Piston for an internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a piston;
• a cylinder having a cylinder running surface;
• the piston including:
• a ring belt extending along an axial direction;
• a groove arranged on an outer circumference of the ring belt, the groove configured to receive an oil scraper ring;
• an additional groove arranged on the outer circumference spaced apart from the grove with respect to the axial direction, the additional groove including a first groove side axially facing away from the groove and a second groove side axially facing the groove;
• the first groove side including an axial step;
• and
• wherein the piston is disposed in the cylinder and moveably guided therein such that a first axial portion of the ring belt arranged between the groove and the additional groove is disposed spaced apart from the cylinder running surface forming an intermediate space therebetween.

A method for producing a piston, comprising:

• providing a piston blank having a ring belt extending along an axial direction and a groove configured to receive an oil scraper ring, the groove arranged on an outer circumference of the ring belt;
• producing, via removing piston material, an additional groove on the outer circumference of the ring belt disposed spaced apart from the groove with respect to the axial direction, the additional groove including a first groove side axially facing away from the groove and a second groove side axially facing the groove;
• and
• creating an axial step on the first groove side via simultaneously removing piston material in the additional groove and in an axial region of the ring belt disposed between the groove and the additional groove.