated. The selector forks are secured on a support structure (14) and can be moved from a first selection position into a second selection position against the restoring force of a return element (22), and wherein the restoring force of the return element (22) moves the selector forks (13) automatically in the direction of the first selection position.

At the time of increasing an actual intake air amount by increasing a valve overlap period of intake and exhaust valves (2; 3), an actual compression ratio is temporarily decreased to be lower than a steady-state target compression ratio. This makes it possible to increase the valve overlap period without causing interference of the intake and exhaust valves (2; 3) with a piston (8).

At the time of increasing an actual intake air amount by increasing a valve overlap period of intake and exhaust valves (2; 3), an actual compression ratio is temporarily decreased to be lower than a steady-state target compression ratio. This makes it possible to increase the valve overlap period without causing interference of the intake and exhaust valves (2; 3) with a piston (8).

A rescue vehicle (2) includes a chassis (4), a drive unit (6) fastened to the chassis (4) and a driver's cab (8), which is fastened to the chassis (4). The chassis (4) is arranged behind the driver's cab (8) in a longitudinal direction L of the rescue vehicle (2). The rescue cab (10) has a gas-tight configuration. The rescue cab (10) has at least one door (12) as an access to the interior (14) of the rescue cab (10). The rescue vehicle (2) has an air supply unit (16), which is configured to supply the interior (14) of the rescue cab (10) with breathing air.