A crankshaft in which vibrations can be damped effectively without changing a design of a crankcase. The crankshaft comprises a first crank section located at one end of the crankshaft, and a second crank section located at the other end of the crankshaft. In the first crank section, a mass of a first inner balance weight is greater than a mass of a first outer balance weight. In the second crank section, a mass of a second inner balance weight is greater than a mass of a second outer balance weight.

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 comprises: a connecting rod head, designed to establish a pivot connection with a crankpin of a crankshaft, a hydraulic circuit for controlling the length of the connecting rod, and a system for controlling the hydraulic circuit. The control system comprises: at least one linear hydraulic slide arranged within a housing of the connecting rod head, at least a first shoe arranged on a sidewall of the connecting rod head, suitable for undergoing a bearing force exerted by a controlling member, the bearing force allowing the slide to be moved, a return means for bringing the slide back to its resting position in the absence of the bearing force, At and at least a second shoe arranged on the sidewall of the connecting rod head and suitable for undergoing the bearing force.

In an internal combustion engine, an oil return passage extending from a breather chamber can be formed without increasing the number of component parts and without increasing the size of the internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine (1) comprises an engine block (30) defining a cylinder (2); a case member (19) fastened to a lower part of the engine block to define a crank chamber jointly with the engine block; a bearing member (50) fastened to the engine block in the crank chamber to rotatably support a crankshaft; a breather chamber (113) defined in the engine block; an inlet passage (112) formed in the engine block to communicate the crank chamber with the breather chamber; a connection pipe (114) communicating the breather chamber with an intake device; and an oil return passage (150) formed at least in the bearing member, and extending from a bottom part of the breather chamber to an oil return port (147) opening at an outer surface of the bearing member. The oil return port may be provided in a lower part of the bearing member.

Combustion engine with a variable compression ratio which, according to the invention, includes the following items: engine body, crankshaft with crank pins mounted rotatably in the body, cylinders, pistons connected to the crankshaft via pin connecting rod sand control arms as well as the control arm rod located inside the engine body, with eccentrics mounted on it, on which eccentrics for each piston there are separately mounted control arms, it is characterized by the fact that on the control arm rod (19) aside from the rigidly mounted eccentrics (18), on which single control arms (14) are rotatably mounted, there are also rotatably mounted eccentrics (23), on which single control arms (14) are rotatably mounted, where preferably on the eccentrics (18) are mounted the control arms (14) for one row of cylinders (5), while for the eccentrics (23) are mounted the control arms (14) for the other row of cylinders (5), additionally the engine contains a mechanism for changing the compression ratio consisting of the control arm rod (19) with eccentrics (18, 23) mounted on the control arm rod (19) as well as coupling elements that connect the elements of the mechanism which ensure that neighboring eccentrics (18, 23) rotate in opposite directions.

Systems and methods are described for a reciprocating mechanism. The system includes at least one axially translating y-axis component configured to reciprocate substantially along a y-axis with a reciprocating motion of a piston assembly relative to a base. The system also includes at least one x-axis component slidingly coupled via at least one bearing assembly to and translating with the at least one y-axis component along the y-axis. The at least one x-axis component is configured to reciprocate substantially perpendicularly to the y-axis relative to the at least one y-axis component, and includes an orbital output component and an orbital linking component disposed substantially concentric with the orbital output component. The system also includes a stationary output component rotatably attached to the base in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the x-axis and y-axis, and a stationary linking component rotatably attached to the base in a direction that is substantially concentric with the stationary output component.

A crankshaft assembly for a motor vehicle drive train, including a crankshaft segment and a centrifugal pendulum secured thereon, which has a carrier secured to the crankshaft segment and at least one pendulum mass that moves relative to the carrier along a predetermined track. The crankshaft assembly has a friction unit connected to the carrier, which rests on the at least one pendulum mass such that, with a relative movement of the pendulum mass in relation to the carrier, the friction unit applies a frictional torque on the pendulum mass counteracting the relative movement, wherein the friction unit extends over a peripheral section of less than 360°.

A bearing assembly with a consumer of electrical energy and at least one energy generating device, has a first component and a second component, which are arranged so as to be movable repetitively relative to one another. The energy generating device has at least one electrical conductor arranged in a loop shape and at least one permanent magnet, wherein the electrical conductor is arranged on the first component, and the permanent magnet is arranged on the second component.

An internal combustion engine, including a pair of opposed pistons, a pair of opposed cylinders, and an output shaft, wherein each of the pistons is arranged for reciprocating motion within a respective one of the cylinders, driven by combustion, and the pistons are coupled to the output shaft by a coupling such that said reciprocating motion of the pistons drives rotation of the output shaft, wherein the coupling includes a connecting rod coupled to the opposed pistons, and the coupling further includes a crankshaft rotatably mounted within a slider bearing, the slider bearing being formed of separable parts and having unitary sides for sliding contact within the connecting rod.

Presented are crankshaft assemblies with internal stiffening structures, methods for making/using such crankshaft assemblies, and internal combustion engines equipped with such crankshaft assemblies. A crankshaft body, which is formed with a first material, includes multiple bearing journals that are mutually coaxial to rotate on a crankshaft axis and spaced from each other along the length of the crankshaft. Each bearing journal has an internal journal cavity. Multiple crankpins are longitudinally spaced from each and axially offset from the crankshaft's rotational axis. Each crankpin has an internal crankpin cavity. Multiple crank webs project radially from the crankshaft axis and interconnect the bearing journals with the crankpins. Each crank web has an internal web cavity. Disposed within the journal cavities, crankpin cavities, and/or web cavities is a stiffening bar formed with a second material having a modulus of elasticity that is greater than the modulus of elasticity of the first material.