Connecting rod for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A connecting rod including a connecting rod body having a piston end, an opposing crank end, and a shank extending between the piston and the crank ends. The connecting rod body has a longitudinal plane LP that extends between respective centers of the piston and the crank ends. The longitudinal plane LP extends between a center axis at the piston end and a center axis at the crank end of the connecting rod. The shank has an I-beam cross-sectional shape and stiffness that are asymmetrical relative to the longitudinal plane LP. The shank includes a first column portion having an offset side surface, a second column portion having an anti-offset side surface, and a web positioned closer to the anti-offset side surface. The anti-offset side surface and the offset side surface are each substantially parallel to the longitudinal plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.