Embodiments are directed toward an engine. In some embodiments, the engine includes a water pump and a balancer shaft. In some embodiments, the water pump has a plain bearing. In some embodiments, plain bearing is supplied with pressurized oil. In some embodiments, the balancer shaft drives the water pump as well as cam shafts.

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.

A variable length connecting rod includes a connecting rod body, an eccentric member, a switching mechanism and a stopping mechanism. The eccentric member is provided at a small diameter end of the connecting rod body. The eccentric member rotates such that an effective length of the variable length connecting rod is varied. The switching mechanism includes a hydraulic piston connected to the eccentric member. The eccentric member reaches a first position when the switching mechanism is in a first state. The eccentric member reaches a second position when the switching mechanism is in a second state. The stopping mechanism includes a stopping member that abuts against or engages with the eccentric member or the hydraulic piston such that the eccentric member is maintained at an intermediate position between the first position and the second position.

A connecting rod (10) has a crankpin bearing eye (11) attached to a crankshaft (38) and a connecting-rod bearing eye (12) attached to a piston. An eccentric adjustment device (13) adjusts an effective connecting rod length and has eccentric rods (15, 16) that engage a lever (14) of the eccentric adjustment device (13). Each eccentric rod (15, 16) has a piston (20, 21) guided in a hydraulic chamber (22, 23). The hydraulic chambers (22, 23) can be charged with hydraulic oil from first hydraulic lines (41) that lead to the crankpin bearing eye (11) and second hydraulic oil lines (24, 25) that lead from the crankpin bearing eye (11). Check valves (26, 27) prevent a backflow of hydraulic oil back into the second hydraulic lines (24, 25). At least one filter prevents an ingress of contaminants from the crankshaft into the hydraulic chambers (22, 23) via the hydraulic oil.

A friction roller type speed increaser (100) includes a high speed side shaft (11), a ring roller (21), a low speed side shaft (13), at least one fixed roller (15), at least one movable roller, and a housing (23) that surrounds the rollers. A bearing unit (45) that includes a cylindrical bearing housing (51) into which the high speed side shaft (11) is inserted, bearings (53 and 55) on an inner circumferential portion of the bearing housing (51) which rotatably support the high speed side shaft (11), an oil seal (59) which is provided at one end portion of the bearing housing (51) and closes an inner space including the bearings is floating-supported such that the bearing unit can move in a radial direction of the high speed side shaft (11) in a unit accommodating section (47) formed in the housing (23).

Provided is a sintered bearing, including Al, Cu, and Ni, the sintered bearing having Al—Cu—Ni alloy structures (3) sintered together. The Al—Cu—Ni alloy structures (3) each have an Al—Cu—Ni matrix phase (α-phase) and an Al—Ni compound phase (κ-phase), and are free of an Al—Cu compound phase (γ-phase).

A follower bearing 1 includes: an inner member 10 including a first body 50 and a flange 52; an outer ring 20; a plurality of rolling elements 40; and a first sealing member 30A including an annular first portion disposed between an outer peripheral surface 52A of the flange 52 and a first surface 22A and at least partially forming a sealing structure between the first portion and the outer ring 20. The first portion has an outer diameter that gradually increases toward a first end surface 52B at an end opposite to a first rolling surface 51A of the flange 52 in an axial direction.

Disclosed herein is a sliding member, such as a sliding bearing, including a resin overlay layer having improved conformability. The sliding member includes a bearing alloy layer and a resin overlay layer formed on the bearing alloy layer, wherein the resin overlay layer includes a solid lubricant phase, a binder resin phase, and a cushion phase, and an area ratio of the cushion phase is 0.5% or more but 5.0% or less.

A semi-cylindrical half bearing for a sliding bearing includes at least one axial groove formed on its inner circumferential surface that includes a smooth groove surface formed back away from the inner circumferential surface toward a radially outer side of the half bearing. The groove surface forms a convex curve toward the radially outer side in a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the half bearing, and forms a straight line extending in the axial direction in a cross-section parallel to the axial direction. The half bearing further includes a plurality of axial narrow grooves formed on the groove surface so as to be back away from the groove surface toward the radially outer side, that extend in the axial direction of the half bearing.

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.