# US 9,611,894 B2 · Clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,611,894 B2 - Document ID: US9611894B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/972,154 - Filed: 2015-12-17 - Published: 2016-04-14 - Granted: 2017-04-04 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Assignees: MCE 5 Development; Vianney Rabhi - Applicants: Mce-5 Development; Vianney Rabhi - Inventors: Sylvain Bigot; Philippe Dury - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9611894B2 ## CPC - F16C 17/02: for radial load only - F01B 9/02: with crankshaft - F01B 9/026: {Rigid connections between piston and rod; Oscillating pistons} - F02B 75/04: Engines with variable distances between pistons at top dead-centre positions and cylinder heads - F02B 75/045: {by means of a variable connecting rod length} - F02B 75/048: {by means of a variable crank stroke length} - F16C 33/60: divided {or split, e.g. comprising two juxtaposed rings} - F16C 35/02: in the case of sliding-contact bearings - F16C 29/00: Bearings for parts moving only linearly (F16C32/06 takes precedence; incorporated in flexible shafts F16C1/28 {; parts of bearings in general and special methods for making bearings or parts thereof in general F16C33/00}) - F16C 35/00: Rigid support of bearing units; Housings, e.g. caps, covers (F16C23/00 takes precedence) - F16C 2226/54: with rivets - F16C 2226/74: with snap-fit, e.g. by clips - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - F01B: MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES (of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F01C; of non-positive-displacement type F01D; internal-combustion engines F02B; combustion-product engine plants F02G; machines or engines, other than of positive-displacement type, for liquids F03B; positive-displacement engines driven by liquids F03C; wind motors F03D; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04B; rotary-piston, or oscillating-piston, positive-displacement machines for liquids F04C) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) ## Abstract A clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine includes: at least one curved segment whose outer surface cooperates with a raceway housed in the transmission member or in the control member of the variable compression ratio engine and whose inner surface is maintained in contact with a curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel of the engine; at least one clip, housed in at least one of the ends of the curved segment and fastened to one or the other of the ends of the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel and hooking onto a hook or protrusion which the wheel includes in the vicinity of the end of its curved outer surface, the hook or protrusion being complementary to that of the clip so as to be able to cooperate with the latter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine, said engine comprising a cylinder case receiving a transmission member provided with a rack, to which are fastened a combustion piston, a control member provided with a rack and connected to a hydraulic double-acting control actuator, a toothed wheel which cooperates with the transmission member, and with the control member to transmit the mechanical work produced by the combustion on the combustion piston by a connecting rod connected to a crankshaft, the raceway comprising: at least one curved segment having an outer surface which cooperates with a raceway housed in the transmission member or in the control member of the variable compression ratio engine, the curved segment having an inner surface which is maintained in contact with a curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel of said engine; at least one clip, housed in at least one end of the curved segment and fastened to one or other of ends of the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel and hooking onto a hook or protrusion which said wheel comprises in a vicinity of said end of the curved outer surface, said hook or protrusion being complementary to the at least one clip so as to be able to cooperate with the at least one clip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, wherein the curved segment is laterally maintained on the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel by at least one lateral stop abutment which prevents said segment from moving parallel to an axis of curvature of said segment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 2, wherein the lateral stop abutment is constituted of at least one edge housed in at least one side of the curved outer surface of the toothed wheel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The clip-fastened for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 3, wherein the edge housed in at least one side of the curved outer surface of the toothed wheel comprises recesses in an area of bases of the teeth which the toothed wheel comprises. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the curved segment comprises longitudinal and/or lateral stop pins which cooperate by nesting with pins or grooves having a reverse relief which the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel comprises. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ends of the curved segment is fastened to the toothed wheel by a mechanical anchoring connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the curved segment and/or the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel comprises raised or recessed geometric patterns which allow lubricating oil from a casing of the variable compression ratio engine to circulate between said inner surface and said curved outer surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, wherein the curved segment cooperates with a shim sandwiched between said segment and the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, wherein the curved segment is longitudinally maintained on the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel by at least one longitudinal stop abutment which prevents said segment from rotating about its axis of curvature. ### Claim 10 A clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine, comprising: at least one curved segment having an outer surface which cooperates with a raceway housed in a transmission member or in a control member of the variable compression ratio engine, the curved segment having an inner surface which is maintained in contact with a curved outer surface housed in a toothed wheel of said engine; at least one clip, housed in at least one end of the curved segment and fastened to one or other of ends of the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel and hooking onto a hook or protrusion which said wheel comprises in a vicinity of said end of the curved outer surface, said hook or protrusion being complementary to the at least one clip so as to be able to cooperate with the at least one clip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein the curved segment is laterally maintained on the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel by at least one lateral stop abutment which prevents said segment from moving parallel to an axis of curvature of said segment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 11, wherein the lateral stop abutment is constituted of at least one edge housed in at least one side of the curved outer surface of the toothed wheel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The clip-fastened for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 12, wherein the edge housed in at least one side of the curved outer surface of the toothed wheel comprises recesses in an area of bases of the teeth which the toothed wheel comprises. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein the inner surface of the curved segment comprises longitudinal and/or lateral stop pins which cooperate by nesting with pins or grooves having a reverse relief which the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel comprises. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the ends of the curved segment is fastened to the toothed wheel by a mechanical anchoring connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein the inner surface of the curved segment and/or the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel comprises raised or recessed geometric patterns which allow lubricating oil from a casing of the variable compression ratio engine to circulate between said inner surface and said curved outer surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein the curved segment cooperates with a shim sandwiched between said segment and the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein the curved segment is longitudinally maintained on the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel by at least one longitudinal stop abutment which prevents said segment from rotating about its axis of curvature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 10, wherein the variable compression ratio engine comprises: a cylinder case receiving the transmission member provided with a rack, to which are fastened a combustion piston; a control member provided with a rack and connected to a hydraulic double-acting control actuator; and the toothed wheel which cooperates with the transmission member, and with a control member to transmit the mechanical work produced by combustion on the combustion piston by a connecting rod connected to a crankshaft. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine according to claim 1, further comprising a shim sandwiched between said curved segment and the curved outer surface, the shim being configured to adjust a rigidity of the curved segment by adjusting a thickness of the shim. ### Claim 21 A clip-fastened raceway for a variable compression ratio engine, comprising: at least one curved segment having an outer surface which cooperates with a raceway housed in a transmission member or in a control member of the variable compression ratio engine, the curved segment having an inner surface which is maintained in contact with a curved outer surface housed in a toothed wheel of said engine; a first clip, housed in a first end of the curved segment and fastened to a first end of the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel and hooking onto a first hook or protrusion which said wheel comprises in a vicinity of said first end of the curved outer surface, said first hook or protrusion being complementary to the first clip so as to be able to cooperate with the first clip; and a second clip, housed in a first end of the curved segment and fastened to a second end of the curved outer surface housed in the toothed wheel and hooking onto a second hook or protrusion which said wheel comprises in a vicinity of said second end of the curved outer surface, said second hook or protrusion being complementary to the second clip so as to be able to cooperate with the second clip.