Internal combustion engine with gear-driven crankshaft

摘要

An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder and a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block. The crankshaft includes a crankshaft gear and is configured to rotate along a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. The engine further includes a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston. The engine also includes a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston. The connecting rod includes a gear configured to engage the crankshaft gear, wherein the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod are configured to engage one another, such that as the piston travels within the cylinder, the connecting rod rotates the crankshaft via engagement between the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod.

主权项

1. An internal combustion engine comprising:
a cylinder block defining a cylinder having a longitudinal cylinder axis; a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the crankshaft comprising a crankshaft gear and having a radial axis configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft; a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston; a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston, the connecting rod comprising a gear configured to engage the crankshaft gear, wherein the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod are configured to engage one another, such that as the piston travels within the cylinder, the connecting rod rotates the crankshaft via engagement between the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod, wherein travel of the piston from a first stroke termination point to a second stroke termination point results in less than a full rotation of the crankshaft, and wherein the crankshaft comprises a single crankshaft.