Embodiments are directed to a front end accessory drive (FEAD) and power modulating devices (PMD) which can be used in a FEAD. In one embodiment, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is coupled directly to a crankshaft of a prime mover, and the CVT is used to regulate the speed and/or torque delivered to an accessory. A compound drive device includes a motor/generator subassembly cooperating with a CVT subassembly to provide a motor functionality with torque multiplication or division, or alternatively, a generator functionality with torque multiplication or division. In some embodiments, a FEAD includes a PMD having a sun shaft configured to couple to a sun of the PMD and to an electric motor component, such as an electrical armature or an electrical field. In one embodiment, the electrical armature the electrical field are placed concentrically and coaxially and configured to rotate relative to one another in opposite directions.

A crankshaft system is provided. The crankshaft has a main journal, a rod journal rotates around the main journal, a planet gear is attached to the rod journal and can rotate around the rod journal, the rotation of the planet gear is constrained by a constraining gear, the teeth number of the constraining gear is integer k times of the teeth number of the planet gear, a crankpin is mounted on the planet gear, one end of a connecting rod of a piston is attached to the crankpin, the constraining gear is a ring gear or a sun gear, the trajectory of the crankpin is noncircular. The combustion chamber volume keeps constant from 0° ATDC to 14° ATDC, or the minimum combustion chamber volume extends from TDC to 14° ATDC or after 14° ATDC.

A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear.

Internal combustion engine with cylinders disposed radially around an axis (Z), in each of which slides a piston carrying out reciprocating rectilinear movements, reversibly transformed into a continuous rotation of an output shaft by: an active unit and passive unit each respectively having a planet gear, the axis of which is parallel to (Z), being capable of meshing with a ring gear, being maintained on its orbit via a planet carrier and having a pitch diameter identical to the pitch radius of the corresponding ring gear. The planet gear is driven in rotation by the planet gear and/or the planet carrier. Each planet gear is respectively rigidly connected to a connecting rod having crank pins, the axes of which are parallel to the axis (Z), pass through the pitch circle of the corresponding planet gear and being capable of cooperating by contact with rods rigidly connected to the pistons.

An internal combustion engine includes a hollow cylinder, a piston within the hollow cylinder, and a cylinder head. A base valve assembly at a base of the hollow cylinder permits or restricts fluid flow from an intake manifold into a sub-chamber below the piston. The piston includes at least one intake port connecting a combustion chamber above the piston with the sub-chamber, and a transfer valve that opens and closes the at least one intake port. When the transfer valve opens the at least one intake port, fluid is permitted to flow from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine operates according to a four-stroke piston cycle, wherein multiple intake stages are provided. The intake stages may include intake of air into the sub-chamber during a compression stroke, transfer of air from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during a power stroke, intake of air-fuel mixture into the sub-chamber during an exhaust stroke, and transfer of air-fuel mixture from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during an intake stroke.

A crankshaft system is provided. The crankshaft has a main journal, a rod journal rotates around the main journal, a planet gear is attached to the rod journal and can rotate around the rod journal, the rotation of the planet gear is constrained by a constraining gear, the teeth number of the constraining gear is integer k times of the teeth number of the planet gear, a crankpin is mounted on the planet gear, one end of a connecting rod of a piston is attached to the crankpin, the constraining gear is a ring gear or a sun gear, the trajectory of the crankpin is noncircular. The combustion chamber volume keeps constant from 0° ATDC to 14° ATDC, or the minimum combustion chamber volume extends from TDC to 14° ATDC or after 14° ATDC.

Internal combustion engine with cylinders disposed radially around an axis (Z), in each of which slides a piston carrying out reciprocating rectilinear movements, reversibly transformed into a continuous rotation of an output shaft by: an active unit and passive unit each respectively having a planet gear, the axis of which is parallel to (Z), being capable of meshing with a ring gear, being maintained on its orbit via a planet carrier and having a pitch diameter identical to the pitch radius of the corresponding ring gear. The planet gear is driven in rotation by the planet gear and/or the planet carrier. Each planet gear is respectively rigidly connected to a connecting rod having crank pins, the axes of which are parallel to the axis (Z), pass through the pitch circle of the corresponding planet gear and being capable of cooperating by contact with rods rigidly connected to the pistons.

A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear.

An internal combustion engine includes a hollow cylinder, a piston within the hollow cylinder, and a cylinder head. A base valve assembly at a base of the hollow cylinder permits or restricts fluid flow from an intake manifold into a sub-chamber below the piston. The piston includes at least one intake port connecting a combustion chamber above the piston with the sub-chamber, and a transfer valve that opens and closes the at least one intake port. When the transfer valve opens the at least one intake port, fluid is permitted to flow from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine operates according to a four-stroke piston cycle, wherein multiple intake stages are provided. The intake stages may include intake of air into the sub-chamber during a compression stroke, transfer of air from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during a power stroke, intake of air-fuel mixture into the sub-chamber during an exhaust stroke, and transfer of air-fuel mixture from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during an intake stroke.

A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear.