Internal combustion engine with gear-driven crankshaft

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder having a longitudinal cylinder axis;
• a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the crankshaft comprising a crankshaft gear and having a radial axis configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft;
• a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston;
• and
• a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston, the connecting rod comprising a gear configured to engage the crankshaft gear,
• wherein the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod are configured to engage one another, such that as the piston travels within the cylinder, the connecting rod rotates the crankshaft via engagement between the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod,
• wherein the crankshaft comprises a single crankshaft,
• wherein the gear of the connecting rod comprises an internal gear defining an aperture, and the crankshaft is received in the aperture such that the crankshaft gear engages the internal gear,
• wherein the engine further comprises a retainer assembly operably coupled to the crankshaft and the connecting rod,
• wherein the retainer assembly is configured to maintain engagement between the crankshaft gear and the internal gear of the connecting rod, and
• wherein the engine is configured such that the crankshaft rotates in a first direction and the retainer assembly rotates around the crankshaft in a direction opposite to the first direction.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder having a longitudinal cylinder axis;
• a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the crankshaft comprising a crankshaft gear and having a radial axis configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft;
• a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston;
• and
• a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston, the connecting rod comprising a gear configured to engage the crankshaft gear,
• wherein the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod are configured to engage one another, such that as the piston travels within the cylinder, the connecting rod rotates the crankshaft via engagement between the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod,
• wherein the engine further comprises a retainer assembly operably coupled to the crankshaft and the connecting rod, the retainer assembly being configured to maintain engagement between the crankshaft gear and the internal gear of the connecting rod,
• wherein the retainer assembly comprises a plate having an aperture receiving the crankshaft,
• wherein the connecting rod comprises a ridge around the aperture defined by the internal gear of the connecting rod,
• wherein the retainer assembly further comprises a follower configured to follow the ridge as the crankshaft rotates and the internal gear of the connecting rod orbits around the crankshaft, and
• wherein the retainer assembly further comprises a biasing member coupled to the plate and the follower, the biasing member being configured to maintain contact between the follower and the ridge of the connecting rod.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder having a longitudinal cylinder axis;
• a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the crankshaft comprising a crankshaft gear and having a radial axis configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft;
• a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston;
• and
• a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston, the connecting rod having a longitudinal connecting rod axis,
• wherein the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod are configured to engage one another, such that as the piston travels within the cylinder, the connecting rod rotates the crankshaft via engagement between the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod,
• wherein the crankshaft comprises a first crankshaft having a first crankshaft gear,
• wherein the engine further comprises a second crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the second crankshaft comprising a second crankshaft gear and being configured to rotate along its longitudinal axis,
• wherein the connecting rod comprises an elongate portion having opposing lateral sides, a first rack gear associated with a first one of the opposing lateral sides, and a second rack gear associated with a second one of the opposing lateral sides, and
• wherein the engine is configured such that the first rack gear is configured to engage the first crankshaft gear when the longitudinal connecting rod axis is in a first lateral position relative to the longitudinal cylinder axis, and the second rack gear is configured to engage the second crankshaft gear when the longitudinal connecting rod axis is in a second lateral position relative to the longitudinal cylinder axis.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder;
• a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the crankshaft comprising a crankshaft gear and being configured to rotate along a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft;
• a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston;
• and
• a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston, the connecting rod comprising an internal gear defining an aperture,
• wherein the crankshaft is received in the aperture of the internal gear such that the crankshaft gear engages the internal gear,
• wherein the engine further comprises a retainer assembly operably coupled to the crankshaft and the connecting rod, the retainer assembly being configured to maintain engagement between the crankshaft gear and the internal gear of the connecting rod,
• wherein the connecting rod comprises a ridge around the aperture defined by the internal gear of the connecting rod, and
• wherein the retainer assembly further comprises a follower configured to follow the ridge as the crankshaft rotates and the internal gear of the connecting rod orbits around the crankshaft.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder;
• a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the crankshaft comprising a crankshaft gear and being configured to rotate along a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft;
• a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston;
• and
• a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston, the connecting rod comprising a gear configured to engage the crankshaft gear,
• wherein the gear of the connecting rod engages the crankshaft gear as the piston travels in the cylinder in a first direction toward the crankshaft, and the gear of the connecting rod disengages from the crankshaft gear as the piston reaches one of the stoke termination points.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a cylinder block defining a cylinder having a longitudinal cylinder axis;
• a first crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the first crankshaft comprising a first crankshaft gear and being configured to rotate along a first longitudinal axis of the first crankshaft;
• a second crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block, the second crankshaft comprising a second crankshaft gear and being configured to rotate along a second longitudinal axis of the second crankshaft;
• a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston;
• and
• a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston and having a longitudinal connecting rod axis, the connecting rod comprising:
• a first gear configured to engage the first crankshaft gear, and
• a second gear configured to engage the second crankshaft gear,
• wherein the first gear of the connecting rod engages the first crankshaft gear during a power stroke of the engine, and the first gear of the connecting rod drives the first crankshaft,
• wherein the second crankshaft gear drives the second gear of the connecting rod, and
• wherein the engine is configured such that the first gear of the connecting rod is configured to engage the first crankshaft gear when the longitudinal connecting rod axis is in a first lateral position relative to the longitudinal cylinder axis, and the second gear of the connecting rod is configured to engage the second crankshaft gear when the longitudinal connecting rod axis is in a second lateral position relative to the longitudinal cylinder axis.