Piston assembly having offset bearing
AssigneeElectro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
InventorAaron G. Foege
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piston assembly is disclosed for use with an engine. The piston assembly may include a first and second piston crown and a first and second connecting rod. The first and second connecting rods may each have a first end pivotally connected to the first and second piston crowns, respectively, and a second end with a circular opening configured to receive a throw of a crankshaft. The second connecting rod may have a running surface defining at least two outer lands and at least one inner land disposed between the at least two outer lands that alternately support a load of the second piston crown. The piston assembly may further include a bearing. Both the inner and outer lands may simultaneously support the load of the second piston crown against the bearing at a point of highest load on the second piston crown.
Claims18
A piston assembly, comprising:
- a first piston crown;
- a first connecting rod having a first end pivotally connected to the first piston crown and a second end with a circular opening configured to receive a throw of a crankshaft;
- a second piston crown;
- a second connecting rod having a first end pivotally connected to the second piston crown and a second end with a circular opening configured to receive the throw of the crankshaft, the second connecting rod having a running surface defining at least two outer lands and at least one inner land disposed between the at least two outer lands that alternately support a load of the second piston crown during a combustion process, the at least two outer lands having a center axis radially offset from a center axis of the at least one inner land, and wherein a radial offset between the center axis of the at least two outer lands and the center axis of the at least one inner land is between approximately 0.010-0.030 inches;
- and
- a bearing disposed within the circular openings of the first and second connecting rods between the second ends of the first and second connecting rods and the throw of the crankshaft, wherein both the inner and outer lands simultaneously support the load of the second piston crown against the bearing at a point of highest load on the second piston crown during the combustion process.
An engine, comprising:
- an engine block at least partially defining a plurality of cylinders;
- a crankshaft rotatably disposed within the engine block;
- a first piston crown disposed within a first of the plurality of cylinders;
- a first connecting rod having a first end pivotally connected to the first piston crown and a second end with a circular opening configured to receive a throw of the crankshaft;
- a second piston crown disposed within a second of the plurality of cylinders;
- a second connecting rod having a first end pivotally connected to the second piston crown and a second end disposed within tines of the first connecting rod and with a circular opening configured to receive the throw of the crankshaft, the second connecting rod having a running surface defining at least two outer lands and at least one inner land disposed between the at least two outer lands that alternately support a load of the second piston crown during a combustion process, the at least two outer lands having a center axis radially offset from a center axis of the at least one inner land, and wherein a radial offset between the center axis of the at least two outer lands and the center axis of the at least one inner land is between approximately 0.010-0.030 inches;
- and
- a bearing disposed within the circular openings of the first and second connecting rods between the second ends of the first and second connecting rods and the throw of the crankshaft, wherein both the inner and outer lands simultaneously support the load of the second piston crown against the bearing at a point of highest load on the second piston crown during the combustion process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.