Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a rotatable shaft, and a plurality of bearings coupled to the rotatable shaft, where the plurality of bearings include a first bearing, a second bearing, and a third bearing, where the first bearing defines an axial first bearing centerline, where the second bearing defines an axial second bearing centerline, where the third bearing defines an axial third bearing centerline, and where the axial second bearing centerline is radially offset from the axial first bearing centerline and the axial third bearing centerline.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a rotatable shaft, and a plurality of bearings coupled to the rotatable shaft, where the plurality of bearings include a first bearing, a second bearing, and a third bearing, where the first bearing defines an axial first bearing centerline, where the second bearing defines an axial second bearing centerline, where the third bearing defines an axial third bearing centerline, and where the axial second bearing centerline is radially offset from the axial first bearing centerline and the axial third bearing centerline.

The connecting rod head includes at least one oil chamber and an eccentric comprises a protrusion reaching into the oil chamber, so that an oil pressure in the oil chamber exerts a force on the protrusion to change the eccentric setting of the eccentric.

The connecting rod head includes at least one oil chamber and an eccentric comprises a protrusion reaching into the oil chamber, so that an oil pressure in the oil chamber exerts a force on the protrusion to change the eccentric setting of the eccentric.

A bearing including a generally cylindrical sidewall including an electrically conductive substrate, and an electrically non-conductive or low-conductive sliding layer coupled to the substrate, where the generally cylindrical sidewall includes a plurality of protrusions protruding radially inward or radially outward from a bore defining a central axis, where at least one protrusion is adapted to contact an opposing component such that at a point of contact the bearing has a void area free of sliding layer so as to provide electrical conductivity between the bearing and the opposing component, and wherein at least one protrusion has a spring rate of not greater than 30 kN/mm, such as not greater than 25 kN/mm, such as not greater than 15 kN/mm, or such as not greater than 10 kN/mm.

A radial positioning device is disclosed. The radial positioning device can include a body. The body can include a circumferential surface having a spring location and at least one interface portion operable to interface with a mating component. The body can also have a recess with a depth that varies relative to the circumferential surface about the body. The radial positioning device can also include a spring disposed in the recess. The spring can have a radial dimension greater than the depth of the recess at the spring location. The spring can be operable to contact the mating component at the spring location and compress in the radial dimension to provide a spring force that biases the at least one interface portion and the mating component against one another.

A connecting rod for a variable compression internal combustion engine, the connecting rod an eccentrical element adjustment arrangement for adjusting an effective connecting rod length, the eccentrical element adjustment arrangement including a first cylinder including a first hydraulic chamber and a second cylinder including a second hydraulic chamber, a first inlet for feeding hydraulic fluid into the first cylinder from a supply and a first outlet for draining the hydraulic fluid from the first cylinder, a second inlet for feeding hydraulic fluid into the second cylinder from the supply and a second outlet for draining the hydraulic fluid from the second cylinder, a switch valve for controlling a hydraulic fluid flow, the switch valve including a piston that is movable in a housing, wherein the piston is displaceable into a first switching position or a second switching position, wherein the second outlet of the second cylinder is connected with the supply in the first switching position and the first outlet of the first cylinder is connected with the supply in the second switching position, wherein the first cylinder is associated with a first check valve which facilitates feeding hydraulic fluid into the first cylinder and which prevents draining the hydraulic fluid from the first cylinder, wherein the second cylinder is associated with a second check valve which facilitates feeding hydraulic fluid into the second cylinder and which prevents draining hydraulic fluid from the second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are connected so that hydraulic fluid is conductible from the first cylinder into the second cylinder directly with a defined pressure drop in the second switching position.

A connecting rod for a variable compression internal combustion engine, the connecting rod an eccentrical element adjustment arrangement for adjusting an effective connecting rod length, the eccentrical element adjustment arrangement including a first cylinder including a first hydraulic chamber and a second cylinder including a second hydraulic chamber, a first inlet for feeding hydraulic fluid into the first cylinder from a supply and a first outlet for draining the hydraulic fluid from the first cylinder, a second inlet for feeding hydraulic fluid into the second cylinder from the supply and a second outlet for draining the hydraulic fluid from the second cylinder, a switch valve for controlling a hydraulic fluid flow, the switch valve including a piston that is movable in a housing, wherein the piston is displaceable into a first switching position or a second switching position, wherein the second outlet of the second cylinder is connected with the supply in the first switching position and the first outlet of the first cylinder is connected with the supply in the second switching position, wherein the first cylinder is associated with a first check valve which facilitates feeding hydraulic fluid into the first cylinder and which prevents draining the hydraulic fluid from the first cylinder, wherein the second cylinder is associated with a second check valve which facilitates feeding hydraulic fluid into the second cylinder and which prevents draining hydraulic fluid from the second cylinder, wherein the first cylinder and the second cylinder are connected so that hydraulic fluid is conductible from the first cylinder into the second cylinder directly with a defined pressure drop in the second switching position.

A connection rod coupling assembly includes a settable shape mounting second component having a lateral, primary axis and a bearing assembly including a bearing assembly body. The bearing assembly body includes a substantially cylindrical outer surface and a center axis. The bearing assembly body is coupled to the settable shape mounting second component in a non-aligned configuration. That is, the bearing assembly body center axis is offset from the settable shape mounting second component primary axis. Thus, the position of the bearing assembly body center axis is adjustable by repositioning the settable shape mounting second component relative to a settable shape mounting first component on a swing lever. The adjustment of the bearing assembly body, in turn, adjusts the range of the ram assembly and the ram assembly body.

A method for varying a compression ratio of an operating applied-ignition internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders and having a crank mechanism (1) comprising a crankshaft (2) which is mounted in a crankcase and which rotates at a crankshaft rotational speed .sub.crankshaft, is described. The method includes increasing an expansion phase of a cylinder cycle via rotation of the eccentric bushing (4).