Split four stroke cycle internal combustion engine

A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising:

• a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine, the crankshaft having a first throw and a second throw;
• a power piston slidably received within a first cylinder;
• a first connecting rod pivotally connected to both the power piston and the first throw of the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stoke cycle during a single revolution of the crankshaft;
• a compression piston slidably received within a second cylinder;
• a second connecting rod pivotally connected to both the compression piston and the second throw of the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same revolution of the crankshaft;
• and
• a gas passage interconnecting the first and second cylinders, the gas passage including an inlet valve and an outlet valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween,
• wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve of the gas passage substantially maintain at least a predetermined firing condition gas pressure chamber in the pressure chamber during the entire four stroke cycle.

A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising:

• a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine, the crankshaft having a first throw and a second throw;
• a power piston slidably received within a first cylinder;
• a first connecting rod pivotally connected to both the power piston and the first throw of the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stoke cycle during a single revolution of the crankshaft;
• a first piston-cylinder axis along which the power piston reciprocates within the first cylinder, wherein the first piston-cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the first piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis and passes on one side of the crankshaft axis;
• a compression piston slidably received within a second cylinder;
• and
• a second connecting rod pivotally connected to both the compression piston and the second throw of the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same revolution of the crankshaft;
• wherein the power piston leads the compression piston by a phase shift angle that is substantially equal to or greater than 20 degrees.

A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising:

• a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine, the crankshaft having a first throw and a second throw;
• a power piston slidably received within a first cylinder;
• a first connecting rod pivotally connected to both the power piston and the first throw of the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stoke cycle during a single revolution of the crankshaft;
• a first piston-cylinder axis along which the power piston reciprocates within the first cylinder, wherein the first piston cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the first piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis and passes on one side of the crankshaft axis;
• a compression piston slidably received within a second cylinder;
• a second connecting rod pivotally connected to both the compression piston and the second throw of the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same revolution of the crankshaft;
• a second piston-cylinder axis along which the compression piston reciprocates within the second cylinder, wherein the second piston cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the second piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis and passes on an opposing side of the crankshaft axis;
• and
• a gas passage interconnecting the first and second cylinders, the gas passage including an inlet valve and an outlet valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween,
• wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve of the gas passage substantially maintain at least a predetermined firing condition gas pressure in the pressure chamber during the entire four stroke cycle.

A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising:

• a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine;
• a power piston slidably received within a first cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stroke cycle during a single rotation of the crankshaft;
• a compression piston slidably received within a second cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same rotation of the crankshaft;
• and
• a power piston-cylinder axis along which the power piston reciprocates within the first cylinder, wherein the power piston-cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the power piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis;
• wherein the power piston leads the compression piston by a phase shift angle that is substantially equal to or greater than 20 degrees.

A four stroke cycle internal combustion engine comprising:

• a crankshaft, rotating about a crankshaft axis of the engine;
• a power piston slidably received within a first cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke of a four stroke cycle during a single rotation of the crankshaft;
• a compression piston slidably received within a second cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke of the same four stroke cycle during the same rotation of the crankshaft;
• and
• a piston-cylinder axis along which the compression piston reciprocates within the second cylinder, wherein the piston-cylinder axis has an offset from the crankshaft axis such that the piston-cylinder axis does not intersect the crankshaft axis;
• wherein the power piston leads the compression piston by a phase shift angle that is substantially equal to or greater than 20 degrees.