In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an electric motor is used to generate correction torques to counteract unwanted torque pulses generated by an internal combustion engine during a cylinder deactivation mode. In some embodiments, the electric motor may be mounted to an accessory drive such as a power take-off mechanism or a front end accessory drive (FEAD). In some embodiments, the correction torques may be determined using an engine model. The correction torques help to reduce or eliminate noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) during the cylinder deactivation mode.

An internal combustion engine includes: a wall body that is formed on a crankcase to accommodate a generator by sandwiching the generator between the wall body and a generator cover coupled to the crankcase from outside; a casing that includes a casing wall, the casing wall being formed on the crankcase and, at a position apart from the wall body in an axial direction of the crankshaft, facing the wall body with a space contiguous to an outer surface of the crankcase sandwiched between the casing wall and the wall body; and a balancer shaft that has an axis thereof parallel to the rotation axis of the crankshaft, and is rotatably supported by the casing while one end of the balancer shaft protrudes from the casing wall into the space. Accordingly, the engine can reduce its weight by shortening the balancer shaft as much as possible without upsetting weight balance.

A chain drive for an internal combustion engine, comprises a driving sprocket, at least one driven sprocket, a drive chain coupling the sprockets, a pivotably supported tensioning rail which is pressed against one of the spans of the drive chain, and a slide rail which abuts on another of the spans of the drive chain, wherein the slide rail and the tensioning rail have a common base body, which is arranged such that it is pivotable about a common pivot axis, and the arcuate portion of a slide surface of the slide rail, which comes into contact with the drive chain during operation, has an axis of curvature or axes of curvature, and the arcuate portion of a slide surface of the tensioning rail, which comes into contact with the drive chain, has an axis of curvature or axes of curvature.

An object of the present invention is to improve design flexibility of a balancer apparatus. A balancer apparatus includes a balancer shaft, a balancer housing, and an oil pump including an oil pump housing formed separately from the balancer housing and attached to the balancer housing. The balancer housing includes an upper housing and a lower housing formed separately from the upper housing. The lower housing includes first to third bosses configured to fasten the oil pump to the lower housing. The first and second bosses protrude downward on one end side of an axial direction of the balancer shaft. The third boss is disposed on an upper side with respect to the first and second bosses. The first and second bosses are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction in such a manner that a recessed portion is formed therebetween. The oil pump includes an intake portion having an opening portion. The intake portion is disposed at least partially in the recessed portion.

An internal combustion engine includes: a crankshaft supported via a bearing; a balancer drive gear ; a balancer shaft; and a one-way clutch mechanism that transmits to the crankshaft a drive force to start the internal combustion engine. In the internal combustion engine, the bearing includes an oil seal built therein, the oil seal sealing a crank chamber of the crankcase. The one-way clutch mechanism includes a case fixed to the crankshaft and a starter driven gear provided relatively rotatably with respect to the case and driven by the drive force. The starter driven gear includes a thrust bearing portion that abuts on the balancer drive gear in an axial direction of the crankshaft.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, an electric motor is used to generate correction torques to counteract unwanted torque pulses generated by an internal combustion engine during startup and/or shutdown. In some embodiments, the electric motor may be mounted to an accessory drive such as a power take-off mechanism or a front end accessory drive (FEAD). In some embodiments, the correction torques may be used to enforce an engine speed target profile for startup or shutdown, and may be determined using a feedback control loop based on the engine speed. The correction torques help to reduce or eliminate noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH) during startup and/or shutdown.

Methods and systems are provided for an engine housing assembly. In one example, an engine housing assembly comprises an engine housing component, the housing component at least partially defining a first bore for receiving a first shaft and at least partially defining a second bore for receiving a second shaft; and a reinforcement member cast into the housing, the reinforcement member having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the housing component, wherein the reinforcement member at least partially surrounds the first and second bores. A method of manufacturing the engine housing assembly is also provided.

A gear includes a first, radially inner ring element, a second, radially outer ring element and a connecting element, wherein the second, radially outer ring element includes a toothing, wherein further the connecting element is arranged in the radial direction between the first, radially inner ring element and the second, radially outer ring element and is connected to the first, radially inner ring element and the second, radially outer ring element, and wherein the connecting element is made at least partly from a rubbery-elastic material, and wherein a deviation of the coaxiality of the outer diameter of the first, radially inner ring element to the inner diameter of the second, radially outer ring element amounts to a maximum of 0.8 mm and/or the toothing of the radially outer ring element is formed with teeth having different tooth thicknesses.

A balancer shaft includes a shaft body, a driven gear, a fixed member fixed to the shaft body, and an elastic member located between the driven gear and the fixed body. A projection projects from the driven gear. The fixed member includes an accommodation recess accommodating the projection. The elastic member is arranged in the accommodation recess adjacent to the projection. The projection includes an abutment side surface, which includes an outer end. The outer end and the elastic member are spaced apart in the circumferential direction by a first distance when the abutment side surface and the elastic member are in abutment without elastically deforming the elastic member. The first distance is greater than a maximum value of an elastic deformation amount of the elastic member in the circumferential direction when the elastic member is pressed between the projection and a wall of the accommodation recess.

A method of controlling a motor assembly for starting an engine and driving a balance shaft includes: determining whether starting or restarting of an engine is desired; operating an actuator such that a motor shaft is moved forward when the starting or restarting of the engine is desired; and starting or restarting the engine by rotating a motor and by driving a start gear, after the operating the actuator.