Connecting-rod with one or more recess in the stem to reduce mass, optimize the balancing between rotating and reciprocating masses, and optimize the connecting-rod bearings minimum oil film thickness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10197091-B1
Application number	US-201715671120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 7, 2017
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A connecting rod for connecting between a crankshaft and a piston, includes a small end with a cylindrical hole adapted to for receiving a piston pin, a big end having a crank pin bore adapted for receiving a crank pin of a crankshaft and a stem portion extends between the small end and big end. The stem portion can have an I-beam cross-section with a pair of legs and a web extending between the pair of legs. The web includes oppositely facing surfaces defining a thickness that is less than a thickness of the pair of legs. The web includes at least one grooved/recessed portion that is recessed relative to the oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connecting rod for connecting between a crankshaft and a piston, comprising:
a connecting rod small end having a cylindrical hole adapted to for receiving a piston pin;
a connecting rod big end adapted to for receiving a crank pin of a crankshaft;
a stem portion extending between the connecting rod small end and the connecting rod big end and having an I-beam cross-section with a pair of legs and a web extending between the pair of legs, the web having oppositely facing surfaces defining a thickness in a longitudinal direction of an axis of the crankshaft bearing boss that is less than a thickness of the pair of legs in the longitudinal direction of the axis of the crankshaft bearing boss, the web having at least one recessed portion that is recessed relative to at least one of the oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

2. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is circular in shape.

3. The connecting rod according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is disposed between the connecting rod small end and the connecting rod big end.

4. The connecting rod according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes at least one recessed portion disposed on both of the oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

5. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is generally rectangular in shape.

6. The connecting rod according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is disposed between the connecting rod small end and the connecting rod big end.

7. The connecting rod according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes at least one recessed portion disposed on both oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

8. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is generally triangular in shape.

9. The connecting rod according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is disposed proximate to one of the connecting rod big end or the connecting rod small end.

10. The connecting rod according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes at least one recessed portion disposed on both oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

11. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is oval/oblong in shape.

12. The connecting rod according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is disposed between the connecting rod small end and the connecting rod big end.

13. The connecting rod according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes at least one recessed portion disposed on both oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

14. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes a plurality of recessed portions longitudinally spaced from one another along the stem portion.

15. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is disposed proximate to the connecting rod small end.

16. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is disposed proximate to the connecting rod big end.

17. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes a plurality of recessed portions longitudinally spaced at opposite ends of the stem portion.

18. The connecting rod according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one recessed portion includes at least one recessed portion disposed on each of the oppositely facing surfaces of the web.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Germano Francesco
• NUMIDI Fabio
• Rescina Vito

Classifications

• F16C7/023 Primary

  for piston engines, pumps or the like · CPC title

• F16C2240/60

  Thickness, e.g. thickness of coatings · CPC title

• F16C9/045

  the bearing cap of the connecting rod being split by fracturing · CPC title

• F16C7/02 Primary

  Constructions of connecting-rods with constant length · CPC title

• F16C2360/22

  Internal combustion engines · CPC title